Search Results for: ribbon

Stocking Stuffers For Everyone On Your List

December 14, 2018

With only 11 days until Christmas, now’s the time to hunker down and get that shopping down. Hopefully you’ve got all your big purchases checked off the list and are now focusing on stocking stuffers.

Stocking Stuffers are my favorite gifts to buy because the gift can be something unique and unexpected. Today’s gift guide includes 32 items everyone on your shopping list will love. And they’ve all been Santa approved.

*********

STOCKING STUFFERS FOR HER

Monogram Drink Stirs–These monogram stir sticks are the perfect accent for a stylish bar cart.

Chloe Hoop Earrings–Simple and chic hoop earrings that you can wear with anything.

Lucky Token Keychain–A little good luck charm to carry with you wherever you go.

Christmas Mini Ribbon Candy Gift Bag–Old fashion ribbon candy is one of my favorite childhood memories during the holidays. This is a great gift for kids or adults.

Pilot Finepoint Rollerball Pens–These are my favorite pens. I love the smooth roll and the extra-fine tip point.

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Rollerball–I’ve been wearing this fragrance for years and always get compliments on how it smells. The rollerball is perfect to keep in a handbag or for traveling.

Mac Mini Lipstick Kit–Mac makes great lipsticks and this set is perfect for the fashionista on your list.

Jewelry Cleaner–A great gift that will make it easy to keep your baubles bright and shiny.

Birthstone Wine Bottle Stopper–A beautiful, handcrafted gift for someone who loves to entertain or enjoy a glass of wine at the end of a long day.

Jade Facial Roller–If you’ve been following beauty trends then you know these facial rollers are all the rage right now.

Leopard Print Scarf–This classic scarf will go with every outfit. And because its light weight, you can wear it just about year round.

Barefoot Dreams CozyChic Socks–These socks are so soft and warm and perfect for cold nights in front of a fire.

Smith & Cult Nailed Lacquer-I tried this brand of nail polish recently and it is fabulous. This glossy finish is just stunning.

**********

STOCKING STUFFERS FOR HIM

On The Go Men’s Kit–Features a stylish tie-inspired pouch on a two-sided brush. The kit also includes shoe horn, nail clipper, and 6 pairs of collar stays.

Collapsible Popcorn Popper–Perfect for parties or family night, or when he wants a snack just for himself.

Sweater De-Fuzzer–A gift that he won’t realize he needed until he uses it.

Knot Cuff Links–For the guy that loves a traditional fashion statement but with a modern twist. And there are so many fun colors to choose from.

White Chocolate Peppermint Hot Cocoa Sticks–A little something to sweeten his cup of cocoa or hot toddy.

Jack Black Hand Healer–A hand lotion that will help him keep his hand soft and smooth.

Leather Pen/Pencil Case–This classic leather case is a keepsake that he’ll have for years. A great gift for a recent college graduate.

Marion Wool Colorful Sock Set–For the guy who likes to add a little personality to his outfit.

Wrinkle Release Spray—Time-saving ironing alternative that removes most wrinkles. Great for someone who travels a lot.

Plaid Stitch Leather Gloves–Because of the stitching detail, these leather gloves have more style than most. And the price is incredible.

**********

STOCKING STUFFERS FOR ANYONE

Stainless Steel Straws–Practical, reusable and environmentally friendly! These are on my wish list.

iPhone Tripod–For that tech savvy person that love to take selfies, create videos or make Instagram stories. And the wireless remote makes it all so easy.

Bistro Monogram Coaster–I love the retro modern design of this coaster.

Tarion Camera Strap–This classic camera strap is under $10.00 and has great reviews.

Echo Dot--We have a DOT in just about every room in our house. The DOT makes it so easy to control the lights, thermostat and get the latest news update with a simple voice command.

Prism Glasses–These nifty glasses allow you to read or watch t.v. in bed while laying completely flat. Perfect for kids or those times when you’re stuck in bed with a bad back or the flu.

Milk Chocolate Grahams–Made by a family owned company in Illinois, everyone will be asking for more of this yummy treat. You might as well pick up a box for yourself.

LED Light-Up USB Charger–For the techie who has everything!

Aerolatte Milk Frother--I bought this several years ago it love using it this time of year to mix hot cocoa. It also works great to sauces and dressings.

**********

Happy shopping!

Christmas stocking available from Boho Luxe Home

For more gift ideas, check out my Christmas Gift Guides…

*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I might make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Let’s Mingle & Jingle–Holiday Progressive Dinner Blog Hop

December 13, 2018

Don’t you just love entertaining during the holidays? I sure do! Today I’m joining a few of my blogging friends for the final installment of our Virtual Progressive Dinner Blog Hop. Throughout the year we’ve shared easy recipes, tabelscape inspiration and fun party ideas with you. Today we’re celebrating the holiday season with the Holiday Mingle & Jingle Blog Hop.

If you missed any of this entertaining series, you can find the other seasonal posts by clicking these links…Spring Floral Fiesta, Summer Backyard Bash and Flavors Of Fall.

If you’re coming over from Positively Southern, welcome. Tamrya’s main course pork tenderloin looks so good and is the perfect hardy dish for a holiday gathering.

fyi–If you need to join the Mingle & Jingle party from the beginning, you’ll find all the stops on the blog hop below and at the end of this post.

Now, who’s ready for dessert?

When I was picked to host the dessert portion of the Mingle & Jingle dinner, I panicked for a minute. You see, me and kitchens are not the best of friends. As a designer, I love to design and decorate kitchens but I’m not a fan of cooking in them. So what’s a designer to do when it’s time to whip up a yummy holiday dessert? Get creative and decorate her dessert!

Crazy Confetti Christmas Cake

My Crazy Confetti Christmas Cake was super easy to make and would be a fun activity to share with kids.

The first thing I did was pick up a plain frosted white cake from Publix. Then I popped into Target and bought candy canes, honeycomb ball cake topper and old-fashioned Christmas candy. I already had the mini bottle brush trees on hand.

Once home, I unwrapped 6 candy canes, put them in a zip lock bag and crushed them into small pieces to make confetti candy cane mix. Next I sprinkled the confetti candy canes around the top edge of the cake.

And then I decorated the top of the cake with candy canes and other holiday pieces. I wanted my cake to be fun and crazy so all the pieces are a bit off-center.

Once I had the cake decorated, I knew I wanted to dress up the cake stand. I cut strips of ribbon and taped them to the top of the stand to make it more festive. This is such a simple and easy trick you could use anytime you’re serving cake at a party.

After the cake stand was decorated and I had the cake in place, I decided to take my crazy cake over the top. I sprinkled old-fashioned Christmas candy around the base of the cake and called it done.

I think my cake is ready for a holiday party!

Now that I’ve tantalized your sweet tooth, it’s time to bring this party to a close. Head over to Atta Girl Says to check out the fun hostess gifts and party favors Amy created. She really knows how to end a party on a high note. And be sure to hop over to each of the participating blogs and Mingle & Jingle with them.

MINGLE & JINGLE PROGRESSIVE DINNER BLOG HOP

Cocktail Hour—Viva La Vintage For Your Home

Appetizer—M. Jones Style

Tablescape-–Home On Poplar Creek

Main Course—Positively Southern

Dessert–ConfettiStyle (yours truly)

Hostess Gifts & Party Favors—Atta Girl Says

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. I’ve got more holiday inspiration posts planned for you as we count down to Christmas so be sure to check in each day. Or better yet, subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss a post!

Gift Wrap Embellishments | Fun, Festive Touches

December 7, 2018

Yesterday I shared some tips for creating a holiday gift wrap theme and today I’m back to show you the fun ways I embellished my gifts.

I am always on the hunt for unique pieces to top my gifts with. This year my collection of goodies include vintage jewelry, a cardboard coaster, a tassel and hand-made bows. Plus my favorite holly leaf craft embellishment, glittered leaves, a small picture frame and honeycomb balls. All of these pieces I’ve picked up in bargain bins, found at craft stores or scored at Scott’s Antique Market.

I’ve been asked a lot about my process for wrapping gift and it’s pretty straight forward. First I wrap all the boxes in paper and then comes the ribbon. Some boxes get a single ribbon and with others I layer the ribbon. The final touch is adding the perfect embellishment to each box.

Here’s a look at some of my wrapped gifts and the formula for each gift wrap combination.

ConfettiStyle Gift Wrap | Christmas 2018

I added a small glitter ornament to this handmade bow Instead of a center loop.

I bought this silver ribbon from Costco a couple of years ago and just love it.

The mini bottle brush tree came from Target and the pom pom yarn is from Hobby Lobby. Yarn makes a great ribbon substitute.

For the gift below I made a simple paper band and hand-lettered the Mr. Confetti’s name on it. Then I tucked a sprig of greenery under the band. This is a simple and elegant way to embellish a gift without spending a lot of money.

The pink pom pom tassel is from Hobby Lobby and it comes in other colors.

I found this beautiful embroidered appliqué at an antique store a few months ago. I’m using it on a gift for my mom. I attached it to the box top using small pieces of double-sided tape.

You can find this gorgeous floral wrapping paper here on Etsy. And the round gold embossed coasters are from Target.

Mini honeycomb balls can be found here. And I’ve also seen them at Michael’s. You can make pom pom using this pom pom maker.

Silver glitter leaves are from The Ribbon Roll.

If wrapping boxes isn’t your thing, you can use these same ideas to embellish paper gift bags. A few inexpensive accessories is all you need to create fun & festive holiday gifts. Happy wrapping friends!

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.

My Holiday Home | Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour-Part 2

December 5, 2018

Welcome back to part 2 of the Merry and Bright Holiday Home Tour. Last week I shared my tree, Christmas stockings and other elements of our living room decor. This week I’m back to share my Christmas tablescape and a few holiday touches I added to the kitchen and master bedroom. If you missed part 1 of the tour, you can find it here. And you’ll find a list of all the participating bloggers at the end of this post.

If you’re coming over from Love Your Abode welcome. I hope you enjoyed Yuni’s holiday decor as much as I did. And if you don’t already follow her on IG, you can find her here. She shares lots of great decorating and recipe ideas on her feed.

rocking horse from HomeGoods

This gorgeous Christmas stocking is from Boho Luxe Home who sponsored this year’s Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour. Be sure to head over to their website to check out the amazing array of boho inspired decor, gifts, textiles and wallpaper.

Now let me show you my holiday tablescape…

I carried my blue and white holiday decor theme into the dining area and used it to inspire by table decor. The first layer of the table is a blue & white tablecloth and solid blue table runner. The centerpiece is greenery swag with three pillar candle holders. I added additional greenery pics to fill out the arrangement and scattered ornament clusters at the base of the center candle.

For the place settings, I placed my Blue Willow plates on top of white charger plates. Solid blue salad plates and blue & white bread plates add the final layer. The pink dinner napkins add a pop of color and tie back to some of the wrapping paper I’m using for gifts.

BLUE & WHITE CHINOISERIE INSPIRED TABLE

I love adding a fun touch to the backs of my dining chairs. This year I created chair ties using navy tassels, green satin ribbon and ornaments. Such a fun and easy way to dress up my chairs.

The side board arrangement is fairly simple with a grouping of mini Christmas trees, ginger jars, greenery and ornaments. For a touch of pink, I tucked a couple of faux peonies at each end of the arrangement. I hung plain garland around the top of the mirror.

Here’s the table looking down from the stairs.

THE COCKTAIL BAR

My bar table sits in a corner of the dining area and it got a holiday touch. The large monkey dish I scored at an estate sale always gets in on the holiday fun.

THE KITCHEN

One one wall in the kitchen sit this tiered table that holds my overflow of dinner and dessert plates. I hung a wreath on the wall between two botanical art pieces. I’m planning to paint the frames black but somehow it keeps getting pushed down my to-do list.

Here’s a little collection of goodies on the kitchen counter, next to the stove.

Now let’s head upstairs…

MASTER BEDROOM

Every year I hang garland and wreath on the headboard and this year was not exception. I bought this beautiful felt wreath at HomeGoods last year and love the texture and sparkle.

I bought two of these holiday pillows from Pottery Barn a few years ago and used one on the bed. Next year I’ll add colorful tassels to each corner of the pillow to give it a new look.

I placed a small tree next to the armoire and decorated it with silver, gold and champagne colored ornaments. I also draped satin ribbon through the branches to add softness.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

I hope you enjoyed my holiday home. The next stop on the tour is Positively Southern. You’re going to love all the beautiful decor Tamyra is sharing this week.

Here’s the entire Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour lineup…

Wendy–Farmhouse Therapy (IG @farmhousetherapy)

Marsha–M.Jones Style (IG @mjonesstyle)

Kate–Chic On A Shoestring Decorating (IG @chiconashoestringdecorating)

Meg–Green With Decor (IG @greenwithdecor)

Yuni–Love Your Abode (IG @loveyourabode)

(me) ConfettiStyle (IG @confettistyle)

Tamyra–Positively Southern (IG @positivelysouthern)

For more even more holiday inspiration, over to the Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour Pinterest board. You’ll find photos from previous years tours as well as tons of other holiday and entertaining inspiration.

disclosure: I received products from Boho Luxe Home to use in my Christmas decor. I am a big fan of this company and only share products and brands that I love and think you’ll like too. All opinions are my own.

It’s A Blue Christmas | Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour – Part 1

November 28, 2018

Happy Holidays and welcome to the 4th Annual Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour. This year I’m joining 6 of my blogging friends to share lots of holiday decor and entertaining inspiration with you. There’s a list of all the participating bloggers at the end of this post.

Before we get this party started, I want to give a shout out to Boho Luxe Home who is sponsoring the holiday home tour again this year. Kellie and Melanie have an amazing company with some of most personality packed home decor items I’ve ever seen. This year, each of the participating bloggers received products from Boho Luxe Home to include in their decor. I know you’re going to love the pieces I picked out and I hope you’ll pop over to their shop to see their full product offering.

If you’re coming over from Positively Southern, welcome. I always love seeing Tamyra’s holiday decor and this year she’s really outdone herself. She has a beautiful home and come Christmas time it’s even more gorgeous.

Every year I start my holiday home tour by sharing the inspiration for my decor. This year the jumping off point for my theme was all of the blue & white accessories I have in my home. I love blue & white and have curated quite the collection ever since I started decorating with it about 5 years ago. The color theme is now the foundation of my decor and I don’t see getting tired of it anytime soon.

I also wanted to add some vibrant color to my holiday mix so I chose green and pink as accents. I’m so happy with how everything looks and can’t wait to share all the details. But before we do that, let’s take a look back at the inspiration boards I created earlier this year. I think I executed the plan pretty well.

THE INSPIRATION

***

A Blue & White Christmas

Decorating my Christmas tree is a labor of love and it’s all about the details. I kept things pretty simple this year and decorated with just ornaments and ribbon. The tree 7 1/2′ tall and there are close to 250 ornaments on it. The blue & white ginger jar ornaments are my absolute favorite and set the tone for the tree. I also used different shapes of solid colored ornaments along with crystal and glass ornaments that I’ve had for over 20 years. It was so fun pulling them out of the box and remembering where and when I bought them.

Every year I use two or three different styles of ribbon on my tree. This I combined a gorgeous velvet and a shiny satin. The navy velvet is from Frontgate and the emerald green satin I found at a discount store for just $3.00 a spool. The ribbons billow in and out of the tree adding softness and visual movement. And you can’t tell in these photos but there are twinkle lights on the tree which make it magical at night.

Most of my blue ornaments came from Hobby Lobby and the white ornaments are from Ikea. If you didn’t know that they carry Christmas decor, they do and it’s great.

CHRISTMAS GIFT WRAP

I’ll be sharing my DIY Holiday Wrapping Crate and more gift wrap inspiration later this week, but here’s a sneak peek.

Now let’s move over to the fireplace. We have a mantel sitting in our garage and I had planned to get it installed this year but it just didn’t happen. So without a mantel, I draped my garland around the fireplace using Command Hooks to hold it in place. I wove the satin ribbon throughout garland and added clusters of ornaments throughout. And I made a big bow to highlight the center of the garland.

I shared this holiday decorating tip last year but it’s worth sharing again. Clustering ornaments in groups of three or four is a great way to add impact on a tree or garland.

The only decor I added to the bookshelves flanking the fireplace was to hang a wreath at the center, on each side. And I hung a Boho Luxe Home Christmas stocking above each cabinet. Aren’t these stockings just gorgeous? The bottom fabric is the Neela Blue fabric and the top collar is a navy velvet. The finishing touch is the long handmade tassels that’s wrapped around the hanging loop. These stockings have definitely become some of my most treasured holiday decor!

green wrapping paper // holly leaf from Hobby Lobby

The stocking were hung…

mini Christmas tree from Target dollar spot

The wood rocking horse that I found at HomeGoods last year is all dressed up for Christmas too. This little horse just puts a smile on my face.

I replicated the mantel garland along the stair rails which run from the 2nd floor of our townhouse to the third floor (aka–lots of garland and ornaments)! I’ll share more of my stair decor next week in the holiday home tour finale.

With my mom now living in Atlanta and my house fully decorated for the season, I’m planning on sitting back and enjoy every bit of this Christmas season. I hope you enjoyed the tour. Be sure to come back next Wednesday for the final of the Merry & Bright Holiday Home tour and more decorating inspiration.

Next up is Love Your Abode. Yuni is an absolute sweetheart with design talent oozing out of every pore. I love following her on IG stories and love her style. Don’t delay, head over to Yuni’s blog and check out our holiday home. And be sure to stop by the other bloggers on the tour and show them some love.

Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour Participants:

Tamyra @Positively Southern

Me @ConfettiStyle

Yuni @ Love Your Abode

Wendy @Farmhouse Therapy

Meg @ Green With Decor (blow kisses to her new baby)

Kate @Chic On A Shoestring Decorating

Marsha @M. Jones Style

HO, HO Happy Free Printable Christmas Gift Tags

November 27, 2018

Don’t you just love the Christmas season? I sure do. As I was driving today, listening to Christmas music, I noticed the tension I’ve been feeling this year was lifted. I pondered why and it dawned on me that instead of watching the news, I’ve been watching Christmas movies. They have been a great distraction to all the strife and turmoil that’s going on across the world and they’ve lifted my spirits. I just might have to make Christmas movies a part of my normal routine?

Anyway, back to our regular scheduled programming.

Over the next week, I’ll be sharing my gift wrap theme and lots of gift wrap inspiration with you. But today, I’m sharing some fun and FREE printable gift tags that I made just for you. I designed these tags with a sense of whimsy and personality in mind, kinda of how my spirits are these days. Once you print your gift tags (on 8 1/2″ X 11″ paper), just punch a hole in the top and tie them onto a gift with ribbon.

Tip: for best results, print the tags on mid-weight cardstock or photo paper.

For those of you that want more colorful tags, you can download my Merry & Bright tags here.

Click Here To Download Your Christmas Gift Tags

If you use these gift tags on any of your holiday gifts, please share a photo on Instagram and use the hashtag #confettistylegiftwrap

Happy Wrapping!

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)

***

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

***

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.

***

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.

***

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.

***

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

***

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!