Taking it Outside...

With my tree in its stand (and all lit up like a...wait for it: Christmas tree), and the image for our annual Christmas card taken, my energies are now focused on finishing up decorating my home's exterior. I have mounds of snowballs left to create for my lonely urns and I realized by looking at this photo that a few things are missing from my usual exterior round-up. I did pick up this adorable Santa cut-out at a local bakery/gift shop, and he makes me so happy every time I look at him.

I mean seriously: Santa on ice skates? 

How perfect is that?!

Happy decorating!

A little dab will do you...

Christmas decorating.

I am hearing more and more from people that they are scaling back on their decorating this year, in pursuit of simplicity and/or a dislike of putting everything away after the holidays. I can relate. For some reason this year, I have felt the same tug. Not the simplicity part, but the dread of packing everything back up and restoring order to my basement and garage. For someone who finds clutter stressful, it can be a very "stimulating" time of year!

Still, the tug of nostalgia always rules (that and the desire not to "waste" that which awaits its rescue from boxes) and I always end up going fairly full on with my decorating. I have compromised, though, and have cut back on the number of trees I adorn. So, this year, there is no Rudolph the Movie tree, no miniature sweater tree and a couple of other small trees that have made an appearance in previous years.

I don't know about you, but I have been so disappointed with most of the holiday magazines I have seen this year. I open them with full anticipation, expecting great ideas to jump from the pages, and instead see what I term, "A Minimalist Christmas."

As in, "We wish you a minimalist Christmas" and you just paid $8 to experience it!!

Blecchhh!!!!!!!!

I remember years ago reading the holiday issue of a magazine and the home featured was of a very chic couple (with children) and their tree was a white tree with no decorations, their mantel had a single star-looking decoration (not Christmasy!), a wreath on the door and tea lights displayed on their table to spell NOEL.

That. Was. All.

Cool, ultra modern, clean, uncluttered, monochromatic...all sprung to mind.

But Christmasy? Nope. Didn't get that one.

Now, to each his own, but all I could think was puh-lease!

Be cool and hip the rest of the year and add a Santa somewhere or a treasured holiday drawing to the fridge from your child, sprinkle a bit of glitter, or add some ornaments to that tree...for your child's sake! Christmas is for them, not just you!

So, for those of you not decorating for not-so-noble reasons, the time is now and it will be over before you know it. While the same argument can be given for not decorating, do it for yourself. The glow of a big ol' Christmas tree, the cheer of a dash of red, the smell of pine and cedar, and the sparkle of glitter will make you happier, I promise.

And if you have children, do your best to prevent their sweet little voices having to hum,

"We wish you a minimalist Christmas and a chic, sparse New Year."

(As for me, I think Santa threw up in my house, because there is nothing minimal about it!)

A little look-see...

One of my favourite decorations...

Can't beat glitter and bottle brush trees...

Since I feel like I showed you more than enough photos of my holiday decor last year, I will only show a couple more. Last fall, after re-doing my master bedroom, I couldn't bring myself to do anything too festive to the space so soon. This year, however, all bets were off, and I brought out the quilt my mother gave to me a few years ago. It is toile on one side, and red ticking stripe on the other. I also hung red toile curtains I bought four years ago and only hang for the holidays.

Because we quite literally live in our living room, I focus most of my decorating efforts on that zone. My mantel, of course, is a focal point and I really enjoy taking care in "festooning" it.

I also am happy with the holiday view from my sofa. I lit my banister and the light flickers against the profiles I made earlier in the year.

I think these two (all gussied up for Sophie's Christmas concert) make the living room look even better. Now we are officially finished with all concerts and basketball games until after Christmas. Now is the time for wrapping, baking (?), getting together with friends, and waiting for Santa. It feels like Christmas...

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If you want to see more holiday tours, check out Julia's Hooked on Houses blog for some great decorating ideas. And if that's not enough for you, head on over to Boo Mama for more!!

Decking the Halls!

I am almost finished...almost finished shopping, almost finished decorating. They say almost doesn't count, but what do they know?

We decorated our tree on Sunday, and it is teeming with ornaments! Perhaps my tradition of gifting the children with new ornaments each year since birth is starting to bite me. I did pick up these Santa babies for myself at a local thrift shop. They fit over the mini lights and are vintage (at least as vintage as the introduction of mini-lights goes!). They have become my new favourite find of the holiday shopping season. Moving outside...(I know, I know...that cord is ugly, but what's a girl to do?)

For my porch this year, I went with a chandelier inspired theme..very sparkly with subdued colours (cream, green, gold). I covered my porch Santa with a taupe and cream plaid blanket in lieu of a new coat.

I got this sparkly beauty early in the season... and it inspired these:


My husband made these pedestals to place my newly repainted urns (from black to taupe) on. I told him I wanted "trimmed out boxes with tin fronts" and this is what he designed for me. They are my Christmas gift from him. He is also making me a bench, as soon as I sketch out what I have in mind. He also laid a new flagstone walkway for me (earlier in the season), as I couldn't take another day with my ugly gravel. The driveway will be a summer project...
Back inside, I am loving my chandelier all dolled up with these faux mercury glass ornaments and sparkly additions:

My mantel is pretty much the same as last year. I tried changing it up, but I didn't love the alternatives as much as the original. I thought about making a garland like these ones, over at Nesting Place, but knew I was altogether too lazy!!I did change over to a new bell garland that my sister bought me for my birthday. I LOVE that garland...it is so jingly and sparkly and makes me think she is just the best sister ever!!

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That's it for now. I'll show you more, soon! Now head on over to Mrs. Limestone's amazingly beautiful blog and check out her holiday give-away and Christmas house tours!

Now I'll Show You Mine!

Remember when we examined all that one could do to dress up their urns for the holiday season? Well, this is what I did to mine:

Yes, they are chandeliers...you all know I love a good chandy, don't you??!! In fact, chandeliers were the inspiration for my porch this year. I will take more pictures and show you the rest. I would also love to see what everyone else did with their urns and/or porches this Christmas. Send me your way!!

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I hope you don't mind my holiday music. I normally avoid posting music of any kind, but just this once...for the holidays...o.k.? Besides, who doesn't like Christmas music?? If you want your own, simply click on the "create your own playlist" on my playlist at the bottom of this page. Don't worry, I'll change it up throughout December, and promptly remove it after the holidays!

Show me your urns!!

Outdoor decorating has to be my favourite part of "decking the halls". I love that the outdoors offers up a veritable blank canvas that is less likely to get messed up on a daily basis, and the scheme can be tweaked quite readily each year. Something as simple as distributing your lights differently, taking a more natural approach with elements from nature, picking up a unique wreath from a local department store, and (my favourite approach) switching up what you place in your urns each Christmas, can provide just the originality that you may be seeking for your outdoor holiday setting. One of my favourite approaches to this was in my own snow ball mounds I crafted for my urns last year. A simple grapevine cone, some styrofoam balls dusted with some faux snow, and a hot glue gun was all that it took to create these fun additions.

Dressing up your urns can be as simple as using boughs and winter berries, dogwood branches, or winter kale. Grapevine balls like the one below, entwined in mini white lights have graced my urns more than once.

Evergreen topiaries and grapevine trees left au naturel, or festooned in twinkly lights, are an elegant addition to your outdoor decor.

If you want to add glamour and sparkle, you can also employ the sparkle of a gazing ball or two. Your urns will present with importance if only you let them. Look around at what you have in your decorating arsenal. View your urns as the perfect pedestal to showcase your holiday decorating style and they will serve as the perfect holiday sentries to your outdoor Christmas scene.

******all photos (except top photo): Better Homes and Gardens.com

If Santa needs a house key...

How much planning goes into the decorating of your home's exterior? For many, a wreath and a a few twinkly lights on the shrubbery nearby is suffice. However, for those of you wishing to pack a holiday punch for your guests (and Santa himself) as they cross the threshold of your home, perhaps a little bit more is needed. Of course, it is a need/want thing, but don't these photos leave you wanting more??

As I see it, if the outside of a home makes your jaw drop open, then just imagine what holiday splendour awaits one inside...

Now, off you go to design your own dazzling entry: make Santa proud!!

Of course, a fairy door needs a little Christmas spirit, too!!

**photos 1 and 3 are from Better Homes and Gardens.com

**photos 2 and 4 are from Cottage Living.com (Tria Giovan and Wendell Webber, respectively)

**fairy door photo is my own...

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More exterior decorating ideas to follow in the days and weeks ahead!!

My vintage style tree...tree # 7

This tree is my newest. I purchased it at an after Christmas sale at a little shop, near my mum's house, called Country Treasures. I forget what I paid for it, but my mother (who is normally reining me in) vehemently felt I should buy it...so it must have been a good price. I remember hesitating because firstly, I did not have the room in our car for it, and I did not want to stress my poor hubby out with yet another tree!! So, I discreetly smuggled it into my mother's house, and she brought it down to my place at a later date (where we smuggled it into my house!). This year, when I pulled it out, hubby was blissfully clueless that it was indeed new, and wasn't that the kindest way to go about it all?? No sense stressing him out unnecessarily...

I decided it would be the perfect tree to display my collection of real vintage and vintage style ornaments, which had previously gone undisplayed due to a lack of a suitable tree for them. Some are quite heavy, such as the little girls and boys below, and others are downright fragile...those being the collection of vintage balls that I "inherited" from a previous home purchase. I love this tree, and it resides in my dining area where I can see it as soon as I come in my front door. It makes me happy every time...

I love the handpainted balls...this one is a poinsettia, of course.

This little guy I received from my mum, quite a while ago...

The following little boys and girls I picked up at Zellers a few years ago. I could not believe my luck! I am telling you, you really need to check it out at Christmastime if you have the chance...

For some reason, the boys are my favourites...just look at that lunchbox!!
...and that little robot...
...and this little "cowboy" is my all-time favourite! He even has a glittered cowboy hat!!

Isn't this girl so pretty?

Here are a couple more, along with a sweet little snowman ornament I got from Seasons of Cannon Falls...and another painted ball: this one says Merry Christmas!

I love this little, "old" sock that has been tea-dyed to look old and worn.

Finally, this collection lies beneath the tree. My mum got me the postal delivery man from the Kris Kringle holiday movie...I love that movie! My little pink kitchen I picked up at a local place that sells all kinds of vintage treasures. I usually can't afford anything there, but I decided to splurge on the kitchen...it was crying out to me! What is a girl to do...??!! Oh, and note the bottle brush candy striped garland...another after Christmas holiday purchase from Country Treasures. I always find one exceptional treasure there. It is where I got the miniature yellow-ware bowls on my kitchen tree, and the glittery snowman on a bike comes from there, too. I can't wait to see what I'll find this year. It is one of my favourite stops on the Boxing Day shopping trip that I go on with the women in my family each year. We head out by 7 a.m. and hit all the fun spots, and top it all off with a nice lunch somewhere. It is a long, tiring day but, as serious shoppers determined to find bargains, we are up to the task!! It is one of my favourite holiday traditions.

Only one more week until the big day!!!