Your Guide For Stylish Living
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}
Hi all,
I hope everyone is getting into the Christmas spirit. I am fully enveloped in all things Christmas. I’ve decorated 4 client homes already and will be heading out later today to begin work on another. And, I’ve used some of my spare time to hand make a few ornaments and gift tags. Here’s a sneak peek of my ornaments under construction.
I still have a few details to add before they are complete. Next week, I’ll share all the holiday magic happening around my house, so stay tuned!
Until then, I hope your weekend is full of holiday cheer!
p.s. Tonight I’m going to spend the evening with Rashon, (aka Mr. Goodwill Hunting) doing a little thrift shopping at B & R Thrift here in Atlanta. And, of course I’ll be taking lots of photos and will share all the fun with you next week.
I am in full Christmas decorating mode for clients this week, and in the evenings I’m working on all kinds of holiday projects around my house.
I mentioned before that my Christmas decor this year will be a mix of burlap, red, mercury glass and music themed elements.
Even with my theme set, I’m finding myself smitten and inspired by all the Vintage Christmas decor I’m seeing in blogland. I love the mix of natural elements, the texture and all the shine and shimmer. I’m so inspired, I’ve decided I’ll be making my version of many of these ideas to incorporate into my decor.
…
Thanksgiving is only 8 days away and if you’re a bit behind in getting your table decorations pulled together, don’t fret because it’s Etsy to the rescue. I’ve scoured the collection handmade and vintage items available on Etsy and have assembled some fabulous Thanksgiving inspired tabletop items that will make your table a stand out on the big day.
1) Serve your pumpkin pie on this beautiful Pedestal Serving Plate from ConfettiStyleDesigns. The bird on the branch motif along with fall leaves in autumn colors will add style to your table decor. $32
2) These handstamped Serving Forks are not only elegant but functional. Crafted by RiverValleyJewelry, these serving pieces would also make a great hostess gift if you’ve been invited out for dinner. $25
3) A beautiful Fall Centerpiece is a must for the Thanksgiving table. This stunning pumpkin and flower arrangement from MissysManagerie will be the center of attention on your table. $29.99
4) I think these adorable Knitted Wool Pumpkins from BobbiLewin would make the perfect place marker at your Thanksgiving table. Add a name card and you’ve done. p.s. don’t forget to let you guest take a pumpkin home with them as a party favor. $22
5) How cute are these Thanksgiving Toppers? Add one to each persons slice of pie, cake or cupcake and put a bigger smile on everyone’s face when dessert is served. $8.50 for s/12 by SongbirdGreetings
7) I love a beautiful tablerunner and this one does not disappoint. This hand-woven Table Runner, crafted from old t-shirts will add style and elegance to your Thanksgiving table. Crafted by TheSomedayHouse. $65
8) I think every dinner or party occasion calls for a party favor for the guest. This Thanksgiving, how about placing a few sweet treats in these cute and crafty Favor Bags by SincerelySadie. A festive message has been hand stamped on the front and each bag . $4.25 for s/12. {while you’re visiting this shop, check out the fun Christmas gift tags too!}
9) If you’re looking for a cute bauble to use a napkin adornment, I say go for these Felt Acorns. Add a ribbon or twin and tie around each dinner napkin at the table. So cute! $16.00 for set of 8, by FairyFolk {lots of color options, some with string loops already attached}
10) And finally, I’ve discovered a Felt Garland that had my creative mind going. How about running several of these down the center of the table to create a unique runner alternative? Or, what about dangling a garland from the back of each dining chair, for a festive touch. However you use this garland, you’re sure to make your Thanksgiving table come to life. $15.00 by AccordingtoShe
Hop on over to Etsy to check out my Thanksgiving Table Decor picks and make Thanksgiving beautiful!
For most of us, Christmas decorating is a couple of weeks away, but for me lots of prep is underway now.
A big part of my design business this time of year involves decorating clients homes for Christmas. AND, in preparing for this I stock up on 3M Command Hooks, which is one of my essential holiday decorating tools.
If you are not familiar with Command Hooks, or if you’ve never used them before, you’ve been missing out. Command Hooks are truly priceless when it comes to putting up Christmas decorations inside and outside your home (and for general decorating too!)
The beauty of Command Hooks is that they will mount on any smooth surface and can be removed without damaging the paint, wall paper, paneling etc.
I use different sizes when I’m decorating a home and love that Command Hooks come in different finishes and are so easy to apply.
The mini clear hooks are one of my favorite products and are perfect for hanging ornaments from a window or anywhere you need the hook to really disappear.
During the Christmas season in my store, I used Command Hooks everywhere to hold up garland around a mantle and to hang wreaths on walls and doors. Here are a few holiday photos from the store last year where Command Hooks were used.
Command Hooks were placed on the corners of the mantel and the garland was secured to them with floral wire. This garland was pretty heavy and the hooks did a great job in preventing the garland from slipping.
In this mantel arrangement, the bow and ornaments surrounding it were attached using Command Hooks.
This is a clients home and we used Command Hooks at the top of the window and then hung the bow, greenery and ornaments from them.
Command Hooks are so versatile and make decorating at the holidays really easy.
The hooks are perfect for hanging wreaths in an area where you wouldn’t want to place a nail, like this staircase.
Command Hooks work great on a front door, hanging a holiday sign. I’ve even used the bigger hooks outside to hang garland around my front door.
The clear hooks are perfect for hanging garland from a mirror or window frame!
So, as I get ready for a slew of house decorating, I wanted to let everyone in on one of my essential holiday decorating tools and why I love COMMAND HOOKS so much. You might just want to try them out for yourselves, I promise, you’ll be HOOKED!
Do you have any “can’t live without” holiday decorating tools you use? I’d love to know.
Creating beautiful vignettes is one of the quickest and easiest ways to impart style and impact within your home decor. I love creating vignettes when I’m decorating someones home, because it allows me to take treasures, old and new and create the personality spots and points of interest within the space, similar to “window displays” within a store.
Vignettes can take on many looks and cover a small or large area, but regardless of what elements you use or where your vignette is, the rules of creating successful vignettes are the same. Here are the tips and techniques I use to create beautiful vignettes.
* Layering
* Balance
* Depth
* Texture
* Variety
* Connection
* Visual Interest–left to right & top to bottom
Layer, layer, layer! Whenever you create a vignette, you want to make sure that you layer items left to right and top to bottom. The plate in the photo above is positioned at the back of the vignette and draws your eye into the entire arrangement. The lamp is placed on books to elevate it and create a layer of height. And the spout of the teapot intersects the edge of the plate, cretaing a visual layer and depth. Layering is one of the important components of a beautiful vignette.
You can create a wall vignette by massing a group of photos and art together in a creative way. The candle sconces create visual interest that draws your eye left to right and the two images above the mirror draw you eye up. The arrangment of accessories on the chest draw you eye down, all the way to the floor. Check out how there are different heights within the accessories used, creating movement within the arrangement. And the edge of all the accessories and the lamp against the mirror intersect to visually link all the elements together.
Balance is another key componenet in creating a successful vignette. The visual weight of the metal finials is balanced with the mercury glass jar and smaller objects that sit with it. The eye is drawn up with the height of the mirror and down with the basket on the floor.
This beautiful vignette is created with a focused color palette and a variety of items. The mirror frame positioned slightly off center creates a balance for the tall orchid. The books on the ottoman offset the wrapped boxes on the table top and the throw blanket draped over the edge of the ottoman visually draws your eye down to the floor. Smaller objects used on the tabletop fill in the gaps wiwithout changing the composition of the grouping.
This is one of my favorite vignettes. While there are not alot of items within the arrangement, the impact is great. The wallpaper serves and a strong visual backdrop and grounds the entire collection of items. The frames add texture and depth, the lamp adds height and overlaps the frame to create layering. The white urn and chair cushions provide a visual contrast within the grouping. And don’t foret the carpet….subtle texture added to the mix.
This is a classic vignette where lamps are used to anchor the grouping and a variety of accessories are used for visual interest and impact. Love the black framed clock which reinforces the square and rectangular shapes within the grouping while at the same time serving a visual stopping point. The photos and art are layered and the grouping of items on the mirrored tray add depth and dimension. The entire vignette is balanced and connected.
The artwork is hero and the accessories which are all about the same size and scale are positioned as the foundation to the art.
Larger items are placed on the top shelf and smaller items ont he bottom shelf which connects the to larger furniture pieces on the floor, creating visual balance top to bottom.
Simple and beautiful!
Balance, texture, depth, variety
So there you have it, my take on creating vignettes. Take a look around your home and see if your vignettes need a little sprucing up or if there’s an empty spot just waiting for a beautiful vignette!
Have a great day!
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