Christmas Home Tour 2011

WELCOME!  I feel like this year has flown by…only 10 more days until Christmas!  Let’s take a little tour of my home all dressed up…well the ‘clean parts’ anyway.

The crown jewel of most Christmas decor…the tree.  I love this tree!  It is artificial, prelit, and covered in very special ornaments.  I don’t get that fresh-cut fragrance, but between my Mrs. Meyers Iowa Pine diffuser, the real wreath and miscellaneous tree trimmings…well, my house smells like a frazier fir forest!

I love decorating the tree with the kids…I have to practice some self control when it comes to their placement of ornaments…just let it go & make memories with them.  It really makes me emotional.  They are such sweet children (usually) and I know that in the blink of an eye they will be grown and I will be begging them to hang their special ornament that they made back in 2009!

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Look at those little hand prints…I’m sure one day I will be sobbing as I very carefully unwrap these…kinda making me misty just thinking about it.  They really love to look at all of the ornaments.  I love telling them how old the ornaments are…like the one from 1979…so old!

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The view of the family room…the moment I walked into this room for the first time I knew that archway above the fireplace would be the perfect place to put a tree at Christmastime, it was a long six months to wait last year.  We do not have a power outlet up there, so hiding the cord is tricky…it runs between the two pieces of ribbon that hold the wreath (well, a piece of heavy twine holds the wreath…it is hidden in there, too).   This is the best angle I could get with my available lenses…I could really use a wide-angle, but not really in the budget right now.

Santa is enjoying his morning coffee with his feet propped up on the ottoman…fuzzy crocs instead of his black boots ;).

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A full view of the mantle… I love the sun flare, God’s light shining down on us.  It helps me remember to be grateful for all of the blessings in my life.  Though we have difficult times, there is always so much to be grateful for!  I am most grateful for my family’s health.

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A close-up of the center piece of my mantle.  I left two small nativities up all year…as I was packing up all of my decorations in January, I couldn’t bring myself to pack all of them away.  I thought ‘Why do these only come out at Christmas?  Why wouldn’t I want to be reminded of this miracle all year?’.

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Doesn’t my turquoise duck look cute all dressed up for Christmas???  I just love him!  That Santa is holding a baby in a Christening gown.  During Emma’s first Christmas holiday she was baptized…in the same little stone chapel I was baptized in…wearing my Christening gown.  It was a special day.  My Mom found that Santa, I do believe he is my favorite.  The angel on the cloud belonged to my husband’s Gram, she is with the angels now.  I know that people say you shouldn’t attach sentimental value to ‘things’, but with things like this…how do you not???  I think I will keep my sentimental attachment.  I find it comforting.

See, there’s more of the fresh greenery…smell it?  I love it…but not enough to give up my pre-lit tree!

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I couldn’t resist incorporating my color obsession of the year…turquoise!  I LOVE it with red!!!  I really wanted to have a white tree to put in the archway…so I could decorate it with turquoise and red ornaments…just dreamy.  Maybe I will be able to grab a smoking deal after Christmas…or maybe I will happen upon one at Goodwill.

 

That is just boxwood…no smell there.  I had some leftover from the door spray and mantle wreath.  It is scattered about, usually mingled with the frazier fir cuttings.  Don’t forget to check out the door spray I made…and how I dressed up my wreath.

 

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My silvery twig tree…this is in the dining room (aka my craft room…gotta get that cleared out STAT!).  The kids collected the twigs for me…I wanted to do the Thankful Tree over Thanksgiving, but never got around to it 🙁  I had a paper punch malfunction & never got back to it.  I do love the way the twigs look in the crystal with the sparkly balls.  I added the other two bowls of ornaments to complete the space.

When the morning light hits it, it is really beautiful…couldn’t quite capture it with my camera, but I hope you can picture it in your mind…or stop by early one day & we can sip coffee while we take it in LOL.

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Certainly you didn’t think I forgot my fur wreath???  I gave her a new ‘do with the silver bow this year.  Of course, Belfie still loves to land here…wouldn’t this be your choice of spots?  It certainly would be mine!  I wish I had a pillow (non-shedding, of course) made of soft fur like this!

Well, that about does it, folks!  I hope you have enjoyed my little tour…and please come back to visit in the new year!  I can’t believe that 2012 is just around the corner!  2012!

Wishing everyone peace, love, happiness and health at Christmastime…and throughout the new year!

 

Today’s secret revealed…I took the pictures, edited them, designed the card, ordered them, addressed them…but can’t seem to remember to get the stamps to mail them…so don’t worry!  They are coming…hopefully before Christmas :)!

 

 

 

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Comments

Christmas Home Tour 2011 — 5 Comments

  1. What a beautiful home! I love the turquoise with all of the read. What a great color combination, I would have never thought of that. I love you little nativity candle too. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

  2. Thanks so much for your sweet comment on my blog! It always makes me smile when people stop by! I enjoyed your home tour as well! That window above your fireplace is so cool…I love that you put a tree up there. Beautiful!