Search Results for: christmas theme

My 2018 Christmas Theme | Chinoiserie Inspired

October 26, 2018

Happy, Happy Friday! Today’s blog post is one of my favorites to share each year. It’s my annual Christmas theme post where I show you my decorating plans for the holidays. If you’re a new follower, let me fill you in on my obsession with Christmas decorating.

Ever since I was little, I’ve loved decorating Christmas trees, hanging stockings and wrapping gifts. I remember making ornaments with my dad and sitting in front of the silver tinsel tree in awe. Once I graduated from college and got my first apartment, I couldn’t wait to put up my own tree. And when I got married I started creating a theme for my decor and 27 years later, the tradition continues.

Last year I shared the details on exactly how I develop my holiday decorating theme. And if you missed it, you can see how I decorated using my favorite colors in 2017 and how my 2016 Christmas theme was inspired by wrapping paper.

This year my holiday theme is inspired by my love for blue and white and my collection of ginger jars. I’m calling my theme…

Chinoiserie Christmas With A Pop Of Pink!

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How I Develop My Christmas Theme {and my theme for 2017}

November 2, 2017

I suspect that I am not the average person when it comes to decorating for Christmas. There are people who decorate the same way year after year because of tradition or they have their look down pat. And then there are people like me who like to change their decor every year which requires some thoughtful planning.

Before I tell you about my process for planning my Christmas decor, let me share one thing. Changing my decor every year doesn’t mean that I go out and buy all new stuff. It means that I decorate with items I already own but use them in a different way.

For instance, last year I combined solid colored ornaments with ribbons to create a simple and colorful Christmas tree. The only new item I purchased for the tree was the ribbon.

plaid ribbon // red & green ribbon from Costco

In 2015 I used only my red ornaments, some handmade garland and framed photos to decorate the tree. The only new items on this tree were some monogrammed ornaments I purchased at an after-Christmas sale.

harlequin ribbon // black and white ribbon

Planning my Christmas theme starts early every year. It actually helps to flush out ideas for the coming year when I take down my decorations and store them away after Christmas.

Here are a few things I think about when developing my Christmas theme:

What will my color statement be? I love traditional Christmas colors but I’m also a fan of non-traditional holiday decor. It’s fun to mix classic colors like red and green with modern colors like royal blue or pink.
What items do I already own? I take stock of what I already own and use that to guide my decor plan and create a shopping list for of any new items I want to purchase. Every year I buy a few new things like ornaments, ribbon or tabletop items like plates or linens. When I’m purchasing ornaments, I like to buy solid colors because they give me the most flexibility year after year.
What areas of my home will I be decorating? I like to have a touch of Christmas in every room so I think about each space and how I can add Christmas decor to make it festive.
What impact statements do I want to make? In addition to my tree, I want a few spots around the house to stand out. It could be the fireplace, stairs or a special touch in the kitchen. Identifying these statement areas helps me create my overall decorating plan.
What will my gift wrapping look like? I love wrapping gifts and always coordinate my gift wrap with my Christmas decor. In some cases a special wrapping paper might even inspire my theme like it did last year.
And finally, I think about how my decorating theme will work with the other decor in my house. I want my Christmas decor to reflect the same style and spirit as my everyday decor.

Now that you know my process for developing my Christmas theme, here’s what I have planned for 2017.

Christmas 2017 is going to be bright and bold!

This year I’m using three of my favorite colors as the theme for my Christmas decor–red, hot pink and bright emerald green. The tree will be decorated with red and hot pink ornaments plus a few white and light pink pieces thrown into the mix.

I have some fun embellishments planned for the garland that will be draped along the stairs and fireplace.

And I’m keeping my gift wrap pretty simple this year with solid colored paper, satin ribbons and fun package toppers and tags.

And of course I’ll be creating a pretty holiday tablescape to share with you!

As we count down to Christmas, I have lots of holiday posts to share with you, including my first gift guide next week.

And don’t forget to mark your calendars for the 2017 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 29th.

For more holiday decor inspiration, check out these holiday decor posts:

Merry & Bright Holiday Home–2016

Merry & Bright Holiday Home-2015

Seven Last Minute Christmas Decor Ideas

Christmas Decor 2012

My Christmas Theme for 2015

August 19, 2015

When I shared my Inspiration Notebook at the beginning of the month, one of the things I told you about was my plans to outline my 2015 Christmas decor theme. Well, during one of my sleepless nights recently the vision came it me.

I want to keep our Christmas decor simple this year since we will most likely be going out-of-town for the holiday. I also want to use red as the foundation of the theme since it’s a classic holiday color and just so happens to be my favorite color. And finally I want to include a few designer touches to make the decor special. So are you wondering what the theme for 2016 is….

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It’s Going To Be A Red Christmas–My 2019 Holiday Theme

October 29, 2019

Happy Tuesday friends! Every year I look forward to unveiling my Christmas theme and this year I’m extra excited.

Last December I started thinking about my decor theme for 2019 and had a general idea of the colors I wanted to use. I like flushing out my theme early so that I can take advantage of after-Christmas sales if I need too.

My planning starts by finding one decor piece or a photo that inspires the entire theme. This one element serves as the jumping off point for all my holiday decor and this year it was this gift wrap photo I spotted on Pinterest. Since red is my favorite color and I often use red + pink as my signature colors, I was really drawn to this palette. Red + pink with the addition of burgundy creates a really rich and elegant color palette.

The Color Palette

Once I had the inspiration for my decor, I started outlining my holiday decor plan. Here’s a look at what I have planned for Christmas 2019. I can’t wait to start decorating.

THE VISION

TREE: The tree will be decorated with an assortment of with red, burgundy and pink ornaments. Luckily I already own different shades of pink ornaments and I scored some burgundy ornaments on clearance last year. I always use ribbon on my tree but haven’t decided what color I’m going with. I might use something with a pattern to add a fun and unexpected pop.

GIFT WRAP: One of my favorite parts of decorating for Christmas is gift wrapping. I have an absolute obsession for pretty paper and ribbon. This year the majority of my gift wrap will be solid red paper with beautiful satin and velvet ribbon.

FIREPLACE: I’m planning to drape the fireplace with lush green garland, pretty ribbon and twinkle lights. I haven’t decided whether I’ll use any ornaments on the garland. I think I might keep the fireplace simple and classic this year.

TABLESCAPE: The other thing I love to do at Christmas is create a beautiful holiday tablescape. Red will be the dominant color in my tablescape and I’ll infuse a some burgundy and a little blue & white into the place settings. All of these colors are represented in my everyday decor so there will be thread that connects all the decor together.

I’ll also be adding holiday touches to our master bedroom, my office and will be decking out the front door.

There are only 57 days until Christmas and even thought it’s somewhat controversial to decorate before Thanksgiving, I have to do it. My schedule gets really busy with client work starting Nov. 1st so I’m actually going to start decorating next weekend.

I hope you love seeing my Christmas plans each year and are inspired to make your home magical at Christmastime!

A LOOK BACK

If you want to see how I’ve decorated the past few years, here’s a photo gallery of my decor. Click on the photos and links to read the full post and see more images. If you want to learn more about how I develop my Christmas theme each year, you can read the post I wrote about my process here.

Blue & White Chinoiserie Christmas | 2018

2018 Blue & White Gift Wrap Theme

Pink & Red Christmas | 2017

2017 Christmas Tablescape

Bright & Bold Christmas | 2016

My Essentials For Christmas Decorating

My Gift Wrap Theme | Christmas 2018

December 6, 2018

Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments on my Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour post yesterday. I’ve enjoyed sharing my holiday decor and giving your peek inside my home, all decorated for Christmas.

One of the things I love most about creating my Christmas theme is coming up with gift wrap to match my decor. Every year I pick wrapping paper and ribbon to coordinate with my tree, and I find fun embellishments to accent my gifts. A beautifully wrapped gift is just part of the holiday gift giving process for me.

Several years ago I made a gift wrap crate and love using it during the holidays. The crate holds all my wrapping supplies and is on wheels so I can roll it wherever I’m wrapping gifts. I also love that everything is easily accessible for Mr. Confetti so his wrapped gifts don’t stray from my theme.

I use small tension rods to separate the paper rolls and boxes, and another one holds ribbon spools. Plastic cups are attached to each side of the crate and hold tags, embellishment, tape and scissors. Everything I need to wrap gifts all in one place.

Here’s a look at some of the wrapping paper and ribbon I’m using this year along with a few tips on coordinating your gift wrap elements.

TIPS FOR COORDINATING YOUR HOLIDAY GIFT WRAP

Create a color theme for your gift wrap using one or all of the colors in your Christmas tree decor. My tree theme this year was blue and white with pops of green and pink so those are the colors in my wrapping paper.
Use a variety of designs and patterns to keep things fun and interesting. Some years I will use a different paper for each member of the family which makes it easy to know who gets what gifts. It also eliminates the need for gift tags.
Don’t limit yourself to just traditional wrapping paper. Wall paper, scrapbook paper, patterned drawer liners and paper table runners make great gift wrap too!

To save money, instead of Christmas themed paper, buy all-occasion patterns that fits your color theme. Then use gift tags and embellishments to give the gifts a Christmas touch.
Use ribbons in different materials and widths to make each wrapped gift unique.

Now that you know my insider tips for wrapping beautiful Christmas gifts, here’s a list of my favorite sources for wrapping paper and ribbon.

Where I Buy My Ribbon:

The Ribbon Roll
May Arts
Paper Mart
Save On Crafts–a great source of unique ribbons like linen, lace, metal and vintage designs.

My Favorite Places To Buy Gift Wrap:

Make sure to come back tomorrow because I’ll be sharing lots more gift wrap inspiration as well as the fun gift embellishments I’m using this year.

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

After Christmas Sales: FIVE Things You Should Shop For

December 26, 2018

On the day after Christmas I’m usually up and out the door headed to after-Christmas sales. It’s actually one of the things I look forward to after the hustle and bustle of the days leading up to Christmas.

In addition to holiday decor being discounted, stores will also have big discounts on winter clothing and there will be lots of everyday items on clearance too. The week after Christmas is really a great time to shop if you love a deal and want to get a jump-start on next Christmas.

In today’s post, I’ve outlined the FIVE items that should be at the top of your shopping list in the days after Christmas.

Wrapping Paper

After-Christmas is the best time to buy wrapping paper, gift bags and decorative boxes. It’s also a good time to replenish gift tags, tape and other gift wrap supplies. Along with holiday themed wrapping paper, be on the look out for deals on generic gift wrap designs that you can use throughout the year. A red and pink striped paper can be used for Valentine’s Day and solid colors can be use for any gift occasion.

I’ll be stopping by Hobby Lobby to stock up on tissue paper and gift card boxes and will also be looking for holiday embellishments I can use to wrap gifts. This gold and white striped wrapping paper is a great deal and usable year round.

My Favorite Stores To Shop For Wrapping Paper:

HomeGoods // Container Store // Target // Ikea

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Holiday Tabletop

For those of you that love to entertain, after-Christmas sales are the perfect time to buy holiday dinnerware and table linens. Shop early for the best choice but be open to mixing and matching tabletop patterns if you can’t find enough pieces in a design you love. An eclectic holiday table can be really fun to pull together.

It’s also a great time to shop for holiday paper goods that you can use for casual parties. Create and Barrel is one of my favorite stores to shop for tabletop items. I just bought these adorable holiday cocktails napkins which will also make a great hostess gift.

tip: did you know you can make a Christmas pillow from a holiday themed placemat? My friend Meg has a great tutorial that shows you how easy it is to make. Keep this tip in mind when your shopping for discounted linens.

My Favorite Stores To Shop For Tabletop Items:

HomeGoods and Marshalls // Williams Sonoma // Pier 1 // Pottery Barn

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Holiday Gift Baskets {and gift sets}

Gift baskets might not be the first thing you think about when you’re shopping after Christmas but they should be. Instead of using the basket as it is, pull the items out and create a new basket or use the items as individual gifts.

I like to buy beauty, food or entertaining themed baskets because many of the items and the container are aren’t season specific and can be used for other gift occasions.

tip: when you’re shopping, think about birthdays, weddings and other events you have coming up during the new year. You just might find the perfect components for a great gift.

My Favorite Stores To Shop For Gift Baskets:

World Market // HomeGoods // Target // Bath & Body Works // Bed Bath Beyond

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Candles

Shop after Christmas sales for winter scents like pine or cinnamon. These fragrances are classified as Christmas but they are wonderful to burn throughout the cold winter months. You can also buy a few candles to stash in your gift closet for gift-giving next year.

tip: many candles on the market have removable paper labels so the look of the jar becomes universal. Remove the label and create your own decorative wrap to fit any gift occasion.

My Favorite Stores To Shop For Candles:

Bath & Body Works // Local Boutiques // TJ Maxx and HomeGoods // William Sonoma

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Winter Accessories

Retailers will be marking down cold-weather accessories to make room for warm-weather fashions that will begin hitting stores in just a few weeks. Now is a great time to buy gloves, knit hats and scarves and find amazing deals on cashmere accessories.

The Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sales is going on thru January 2nd and there are some fabulous items on sale. I just ordered the leopard print shawl above (under $20) and this cute knit hat with fur Pom Pom (under $12).

tip: before you gift your bargain accessories next year, take them to a monogram shop to have them personalized with a monogram. A simple monogram will give your clearance find a designer look.

My Favorite Stores To Shop For Winter Accessories:

Nordstroms // Macy’s // Mark & Graham // Dillards

I’ve already started thinking about a Christmas theme ideas for next year and who knows, the theme just might find me while I’m out shopping.

Do you shop after-Christmas sales? What’s on your shopping list?

I’ll be back on Saturday to share tips for shopping the Dillard’s New Years Day Sale. This sale is pretty legendary and my tips will help you navigate it like pro.

BOTTLE BRUSH TREES–Vintage Inspired Christmas

December 18, 2018

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The other night I finally had time to catch up on some blog reading. Boy oh boy have people really gone all out with their Christmas decor this year. From trees and mantel decor to holiday tablescapes, I found so many beautiful images to pin to my Merry, Merry and Entertaining Pinterest boards. If you’re needing some last minute decorating or entertaining inspiration, hop over and follow me on Pinterest.

One of my favorite holiday decor themes this year is bottle brush trees. These cute, whimsical trees have been around decades and have regained popularity over the last few years. I actually wanted to learn more about the history of bottle brush trees and had a hard time finding any information. What I did learn was that in post-war times, the Addi’s Bottle Brush Company began to dye their toilet bowl brushes and assembled them into Christmas trees and wreaths. I never would have guessed that this was how these cute trees got their start.

There are so many ways you can decorated with bottle brush trees. I rounded up some of my favorite bottle brush tree Christmas decor and thought it would be fun to share with you today. Enjoy!

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BOTTLE BRUSH TREE DECOR

I love this colorful tabletop vignette showing bottle brush trees in a forest like setting.

Martha Stewart

Vintage crocks with cute snow flocked trees.

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Diane at In My Own Style pulled together this sleek and modern mantel decor using candles and trees. The combination of white candles and green trees creates a winter wonderland feel.

fyi–I spotted shaped bottle brush trees at West Elm but unfortunately they are no longer available.

In My Own Style

Bottle brush trees looks great in a small grouping or massed out like this display on a vintage hutch.

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You can find bottle brush trees in just about every color in the rainbow. This combination of white, black and ivory trees creates a nordic feel.

Life Is A Party

A grouping of three trees can add a holiday touch just about anywhere in your home. This grouping on a cake pedestal, surrounded by free cedar branches is perfection.

Jones Design Company

Here’s even more inspiration for you…

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Now that I’ve fallen in love with bottle brush trees, I hoping to score a few at after-Christmas sales. I also found a great source online with an amazing assortment of trees in every color and size you’d want.

Merry, Merry!