Topic: Around the House
Can you even believe Christmas is almost here? Sort of snuck up on my - as usual. I thought I'd give you a little tour of this year's decorating. This has actuallyall been up for over a week but I had other things I wanted to get posted in the meantime. So, here we go...
As you enter the front door there is a wreath but I didn't photograph that. On the inside door handle I hung an oversized ornament:
Just inside the door we have a half-wall. I used crunched up wide plaid ribbons as a base and added a wooden reindeer and a basket sleigh. Last year the sleigh came with a fresh arrangement in it. I saved some sparkly swirly sticks which became the antlers for the reindeer and I filled the sleigh with silver and red shiny ornaments:
Turn right to go into the livingroom and you will first come upon the fireplace. I placed a nativity snowglobe on the lower left:
...and a cangle arrangement on the right. The boxes in this candle holder are hollow so I stuffed them full of gold tinsel:
Up on the mantle is the block calendar framed by 'peace' and 'joy' candles (from Avon - very old). I kept the lanterns that were living up there and added the candle holder from another room. The swag is cheesy plastic but I like it anyway. I placed a $1 runner underneath the whole thing:
In the entertainment center I filled the lower unit with a full nativity ('local' on the left, 'afar off' on the right) and then used the upper shelves and top to assemble an angel choir:
Here's a closer look at one side of the angel choir. Since they are all in golds and cream I added the gold miniature sheet music around them:
There is a corner of the room that is usually pretty blank but I added some decor here to pretty it up
On the complete opposite corner diagonally we have a stack of basket boxes where the answering machine lives. I added some holly, pinecones, and jingle bells to this. (Get it? 'the phone is ringing'):
And for the little corner lamp table, some Santa cheer. Santa is actuall a stack of three nesting boxes. I used my holiday block set here and added a Santa hat to the lamp:
As you leave the living room towards the dining room you pass by the tree. We've added so much furniture that we had to downsize to a shorter, narrower tree. This one is pre-lighted and I've filled it with our usual ornaments plus a couple of new ones we were given this year:
This sits right next to the roll-top desk which is hosting the 'new to me' Christmas Village. Mom gave me these from her collection. I surrounded them with poinsettia blooms, fake (duh) snow, tiny bottle brush trees and some tree candles. I love that these are in a place where the lights can be turned on. I have them plugged into the strip with the tree so they all light at the same time:
Next around the room is the dining table. I put on a crisp white tablecloth, two $1 table runners and a bowl of poinsettias:
Directly across from this is the china hutch. It has an open area that is perfect for seasonal decorating. I use the top shelf to display Christmas cards and the lower shelf sports a fake plant with poinsettia blooms tucked in around the leaves. the three new birdhouses live here along with some mirror balls:
In the kitchen, the only decor is a couple of tiny ceramic buildings up on the window sill (actually, I have since added a large pillar candle between them that is decorated with poinsettias):
Back down the hallway I hung a banner on one of the wooden doors to the linen closet:
Tuck into the main bathroom and you will find the counter top decorated with snowy tinsel from end to end. Then on the right I added a bowl of potpourri and more mirror balls:
The left of the counter got a cylinder vase filled with potpourri in which I placed $1 sprigs of frosted berries (and mirror balls):
The 'facilities' host another of the nesting boxes which, when stacked, create a snowman. He is surrounded by tiny votives
Both of the towel racks are decorated with the snowy tinsel:
Now, I hate to leave you here - hanging out in my bathroom - but this actually concludes the tour of Christmas decor. So, take a minute and when you're ready, come out and join us. We'll be in front of the fire sipping hot chocolate!
Merry Christmas!
Ddd
