Your Guide For Stylish Living
Hello there! Today’s the day for the unveiling of my Christmas tree and I’m so glad you stopped by to check it out.
Every year I create a different theme for my tree, using items that I already own and adding a few new things. This year I decided to take my love for plaids and my favorite color red, and use it as the foundation for my theme.
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If you haven’t checked out the holiday home products from H & M, you just might want to hop over to their site and check it out. They have a nice selection of unique items that are so budget friendly!
Here are my top picks, all under $20.00!
So many people have started to put their Christmas trees in baskets and containers (including yours truly) so when I say this Christmas Tree Mat I couldn’t resist. $12.95
I’m always on the hunt for inexpensive ornaments that can be used as gift tags or wine bottle tags and the Most Wonderful Time Ornaments are perfect for that. $5.95 for pack of 2
If your Christmas decor needs a little sparkle this Sequin Cushion Cover would be a fun addition. $17.95
This cute cloth bin would be great to transport gifts to grandma’s house. Magical Time Storage Bin $12.95
Here’s a fun way to add the hot trend of faux fur to your Christmas Tree. Faux Fur Ornaments $3.95 for a pack of 2
I love this classic version of an Advent Calendar $17.95
Here’s a fun holiday storage basket for pillows, blankets, gifts or wrapping paper. Gold Metal Basket $19.95
This Season’s Greetings Pillow Cover will work with any holiday decor. I’d add red yarn pom poms on the corners to make it even more festive. $9.95
If you looking for some impact to add to your tree these Oversized Gold Ornaments (6″) are a great look and great price. $4.95
Happy Shopping!
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around my parts!
I’m loving my colorful Christmas Tree. All of the ornaments are handmade (swirled paint inside clear glass ornaments)!
I decided to use solid color wrapping paper for my gifts and use contrasting colored ribbons and a cluster of small ornaments and jingle bells as embellishments. Each family member has their own color of wrapping paper so no gift tags are needed.
I created a framed chalkboard to hang on one wall near the tree.
I couldn’t resist these faux fur wine bags from Restoration Hardware and decided to use them as stockings for the hubby and I.
My sheet music wreath hangs on a mirror in the dining room.
A festive bow and greenery hangs on a half wall.
I add a little cheer to a brass birdcage that sits on top of an armoire.
I decided to keep a colorful theme with my dining table decor. The striped velvet runner I purchased from Crate and Barrel several years ago. The silver chargers are from Target.
I painted small metal trays I found at a flea market in chalkboard paint and added a festive message at place setting.
I placed a handmade ornament at in a glass and added a gift tag that I made using Scotch Expressions Tape. Love this stuff!
My metal cones a filled with ornaments and hang from near the stair rail.
I decided to add a little Christmas decor to the bedroom as well by hanging a wreath on the headboard. I also changed out my yellow and grey pillows for red and hunter green one for Christmas.
A mini tree sits in a mercury glass bowl on the nightstand.
And, my dress form even got in on the Christmas mix!
The wreath is hung…
The ornaments are made…
The tree is up…
The table is set…
And now the finishing touches…
HANDCRAFTED GIFT TAGS
I used tradtional paper tags and layered on decorative papers, handmade pinwheels with a mirror center and faux holly leaves.
PICTURE FRAME WREATH
I painted a thrift store frame Christmas red, hung an ornament from the center and added a bow to create my festive & fun door wreath!
GIFT WRAP
Every year I coordinate my gift wrapping with my tree colors….this year it’s red, white, silver and kraft paper which works with the burlap elements on the tree.
And, every year I wrap each family members gifts in a different color paper so that identifying gifts is easy…
All the gifts for my brother and nephew are wrapped in red and white. My brother is a drummer so I tucked a sheet music card under the twine I wrapped his gift with.
My hubby’s gifts are all wrapped in the natural kraft paper. I love monograms so I’ve used several different styles on his gifts. You’ll also see that my yarn pom poms are also a fun addition to my gift wrap.
On this gift, I used a decorative piece of scrapbook paper on the front of the package. It has a simple white design and the perfect spot for a holiday message!
My mom’s gifts will all be wrapped in silver this year. Here I added a red satin ribbon and a antiqued silver glitter ornament which was only .50 cents from a local gift store.
Wrapping presents is one of my favorite things to do and at Christmas I tend to go all out.
My gift wrapping tips:
*Keep your color theme narrow * Use a variety of papers to give your gifts visual impact * Pretty ribbon is a must * Embellishments will take your gift wrapping to the next level…be creative!HANDMADE CHRISTMAS CARDS
I created my Christmas cards by grouping several different size tags together..some store bought and some I cut myself. On one of the tags I sewed a clear pouch and filled it with Confetti as an nod to my company name. A larger tag holds a photo of my husband and me, and a smaller blank tag was used to write a special holiday sentitment. All the tags are tied together with a pretty silk ribbon.
SO THERE YOU HAVE IT…ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS AT THE MCKEE HOUSE!
Now that all the major projects are done and my client projects are complete, it’s time to sit back and give thanks for all that I have this holiday season.
Wishing each of you a Very Merry Christmas!
{ check in tomorrow for a few glimpses into some of the holiday decorating I did for clients}
When I teach a holiday decorating workshop, the question always comes up about whether your tree decor needs to match your room decor. My response is NO but for a truly cohesive look its best if your everyday decor inspires your tree decor.
Take a cue from the tips you use to decorate a room in your home. You start with one or two key elements (art, rug, curtains) and use those as the building blocks to create the overall design. When it comes to decorating your Christmas tree, find inspiration within your decor and use that to build the theme for your tree.
Here are 3 holiday tree designs and the accessory and furniture pieces that could have inspired them…
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This is the Christmas tree I’d create if my inspiration was colorful and bohemian inspired space. The gold accents play off of the gold finish on the furniture and the bold mix of colors tie back to the textiles within the room. During the holidays, sparkly details are a must and a grouping of beautiful mercury glass candle holders would inspired the ornaments, ribbon and giftwrap I’d use.
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If I were decorating a Christmas tree based on decor that included classic holiday colors like red, white and green, it would look like this. The varying shades green found in the jars and artwork, along with whimsical details like the fur pillow would inspire the ornaments and ribbon used on the tree.
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A neutral color palette relies on texture, a variety of finishes and a subtle graduation of color to bring it to life. This elegant and glam Christmas tree would be inspired by a mix of gold and silver decorative elements, antique surfaces, lots of visual texture and shimmery finishes.
So the question still remains–which comes first, the chicken or the egg. In the case of holiday decor, take a look around your home and let the pieces you live with everyday inspire you!
Hello friends. I hope everyone had a great weekend. After spending the end of last week decorating for a client, I was happy to see the weekend come. I did some Christmas decor shopping for a another client, hung out with my brother and got all of my holiday linens pressed. Anyone else out there hate ironing as much as I do? All in all, it was a good weekend and I was able to squeeze in some of my own Christmas decorating.
Speaking of decorating, today’s post is all about decorating your mantel for Christmas. It’s part tips & techniques and part inspiration. Enjoy!
One of the exciting parts of my design business is decorating homes for Christmas. Just about every home I decorate has a mantel or two and even though every one of them has a different style and design, I use the same techniques when decorating them for Christmas.
Here are my tips for decorating your mantel like a pro:
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It’s Throwback Thursday so I’m republishing one of my most popular holiday how-to post…
When my store was open, one of the most attended workshops I did was called Decorate Your Christmas Tree Like a Pro. While everyone has their own style when it comes to decorating their tree, everyone also wants to know the tips and techniques that designers used to create those over the top trees. Well, today I’m going to let you in on our secrets….
1. DEVELOP A THEME–Every great design project starts with a theme, even decorating a Christmas tree. Having a theme will ensure all the elements work together and that the tree has major impact. Your theme can be as simple as decorating with only red ornaments or as elaborate as creating a rustic yet elegant lodge themed tree. And, even if your tree is decorated with different ornaments collected over the years, that too can serve as your theme! Whatever your theme is, it will serve as the foundation for your overall decorating plan.
2. LIGHTS FIRST–Lighting a tree is time-consuming, but doing it right makes all the difference in how your tree will look in the end.
* Start at the top of your tree and wrap the lights from the inside trunk towards the outer tips of a branch. Once one branch is covered, create two or three big loops of lights on that same branch back towards the trunk. Move to the next branch and repeat the process. Continue working your way around the tree, covering all the branches. Don’t forget to plug your lights in periodically to make sure they all work and the all the branches are covered well.
* You can adjust the density of the lights by wrapping the lights closer together or further apart.
3. ADD RIBBON OR FABRIC–While most people add ribbon to their trees, fabric is a great alternative. Ribbon, bows or fabric pieces will provide a backdrop for our ornaments and can be added to your tree in several different ways. One method is to drape the ribbon from top to bottom, tucking it into the tree at intervals. This will create peaks and valleys and create added dimension to your tree decor. Another great trick is to layer several different ribbons together and creating big loops with cascading tails (see top photo).
If you are using bows on your tree, make sure the size and scale of the bow is in keeping with the overall size of the tree….8 to 10 medium size bows on a 9 ft. tree is enough!
4. ADD DIMENSIONAL PICS OR SPARYS–This one element will do more for your tree than anything else will. Take glitter pics, feather stems or floral stems and place them around your tree randomly. Not only are your creating layers with your tree, but you are adding texture and dimension. On large trees, several styles of pic and be used together while on smaller trees it is best to use a single pic style in mass.
5. LAYER, LAYER, LAYER–Now it’s time to start adding ornaments. Don’t just place your ornaments on the surface of the tree, layer your ornaments within the tree branches. Place solid colored ornaments deep into the tree and hang the more colorful and ornate ornaments on the tips of the branches.
And remember, Vary the shapes of sizes of your ornaments Vary the color tones, using shiny ornaments along with matt and textured finishes Adding solid color ornaments will help ground the tree and create an element of consistency within your theme Cluster small ball ornaments together with a wire and hang them in groupings for added impact
6. THE TOPPER–The top of your tree should really make a statement. Create a unique topper using pics and flower stems, several large bows put together or go add a whimsical element that supports your theme. If you have a traditional topper, use pics at the base of the topper to frame it.
A few other tricks of the trade…
* Use ornament spinners to add visual impact to the tree. These little gems plug into one of the light sockets and spin lightweight ornaments.
* Curl the tips of your artificial tree to give it a whimsical touch.
So there you have it, the ins and outs of decorating a Christmas tree like a pro!
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