Decking the Halls
12 Days of Christmas & Making the House Merry
In celebration of Christmas, I have decided to post every day for the next 12 days leading up to Christmas!! I have so many fun Christmas-related things to share. I hope that you'll share my posts with a friend or two & I hope you'll stop back every day.
We spent Thanksgiving in the beautiful mountains of NC with my husband's family. It is gorgeous up there...snowed as we were driving....idyllic.
Having spent the last several years living in FL, we obviously haven't cut our own Christmas tree down in awhile.
And being that we moved into our new home on Christmas Eve of last year, getting a tree and having the house decorated wasn't really a priority...
SO, we were going B.I.G. this year. As in, cutting down a tree in the mountains of NC, strapping it to the roof of our Tahoe and driving it home to TN!!
We found a tree farm with decent prices and the hunt was on!
I love how these shelves turned out...I just added pinecones (picked off the ground in NC) in glass hurricanes and a few sprays from our Christmas tree.
Sharing with
Feathered Nest Friday
Having spent the last several years living in FL, we obviously haven't cut our own Christmas tree down in awhile.
And being that we moved into our new home on Christmas Eve of last year, getting a tree and having the house decorated wasn't really a priority...
SO, we were going B.I.G. this year. As in, cutting down a tree in the mountains of NC, strapping it to the roof of our Tahoe and driving it home to TN!!
We found a tree farm with decent prices and the hunt was on!
We found "our" tree right away...my niece and Little Diy stood guard while I kept looking, just to make sure there wasn't a better tree. Finally I decided this really WAS the one. It's a nice 7-footer...you can see my oldest son, who's 6'1", standing beside it and it's a good foot taller than he is.
Just as a little aside, we hiked to a gorgeous waterfall...Mr. Diy and I don't often think to get our picture taken together...his sister took this nice one of us.
Our tree is now home and decorated...woohoo...there's NOTHING like the smell of a real tree in the house!
I used some of the clippings from the tree to make a simple swag for our front door. Added some cedar and holly from our yard, and a bow. Easy!
I spent the last couple days decorating here and there around the house. Let me show you what I've done...
A big basket of white poinsettias inside the front door adds some cottage appeal.
We have a soaring entryway. I found a charming tole-painted fireplace screen at Goodwill recently that I decided to put in the high window in the entry. It's a nativity. I had to have my 6'1" son help me get it placed! He stood on the stairway landing you see and reeeeeached!! Thank goodness for tall sons!
The crocks on my black hutch got a few fir sprigs.
When I spotted this silhouette picture a few years ago of three children, 2 boys and a girl, I had to buy it because I have 2 boys and a girl :) It was at Marshalls and only about eight dollars! The little peg that helps it stand up is removable for easy, flat storage - love that!
I have a few nativities and love getting them out each year. This one gets a prominent place on my hutch. I again used a cake stand to elevate it.
I made this advent calendar a few years ago, following instructions from a blogger named Katie Watson. I don't know if she still blogs or not. This one is created using an old cookie sheet. Each day is given a special magnet. It took forever to make, but I had a lot of fun doing it and love pulling it out each year. It looks so pretty hanging in my kitchen.
I am a collector of many things...most of them from thrift stores, lol! One of the things I love is these stacked caddies...they are perfect for so many things...fruit, dishes, towels...or a hot chocolate station, complete with marshmallows, candy cane 'stir sticks' and chocolate sprinkles!
My tiffany blue shelf gets a touch of Christmas with a porcelain creamer and sugar set I inherited from my husband's grandmother and a vintage metal sign.
Another little tree, and tiny advent. I used a thrift store plate and urn to display them.
My white hutch got a new burlap wreath (with a chalkboard ornament) and a favorite Christmas book.
I had fun redoing the art on my giant chalkboard. I found the inspiration for this one on Etsy.
It adds such a festive touch in my living room.
Here's a few quick tips when working with chalk. Wipe your board down with a wet, lint-free cloth, sharpen your chalk using a regular sharpener (just go slowly). And keep a cup of water close by...dip your chalk into the water periodically before writing on your board. It makes the white so much whiter!
I love how these shelves turned out...I just added pinecones (picked off the ground in NC) in glass hurricanes and a few sprays from our Christmas tree.
Some of my mini-scrapbooks that I've made over the years get showcased in a wooden basket atop a pile of trunks. And doesn't every home need a little "shopping snow-girl"?? Love her :)
Can't forget the darling advent box that resides in a prominent place...
My in-laws purchased this for my boys when they were little, at least 10 years ago. Each of my children has anxiously looked forward to each morning in December when they get to open that day's drawer to see what little treasure is inside. The boys are too old now, so Little Diy gets all the treasures for herself :) She is so polite, lol. Each morning she asks if she may open the advent box! We don't even have an Elf on the Shelf to keep an eye on her!! I think she knows Santa is watching :)
More NC pinecones go into another hurricane on the coffee table.
Isn't the handled basket great? It was another Goodwill score a few years ago! As well as the ironstone coasters, all with Christmas and winter themes.
I added this little snowscape to my coffee table yesterday with two little glittered snow people having a snowball fight. Isn't it adorable!
We have acquired a rather large stack of beloved Christmas books over the years. It is so much fun to unpack them each year, go through them and read our favorites over and over again. Several of them are corralled inside a big wire basket near the tree.
I've already showed you my Piano Room and the vintagey feel of Christmas in there, but here's another quick peek...
The mini tree with homemade decorations is up and shining brightly, the Christmas tunes are playing almost non-stop :) Little Diy has her pink tree up and decorated in her room. She wanted to do it all by herself this year, and I let her. It looks awesome!
So the house is decorated, now I just have to get to baking :) And shopping :( And wrapping presents.
Yikes! Where does the month go??
I hope you're feeling Merry and Bright and not stressed and overwhelmed as you get ready to welcome Christmas! See you tomorrow.
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Feathered Nest Friday
Wow, you've done so much! It all looks wonderfully festive! Your tree is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Amy! I love decorating for Christmas :)
DeleteI appreciate the tip about the chalkboard art - have never done much with my chalkboard but would love to in 2014. Yours is beautifully done! Thanks so much for the tour. Your house is filled with so many beautiful vignettes. Have a wonderful Christmas!
ReplyDeleteKris, once you start playing with chalkboards you won't be able to stop! There is always a holiday or quote or someone's birthday...it's so much fun! So glad you took the time to visit and leave a comment! Merry Christmas :)
DeleteLove all your beautiful decorations! Your house looks so festive! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Jody
Thanks so much for visiting :) Hope you have a Merry Christmas too!!
DeleteJust stopping by from my blog! I absolutely love your Christmas decorations. You have some great ideas; very festive! I hope you had a great Christmas!
ReplyDeleteEverything is gorgeous Cindy! I especially love the sprigs above the hutch and that darling pink ball wreath on your mirror! Everything on that display is a darling! Happy new year!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the compliments Vel and especially for taking the time for stopping by to leave comments!! Happy New Year to you as well :)
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