Christmas Decorations - Living Room

For some reason this year, I've had a lot harder time getting into the Christmas mood. Not so much Christmas as the decorating. Usually I'm excited to get started, but the fall has been so busy for us, I kind of had to make myself do it. As of tonight, I'm officially finished! Yeah! I started the week before Thanksgiving - well sort of. My husband retrieved the boxes from the attic, but up the tree and that's where it all sat for a week while we were at my parents for Christmas. When we returned home, we started hanging ornaments and putting up the decorations. Over the last couple weeks, I've had sick children, had a booth in a 3 day craft show and we lost my husband's grandmother, so a lot going on in our everyday life. So the decorations went up as I had the time. But it's done! I still have some crafts I want to make, but nothing too pressing.

I'm going to start tonight with my living room, the most decorated room.

THE TREE

I LOVE my tree! It's a 10' tree and is really just the right size for my living room and vaulted ceilings. And best of all, it was free. No kidding. Several years ago, my dad went to a yard sale at a friend's house where she was selling this tree for $50. She had paid a couple hundred, used it once and decided it was too big. My dad bought it hoping it could use it. Now, you don't know my dad, so you can't understand the humor in this, but his ceilings are only 8'. I explained that an 8' tree wouldn't fit and he said "I'll just cut it off at the bottom." I said "Um Dad, it's not a real tree, it doesn't work that way." So after some convincing and my insistence and how good it would look in my house, he gave me the tree. It is not pre-lit, but that's the way I like it. We use 10 strands of 100 white lights, wrapping it inside and outside the branches as we put it together from the bottom up.


I don't do a themed tree, just a collection of family ornaments, some even from mine and my husbands childhoods. Once the lights are on, I wrap the tree in gold ribbon and drape silver beads along the tree. On the top, I add a gold star with gold spiral twigs sticking out around the the top. I've used this for several years and have thought about changing it, but I still really like the way it looks, simple but very pretty.

This ornament is from Jerusalem and was given to me by my Aunt and Uncle when I was a teenager.

You can't be from Arkansas and not have a few Razorback ornaments! I'm thinking of doing a red and white Razorback tree in the next year or two. It will be small and will probably be in our bedroom.

Last year I got smart. I bought our family ornaments and my boys ornaments after Christmas for 1/2 price. They have the same ornaments this year - so it doesn't matter when you buy them, it's just a matter of adding the names and dates. So this year when I pulled them out, I just added or names and dates and hung them. I'll be doing the same probably a day or two after Christmas this year too.

THE FIREPLACE

Inside my fireplace, I lay white lights in and around the ceramic logs. The light I use are the ones where you can choose the setting and I set it to one that is twinkling to mimic a fire. If we want to use the fireplace (which we very rarely do), I can pull the light out in a couple minutes. But it give the living room a nice glow.

I drape the mantel with this quilt runner that my aunt made me a couple years ago. It was a surprise from she and my mom and it's so pretty. All hand pieced, and a perfect fit seeing that my mom secretly took measurements on one of her visits.

This year I added these candle holders and wax trees to each side of my snowman tapestry that I hang each year. I really scaled down my mantel a lot this year and really like the "less is more" look.
On this particular night, our Elf on the Shelf was also found on the mantel, hanging out in a stocking. If you don't know what that is, Google it, it's a fun idea for the kids. The author comes each year and signs books for our local toy store.

OTHER DECORATIONS

I only added a few little things to the top of the entertainment center, a Snowbabies, my nutcracker and a couple snowmen.

My nativity. The last couple years I've placed it on a speaker sort of hid a little behind the tree to keep little fingers from finding it.

My snowman card holder. This is where I usually display my picture cards so they don't get hid among all the normal Christmas cards.

On my small end table, I add a small placemat type piece of material that matches my table runner on my dining table and top with a candle ring and red Aromatiqe candle. And you'll also find a couple more of my snowmen.

So that's the living room. Tomorrow I'll be posting my dining room, so come back! I'm also hosting a giveaway at the end of the week, so come back and check that out!

And check out more great decorating at Southern Hospitality.

Christmas Crafty Decor

I am finally getting some of my Christmas Crafts posted! These are all things I've done in the past. I have some things I'm working on now that I'll post soon, but I wanted to share some of my past ideas.

Several years ago, I made about a dozen ribbon boxes to go under my Christmas tree. I hate an empty Christmas tree, both before and after Christmas. It's depressing to me. LOL So back when I had lots of extra time (aka before kids), I made several of these that I use each year. Sometimes we do actually put gifts in them, but I also hide things in them like our Santa hats, so I know where they are but they aren't sitting out.
I used different types and shapes of boxes. My favorites are the ones that are already pretty, like this one below that was gold on the bottom. So I used gold ribbon on the top of the box.

I glued the ribbon with a hot glue gun along one short and one long side. I then basically braded the ribbon together, overlaping it as I went along. Then secured it on each side. I topped them off with matching ribbon bows or with tassles.

For small boxes, I used the boxes my checkbooks come in. I use tiny ribbon. It takes a while, but I think they are pretty.

As part of my craft show items this year, I made these hand etched ornaments. I used my Cricut to cut the letters in vinyl and adhired the negative to the ornament. I then used Armor Etching Cream to etch the glass. Add a ribbon and it makes a very simple, but pretty ornament. I've sold several, but plan to also give them as gifts this year to teachers, friends and others.

A few years ago, I made this Christmas card holder. I used foam board and cut out the shape of the tree. I stapled on a couple layers of quilt batting. I then wrapped brown material on the bottom for the trunk and stapled it along the back. For the tree, I first stapled along the bottom on the underneath and then pulled it up and wrapped it around the tree and stapled along the back. To finish it off, I crisscrossed silver ribbon and stapled it across on the back. As the cards come in, I just slide them under the ribbon.

The majority of my Christmas decor is snowmen. After making a similar jar for halloween with a Jack-O-Lantern, I thought I would try a snowman. I used white tissue paper and decoupaged it onto an empty dill pickle jar. I then used different colors to create the design. I use it as a candle holder and it's pretty when the candle glows through it at night.

And last (but not least - ha!) I got this idea out of a magazine a few years ago.

I used a quilting/crouchet hoop as the frame. I painted it white and then stretched white fabric around the hoop. I then trimmed the fabric around the frame. I glued on button, a pipe cleaner twisted into a little carrot nose and a black hat found in the doll section with a little pick spray attached. Here is a shot of the back.

This year I hung it on my door going into the garage.

To see more great Christmas Crafts, check out the Monthly Craft Challange over at Blue Eyed Blessings!

Check back over the next couple days, I'll be posting all of my Christmas decorating throughout my home and I'll be hosting a giveaway at the end of the week.

Outdoor Wednesday - Deer Season

Here in Arkansas, deer season is in full swing. Like most southern states, hunting is a big part of the culture. While my husband doesn't hunt, my dad and brothers always did when I was growing up. Here in Arkansas, deer season is the biggest on any the different seasons through the year (although duck hunting is really big in the part of the state where I live now).

These pictures were shot back in June while my husband and I were in the Northwest part of the state during our anniversary trip back in June. While walking around the cottages where we were staying, we heard a rustling and stopped to see this:
Then there were more!And More!

I think there were 9 in total that we counted. And they let us get pretty close to them too.Thanks for stopping by! I'm posting my Christmas decor and crafts over the next few days, stop by for a look! And I'll be hosting a giveaway at the end of the week, check back!

See more great Ourdoor shots at Outdoor Wednesday!

Mistletoe Madness

I completed my second craft show for the fall/holidays this past weekend. I was one of three to share a booth at a local craft show, Mistletoe Madness that benefits two of our local nonprofits.
Unlike the last show where I had 4 tables, I only had one, so I had a lot of things in one small space. But overall it went pretty well.

To see more of the things I have for sale, check out my business blog, Dailey Wear.

More than anything, I was happy to get it done and finish my Christmas decorating. Over the next few days, I'll be showing all of my Christmas decorating and some crafts too - so check back!

All Things Loved in November

November was a great month! Here are some of our favorite things from November.

1. Samuel turned 6! I can't believe he's already 6 years old. On his actual birthday, we went to the toy store, J. Christopher's, to play on the playground.

2. Samuel's birthday party. For his birthday, we had a kickball party in our church gym. It was a lot of fun and he got some great gifts from his buddies.
3. Beautiful weather! We had unbelievable weather for November. Many days in the upper 60's and lower 70's. It was great to be outside!

4. Samuel's Thanksgiving Program at school was great. The kids did such a good job and were dressed so cute. I'm so thankful for his school and his teacher.

5. Thanksgiving at my parents. Man can my mom cook!

6. Samuel's big catch!  Samuel caught this huge crappie (pronounced croppy for those of you not into fishing) in my parents pond. They are normally the size of your hand, but this one was about 14-15" long. He was so proud!

7. The long, wonderful life of this sweet lady. Kevin's grandmother passed away at home on Saturday with her sons around her. This photo is from the 4th of July. She was just a couple weeks shy of 92. She raised 7 sons and lost one (my father-in-laws twin) when he was 2 years old to illness. The 7 sons were the pallbearers and during the funeral they sat all together in birth order with their wives behind them. She will be missed, but we're thankful for all the time we had with her.

Photography - Sun Flare/Wash

This week I thought I would join in on I Heart Faces weekly photo contest. This week's challenge is sun flare, sun burst, sun wash. I took this photo of my youngest son three weeks ago and love the effect the sun had on it. This is straight out of the camera, no Photoshop work at all.

See more images at:

A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

Nothing says fall like Gourds!

For more great views of the outdoors, visit A Southern Daydreamer!