Holiday Home 2022 Part One

Every year in October I think, I am not going to change my holiday decor this year and most years, within a few days of thinking that, I start plotting changes. This year I decided to not decorate with the snowy whites and snowflakes I have been using the past few years and replace them with warm browns and yellows, wood, and antique golds. I couldn't be happier with the results--this may be my favorite tree ever!

Keep reading to get all of the details and my hints and tips.

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We bought this fake tree ten years ago for 75% off at Lowes post Christmas. When we bought it we had normal eight foot ceilings. The next year we moved into our old schoolhouse with 12 foot ceilings. Since then I have been trying to add height to it. I've used an old green wagon (the one on my front porch) and a wood crate I built. This year we decided to add a real tree trunk to the fake tree. 

To do this we used a log we had and drilled a big hole in it to fit the fake tree pole in. We attached the trunk to a heavy board to secure it and make it stable. It turned our 7 foot tree into a 9+ foot tree. I love the rustic, authentic touch it adds to the tree.

To keep decor cohesive and looking like it all coordinates I try to keep key words, themes, and colors in my mind. This year those words included antique gold, brass, nature, organic, simple elegance, wood. it helps me so much when I am thrifting for things.

I replaced my white wood bead garlands with new ones I created with dark, light, and gold wood beads from a thrift store beaded car seat. The gold beads I made by placing the beads in a plastic bag with a small amount of antique gold Rub-n-Buff. (BUY IT HERE)

I used the Rub-n-buff on a silver star topper from the thrift store. i also added gold satin ribbons to the tree. I will share more about the ornaments next week.

I bought gold tinsel for the tree, but decided against it for a couple reasons: it is a choking hazard and we will have our 20 month old grandson here for Christmas, and I decided I didn't want to remove it after Christmas. In the old days we just threw that stuff out with the real tree. I added one string of twinkling mini lights from Target to the tree. I love how they twinkle and went back for one more strand, but they ere gone. These are in addition to the tree lights.

The tree is just so warm and glowing and lovely.  Have you found the yule log channels. they sure help the whole Christmas decor look when you have a big, black TV in the middle of your holiday home.

The wall by the tree is our main focal point. This wall is getting painted after Christmas as i am phasing out most of the grey. Until then, i am working with what I got. I decided to bring out a large, vintage skiing photo I blew up and printed at Staples several years ago. Although it doesn't match my key words, I liked the size, the neutral black and white, the vintage look, and the skiing theme. I still might add a touch of gold Rub-n-Buff to the frame. 

I draped a snowy garland with added battery lights across it and down to the octagon wall shelf that holds a struggling plant. A green, metal star from the thrift store got the antique gold treatment too.

Above the octagon shelf hangs a vintage watercolor of a winter scene that I bought at the thrift store. I put it in a barnwood frame to add a more natural and organic touch, I draped some faux greenery and gold bells (Bells here) on one corner to give the frame and display a little more visual weight.

It took a bit to decide what I wanted on the other side of the large ski photo and tried a few things before I landed on something I liked.

I took another barnwood frame I had and layered it with a green frame that I glued on. I added a thrift store mirror to the back and hung a wreath I made from a thrift store frame. Notice the barnwood frame, the gold bells, the gold frame and gold star area all repeated elements that help tie the wall decor together.

This round cheese box (along with the octagon shelf) are a part of my everyday wall decor so I decided to leave it. I removed the fake plant in it and added some bottle brush trees and a vintage ski figurine dated 1966. I hot glued these in and made it snowy with fake snow, I faced the skier toward the tree because I thought if she was on the other side, she would be hidden too much by the tree, Turns out it isn't hidden, but I decided to leave her facing the tree.

A little log home from the thrift store also got battery operate lights. It is fun hanging on the wall and reminds me of an old house, the Tinsley House, at our local Museum of the Rockies. The log house ties in with the log house in the watercolor painting. the skier coincides with the print. Having at least two similar items helps to create a cohesive look.

So, that is my holiday home tour so far. I have already shared my front porch HERE and my entryway HERE. This is the first view of my great room as you walk in from the entryway.

Oh, I almost forgot that on the opposite side of the tree and TV sits a couple plants including my Christmas cactus that is just starting to bloom.

It should be in full bloom by Christmas. Tune in next week for more of my holiday home. Until then, I will be sitting here enjoying the warm, glowing, festive view.

Funky Eclectic Thrift Store Decor

Today I am NOT sharing holiday stuff, but rather some new to me, funky and eclectic thrift store decor that I recently found while thrifting for Christmas things. I must admit that I am a little scared to share because I am went a little more vintage and out there than what I might typically use in my home, but I do love this. So...pretty much everything in this photo is from a thrift store, including the very late 70's early 80's ottoman I just added.

I spied this ottoman on wheels and well, it was a thing that made me say hmmm...

I sort of instantly loved it and maybe threw up in my mouth a little bit at the same time. 😁 First I sat on it. Next, I put my nose up to it and gave it a big sniff--no smoke or pet odors. I then turned it over, checked it out thoroughly, and then threw it in my cart to think about it. Before I knew it, I was loading it into my car. I can be a bit of a germ-a-phobe so I did thoroughly Lysol the ottoman when it came home.

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I bought this chair at a thrift store a year or so ago. I wasn't sure if I was going to keep it or resell it. It quickly became the comfiest spot to sit and while it was clean, I decided to buy THIS SLIPCOVER for it to better fit with my colors. I am super impressed with the slipcover, it never needs adjusting or re-tucking. And other than the little bit of wrinkling you can see on the bottom, it fits snuggly and does not look like a slipcover. I plan on buying a new sofa or sectional within the next six months so this is all temporary for now.

I wasn't exactly sure where I would want to use the ottoman, I knew the pattern on it with the pattern in my rug would be a little wild, but I am so okay with it. It is funky, fun, and certainly not boring. The oranges and yellows and browns in it match well with the colors in the rug. 

The little end table (that still needs its knob) is a thrift store find that I painted and stained. 

The throw blanket I bought at the thrift store to cut up and use for new stocking cuffs. But, after washing it and feeling how lovely and warm it is and seeing that it is a Pottery Barn blanket that retails for $179 (I paid $9), I decided to NOT cut it up and use it for cuddling instead. I also a got a Pottery Barn knit and sherpa tan blanket for $5.50.

More thrift store finds sit on the table, an eclectic incense or candleholder that looks Christmassy to me, a twisted wood candlestick, a wood bowl with a candle, and an old book.

 Here is a peek inside the book:

I love the dedication page--1903!!

There aren't a lot of color plates in the book, but here is one. They only use a few colors.

The comfy chair and new ottoman does provide the best view in the house. 

My dog loves the new ottoman and the chair too!

So funky, unique, vintage it is.

Sweet Christmas Treat Tray

I have to admit, I have a sweet tooth and this time of year I might indulge it a bit more than the rest of the year. In the past I have put out a hot cocoa tray for the holidays. But, I now keep a tray out year-round with tea and honey and cocoa. It tucks under my kitchen counter, out of the way and gets used regularly. So, this year I decided to put together a sweet treat tray to set on my kitchen bar counter so I could practice my willpower 😂. 

This tray uses many of the same tips and ideas for creating a cohesive vignette that I shared in yesterday's post. Keep reading to see what I did to make this match my Christmas theme or decor for this year.

I started with a wood tray from the thrift store. This tray was the one that I used for this spring and summer vignette HERE. The blue has been put away for the winter. I am not using all of my white Christmas decorations this year, the snowflakes, etc., and have replaced the white with tan and brown and wood. I am also decorating with greens, bits of red, and antiqued gold--warmer colors that feel organic and natural.

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We use cloth napkins daily. I have a drawer full, most from the thrift store. I took a single tan napkin I had and decided to stencil it using the Retro Star Stencil from Funky Junk's Old Sign Stencils (BUY HERE). 

I decided the retro star was perfect for Christmas and much preferred over stenciling green snowflakes. I used a green craft paint and ironed it with a pressing cloth to set the paint.

I always like to add height to my trays and vignettes so I used a brass candlestick with a large candle holding space to hold four Christmas dessert plates. The plates can be used as saucers for cups of cocoa or for a dessert such as a brownie or cookie that may need a bit of candy with it too. I tied a velvet ribbon to the candlestick.

A brass pitcher (that you might have seen in my fall centerpiece) holds candy canes. I added a boxwood and berry spray tied with velvet ribbon to this corner of the tray.

A snow man jar from the thrift store got dressed up with a green, velvet ribbon. 

I painted canning jar lids the same green I used on the stenciled napkin. I used antique gold Rub-n-Buff on the rims. I tried to use a few different styles and sizes of canning jars.

One jar got a gold leaf treatment on the outside. It holds nuts as does a vintage canning jar.

Other treats include Cinnamon Santas, Reese's Cups, Cadbury mini Christmas balls (a Christmas version of Cadbury mini eggs--my favorite), and white chocolate, peppermint kisses. 

Drop just one of these kisses in your morning coffee or a cup of cocoa--yum! As it gets closer to Christmas the store-bought treats will be replaced with homemade goodies--toffee, peppermint bark, dipped pretzels, caramels. Until then, we are enjoying the treat tray in moderation. What is your favorite Christmas treat?

How to Create a Simple Elegant Christmas Vignette

Last month I shared a simple candleholder I created using a vintage cup from the thrift store (see it HERE). While I showed it on my bookshelf, for my actual Christmas decorating I wasn't share where I wanted to use it. I decided to create a simple vignette for my great room bar using the teacup candleholder as my inspiration.

I started with a wood cheeseboard from the thrift store. Because I might use this, I washed it well with hot water and soap and then used coconut oil on it to condition the wood. I also added a small plate or saucer from the thrift store to place the candle teacup on.

I added some small, gold-rimmed, Christmas plates and a couple of wine glasses.

I had the plates and glasses, both are from TJ Maxx, but were purchased several years ago.

The plates in this vignette help to suggest that we might enjoy some wine and cheese and snacks. 

Faux boxwood greenery tied into a small spray with red velvet and tan ribbon placed on the board adds another touch of Christmas.

A bottle of wine completes this simple, elegant board that would look great sitting on a table, a kitchen counter, a buffet, or a coffee table. What makes a good vignette? 

Gather items with the same theme or style. The teacup set the mood for this one. I kept the word simple and elegant in my mind when selecting items for it--gold rimmed plates and glasses, velvet ribbon, a bottle of wine with a pretty label. Mixing styles leads to an incohesive display. Create different heights--one glass on the plates, the bottle of wine help to do this. Use two or three items with the same colors--the green twine tied to the teacup goes with the green on the plate and the boxwood branches, there is gold on the bottle label, the plates and glasses. Give the vignette a purpose--this one is for serving wine and cheese. Other purposes may be snack foods (tune in tomorrow!), items to spark discussion such as old photos and conversation starter cards, books to read or look at, etc. I like even pretty things to have a purpose. Add and eliminate items and take pictures with your phone to really see the vignette. And, most importantly, have fun. Decor doesn't need to be perfect--give it your personality.