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My Classic Christmas Tablescape | 2019

December 19, 2019

I love creating tablescapes, especially at the holidays. There is just something special about gathering family around a beautifully set table and celebrating Christmas.

This year my table decor is classic and traditional and includes a fun mix of dinnerware. Let’s gather around the table and celebrate the season!

CLASSIC CHRISTMAS TABLESCAPE

One of my favorite details at the table are the small evergreen wreaths that hang on the back of each chair. The vibrant green wreath paired with a red satin ribbon really pops.

Because I have a lot of blue and white ceramic decor in my living room, I decided to use a mix of red and blue on the table. I draped the table in a blue and white tablecloth and added a red runner down the center.

Then I created the centerpiece.

Since my place settings have a traditional vibe, I wanted the centerpiece to be a bit more whimsical. I placed a grouping of glass and ceramic Christmas trees down the center of the table and tucked greenery and berry sprigs at the base.

A few red ornaments and mini white ceramic trees add more visual interest.

ENTERTAINING TIP: Scented candles can interfere with the flavors of the food being served. Instead of candles, mix fresh evergreen sprigs in with faux stems to add a festive scent to the table.

Glass and Ceramic Christmas Tree from HomeGoods

I used faux evergreen placemats as the base of each place and mixed different dinnerware pieces for an eclectic look. The red tartan plaid melamine plates look great with my formal white, red and blue willow plates.

At top of each place setting I folded red napkins in the shape of a bow with my thrifted green beaded napkin rings as the center.

Placemats from Pier (no longer available) // Plaid Dinner Plates

TABLESCAPE TIP: Layers help to create a table that is appealing from every angle. Consider each layer, from the tablecloth up to the top of the centerpiece. Use items with different textures and finishes to make the tablescape come to life.

Gold Flatware–vintage (similar here)

My sideboard and tiered bar table got a festive touch with greenery and red ornaments.

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE TABLE

Now that I have the table all set, I’m working on my dinner and dessert menu. Wish me luck as I tackle Costco and the grocery store tomorrow.

Cheers!

For more tablescape inspiration check out these posts:

2018 Christmas Tablescape

2017 Christmas Tablescape

Oh Christmas Tree | Holiday Home Tour 2019

December 18, 2019

Hi there friends! In case you’ve been wondering, I’m still alive. This year has been all kinds of crazy at our house so my blog posts have been sporadic at best. However, I’m determined to end the year on a high note and am finally sharing my holiday decor with you.

To kick things off, today I’m sharing my Christmas tree decor and tomorrow I’ll be back to share my Christmas tablescape. The holiday season is my favorite time of the year so I’m thrilled I was able to pull things together and get my home decorated. Yea for taking life one day at a time and getting things done!

If you’ve followed me during the last few holiday seasons, you know that I typically host a holiday blog hop called The Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour. The tour has been going strong for 5 years but given all the shenanigans life has thrown my way, I decided not to host the tour this year. Don’t fret, I’m planning to host the tour again in 2020 to bring you lost of holiday decor and magic.

So…with only 7 days until Santa arrives, I’m here to share my holiday home! Enjoy & Merry Christmas!

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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

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!

Christmas Place Settings | One Plate, Four Looks

December 8, 2018

Christmas dinner is one of the most special times during the Christmas season. Everyone is gathered around a beautifully decorated table to enjoy food, festivities and create special memories. Along with wrapping gifts, I love setting my table to celebrate the day. Earlier this week I shared my holiday tablescape as part of the Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour. If you missed any of the tour, you can find part 1 here and the finale here.

As I was pulling my table decor together, I played around with different place settings before settling on the look above. So today I thought it would be fun to share 4 elegant and simple place settings using the same dinner plate as the foundation. The idea is to show you how easy it is to mix and match elements to create different looks.

For each of the place settings, the white charger plate and the Blue Willow dinner plate are the same. I changed out the salad and bread plates, as well as the dinner napkins.

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ONE PLATE, 4 DIFFERENT PLACE SETTINGS

LOOK #1: This place setting takes on an Americana feel with the addition of the red salad plate. The square bread plate with a holiday sentiment works great with the traditional grouping. If you decorate with red for Christmas, this place setting would look stunning. A centerpiece of greenery and white hydrangea would be how I’d finish off the table decor.

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LOOK #2: This place setting has a vintage, bohemian vibe to it, while still being classic. The Blue Willow dinner plate, Red Willow salad plate and Lou Rota soup bowl are a perfect combination. If you weren’t serving soup as part of the meal, the bowl could be used to serve a small salad. The floral dinner napkins add an eclectic touch. To finish this look, I’d create several mixed color flower arrangements and place them down the center of the table.

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LOOK #3: I love the bold pop of color this red bread plate adds against the white salad plate. And the gold lettering ties back to the gold beading on the red dinner napkins. When it comes to setting a table, don’t be afraid to mix gold and silver or other metal finishes together. It’s the mix that adds the personality. A large bowl filled with red, gold and silver ornaments would look great as the centerpiece with the place setting.

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LOOK #4: I think this is the most elegant place setting of the four because of the gold lettered bread plate. The salad plate has a large-scale blue & white floral pattern that provides a contrast against the Blue Willow plate. To keep the color palette simple, I choose a blue linen dinner napkin. An all white flower arrangement in a brass container is what I’d use for the centerpiece.

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THE TABLETOP INGREDIENTS:

Red Rimmed Salad Plate–thrifted {similar style in melamine}

Lenox Solitaire White Salad Plate

Blue & White Floral Salad Plate–HomeGoods {similar here}

Red Willow Salad Plate–thrifted {available on Etsy}

Square Merry Christmas Plate–HomeGoods

Jingle All The Way Plate–HomeGoods

Lou Rota Soup Bowl–thrifted {check Ebay}

Red and Gold Merry Plate–HomeGoods

Red Dinner Napkins–HomeGoods {DIY monogram tutorial here}

Blue Linen Dinner Napkins–HomeGoods

Red Floral Dinner Napkins–World Market {no longer available}

Red with Gold Beads Dinner Napkins–Hobby Lobby {no longer available}

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When you’re out shopping for tableware, keep in mind the things you already own. Then shop for items that will allow to your mix and match your pieces to create different looks throughout the year.

Happy Entertaining!

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.

DIY Embroidery Hoop & Ribbon Christmas Wreath

December 3, 2018

Happy Monday friends! I’m so excited to share the latest ribbon project I created for the The Ribbon Roll. For those of you that may have missed it, I’m on the design team for The Ribbon Roll, an online retail store that sells over 15,000 different styles of ribbon. As a member of the design team, I create projects using their ribbon and share them on their blog. If you like crafting with ribbon, check out the blog for fun seasonal and everyday project ideas.

My latest project, an Embroidery Hoop & Ribbon Christmas Wreath is one of my favorite holiday projects ever. I am in love with the way it turned out and can’t wait to hang it in my home.

My wreath features beautiful metallic and lame ribbons but you could use just about any of the Ribbon Roll ribbons to customize the look for your home or any season.

For all you crafters out there, here’s a step-by-step tutorial and the supply list so you can make your own wreath.

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EMBROIDERY HOOP & RIBBON CHRISTMAS WREATH

Supply List:

Large Embroidery Hoop–before buying new, check your local Goodwill where you can usually find these large hoops for less than a $2.00
Golden Grenada Wired Edge Ribbon–you’ll need about 2 yds for wider ribbon and about 3 yards for narrower ribbon
Metallic Lame Tweed Wired Edge Ribbon (see ribbon yardage above)
Glitter Leaves–there are 50 pieces in the pack so you’ll have lots left over to use on other projects
4 to 6 Faux Evergreen Pics—you can buy these from Micheal’s, Hobby Lobby or JoAnn right now for 50-60% off. I always stock up when they go on sale/clearance.
Merry Christmas Wood Die-Cut –I bought my piece at Michael’s but I’ve also seen similar at Target in the dollar bins
Acrylic Craft Paint—available from any craft store
Foam Paint Brush
Floral Wire
Hot Glue Gun and Glue
Small Ornaments (optional)

HOW-TO:

Cut the ribbon into lengths 2” longer than the widest point of the embroidery hoop. The number of ribbon pieces you’ll need will depend on the size of your embroidery hoop and the width of your ribbon. You’ll want to cut enough ribbon strips to fill the embroidery hoop.
Open your embroidery hoop and separate the two pieces.
Lay the one pattern of ribbon spaced out over the inside (smaller) hoop. Then criss-cross the second ribbon to create a woven look.
Once all the ribbon is in place, slide the larger hoop over the smaller hoop and tighten the hoop down. If you need to adjust the ribbon position, loosen the hoop a little, move the ribbon around and re-tighten the hoop. Once the ribbon is secure, trim away any excess ribbon around the backside of the hoop.

Using your floral wire, attach the greenery pics to the hoop. You can place the pics at the top, bottom or slightly off-center like I did.

Paint your Merry Christmas die-cut using your craft paint. I painted mine in a metallic gold.
Using your hot glue gun, glue the die-cut piece on top of the ribbon, in the center of the hoop.
Stick a few glitter leaves into the greenery pics in any layout you like. I placed mine where the greenery pics meet in the middle.
(optional) Embellish the wreath with mini ornaments (attach them using your hot glue gun).

Tip: If you place your greenery pics off-center like I did, the wreath will be heavier on one side. So that the wreath hangs straight, use two nails spaced about 3 inches apart.

That’s all there is to it. Happy crafting!

For more ribbon fun, check out these ribbon projects:

Christmas Bow Made From Ribbon

Tassel Ribbon Gift Tie

Fringe Napkin Rings