Showing posts with label Holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holiday. Show all posts
I had only one objective for this years Living Room Christmas Mantel...
keep the grapevine garland that I used for my Thanksgiving Mantel up on the fireplace, and incorporate it into the design.
That's it.
For one, I like it there. I like that it gives a whole new dimension to the fireplace, on top of being natural and rustic. But my other reason (which is probably the real reason) is that it was such a pain to get up there in the first place that I need to keep it up as long as I can and make all of the effort that Owen and I put into getting it to stay in place, worth it!
Luckily, it was easy to incorporate, and I think it worked out wonderfully...
The grapevine garland was the perfect (and obvious) place to hang Christmas balls - in red and silver to match our Christmas tree on the other side of the room...
The rest of the mantle came together easily, using just a few simple items:
a recycled glass bowl to hold red glass balls and pinecones...
large lanterns to hold red candles and a bit of faux snow...
(the best faux snow I have found, in fact!)
a basket of cozy blankets, which are a must in our house...
my birch logs...
an inexpensive cedar wreath (just $8 - seriously!) hung with some sturdy indoor/outdoor ribbon...
and the "Christmas" sign that I made a few years back...
...was all it took to create this Christmas mantel.
The ottoman sitting in front of the fireplace came with our sectional that we purchased for the Family Room this past summer, but I'm not big on "sets" and like to break them up as much as I can. So the ottoman sits here. Unfortunately, we don't ever use this fireplace - it has a glass front that gets really, really hot and with three kids and a puppy running around, I'd rather not take the chance at someone brushing against it and getting burned.
But this way actually works out quite well. The ottoman gets used in the Living Room, in that spot, way more than I thought it would, which is great...
...but I'm thinking this just might be the perfect perch for the kids...
it's time to snap some Christmas pictures!
:)
Happy Holidays!
P.S. I am posting this at:
Layla's Holiday Home Mantel Party, Today's Creative Blog, The DIY Show Off, Blue Cricket Design, My Backyard Eden, Somewhat Simple, The Shabby Chic Cottage, Beyond The Picket Fence, Funky Junk Interiors, Tatertots and Jello, Chic On A Shoestring Decorating, The Shabby Nest, Finding Fabulous,
it's time to snap some Christmas pictures!
:)
Happy Holidays!
P.S. I am posting this at:
Layla's Holiday Home Mantel Party, Today's Creative Blog, The DIY Show Off, Blue Cricket Design, My Backyard Eden, Somewhat Simple, The Shabby Chic Cottage, Beyond The Picket Fence, Funky Junk Interiors, Tatertots and Jello, Chic On A Shoestring Decorating, The Shabby Nest, Finding Fabulous,
The goal this year was:
1. Use what I have (as much as possible).
2. Keep it fun, colorful, and whimsical for the kids.
3. Make it glow.
4. Bring the outdoors in.
Did I achieve all of my goals?
I think so! And I love it.
And so do the kids, which is what really makes me happy!
I started with cedar garland. I cannot resist cedar at Christmas time. Cannot. It makes its way into our home every holiday season. I love how it looks, how it smells and how it ages over the month of December.
(Live greenery can be such a mess, but in my opinion, cedar is one of the least messy of all the evergreens!)
I buy it at Costco or at Fred Meyer, which sells 15' lengths for $14.99.
(This was my one purchase for this mantel. A must-have at a darn good price, if you ask me!)
Then I added a single strand of C-7 Christmas lights.
Want your mantel to glow? Use C-7's. You will not be disappointed!
Then I added some bead garland to add more pops of red into the overall look...
I bought this Advent Calendar last year at one of our local Holiday Bazaar's. It is made to stand on a table, but I wanted it to stay out of reach from little hands, so I added a sawtooth hanger on the back and hung it up here...
Next...the hanging ornaments.
My absolute favorite part!
I just used thin gift wrapping ribbon, looped through the top of each ornament. Then I used small, white thumbtacks to secure the ribbon to the ceiling...
The ornaments are shatterproof (ie: plastic), so if something should happen and they were to fall, I don't have to worry about broken glass across the hearth and wood floor...
I finished it off with my ribbon wrapped candles, and the J O Y sign that I made last year, to sneak in a little bit of that fresh lime green color...
and last, but certainly not least, our spot for the kids to put their letters to Santa...
My mother-in-law made our stockings for us year's ago, and as we added kids, she made more stockings. They are the perfect colors and fit in beautifully every Christmas...
The kids were in charge of the tree in the Family Room this year, and I love how it all looks together...
And there you have it...
Our inexpensive-use-what-you've-got-colorful-whimsical-glowing-cedar-loving-Christmas mantel.
Whew!
Now...time to sit down on our cozy couch with a mug of hot chocolate and a magazine, and enjoy it.
Happy Holidays!
P.S. I am posting this at:
Layla's Holiday Home Mantel Party, Today's Creative Blog, The DIY Show Off, Blue Cricket Design, My Backyard Eden, Somewhat Simple, The Shabby Chic Cottage, Beyond The Picket Fence, Funky Junk Interiors, Tatertots and Jello, Chic On A Shoestring Decorating, The Shabby Nest, Finding Fabulous,
Whew!
Now...time to sit down on our cozy couch with a mug of hot chocolate and a magazine, and enjoy it.
Happy Holidays!
P.S. I am posting this at:
Layla's Holiday Home Mantel Party, Today's Creative Blog, The DIY Show Off, Blue Cricket Design, My Backyard Eden, Somewhat Simple, The Shabby Chic Cottage, Beyond The Picket Fence, Funky Junk Interiors, Tatertots and Jello, Chic On A Shoestring Decorating, The Shabby Nest, Finding Fabulous,Thanksgiving is just 9 days away, which means that Craft Fairs and Holiday Bazaar's are in full swing.
This coming weekend is no exception!
This coming weekend is no exception!
One of my best friends from high school, Teri, has come out to visit and is throwing her own
Holiday Boutique
along with her mom, sisters and some very talented friends.
Items will include necklaces, bracelets, earrings, watches, handbags, wallets, women's and children's hair accessories, children's dress up clothes and costumes, holiday home decor and gifts, like wreaths, table runners, countdown blocks, and gifts for teacher's and neighbors.
They are also hosting a bake sale and all of the proceeds will go to benefit the "Clean and Sober House".
(CleanAndFreeHousing.org)
If you would like to attend, details are as follows:
Address:
4137 SW 321st St, Federal Way, WA 98023
Hours:
Thursday & Friday, Nov. 18th & 19th, from 12pm to 8pm
Saturday, Nov. 20th, from 10am to 7pm
Here is a tiny sneak peek at some of the goods...
From Teri at T's Etc...
From Analisa at Hair Blingz And Cute Things...
I'll be there for sure, checking everything out and seeing what I can get crossed off of my Christmas shopping list.
Maybe I'll see you there!
:)
The best part is that this fits hand-in-hand with my promise to buy handmade this year.
Speaking of which, have you checked out all of the links that have been added to our...
Lots of good stuff!
Be sure to check it out, and if you sell your own handmade items, feel free to add your link.
Click here for all of the details.
Happy Shopping!
Maybe I'll see you there!
:)
The best part is that this fits hand-in-hand with my promise to buy handmade this year.
Speaking of which, have you checked out all of the links that have been added to our...
Lots of good stuff!Be sure to check it out, and if you sell your own handmade items, feel free to add your link.
Click here for all of the details.
Happy Shopping!
I don't know where this year has gone, or how it managed to fly by so darn fast, but December 25th is right around the corner and will be here before we know it.
(Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?)
This Christmas I am making it my personal goal to buy gifts for my friends and family that are handmade, in hopes of cutting out the big-box stores as much as I can.
Don't get me wrong...I love Target just as much as the next girl! But when it comes to giving gifts, I would much rather be inspired browsing Etsy, than strolling through crowded aisles of mass produced products.
You may or may not know that Will and I are Handmade sellers ourselves. We have an Etsy Shop where we sell Custom Built Reproduction Antique Riddling Racks...
They come in three finishes:
and each one is handmade, board by board.
It is a tedious process, but it's a labor of love and we're proud of every one that we ship off! And we're certain that all of the other Handmade sellers out there feel the same way about their own products.
So in an effort to make this years shopping easier on myself (and any of you that would like to go the handmade route this year, too), I am hoping that you will help me assemble a...
Handmade Holiday Shopping Guide
I am counting on you to make this a success. Feel free to add the link to your Etsy Shop or website and give a brief description of what people can expect to find when they visit your site.
I will keep the list open through Christmas Eve, so start spreading the word!
Let your friends and family know that this is a chance for a little free advertising!
Because everyone likes free.
:)
**I reserve the right to delete any link that does not sell handmade items. I will also delete any links that I consider inappropriate and not in line with the content that I post on my blog. This is a family blog...let's keep it clean!**
So what are you waiting for?
Start linking up!
And if you are participating, please feel free to spread the word and take a button to place on your blog or website. The more the merrier!
I cannot wait to see what you have to show us!
...................................................................................................................
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Memorial Day!
But most of all, to those who have served and are currently serving our country...
simply saying "Thank You" will never seem like enough, but from the bottom of our hearts, for all that you have done...
Thank You
You are our heroes!
XO
But most of all, to those who have served and are currently serving our country...
simply saying "Thank You" will never seem like enough, but from the bottom of our hearts, for all that you have done...
Thank You
You are our heroes!
XO
When I think of a "homemade" wreath, I think of something that was created using small bundles of greenery, sprigs of berries, floral wire and tape, and lots and lots of time - creating something from nothing.
Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of time or money.
So I set out to make a wreath for our front door that would cost me very little of both - a quick and inexpensive project that I would, hopefully, love just as much as a the kind of wreath that I would normally buy at Christmas time.
That was the goal, anyway!
I wanted it to be big and fat, super lush, and able to take up the entire width of our front door.
And I did it! Here's how I achieved it...
To start, I bought two faux pine wreaths at 50% off - one 36" and one 24". Both pretty scrawny on their own, I figured that if I set the small wreath inside the larger one I would be able to make it look as if it was one big wreath...
Each wreath has a thick wire frame to hold it's shape...
I just needed to tightly connect them and make it stable enough to hang...
In order to get the frames lined up correctly, I had to elevate the outer wreath, so I grabbed a few lengths of 2x4's to place only under the larger wreath. It made it just the right height and so much easier to work with...
Elevating the larger wreath created a "bowl" in the center that lined up the inner ring of the large wreath and the outer ring of the small wreath...
I used 20 gauge wire, which was definitely strong enough to hold the frames together...
But for extra strength (and peace of mind) I twisted the wire between the frames to make it more rigid...
The result looks like this...
I made sure that I kept the wreaths the same distance apart the whole way around, so that my finished wreath would look even...
Once the frames were connected, it looked like this...
There were plenty of holes in the wreath when I flipped it over to take a look at it...
...but I gave it a good fluffing and, as I had hoped, I was unable to tell that it had begun as two separate wreaths.
But the true test was to hang it on the door and see how it was going to look...
I liked it!
A lot!
On to decorating it.
Frosted berries on wired stems made it super easy to tuck them into the wreath and wrap the ends around the wreaths wire frame...
I added a red, satin ribbon to make it appear as if the wreath was hung by the ribbon, but I really have it hanging from a large suction cup hanger on the glass door...
I am not a bow kind of girl, when it comes to wreaths. But I wanted the ribbon to create a bit more interest than it would have had if I had just wrapped it flat around the wreath. I added the knot to see how it would look and I really like how it turned out...
How did I attach the ribbon to the glass door frame?
Duct tape, my friends!
No one can see it and it works like a charm!
I got green ornament hooks for this project because I wanted to use them to attach my ornaments without seeing any silver or gold (as you would from the typical hooks)...
I bought several tubes of shatter-proof ornaments for $1.00 each, sticking with the same colors that I have decorated with in our entryway...
...lime green and red...
Just a quick twist of the ornament hook and the color was placed on the wreath...
I love how it turned out!
But even more, I love how inexpensive and easy it was!
Everything for this project was purchased at the Dollar Store, with the exception of the two wreaths, which I got at JoAnne's for 50% off. The large wreath was $8.00 and the smaller wreath was $6.00. All told, I spent less than $20.00 on this project.
In the end I have a big, wide, colorful, pine wreath that fits in perfectly with my front door Christmas decor.
Don't get me wrong, I love a big, fresh, real pine wreath!
But I *think* I just might like this one better...
and at half the price of a real one, I know that Will likes it better!
P.S. Don't forget to enter today's Giveaway in our 5 Days Of Giveaway's Party!
Click here for all of the details!
But I *think* I just might like this one better...
and at half the price of a real one, I know that Will likes it better!
P.S. Don't forget to enter today's Giveaway in our 5 Days Of Giveaway's Party!
Click here for all of the details!
P.S.S. I am posting this at:
DIY Day at A Soft Place To Land
DIY Ornament Party at Centsational Girl
Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog
Show And Tell at Blue Cricket Design
Penny Pinching Party at TheThrifty Home
Works For Me Wednesday at We Are That Family
DIY Ornament Party at Centsational Girl
Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog
Show And Tell at Blue Cricket Design
Penny Pinching Party at TheThrifty Home
Works For Me Wednesday at We Are That Family
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