Natural wonder

It’s always fun to find any penguin ornament anywhere, but once in a while you find an extraordinary ornament in the most unexpected place. I was at the Museum of Natural History in New York with my niece Becky and our friends Steve and Ian Rogers. I thought I might find a simple little figurine in the gift shop that I could hang on the tree. Instead, they had this bead-and-sequin-covered beauty that looks like something that came from an upscale boutique.

Bead and sequin emperor penguin

Acquired: November 11, 2006, American Museum of Natural History

Number: 0301

Size: 4.75 inches tall

Price: $14

One of a kind

I was at the holiday fair at Grand Central when I was faced with a dilemma. Here was a box full of beaded penguins, each in its own handcrafted pattern. How could I pick one and leave the rest behind or go way over budget and take them all? Finally I decided I could afford one this year and hope the booth was open next year when I could buy another. I’m not even sure they were intended to be tree ornaments, but each one had a ribbon tied around its neck for hanging. I still have the tag attached with the name of the artist, a disadvantaged person from the townships of Capetown, South Africa.

Monkeybiz South Africa bead ornament

Acquired: December 21, 2009, Grand Central Terminal Holiday Festival, New York City

Number: 764

Size: 3.5 inches tall

Price: $25