our home at christmastime: part one.

I love how cozy and festive our home feels during the holidays. Fa la la la la. So I thought this year I would take pictures to share here, and also to record what I put up, so I don't have to rethink it each year--since I think that probably takes me more time than the actually decorating.

I don't like to store a lot of things during the year, so I try not to buy a lot of Christmas themed decorations. Especially when you can decorate simply and inexpensively by using a spool of red satin ribbon to tie around existing things in your home like candles and topiaries!

I have garlands and wreaths and ornaments that I reuse each year. But the garlands always look new from year to year because I incorporate different ornaments and sprays into them each year. This time we wrapped the one on our mantel with big clear globe lights and hung our green glitter apples from it. And for a little something different I decided to hang our stockings along the stairs this time. (You can be sure we will be hanging them by the chimney with care on Christmas Eve though.) I also stuck some of my big red flower ornaments in these garlands to give them a little burst of merry, merry color.

When we trim the tree I keep lots of the boughs and use them either on the mantel or on our TV armoire. I do have to move quick though. If they get left on the floor for any time they are quickly snatched up and galloped throughout the house as needle-shedding antlers or wings (not by me.) These vintage papered wood blocks I got at the piper & chloe showcase this year. love.

An antique bowl from Jimmy's grandma filled with some of our extra glass ornaments. They are much safer here than on the tree (shatter. shatter. and more shatter.)