I just love holidays, especially Christmas. This year, I’m extra-excited…we’ll be hosting family! Like a racehorse at the starting line, I couldn’t wait to deck the halls the day after Thanksgiving. Each year, I add a little something to my mixed bag of decorations. This time, I was craving something fun…something vintage… and found just what I was looking for: blow molds!
is a certified farmgirl at heart. She’s happily married to her beach bum Yankee husband of 20 years. She went from career gal to being a creative homeschooling mom for two of her biggest blessings and hasn’t looked back since. Debbie left her lifelong home in the high desert of Northern Nevada 10 years ago and washed up on the shore of America’s hometown, Plymouth, MA, where she and her family are now firmly planted. They spend part of each summer in a tiny, off–grid beach cottage named “The Sea Horse.”
“I found a piece of my farmgirl heart when I discovered MaryJanesFarm. Suddenly, everything I loved just made more sense! I enjoy unwinding at the beach, writing, gardening, and turning yard-sale furniture into ‘Painted Ladies’ I’m passionate about living a creative life and encouraging others to ‘make each day their masterpiece.’”
is a “MaryJane Farmgirl” who lives in a large metropolitan area. She is a lawyer who has worked in both criminal defense and prosecution. She has been a judge, a business woman and a stay-at-home mom. In addition to her law degree, she has a Masters of Theological Studies.
“Mustering up the courage to do the things you dream about,” she says, “is the essence of being a MaryJane Farmgirl.” Learning to live more organically and closer to nature is Rebekah’s current pursuit. She finds strength and encouragement through MaryJane’s writings, life, and products. And MaryJane’s Farmgirl Connection provides her a wealth of knowledge from true-blue farmgirls.
an old-fashioned farmgirl with a pioneer spirit, lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. As a “lifelong learner” in the “Live-Free-or-Die” state, she fiercely values self-reliance, independence, freedom, and fresh mountain air. Married to her childhood sweetheart of 40+ years (a few of them “uphill climbs”), she’s had plenty of time to reinvent herself. From museum curator, restaurant owner, homeschool mom/conference speaker, to post-and-beam house builder and entrepreneur, she’s also a multi-media artist, with an obsession for off-grid living and alternative housing. Cathi owns and operates a 32-room mountain lodge. Her specialty has evolved to include “hermit hospitality” at her rustic cabin in the mountains, where she offers weekend workshops of special interest to women.
“Mountains speak to my soul, and farming is an important part of my heritage. I want to pass on my love of these things to others through my writing. Living in the mountains has its own particular challenges, but I delight in turning them into opportunities from which we can all learn and grow.”
Dori Troutman is the daughter of second generation cattle ranchers in New Mexico. She grew up working and playing on the ranch that her grandparents homesteaded in 1928. That ranch, with the old adobe home, is still in the family today. Dori and her husband always yearned for a ranch of their own. That dream came true when they retired to the beautiful green rolling hills of Tennessee. Truly a cattleman’s paradise!
Dori loves all things farmgirl and actually has known no other life but that. She loves to cook, craft, garden, and help with any and all things on their cattle farm.
describes herself as a goat charmer, chicken whisperer, bee maven, and farmers’ market baker renovating an 1864 farmhouse on an Ohio farm. With a degree in Design, Mary says small-town auctions and country road barn sales "always make my heart skip a beat thinking about what I could create or design out of what I’ve seen.”
Rooted in the countryside, she likes simple things and old ways … gardening, preserving the harvest, cooking, baking, and all things home. While you might find her selling baked goods from the farm’s milkhouse, teaching herself to play the fiddle, or sprucing up a vintage camper named Maizy, you will always find her in an apron!
Mary says, “I’m happiest with the simple country pleasures … an old farmhouse, too many animals, a crackling fire, books to read, and the sound of laughter … these make life just perfect.”
is a budding rural farmgirl living in Palmer, the agricultural seat of Alaska. Alex is a graduate student at Alaska Pacific University pursuing an M.S. in Outdoor and Environmental Education. She lives and works on the university’s 700 acre environmental education center, Spring Creek Farm. When Alex has time outside of school, she loves to rock climb, repurpose found objects, cross-country ski on the hay fields, travel, practice yoga, and cook with new-fangled ingredients.
Alex grew up near the Twin Cities and went to college in Madison, Wisconsin—both places where perfectly painted barns and rolling green farmland are just a short drive away. After college, she taught at a rural middle school in South Korea where she biked past verdant rice paddies and old women selling home-grown produce from sidewalk stoops. She was introduced to MaryJanesFarm after returning, and found in it what she’d been searching for—a group of incredible women living their lives in ways that benefit their families, their communities, and the greater environment. What an amazing group of farmgirls to be a part of!
Suburban Farmgirl Nicole Christensen calls herself a “vintage enthusiast”. Born and raised in Texas, she has lived most of her life in the picturesque New England suburbs of Connecticut, just a stone’s throw from New York State. An Advanced Master Gardener, she has gardened since childhood, in several states and across numerous planting zones. In addition, she teaches knitting classes, loves to preserve, and raises backyard chickens.
Married over thirty years to her Danish-born sweetheart, Nicole has worked in various fields, been a world-traveler, an entrepreneur and a homemaker, but considers being mom to her now-adult daughter her greatest accomplishment. Loving all things creative, Nicole considers her life’s motto to be “Bloom where you are planted”.
Nicole – this is SO FUN!!! I have always loved them from a distance – never having owned one myself or even thinking that I would want to own one. But now after reading your post – I WANT ONE!!! 🙂 I really like the snowman that belongs to your friend Andrea. It is precious. I too love all things vintage – I will spend hours antique shopping, and avoid the mall at all costs. (Mail order works just fine for me!) The most favorite things in my house are the vintage things passed on to me or that I’ve purchased. I hope your Christmas is the very best ever – and hosting family for a Holiday IS the best isn’t it? – Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl –
Hi Dori! Isn’t Andrea’s snowman the cutest? She has such a great eye for all kinds of things. Get the two of us together and we are trouble! 🙂 We were in a thrift store once and before we knew it, we had a line of other customers wanting to ask us if what they found was “vintage” or unique. Funny!
I can’t wait until our family arrive. It truly is going to be one of the best Christmases ever! Wishing you and your family have a truly magical season, too. And happy hunting for a blow mold! Let me know if you find any! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
As a child in the 70’s we had blow mold candles that my mother would place on our front porch.Thank you for reminding me of a fond childhood memory.
Hi Holly, Thank you for letting me know. The candles always make me think of my grandmother, too. She loved holidays, and I think I inherited my enthusiasm for them from her. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I never knew! Thanks for this article, and I especially love your comment about honey and an ant hill! Hilarious! I too adore thrift and antique stores this time of year for things with a past, with history, things that have been used and loved before finding itself back on a store shelf. I often imagine them saying pick me! Pick me! Coming home with a simple old glass ornament or two Thrills me! Thanks again and I’ll have. Keener eye next visit to the antique mall! Merry Christmas!
Hi Julie, so glad you enjoyed this post. I love how you describe the items in antique stores…how they all do speak to us! Let me know if you run across a blow mold anywhere! Thanks for “stopping by”! Merry Christmas and Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Love your Blow Molds!!! I have one Santa that is a childhood ornament – I have been wondering if I needed to rewire him and now I just might have that done. So glad you weren’t badly hurt. Thanks for sharing your lovlies. God bless and Merry Christmas!
Hi Joan, Thanks so much. After what happened to me, I think I will rewire mine every few years just to be on the safe side! How awesome that you have one from your childhood. Merry Christmas and Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I never knew what you called them. Thanks for the education and Merry Christmas.
Hi Bonnie, Merry Christmas, to you, too! Funny, no one in any of the several stores I went to knew the name, either, but when I described them, everyone knew exactly what I was talking about. 🙂 I there’s a little nostalgia in everyone this time of year. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I’m one of those kooky blow mold lovers. Yup, I’ve got glorified plastic tackies all over. They make me smile. Enjoy yours and thanks for sharing their story. Best, Kim
Hi Kim! Thanks for the comment. I just love them, and knowing their history makes me love them more. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Interesting blog.. It brought back memories of long ago when we would all get in the car and drive through the neighborhood looking at all the different decorations that had been put out.
Hi Russell, We still do that every year! It’s tradition. This year, someone told me about a house nearby that has all sorts of blow molds lit up in the front yard – in a vintage Volkswagen beetle! We will scope it out…Thanks for the comment, Nicole
Nicole,
I’m not a big fan of anything plastic either, but you have a way of making EVERYTHING seem lovely and cheerful! They do look sweet and happy with their lights all a glow.
Also, I’m with you on the mall! Today my son and I were talking about shopping and I said, Your dad will probably plan another shopping day at that place’. I literally forgot what it was called! My son said, ‘It’s called the mall mom”. Too funny!
Enjoy the season!
Dena
Awww, thanks, Dena!
I am glad I am not the only one repelled by the mall! Cute story, thanks for sharing. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Hello Nicole,
I just read your article and loved it! I have a small Santa & Snowman blowmold that were my parents…..oh the memories. Recently this past summer …my husband and I purchased a giant Frosty Snowman Blowmold on a sale at the Vermont Country Store, plus we also bought a huge plastic blowmold Santa that hangs on the wall. They are just the best! I am also a big Flea Market shopper…….its like a great treasure hunt all the time. It’s nice to know you enjoy them as much as we do! Thanks once again for the great article. Happy New Year! Barb
Thanks, Barb! I just love them. They are so cheerful. I’d love to see the you have Santa that hangs on the wall! How unique. Just packed mine away for the year, so sorry to see them go, but will look forward to having them glow next year! Happy New Year! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I’m a guy. Here’s what I have to say about blow molds. They’re better than the inflatables. They’re coming back in fashion. People are buying less inflatables. They’re not as popular as they use to be. People are going back to blow molds.
I agree, Sathya! The inflatables are not as durable, and in my humble opinion, not as cute! Thanks for stopping by. – Nicole
Thanks for posting this. My aunt gave me one when I was pregnant with my son that is a little boy kneeling in prayer night light that she had when she was young and was hopong for a son. I never knew what it was, just that it was orange when it was lit up.
Thanks for posting this. My aunt gave me one when I was pregnant with my son that is a little boy kneeling in prayer night light that she had when she was young and was hoping for a son. I never knew what it was, just that it was orange when it was lit up.
Hi Marci, I bet now you could research it and find out the history and who made it. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I love your article! Every year for several years my parents would buy me a new blow mold to decorate the decorate the house with. Several years back my mom ended up throwing them all away because they were getting old. I was devastated. Luckily I found one of them exactly like the 1971 Empire snowman that we had. I’m continuing to search eBay and antique shops to continue to ad to my collection. You’re right! They are very nostalgic and bring me a lot of joy and happiness. Happy Holidays!
Hi Timothy, Thank you so much for your comment. My stomach flipped a bit when you said your mom threw away the blow molds – the old ones are the best! Glad you found another one like the one you had. Enjoy your holidays, too, and thank you for “stopping by’. ~Nicole
Have you heard of a blow mold Santa being cut in half? I have seen one where the front half of Santa is mounted backward in a box and lighted from the rear. When you look at it you are seeing the white inside of the blow mold but with the rear lighting all the features shine through and it looks like the eyes are following you as you drive or walk past. I am looking for directions to make one.
Hi Alan, No I haven’t seen that. I have a jack o lantern one where someone cut the eyes so that more light shown through. What you describe sounds interesting, but I haven’t come across that. There is a Facebook group called “Vintage Crafters”. Let me see what I can find out from them. ~Nicole
Hello Nichole. Thanks for the fun post and history :-). I was just having a nostalgic moment regarding a halloween blow-mold I had when I was about four years old…. so I did a search and found your article. There does seem to be something incredibly tender and endearing about these illuminated figures. I’m glad to know there are others who feel the same.
Hi Curtis, Thank you for reading and commenting! Yes, blow molds really are a favorite of mine of holidays past. Many of the “old” molds have been re-cast. I have a ghost and a Santa that are “new” but from old molds. If you look on eBay or tag sales, you might be able to find the one you specifically were talking about. Cords don’t matter as I recommend replacing old cords anyway. Good luck! ~Nicole
Thanks for the kind response Nichole :-).
I also love the retro/vintage “kitschy- ness” of the Santa blow mold. Yesterday I hit the jackpot at my local thrift store where I found 4 Santa’s! I brought 2 home ( leaving some cheerful treasure for the next person – Merry Christmas!) and set them up on my kitchen counter and place of honor on my Christmas themed bar cart. They really bring that touch of nostalgia to this years decor!
Hi Kelly, congratulations! Sounds like a lucky find, and it sounds like your bar cart is adorably decorated! Enjoy! Merry Christmas! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole