Natural Starfish Hanging Ornaments, 15 Pieces 2.3 to 4.3 in

Description

Fifteen natural starfish in a range of sizes from 2.3 to 4.3 inches, supplied ready to hang. The point of a natural material is that no two pieces match: arm length, curl, surface texture and the exact shade of off-white all vary from one to the next. If you want fifteen identical ornaments, this is the wrong product.

Coastal Christmas, and the rest of the year

The obvious use is a coastal or beach-house Christmas tree, where starfish sit alongside driftwood, rope, sea glass and plain white lights instead of red and gold. Warm white lights suit them. Multicolour lights fight the neutral tone and make the starfish look grey.

The less obvious use is the eleven months after Christmas. Fifteen starfish in a bowl, along a mantel, in a glass hurricane, or strung on jute over a bathroom mirror is ordinary coastal decor rather than seasonal decor. Very few Christmas ornaments survive January. These do, which changes the arithmetic on a set at this price.

Handling a natural material

Dried starfish are brittle at the arm tips. Lift them by the body, not by an arm, and expect the occasional chipped point across fifteen pieces. They are also hygroscopic: in a damp room they soften slightly and can pick up a faint marine smell, which is why a bathroom display works better with good ventilation than without.

Dust them with a dry soft brush. Do not wash them, and keep them out of direct sun, which bleaches the colour unevenly over a season.

The size spread is useful rather than a compromise. The 4.3 inch pieces are statement ornaments for the front of a tree. The 2.3 inch ones are fillers that go deep into the branches, where they catch light without demanding attention.

Shipping

The set ships at about 1.1 lb in a 200 x 150 x 60 mm box. Handling is 1 to 3 business days and transit is 5 to 9 business days. Monday December 7 is the last order date for Christmas delivery.