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Reviews
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John on Jan 14, 2023
5 out of 5 starsMy wife is Polish, and we only have this type of ornament on our tree. These ornaments from Krissa are in various sizes, beautifully made, and look wonderful. Very elegant.
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John on Dec 23, 2022
5 out of 5 starsFour perfect Polish Christmas tree ornaments that were delivered promptly. They looked exactly as advertised. We are very pleased with the customer service provided, and with the beauty of the ornaments. Thank you
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Kasey on Dec 21, 2022
5 out of 5 starsAbsolutely perfect! Super fast shipping, we’ll-packaged, and helpful instructions for set up. We love our new Christmas tree topper!
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Elizabeth on Dec 18, 2022
5 out of 5 starsI ordered the 12” Gold Tree Topper and it’s perfect! We typically get a 10-12ft live tree, and it looks absolutely beautiful. I’ve been looking for a new tree topper for several years, and this has met all my expectations.
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Dorothy on Dec 16, 2022
5 out of 5 starsHave ordered these for other gifts. Quality is superb! Love being able to get these.
About kissadesign
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Kathleen's work has appeared in many print publications, a few of which are show here.
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Her ornaments were chosen as one of "The 14 Best Modern Christmas Ornaments" by The Wall Street Journal.
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Her work helped move jeżyk from the Christmas tree into the realm of year-round decorative use.
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Upcycled magazines, newspapers and books became some of her most memorable works.
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All the items in this shop are handmade and photographed by this independent artisan in her Michigan USA studio.
Hundreds of Thousands of Points: About Kissa Design and her "Star Urchins," from the Artist
Jeżyk or "hedgehog" ornaments are a traditional form of Polish folk art, a paper craft that dates back beyond 100 years. This style of ornament making became popular on and off during the last century in the United States, where they became known as porcupine ball ornaments, perhaps through a twist of translation to reflect our own resident spiky animal (there are no wild hedgehogs here).
To me, in a more modern context, they looked like stars or sea urchins, so I called them Star Urchins™, which became my unique product brand name. I have been making them for most of my life. My mother learned to make them nearly six decades ago, and she, in turn, taught me how to make them during the Christmas holiday season when I was a child, as a way to connect me to my Polish heritage. I reintroduced them to a new generation of artists and crafters on a larger scale via the internet when I began selling them here beginning in 2009. The interest has been astounding.
As the popularity of my creations grew, a new meme caught on, and these ornaments are now most commonly referred to as "Polish stars"; various forms can be found across the web. (I do not yet offer a tutorial for my ornaments, and please note that any tutorials or derivative works currently online do not reflect or represent my work, nor my techniques.)
My work has appeared in numerous magazines, newspapers and blogs, and has found happy homes with scores of collectors. I've sold thousands of pieces, shipping them across the globe. And by now, I have made in the hundreds of thousands of points, all by hand! My expansive line has included ornaments (including my signature hand-glittered Sparklers, and recycled newspaper, book and magazine ornaments), tree toppers, place card holders, magnets, stemmed flower bouquets and more, to be enjoyed as modern folk art, on or off the Christmas tree, any time of year. Each is handmade by me, in my Michigan USA studio, to keep the heart and soul and beauty within this traditional family craft. Please help spread the word about independent-artisan handmade and original modern exploration of traditional art forms. Thank you, sincerely, for your support.
Enjoy, from my home to yours,
Kathleen.
Kissa Design
www.kissadesign.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/kissadesign
Shop members
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Kathleen
Owner, Maker, Designer, Artisan
This shop is the result of my experimentation with a cherished family tradition, a handmade paper Polish folk art ornament called a jeżyk, or hedgehog, due to its spiky form.
Shop policies
Welcome! I'm Kathleen. Kissa Design is dedicated to creating well-made and thoughtfully designed handcrafted goods inspired by my hands-on connection to the earth through gardening and my family's many crafting traditions. All items in my shop are handmade by me in my Michigan USA studio.
Continue shopping in my handmade shop: www.etsy.com/shop/kissadesign
Please check the Kissa Design Facebook page for additional shop updates: http://www.facebook.com/KissaDesign
My paper Star Urchin ornaments are based on a traditional Polish star ornament, often called a porcupine ball (from the Polish word jeżyk for hedgehog), that I first learned to make from my mother when I was a child and that my family has been making for more than sixty years. I began offering them online over a decade ago, under my unique brand name, Star Urchins™, with the goal of reviving an interest in them and expanding their use to a functional and decorative realm beyond the Christmas tree.
It has been so meaningful for me to see the recent resurgence happening around this long-established folk art craft. I hope to inspire those of you who wish to explore this art form and that my passion for my craft is apparent in each piece that I create. Please note that any online tutorials do no represent my methods or techniques, which I have perfected over many years. Any of my images attached to such tutorials or DIY pages have been used without my permission.
Learn more about me and my work at www.kissadesign.com
Accepted payment methods
Returns & exchanges
Cancellations
Cancellations: not accepted
Please contact the seller if you have any problems with your order.