I started by re-doing my three little trees that have had the same red and gold decorations on them for 3 years now, and simplified them using them ideas I found on Pinterest. (Imagine that!) I used the smallest tree in the breakfast area of our kitchen on top of the old cabinet from my grandparents that I re-made into my own. I used my grandmother's silver and little twine to tie them on with and put one of her favorite recipes on the top. I love the way it came out and it adds just a little something to the space.
In the breakfast area, I also put some of my Spode collection on the shelves of the cabinet I mentioned before. I try to put only white or light colored items in this cabinet, and they fit in perfectly!
I also put a few touches on the table, including my new grain sack I bought at Nutcracker Market this year, and an old hurricane glass decorated with cinnamon sticks, salt, burlap and a pretty little candle.
I used my existing light fixture to attach a little garland and pretty pine cones my Mama bought me at the Co-Op in Baton Rouge.
I added another candle/hurricane combo to my shelf in the breakfast area along with a homemade milk-glass chalkboard on a pretty little stand (I will post about how I did this later) to complete the shelf's "Christmas Look" :)
Moving on to the dining-room... I added a garland to this light fixture as well, along with some burlap bows that took me about 3 minutes to make (SO easy!).
I have this GORGEOUS Fontanini Nativity Scene from my wonderful mom. Ever since I was born, she has bought me one piece for my birthday each year. It quickly out-grew it's creche that came with the set and has even out-grown the larger creche- sheesh! I finally brought it back to Texas with us this year and it has found it's place of honor on my favorite piece of furniture, my old green dresser. (you can read my post about the dresser here) I added a linen table runner, some potted pine cones found on clearance last year from Pottery Barn and some fresh cedar clippings from my Mama's yard to complete the look. Fontanini Nativities have a special meaning to us as we started our Godchild with one of her very own last year (the year she was born) and plan on adding to her collection each year, just as my mom does for me!
Also in the dining room, I placed the other two trees from my set of three. I used my grandpa's old trunk (even though my godmother would correct me that it is NOT a trunk) to put the trees on . I took old pictures of my Hubster growing up and some of me (and even threw in some new ones of us) from Christmas and scanned them at Wal-Mart. I then cropped them down to size and made them sepia. I then printed them in wallet size. After they were printed, I cut them out and attached a little twine at the top of each one and used them as ornaments on the trees. (I needed something "Dellie-proof" on these trees since they are just the right height for curious little nieces...)
I then added a little fresh cedar and magnolia clippings to one of my old blue mason jars and added both the jar and a little wooden Santa to the top of my china cabinet...simple but beautiful. If you look closely you can see part of my snow babies collection on the top shelf.
Moving on to the living room... on my little white table, I added a Spode pitcher with tall cinnamon sticks and an old coke bottle with more live clippings from my Mama's yard. I threw in a little cypress knee Santa as I thought he went with the theme (I have a swamp painting above this table and another cypress knee sitting on the table). I also put my little Nativity Scene from Peru here.
On my grandma's sewing machine, I added a quilted Christmas runner and big jar filled with fresh clippings and pine cones. I also added the obligatory "Screaming on Santa's lap" Christmas photos of me on my first Christmas (I was less than a month old) and the Hubster, he looks about 1 in his picture. They are just adorable and they make me laugh every time I look at them. I also put one of my Christmas books from my childhood here. I love the way the clippings look in the mirror hanging above.
On another table, I added Adelle's Santa picture from last year. She was too little to understand last year, so she sat on his lap like a precious little angel. This year she is scared of her own shadow, so according to my Sissy, the Santa picture will NOT be happening this year. .. sweet little thing... Here I also included a "dellie-safe" plush gingerbread/snowman (what the heck is this anyway??) and some more books from my childhood. One of them is a scratch and sniff and still smells just like it did when I was a child!
On the mantle, I always have this big vase. It is part of our everyday china set and my Aunt and Uncle gave it to us as a wedding gift. It usually holds seasonal flowers, so this year is no different. I added some both live and artificial greenery to the vase and finished it off with a little burlap. (I guess burlap is my thing this year, I'm not sure why). I then added a garland, my favorite little metal and glittery garland from Round Top that I got from Nutcracker Market a few years ago and you guessed it, more burlap! My glitter reindeer holds his usual Christmas spot at the end of the mantle, waiting for Christmas cards to join him. Hint, hint people! :) Just kidding, I need to get on ours as well... Above the mantle you will see my homemade cinnamon stick wreath that I still love, even though our tree scent has really taken over any hint of cinnamon we had in the house! Inside the fire place, I just added some pine cones to apothecary jars and added some fabric to give it a finished look.
Now for the piece de resistance... our tree!! As stated before, it took us almost 3 hours to decorate this bad boy! We had to carry it inside and I got a HUGE bruise on my leg from one of the pointy
The outside of our house was simply decorated this year. I bought some wreaths half off at Michael's and added some little "bejuums" as my Mama would say, to dress them up. I hung them on the windows from some striped jute. I also used some grapevine garland that we used as part of our wedding decorations, to make a garland for over our door. I feel like I need to include a disclaimer here: yes I know there are both an LSU/Saints wreath and Saints flag on the house. I have a slight superstition when it comes to certain things and these two items are part of it this year. So that being said, they will remain in place during the Christmas season and will not come down until my two teams are finished for the year (hopefully with TWO championships..)
Merry (early) Christmas Everyone!!
2 comments:
I LOVE all of your Christmas stuff! You are becoming an AWESOME blogger!
Thanks honey! It's really really fun. I am enjoying it a lot. I miss you much!
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