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My Essentials For Christmas Decorating

November 17, 2018

Hi friends. I hope everyone had an amazing week. I was running in overdrive all week and still didn’t get everything checked off my to-do list. Needless to say, I’m so happy the weekend is here. Other than decorating for a client on Sunday, I’m hoping of a low-key weekend at home.

If you follow me on Instagram you know that I’ve already started decorating my home for Christmas. I’ve got a few more things to do and then I’m calling it done. I’ll be sharing sneak peeks of my decor next week and then the big reveal will be on November 28th as part of the Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour.

As I’ve been decking the halls, I’ve gotten a few questions about what elements I think are key when decorating for Christmas. In today’s post I’m sharing my decorating essentials plus giving you a look at some of my holiday decor from past years. I hope my tips help make your home extra festive this year!

Christmas 2016

If you ask me, the most important element when decorating for Christmas is CREATING A THEME FOR YOUR DECOR. The theme can be based on anything–colors, a pattern or a specific design element. In 2016 my theme was A Bright & Bold Christmas and I used a mixed of colorful ornaments as the foundation to my decor. And last year I used my favorite colors, red and hot pink as my theme. Whatever inspires you, use that as your theme.

Christmas 2017–Pink Satin Ribbon // Red Stripe Ribbon (similar here)

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The second most important element when decorating for Christmas is beautiful RIBBON. Ribbon is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to add color, pattern and texture in your holiday decor. And there are so many ways you can decorate with ribbon. I typically use ribbon on my tree and love adding it to my mantel decor as well. And beautiful ribbon is always part of my Christmas gift wrap.

2017– Gold Ribbon // Holly Leaf Ribbon // Wrapping Paper from HomeGoods

Tips For Decorating With Ribbon

Wired ribbon is best on Christmas trees because it’s easier to control the movement and positioning between the branches.
Non-wired, satin ribbon is great for making soft, single loop bows to hang on garland or a wreath. If you want a full, multi-loop bow, use a 1 1/2″ to 3″ wide wired-edge ribbon.
For added dimension combine two different styles of ribbon and tie a double bow or hang them together on your tree. To create visual impact, combine two different patterned ribbons together like a plaid and geometric.

Christmas 2017 // Pink Ornaments–Amara Living

2016

Christmas 2014–Harlequin Ribbon // Tartan Ribbon–Hobby Lobby

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Next on my essential holiday decor list is ornaments and not just one specific type of ornament but a VARIETY OF ORNAMENTS. If you look at Christmas tree decor on Pinterest, you’ll see that the most beautiful trees all have one thing in common, variety. Decorate your tree with ornaments in different sizes, shape, material and finishes to create a dynamic tree.

Christmas 2011

I also like to decorate with ornaments around my house, placing them in bowls or under glass cloches. It’s a simple decorative touch that’s perfect for a coffee or console table.

Christmas 2016

Christmas 2017

Tips For Decorating With Ornaments:

Your Christmas tree will really sparkle if you incorporate shiny gold, silver or glass ornaments that reflect the lights on the tree.
Wire small ornaments together in clusters of three so they stand out on your tree.
Incorporate ornaments into your bookshelf displays as a fun holiday touch.
Anything that can hang securely on your tree can be considered an ornament. In 2015 I hung framed photos and decorative cardboard coasters on our tree as ornaments.

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Whether real or faux, GARLAND is definitely an essential decorative element that you want to use when decorating for Christmas. In addition to hanging garland on the mantle and stair banisters, I like to drape it around mirrors, on the sideboard and over the headboard in our bedroom.

Christmas 2015

2017–Red/White Pillows–Ikea // Wreath Pillow-HomeGoods

2017

Tips For Decorating With Garland:

If you use faux garland but want the scent of real, add a few fresh greenery pieces into your garland. Fresh sprigs will also add texture.
Add embellishments like ornaments, decorative pics or magnolia leaves to enhance your garland.
Instead of running garland straight along the mantle, swag it to create visual movement and softness. Place ribbon or bows at the scallop points to highlight the lines of the garland.
When using fresh garland on a tabletop, always place a tablecloth, runner or piece of fabric underneath to protect the table surface.

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Another element that I like to add to my holiday decor are UNEXPECTED TOUCHES like framed holiday prints and holiday decor in the kitchen. Small touches here and there will make your entire home feel festive.

Christmas 2016

2017

Christmas 2014

Christmas 2017

Tips For Adding Unexpected Touches In Your Christmas Decor:

Decorate the areas that have the most visibility in your house. If you have family or company coming for the holidays, add festive touches to the guest bedroom.
UpStyle pillar or jar candles by wrapping them in holiday themed craft paper.
Tie a simple bow to the lid of ginger jars, on lanterns or tall candle holders.
Replace a few pieces of artwork around your home with a Christmas printable or holiday patterned gift wrap.

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The last item on my decorating essentials list is PRETTY WRAPPING PAPER. I like to coordinate my paper and ribbon with my theme so the gifts look extra pretty under the tree. I use a variety of paper designs and ribbon styles that tie back to the colors and patterns on my tree. And I add embellishments like a small ornaments, vintage jewelry or craft supplies to make each gift unique.

2017

2017

Christmas 2016

Christmas 2014

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For creative gift wrap ideas and tips, check out my Gift Wrap 101 Guide. And if you’re in Atlanta, join me on Dec. 1st for my Gift Wrap Workshop with Steve McKenzie’s and Verde Home. You’ll find all the details below.

‘Tis the season and happy decorating!

Unique Christmas Decor Finds To Make Your Decor Extra Special

November 5, 2018

Happy November friends! Can you believe that there are only two months left in the year and only 50 days until Christmas? Boy has this year flown by. When it comes to Christmas decorating, I know there are two camps–put it up early or wait until after Thanksgiving. No matter where you are with decorating, I wanted to share a few awesome holiday decor items that I’ve come across recently. From tree decor and gift giving, to entertaining and mantel decor, I’m sure you’ll find and item or you that you’ll love. And while you’re shopping my picks, have your gift list handy because many of these items make great gifts too!

Favorite Christmas Decor Finds

Monogram Ornaments–I think these monogram ornaments are so darn cute! I bought a handful to use as gift tags on presents but think they would also be fun napkin rings. If you like these, you’ll want to get them soon because I think they are going to sell out fast.

Flat Stocking Holder–Finally a stocking holder that won’t compete with your holiday mantel decor. And if you don’t have a mantel you can use them to hang stockings from a console table or bookshelf.

Buffalo Check Tree Skirt–This black and white check tree skirt is an easy way to add a fun twist to your Christmas decor no matter what your holiday color theme.

Aerin Heart Ornaments–I would buy this set of heart ornaments and break them up into individual gifts for special friends or clients. The set would also look great in a pretty bowl as everyday decor.

Piles Of Patches Christmas Stocking–This stocking took my breath way. It’s so pretty and unique! I love the 3-d elements, fabric mix and the vintage feel that it has.

Ornaments Salad Plates–Every few years I buy a new set of holiday salad plates as an easy way to pair with my classic china. I love the fun vide and colorful pattern on these ornament plates.

Letter To Santa Christmas Mailbox Ornament–Whenever I teach a gift wrap workshop, people ask me for creative wrapping ideas for money gifts. This mailbox ornament from the Hearth & Hand collection at Target would be great to hold folded up bills or a check. Just add a gift tag and hang it on the tree and no one will suspect there’s a treasure inside.

Holiday Wreath Christmas Pillow–It’s really had to find a holiday pillow that not all red and green but still feels like Christmas. I love the embroidered wreath on this velvet pillow.

Joy Napkin Wrap–A few months ago I shared a JOY napkin ring from Frontgate on the blog and so many of you loved it. Unfortunately it’s no longer available but I found this option that’s just as fun. It’s available in a gold and silver finish.

Mercury Glass Trees–Just add a string of lights or flameless candles inside these mercury glass trees for an instant centerpiece on a side board or mantel.

Felt Ball Garland–This felt garland would be so cute on a kids tree or draped along a staircase. I’d also use the garland nestled into a plain glass vase or candle hurricane.

Velvet Ribbon–This velvet ribbon would make great bows to hang on a tree, garland or to use for gift wrapping.

And speaking of ribbon and gift wrap, do you want to take your gift wrap game to the next level this holiday? If so, I’d love for you to join me for my Creative Gift Wrap Workshop on Dec. 1st, hosted by Steve McKenzie’s and Verde Home. Full workshop detail below. Space is limited so get your tickets today on Eventbirte.

Be sure to tune in all week as I’ll be sharing more holiday inspiration and decorating ideas with you.

SEVEN Last Minute (and easy) Christmas Decorating Ideas

December 20, 2016

Between work, parties, shopping and all-around busyness of the holiday season, you may still working on getting your house decorated. Don’t fret, because I’ve rounded up 7 Quick & Easy Last-Minute Christmas Decorating Ideas you can knock out in no time flat. And the best part is that most of these ideas use items you probably already have around the house.

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ConfettiStyle Christmas Decor Theme–2016

October 31, 2016

Every year I develop a design plan for my Christmas decor and share it with you here on the blog. I create an inspiration board that gives a visual overview of the colors, patterns and tree decor that will make up my holiday decor. Today’s the day that I’m sharing my 2016 Christmas decor theme with you before the elves (me) get to work decorating.

I also wanted to let you know that I am again hosting the Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour blog hop with Kellie from Design Asylum. This is the 2nd year for the blog tour and it’s exciting because we have even more fabulous bloggers participating and two great brand sponsors for 2016.

So, without further a-due, here’s a look at my Merry & Bright Holiday Home Design Plan for 2016…

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The inspiration for my theme started when I spotted this Poinsettia wrapping paper from Paper Mart. I fell in love with the design and bold but classic color combination.

Then I spotted Cassie’s Christmas tree on Pinterest which was decorated in all of the colors used in the wrapping paper design. From there my plan really came together.

My Christmas tree will bold and bright and will include a mix of classic colors and pops of pink and gold. And I’ll be throwing some black and white into the mix as well.

I’m planning to pair the poinsettia wrap with other patterns like stripes and dots and will be using a variety of ribbons to tie the colors together.

Another fun element I’ll be using are touches of boxwood. I’ll be hanging a boxwood wreath from Silk Plants Direct and I’m also planning to use boxwood elements in my gift wrap and in my holiday tablescape.

I’ve ordered some pretty tags and stickers from Zazzle and have my eyes on a couple of new Christmas pillows like this one and this one.

Christmas is definitely my favorite time of the year and I can’t wait to share my decor with you. I also have some great gift guides, entertaining posts and easy DIY projects planned.

Mark your calendars for the 2016 Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour. Like last year, all of the participating bloggers will be sharing their holiday home tours over a 3 week period starting November 30th.

Merry & Bright image via Dribble

10 Tips for Organizing Your Christmas Decor

January 4, 2016

Happy New Year. I’m really excited about the year ahead and will share more about that tomorrow but for today I must talk about a big project I have ahead of me.

We finally got all of our Christmas decor taken down and in the garage. And when I say in the garage, I don’t mean stored away neatly with all the bins stacked to Martha Stewart perfection, I mean sitting the middle of the garage.

The bins aren’t going to stay that way because I made the decision that this year is the year of purging and organizing. I’m getting rid of things I haven’t touched in ages, don’t use and don’t want or need anymore and I’m starting with my Christmas decor.

As someone who owned their own home decor store for 8+ years and changes up their holiday theme each year, I’ve amassed quite a collection of holiday items and it’s time to free myself from the stuff.

Organizing my Christmas decor (and garage while I’m at it) isn’t going to happen overnight, I suspect it will take a weekend or two to get it in order. Since I’m preparing to tackle this massive project, I thought I’d share my organizing tips on how I’m going to get the space in tip, top shape.

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TIP #1–Sort items by color and keep like items together. This is one thing I haven’t always done a good job at so I’m going to focus on doing it this year. Not only will it make finding items easier but it will also make it easier for me to pull together my tree theme in each.

Tip #2–Store holiday decor in plastic bins. I’ve always used plastic bins to store the majority of my Christmas decor and I can’t tell you how easy this make organizing your storage space. I’ve got an assorted variety of plastic bins (some see through and others not) so we are investing in some new bins this year. I perfect see-through bins for my Christmas decor although I must say that the solid colored bins are a bit thicker and more sturdy.

Plastic under bed storage bins works great for storing garland and can be stacked to save space. Label each bin with the location of where the garland goes in the house.

Tip #3–Label your bins. I’ve done this a bit but after years of accumulating stuff, the contents in my bins no longer matches the labels. When listing the content of each bin, be as specific as possible. Another tip is to take pictures of the items inside the bin and then print and tape the pictures to the inside of the bin lid for each reference.

** I’m going to use these removable labels and handwrite what’s inside each bin. The labels will then go on the outside of each storage bin

**removable labels make it each to change out the bins as needed and keeps your storage looking tidy

** Wal-Mart has some of the best prices and best selection on storage bins

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Tip #4–Pack with care. When you pack away your Christmas decor, take the time to protect the items you own. I use tissue paper or newsprint between layers of ornaments and recently came across this idea of using coffee filters as individual ornaments cups. 250 coffee filters at Costco for $5.99.

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You can also use cardboard beverage trays to hold ornaments inside your bins. You can buy a 75 count, 4 cups trays at Sam’s Club for $14.48.

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And here’s another idea that I love…plastic cups glued to cardboard to hold individual ornaments. This storage method is a bit time-consuming but once done, it’s a great way to protect ornaments from breakage.

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Tip #6–Store Wreaths on Hangers. A great way to store your Christmas wreaths is by tying them onto a hanger and covering the wreath with a clear dry cleaning bag. The hanger makes it easy to hang a wreath from a nail or hook. And if you have multiple wreaths, put a hanging bar (clothesline style ) in your garage or storage room and hang all the wreaths together.

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Tip #7–Detangle the lights. There is nothing that makes me crazier than lights that have become a jumbled mess. A quick fix is to wrap your Christmas lights around a piece of cardboard. The cardboard will allow you to stack your lights, maximize storage space and it makes it easy to test each cord each season when you get ready to decorate. This storage idea will also work for beaded garland and ribbon.

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Tips #8–Keep wrapping paper accessible and protected. I buy a lot of gift wrap in generic patterns so it can be used year round but if you buy paper specific to Christmas or any other holiday for that matter, try storing your rolls in clear garment bags. The garment bags will hold multiple rolls and can be easily stored in the back of a closet.

** you can pick up clear garment bags at the dollar store

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Tip #9–Vacumm pack your holiday pillows. If you have holiday pillows with removable covers, remove the covers and store them folded in a drawers or storage bin. You can then use the pillow inserts for other pillows throughout the year. If the pillows don’t have removable covers, think about storing them in vacuum packed bags which will keep them fresh and protected and save you a ton of space.

** you can pick up Space Bags at Walgreens

Tip #10–Store holiday signs and wall decor under the bed. Plastic or cloth under-bed storage containers are a great way to store holiday wall plaques and decor. I bought a couple of these bags from Container store and love them. They are large and durable and the handle makes it easy to pull out from under the bed.

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Wish me luck as we tackle the garage. I’ll be sure to share before and after photos once it’s all done. Stay tuned!

If you have any Christmas decor organizing tips to share, please do because I’d love to know.

Christmas Decorating Ideas For Those Of You Who Haven’t Started Decorating Yet

December 19, 2015

I know several people who haven’t gotten into the holiday spirit yet or are just beginning to decorate their homes for Christmas so this post is for them (and for you if you haven’t started decorating yet).

Decorating for Christmas doesn’t have to be a labor intensive job (I keep telling myself less is more). There are lots of easy ways to decorate your home in a flash and have it look like you’ve spent hours making it merry.

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Favorite Christmas Decor From Around The Web!

December 12, 2015

It’s the weekend and the perfect time to share some of my favorite holiday decor from around the web.

Enjoy the images and the weekend!

CHRISTMAS TREES

A frosted tree with beautiful decorations!

Craftberry Bush

A pretty tree with a great mix of plaid patterns!

Yellow Bliss Road

Shades of blue and teal!

Rambling Renovators

Neutral with a pop of red–so pretty! And the books nestled into the tree is brilliant.

Ella Claire Inspired

CHRISTMAS TABLES

A pretty in pink table–simple and sophisticated!

Celebrations At Home

Inspired by nature–love the garland centerpiece.

Aedriel

A table that sparkle and shines in more ways than one. The sequin tablecloth can easily transition into a new years celebration.

Style Me Pretty

CHRISTMAS VIGNETTES

A garland draped mirror just enhances the view.

Simple Details

A cozy Christmas corner.

The Fancy Shack

A welcoming spot for holiday guests to come and go.

UnSkinny Boppy

Layers and layers of rustic Christmas charm.

Rooms for Rent

CHRISTMAS MANTEL

White garland makes such a chic statement.

The Hunted Interior

Wood stockings were hung by the chimney with care.

Inspired by Charm

CHRISTMAS DOOR DECOR

A simple statement with a pop of color.

The Hunted Interior

Lots of little details make for a merry welcome.

Fleeing France

Christmas Decor / In The Bedroom

December 19, 2014

Happy Friday!

I wanted to pop in today and share how I decorated our bedroom for Christmas.

My goal was to keep things simple and incorporate my holiday tartan plaid theme in some way. I also wanted to use the JOY marquee sign I made last month at the Home Depot Do-It-Herself workshop.

I hope you enJOY the tour!

Since the color foundation of our bedroom is black and white, it was easy for me to add in red, green and plaid along with a few holiday touches.

I love lots of pillows on the bed and also love to mix patterns and colors. The black and white sheets came from HomeGoods are my absolute favorite. I also purchased the red pillowcases from HomeGoods.

The black shams and quilt came from Target and the red and white patterned pillow covers and green velvet cover are from Ikea.

I added some silver decor, all purchased at Hobby Lobby to my night stand. During the day I move the disco ball to the ottoman at the foot of our bed so it sparkles in the sun.

The JOY sign is a project that blogger and woodworker Ana White developed for the Home Depot workshop series. To make my sign unique, I added the molding trim and outlined each letter with gold metallic paint.

The light have a timer so the sign comes on in the evening and goes off right before we go to bed.