Sterling Pear Interviews Clara Scroggins: World-Famous Ornament Collector!

We originally posted this interview with Clara Scroggins, world-famous ornament collector, back in January, 2013 and really wanted to share her amazing interview again!

Clara Scroggins of Tampa Palms owns and curates the world's largest privately owned ornament collection, which tops 1-million pieces.

She has been collecting ornaments for more than 15 years! 

Her own collection includes ornaments by many famous names including Waterford, Lalique, Versace, Hallmark, Lenox, Reed and Barton, Christopher Radko, Baccarat, Swarovski, artist Thomas Blackwell, jewelry designer Jay Strongwater, Tiffany Co. and more!

Clara is an expert on storing and caring for sterling silver, crystal, gold, cut crystal, porcelain, breakable, blown glass balls, hand painted ornaments and more! We are so excited to have spoken with her. We hope you enjoy these tips on preserving your ornaments and heirlooms so you can pass them down to your children and grandchildren for generations to come. 

SP: What is the first rule in storing fragile an collectible ornaments? 

Clara: You don’t want your ornaments to rattle around. Use white shredded paper in each department of your ornament storage box to keep ornaments comfy and nestled in each slot. You also want to be careful that ornaments are not crushed against each other. Give each one a little room to breathe, while still being protected. “The ornament storage boxes by Sterling Pear are good for this because they are strong enough to stack without crushing the ornaments. There are many ornament storage companies and options now, and many ornament storage boxes that are made, are not”.

SP: Is it important to use acid-free paper when storing ornaments and heirlooms?

Clara: While it is not necessary to use acid free paper for storing ornaments, it is very important to use acid-free paper when storing heirlooms such as a wedding dress, antiques, and baby christening dresses to prevent yellowing. Wrap the items in the paper to keep them preserved.

SP: Should ornaments be stored in an airtight container to prevent moisture? What about sterling silver? Porcelain? Christmas Cards?

Clara: If you live in an environment with extreme temperatures, do not store ornaments in an airtight container. Ornaments need room to breath. The exception to this is China, Crystal and ornaments with Swarovski crystals. These can be stored airtight. 

The Swarovski crystals, when exposed to heat, can cause the glue to melt so your crystals come off. The good news is that companies now recognize that ornaments are exposed to Christmas tree lights and windows, and have made adjustments to prevent those things from happening. You can also just glue the crystals back on if this happens, and sometimesvsmall repairs may be needed.

Clara on storing Sterling Silver: Never store sterling silver where it can’t breathe. Use the packaging that the silver comes in which is pre-treated. You can also buy the protective bags separately to preserve your silver if the bags are misplaced or damaged.

Clara on storing Porcelain: The design in porcelain is fired in so it won’t come off on regular sheet paper. Store in an ornament storage box also wrapped in paper.

Clara on storing Hallmark cards: Leave them in the original box or wrap them invbubble wrap or tissue to preserve them.

SP: Why do ornaments get little black spots on them? Is it from moisture?

Clara: Black spots can come from age, being antiques, or humidity inside the ornament. Never store your ornaments in an attic or basement to avoid humidity or extreme temperatures. The Sterling Pear Ornament Storage boxes are so elegant you can use them as an end table or display piece in your living area to showcase your ornaments and heirlooms. So there is no need to hide them because their look is elegant enough to have out in a room. Ornament such as Disney and Hallmark will be fine and do not need climate-controlled temperatures.

SP: Are there any ornament companies that we should keep on our watch list? 

Clara: Fabriche designs beautiful ornaments that will continue to be timeless for years to come. Store them in crushed paper to keep them safe. Other companies to watch are Lalique, Lenox, Versace, and Blvgari and are beautiful to be shown off in an elegant, exquisite container from Sterling Pear. 

SP: What do you like about Sterling Pear’s Ornament Storage Chests and Boxes? 

Clara: I love the ornament boxes from Sterling Pear because they show off your ornaments so well! There is no need to hide them in a closet or attic because they showcase beautifully. They are like a piece of furniture in your home and can be used as an end table or neatly stacked as they are strong and will not crush your ornaments. There are many ornament storage companies and options available now and this is not always the case. The Signature Box can be used to store Easter ornaments since its lighter, and the black Keepsake Chest year-round or winter for storing Christmas ornaments and other collectibles. 

SP: What do you currently store in your Sterling Pear boxes? 

Clara: I store blown glass ornaments in the green ornament storage box and both colors are beautiful. My father’s heirlooms, which are very precious to me, will be stored in the black elegant keepsake chest, which I plan on passing down to my son and grandchildren. That’s what’s nice about your boxes. They are elegant enough to store and display family heirlooms, baby christening dresses, wedding dresses and fine ornaments.

Although she is best known for her amazing collection of ornaments, we've learned that Clara’s goal in life is really about giving back to others. She frequently opens her doors for holiday tours to interested groups and hopes that her beautiful and extensive ornament collection continues to bring joy to the world long after she's gone. Click here to read more on Clara and her exquisite collection.

Please visit Sterling Pear if you are interested in stylishly and safely storing your cherished ornament collection this year.  Take an additional 20% your order when you enter coupon code CLARASAV at check-out.  

Beautiful Ornaments Deserve a Beautiful Home

I love the day after Thanksgiving. That’s because in my home, the Christmas Season begins. I put up the tree, find my cardboard boxes with ornaments, and start decorating. That evening, I bake cookies and make hot chocolate and I gingerly open up my beautiful collector’s boxes that store the ornaments I’ve collected over the years.

I started collecting Christmas ornaments in 1992. That was the year that I graduated from the University of Utah and moved to Washington, DC on an internship. That first Christmas in our nation’s capital was magical. I went to the White House tree lighting ceremony, The Nutrcracker ballet, did cookie exchanges, ran in the snow near the Washington Monument… And one morning, my colleague, Mary Beth, showed me a beautiful ornament she had purchased the night before. I had never seen such a beautiful ornament. It featured a replica of a painting of Mary Todd Lincoln that hung in the White House. I had to have one, too. Money was extremely tight for me and the ornament was pricey but I purchased one anyway.

And thus my passion for collecting ornaments was born. Every year, I purchased a new White House Christmas ornament. And every time I’d visit somewhere unique, I’d add to my collection. Today, I have boxes of beautiful ornaments from all over the world—from Coolfont (West Virginia) to Moscow to Maui to London to Bishop (California)—they serve as reminders of some of my favorite places in the world.  And every time I take them out of their boxes, I remember when and where I purchased them.  On January 1 when I take down my tree, I put all those beautiful ornaments in cardboard boxes (very banged up and beaten cardboard boxes) and shove them into the storage closet.

…Until this year! I just ordered Sterling Pear’s KeepsakeStorage Chest and that’s where the ornaments will be lovingly and beautifullydisplayed year ‘round. Right here in my living room. I’ll put a lovely wooden tray that I purchased from a local vintage shop on top of the box and use it to rest my bedtime tea and magazine. Soon, I’ll have more space in my storage closet and a great piece of furniture in my living room. Perfect. (In fact, I’m thinking about getting two additional boxes- one for both of my daughters’ bedrooms to store “stuff” in.)

 For my beautiful and memorable ornaments, they won’t be hiding in seclusion for 11 months of the year anymore.

Contributed by Liz Smith Nielsen for Sterling Pear

Sterling Pear chats with Dr Christmas’ Bob Pranga, decorator of celebrity homes, movie sets & TV shows

The Holiday Season is in full swing and the décor is out! While most of us decorate our own trees and homes, that’s not true everywhere.  Think about it… Every time you watch a favorite holiday movie, like Christmas Story or Elf, someone decorated that set. Same with a holiday-inspired TV shows, commercials or advertisements. Those amazing trees in the lobby of an office building or department store? Someone decorated that, too. And in Los Angeles, that “someone” is oftentimes Dr. Christmas.

Dr. Christmas is a holiday decorating company and is owned and operated by Bob Pranga and Debi Staron (who, by the way, also own several of Sterling Pear’s signature KeepsakeStorage Chests). Their long list of clients include numerous celebrities, movies, museums and shops.

Sterling Pear recently chatted with Bob about Dr. Christmas:

SP:  Any fun stories about decorating a celebrity home or a movie set?

BP:  A few years ago I was decorating Jaclyn Smith's home and it was getting very late.  Jaclyn asked if I was hungry.  When I told her that her staff was probably already in bed, she reminded me that she was perfectly capable of making a sandwich.  I had forgotten that celebrities are normal people too!  Also, the biggest home I ever decorated was in Malibu, CA.  The owners requested a tree in every single room!

Bob Pranga and Heidi Klum

SP:  Do you have a favorite home or set you’ve decorated?

BP:  The Hollywood Museum. I love props that I recognize from movies I love like Miracle on 34th Street or Elf.  Or from the original movie starts like Bob Hope, Judy Garland and Bing Crosby.  At the Hollywood Museum I can decorate with those props or use them for inspiration.

SP:  This season, what particular design trends are you seeing?

BP:  Some of the trendiest colors this season are orange and citrus green. Usually Christmas colors follow the hot colors in fashion from the prior year.  Still, the traditional holiday colors are most popular - the reds, golds and greens.  Those colors are never out of style.  

SP:  How do you decorate your own home?

BP:  In general, people tend to gravitate to what they grew up with.  So for me, I love retro Christmas items from the 1960s era like Frosty and Rudolf motifs.

SP:  Where do you get your inspiration for decorating a private residence?

BP:  I try to blend the holiday decor with the home itself.  While there certainly is a fantasy element of the holidays, I believe it should look relaxed, yet festive.  For example, when decorating for the Hollywood Museum one year we had the Ruby Slippers and we decorated around that one piece, using it as our main source of inspiration.  I try to do to the same in a home.  

SP:  What do you think of Sterling Pear’s Keepsake Storage Chest? How do you personally use it?

BP:  Is's a great organizational tool.  After I set out the ornaments all I need to do is put a big, beautiful ribbon around the chest and it doubles as beautiful decor.  

SP:  Thank you, Bob! Happy Holidays.

Contributed by: Lizette Nielsen for Sterling Pear

Helpful Holiday Organizing Tips

After Christmas the big task of organizing and putting away the holiday decorations comes about.  With a little thought and planning, the take-down can be simple and easy. Sterling Pear, a new brand in holiday décor and ornament storage boxes, recommends a few simple tips for ensuring your seasonal décor will be organized and protected from breakage until needed next year.
 
1. Protect your floor from falling pine needles and sap
Cut several large plastic garbage bags down the seam and open them up under the tree to catch falling pine needles and to protect carpet and floors.  When you’re done you can then simply lie the tree down, roll up and throw away the trash bags, leaving little mess in your home.   This also makes the put away process much more fluid and easy. Without an additional mess you can focus on placing your holiday ornaments in their ornament storage boxes when that time comes.

2. Gently remove delicate ornaments first
Ornament hooks can easily get stuck on tree branches.  Carefully remove fragile ornaments first to avoid disturbing others on the branch. By doing so you can keep ornaments safe for years to come and ready them for their ornament storage container.

3. Organize while putting things away
Organize ornaments in ornament boxes by color and size.  This will make decorating next year much easier, and will help you know how many of each type you have at quick glance when you re-open your ornament storage box next year.

4. Consider needs for next year
Make note of any ornaments that have broken or need replacement.  After the holidays take a good look at what you have in your ornament storage chest and assess what you have. The time after the holidays is the best time to go shopping for new ornaments, when stores sell their leftover holiday decorating products often at 50-75% off.  Additionally, collector’s edition ornaments sold on EBay often go down in price immediately after the holidays when demand is lower and the market gets flooded with unwanted gifts.

5. Wrap items in acid-free tissue
Wrap sensitive items snugly in acid-free tissue paper or unbleached non-dyed cotton fabric to keep colors from fading and yellowing over time. Fill extra spaces in your storage containers for ornaments with additional acid-free tissue to keep items from shifting. Expert archivists recommend changing the tissue in your ornament storage bins paper every five years.

6. Beware of plastic storage boxes
Though plastic ornament storage binscan often be an economical choice, it’s best not to keep ornaments in plastic air-tight ornament storage containers.  Any moisture trapped in the ornament storage box could cause mold to grow and black spots to appear over time.


7. Store things in the proper place and environment
While garages, attics and basements might be the places you’re used to placing your ornament boxes, they’re actually the worst places they can go.  These locations are prone to water leaks that could damage your stored items.  Even more important, fluctuations in heat and humidity can cause glass ornaments to crack.  Ornaments that you care about, as well as keepsakes of any kind, should always be stored in the main area of your home and in a top notch ornament storage container, where temperatures and humidity are kept at relatively stable levels.

8. Consider storage as home décor
When closet space is limited consider buying ornament storage boxes that complement your home décor such as the Keepsake Ornament Storage Chest by Sterling Pear.  These contemporary ornament storage boxes are so attractive they can be lined up on a nice-looking shelf and left out all year-round.  
9. Use desiccant packets for humidity control
Keep the packets that come in the trays of your ornament storage box and pack them away with the ornaments.  Desiccant packets keep the humidity level down – a dry climate and a solid ornament container is best for preserving anything you care about over time.

10. Dispose of your tree properly
If you have a backyard and a fireplace, set the tree outside in an out-of-the-way place.  You can then use the needles as mulch, the branches as kindling and the truck as firewood (after it’s dried out).  If you don’t have a backyard or fireplace, most localities participate in a Christmas tree recycling program, often picking up the trees curbside, and sometimes providing a drop-off site.  Check your local government website for more information.

These tips are provided by Sterling Pear, the premier holiday source for both sophisticated design and ease of use, which is encompassed in Sterling Pear’s slogan, “Holiday elegance made simple.” The entire line of Sterling Pear products is available for purchase by consumers at www.sterlingpear.com.

Protecting and Storing Heirloom Ornaments

As a professional organizer I am not a huge keeper of stuff. My kids won't be handed down boxes and boxes of things to go through. I take pictures of things instead of keeping them. Essentially my children will be left a photo journal of memories instead of making the hard choice of what to get rid of and what to keep. There is however one tradition I have started with my children and they will each get one special box when they leave the nest.

Every Christmas I buy each child a keepsake Christmas ornament. From birth on they get a special ornament for that year. I often try to pick an ornament that reflects them during that year, things they like or their personality. For instance this year my three year old daughter really came out of her shell and became a total drama queen. We found the perfect ornament of a deer playing dress up! When we unpack our ornaments each year we get to reflect on years past just from the memories these ornaments bring out.

 When my children leave the house it has been my dream to give them a special box filled with their ornaments and decorations that we have collected for them over the years. Finding an ornament storage box had been harder than I originally thought. I didn't want something plastic or something breakable. A lot of thought and money goes into picking out each ornament. Each year we spend anywhere from $10 - $15 dollars on each ornament. Sometimes more! More importantly though I wanted something heirloom quality. I wanted that special look and feel to the box that lets my kids know each year when we pull them out that it is something special. Something that will be all theirs one day.

When I came across Sterling Pear™ and their ornament storage boxes I knew I had found what I was looking for! The Signature Ornament Storage Box has the look, feel and quality I was after. I feel it is important to make a investment in proper storage up front so that your heirlooms are protected over the years. I look forward to pulling these boxes out every year and spending this special time with my kids during Christmas!

Tanna Clark is founder and "chief organizing officer" of Complete Organizing Solutions. As a professional organizer and mom of three Tanna is passionate about helping busy families find the organizing solutions they need to manage their homes efficiently.

Storing Holiday Ornaments And Keeping Them Safe

The holiday season usually seems to end as quickly as it begins. The excitement of and time spent unpacking holiday decorations and placing them around the house is expeditiously replaced with the need to take them down and pack them away for the next 11 months. Taking them down amidst returning to work, school, and requests from some to leave them up a little while longer however can make the task a bit daunting. When taking holiday decorations down you're also faced with the task of storing them safety for use next year.

The storage of Christmas and other holiday ornaments however isn't as simple as one might think. There is of course not just packing ornaments away but the matter in which they are stored too. The types of ornament storage containers you place ornaments and decorations in also affects their durability and ability to be used for years upon years. Even individuals that use top of the line storage boxes however will find that the location in which holiday ornaments are stored play a huge role in the caducity of the ornaments and can determine whether or not they're usable after a year of storage.

There are many things an individual can do to safely store their ornaments and precious holiday keepsakes for another years use and a number of things people should be conscience of when packing them away. Keeping the following things in mind can protect your ornaments and keep them safe for a lifetime and reduce the wear and tear then normally receive while in storage.

Tender loving care: Giving your ornaments plenty of TLC goes a long way in preserving their color, durability, and even prolonging their lifespan. When taking down holiday ornaments treat them as you would perishables or items of the most sensitive nature. Removing them from trees, stairwells, and the exteriors of homes with great care, being careful not to snag them on surrounding hooks and permanent fixtures can keep them intact and ready them for storage without any type of damage.

Sterling Pear Keepsake Ornament Storage Chest is durable keeping all your precious ornaments safe until you use them next year.

Invest in your ornaments: Many people view their holiday ornaments as family keepsakes, many of which have been in the family for years. Sadly however many of these same people simply pack their ornaments away into cardboard or even generic plastic boxes. Even more alarming is that these boxes are then placed into crowded garages, attics, and closets all of which tend to damage ornaments and cause the lose of heirlooms and holiday favorites. Fortunately for those who look at their ornaments and see more than mere decorations, there are plenty of ornament storage chests available from online vendors. The majority of these are affordable, convenient, and stylish, allowing for the safe and secure storage of holiday decorations. Buying an ornament storage bin should be the first thing people do, well before taking decorations down.

Sterling Pear offers 2 types of ornament storage boxes:

• Keepsake Ornament Storage Chest
• Signature Ornament Storage Box
  

Be Creative: Pulling holiday decorations down after the season concludes doesn't mean that any and all reminders of the holidays need to be put away for another year. Many of the ornament storage boxes for sale not only protect your ornaments and keepsakes from damage but they're designed to be part of your home decor and fit nicely into tight spaces for convenient and tidy storage. Many of these boxes boast holiday themed designs themselves while others are designed to fit naturally into any home's natural decorum. This means that ornaments can be safely stored out in the open all year giving you quick access to them when the holidays roll around once more.

Purchase Your Ornament Storage Box Today!

Welcome To The Official Holiday Ornament Storage Blog

Welcome to the official Sterling Pear blog!  This blog will serve as an avenue with which to keep our clients and potential clients informed of company news, new products, specials sales, and things of that nature.  We will regularly update this blog and showcase our many ornament storage containers.  Expect not only images but product information as well.

Click here to buy Ornament Storage Boxes

For those not familiar with Sterling Pear we are a company dedicated to offering holiday ornament storage solutions.  We understand that for many people their holiday ornaments are much more than mere decorations and fall more along the lines of keepsakes.  It is for this reason we offer ornament storage chests.  Our ornament boxes are designed not only to keep your ornaments safe but make them easy to locate and store as well.  Made from metal as well as fiberwood and other strong resilient materials our holiday ornament storage containers will save you time, money, and the heartache associated with losing precious holiday ornaments.

The following ornament storage containers are available through our website:

All of our ornament storage containers make great gifts as they will come in handy immediately following the holiday season.  If you have questions about any of our ornament organizers please don't hesitate to contact us.  You may also visit our holiday ornament storage website for a full list of products we offer.