This year I had one of my huge wishes fulfilled, I was given a wreath of straws as christmas gift. Simple and cheap wish, but we don’t have straws around this corner of the world. When I was living in Sweden I had the opportunity to participate in a course creating straw chandeliers or crowns and in general creating christmas straw ornaments with red thread. Ever since I have been dreaming about sitting for hours creating some Greenlandic inspired straw crowns.
Chanderliers made of straw is made several places in the world, Sweden, Finland, Germany and Poland (I had a polish grandfather, thats probably the reason I love them so much)…Russia and the Baltic countries…and I’m sure they are made many other places.
In Sweden they are called Halmkronor or Halmspiror, in Finland Oro or Himmeli, in Poland Pajaki….
For some years it has been quite modern with all the geometric forms and designs, but geometric straw mobiles or crowns are something very different, its traditions, craft, storytelling about the one who is creating the chandelier or strawpieces….and most of all celebration.
In Poland the Paper chandeliers, or pajaki, are a traditional Polish folk craft designed to brighten up the home with bold spring blooms during the long winter. Traditionally made from reeds, tissue paper, and foil, these ornate decorations can be made from many supplies found in your home.
And that is the same in Sweden, besides using paper in the crowns its common to use felt and berries as well.
How about a snow crown or mountain crowns, perhaps done with dry local berries, (I kept some from the summer), or Eriophorum also called cotton grass or cotton sedge…we have them everywhere in the early summer…or with dried flowers….lets see in the new year…
Finnish Himmeli found on eilentein.com
rowanberry crown found on rebeccasdiy.blogspot.se
found on marry-xoxo.com
Paper chandeliers, or pajaki, are a traditional Polish folk craft designed to brighten up the home with bold spring blooms during the long winter. Traditionally made from reeds, tissue paper, and foil, these ornate decorations can be made from many supplies found in your home
found on gakken.jp
found on finnish magazine Kotivinkki
crafted by ? found on google
christmas ornaments made by straw and red thread found on meehameeha.blogspot.com
Pajaki straw and paper chandelier found on bobbinandbow.com
aviajaspace 