. -->

view ALL winter content click here

12.27.2024

our 'CHOSEN' Christmas tree

Christmas,Christmas Decor,Christmas tree,Christmas Decor Themes,holiday,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,paper crafts,painting,re-purposed,up-cycling,trash to treasure,What Matters,the CHOSEN Christmas decor,the CHOSEN,.
Christmas Day is over...
and i hope you're kicking back in your pj's,
enjoying this delightful limbo
 between Christmas and New Year's Day.
(after all, who really knows what day it is?)

 as i indulge in as much laziness as i can muster,
i thought i'd share this year's Christmas tree decor - 
some elements i've had for years, others i made just for this theme.
it's.... different. not what most people would do.
(anyone out there surprised by this?!!)
the theme and elements fit into our tropically decorated home
and also speaks to our 'reason for the season'...

continue reading for more details...

12.20.2024

holiday 2024: a modern nativity

holiday,Christmas,Christmas Decor,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,up-cycling,re-purposing,What Matters,dollar store crafts,nativity scene,creche,diy nativity.
i have vivid childhood memories of helping my Mom decorate for the holidays,
including hanging ropes of tinsel garland in the front windows
then adding single glass ornaments that caused the garland
to dip into points like a jester's festooned collar.

simple, easy, inexpensive elements transformed our little home
into a winter wonderland.

and at the center of it all was the creche, or nativity scene...
yes, this one. like so many other families,
THIS was the nativity scene i grew up with.

it always sat on top of the 'hi fi' stereo console,
with an arrangement of greens and candles
with a few tree ornaments added to make it 'sparkle'.

after i married and had my own home, 
my Mom gave me the nativity set.
my four children grew up with it in our home,
and then our first grandson played with it in our home:
he's two here, and i will never forget hearing his sweet little voice
whispering 'sheepses' and 'baby cheesus' as he played with it.
(he just turned eighteen and he graduates next May...
how quickly the time has flown)

each year, i create a 'new' nativity scene for my decor theme.
i've linked a few of those below this post, 
including the way i used my OLD nativity figures in 2020.

this year, i recreated the simple modern figures
that i first used in 2022...
and to make them fit my theme this year,
i just added in some green props.

continue reading for two different looks...

12.13.2024

holiday 2024: a tablescape trick

holiday,Christmas,Christmas Decor Themes,entertaining,tablescapes,decorating,ornaments,colorful home,TOP TIPS,put your silverware in a stocking,table settings,buffet,Christmas dinner.
gathering at the table is a big part of holiday celebrations.
whether you are planning family sit-down dinners
or friends-filled buffets this holiday season,
being with people you love is a great time to set a pretty table.

and while i set up a tablescape for these photos,
including using all of my trees for a mini tree farm centerpiece,
this post is really about a fun, easy idea for your silverware!

continue reading for the details...

12.06.2024

holiday 2024: mini Christmas tree farm!

Christmas,decorating,thrifted,colorful home,holiday,Christmas Decor,diy decorating,up-cycling,trash to treasure,re-purposing,painting,DIY,tutorial,Christmas tree,paper crafts,paper,makeover,holiday mantel decor,mantel decor.
a contributing factor to this year's theme,
O CHRISTMAS TREE 
was finding three gorgeous flocked trees at Target.
then i found two white ceramic trees for a buck each at a thrift shop.

all i had to do was add in a few trees i already had -
and give a few of them a makeover -
as well as make a few new trees,
and my mantel turned into a mini Christmas tree farm! 

continue reading for a few really fast tree tutorials...

11.29.2024

holiday 2024: funky fabric Christmas tree!

Christmas,Christmas tree,ornaments,decorating,thrifted,colorful home,holiday,Christmas Decor,diy decorating,up-cycling,trash to treasure,re-purposing,painting,DIY,tutorial,tomato cage crafts,decorating.
while most of my holiday decorating this year
involves re-using a lot of elements i already have
along with a few new things i am making,
there ARE new store-bought things in the mix...

and one of them inspired a whimsical tree:
Christmas,Christmas tree,ornaments,decorating,thrifted,colorful home,holiday,Christmas Decor,diy decorating,up-cycling,trash to treasure,re-purposing,painting,DIY,tutorial,tomato cage crafts,decorating.
i picked up a few small flocked trees at Target for $3 each.
as they sat in my studio waiting for me to use them, 
i looked at that bright chartreuse green tree - and had a brainstorm.

i have a fuzzy chartreuse green microfiber blanket.
i have a few wire tomato cages. i put those two together.
and the result is a very... SEUSSICAL... tree.
which perfectly fits my 2024 theme,
O Christmas Tree 

continue reading and see what craziness i pulled off!

11.25.2024

BONUS POST! Thanksgiving tablescapes in green

 Thanksgiving,tablescapes,fall,autumn,entertaining,inspired by nature,DIY,diy decorating,Thanksgiving tablescapes,green era,natural elements,from the archives.
i'm pulling one out of the archives today,
sharing a look back at this lovely Thanksgiving tablescape from 2014
(plus links to a few others!)

continue reading for some Thanksgiving table looks inspired by nature...

11.22.2024

holiday 2024: diy upcycled painted ornaments

holiday,Christmas,Christmas Decor,painting,tutorial,colorful home,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,wreaths,trash to treasure,re-purposing,up-cycling,thrifted,Disneyland,painted ornaments,.
wreath number two for this year is a fun one...
i rounded up some old ornaments that i don't ever use, 
and gave them a whole new look with paint.

the pattern that i painted on these ornaments
was inspired by the posterboard i've been using as a 'drop cloth':holiday,Christmas,Christmas Decor,painting,tutorial,colorful home,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,wreaths,trash to treasure,re-purposing,up-cycling,thrifted,Disneyland,painted ornaments,.
it's just splotches and swaths of paint left from many painting sessions -
which looks a lot like a current 'graffiti' paint trend
that is an easy pattern to replicate.

since my theme this holiday season is
O Christmas Tree
using ornaments in varied ways works perfectly!

follow along and let me show you how easy this is...