Hand Made 2013

I really love the idea of DIYing new fun ornaments each year.  Not only does it keep your tree looking a little different each year, but it also gives you a keepsake from each Christmas. I was really hoping to be able to fill my tree with these beauties,

but after these 2 took me almost an hour, I put them temporarily aside and decided to try something different for today.

These ornaments were super easy and only required 2 different sizes of wooden beads, twine, and paint (optional).  We often used wood bead garland on our tree growing up, so I decided to play around with that idea a bit and make ornaments.

I didn't take pictures of each step since it was so easy.  Try and follow if you can:

First you make a loop out of twine and knot the end.  Then you thread beads on it.  Are you still with me?  The last step if you chose to do it- paint your new ornaments whatever pattern/color your little heart desires.

I know, expert difficulty, right?

Rather chic for something so simple and rustic, I think. Can't you just see a tree covered head to toe in these (because trees have heads and toes....)?  They'd also be pretty cute if they were painted in an ombré effect down the tree. Spell Check is questioning "ombré"... he's clearly not up on his design lingo.

On my second year of doing this myself, I'm totally looking forward to starting this yearly ornament-making tradition with future children.  Maybe next year I'll get Cutest-Nephew-Ever-Eli to start the tradition with me.

It's Alive!

My Christmas tree, that is.  Since getting my own apartment, I've had the same fake little tree.  It's a very nice, full, psuedo-realistic fake tree, and the decoration has varied slightly from year to year, but I decided this year I'd shake it up a bit. Both this year and last, while perusing Home Depot, my attention was grabbed by these cute little potted trees for $25 a piece.

Considering I took a pretty much identical phone pic last year, I went for it!

It's a little Charlie Brown-ish, but I'm totally digging it.  She's got Pizazz!

And it got a custom pot thanks to rope and hot glue.

It grounds it and adds texture below the branches.  Small project for such an impact!

I also reused last year's DIY clay ornaments, although I'm thinking a new DIY ornament for this year is in order, don't you think?

My new tree topper that I purchased on our trip the other week is reminiscent of the light that I used last year, but much daintier.

As I mentioned last week, for the first time ever, the interior wasn't the only place getting a bit of decoration.  After a bit of hemming and hawing, I decided to go au naturale outside with real garland draped around the porch entry with simple white lights.  At night it adds just a little bit of 'sparkle' and makes me smile without making dear Hubby cringe- mission accomplished!

I've also purchased my FIRST EVER wreath!  Yup, I've never been a wreath person before, but this one from Target hit just the right note.

I'm sure some of the decorations will evolve a bit over the next few weeks as I play around with things a bit more.  It's definitely helping to get me in the Christmas spirit!  That and LOTS of Christmas music!  It's an addiction, that I only let myself indulge in for a month every year.  Who's with me? What's your favorite Christmas song or CD?

Overcoming PTCD

Christmas decorating is going to be a little bit more exciting for me this year- my wheels are turning with ideas!  Why so different?  Well, for the first time in 5 years of living together, Humbug Hubby has given the green light on white lights- on our porch. As a young Jewish boy working in retail during the holiday season, Hubby was traumatized early by Christmas music on repeat and garish, in-your-face decorations.  Being the good wife that I am, I have tried to be sensitive to his PTCD (post traumatic Christmas disorder) and kept the decorating rather simple.  The extent of our previous exterior decorations was a kissing ball.  Last year, in a moment of clarity (or slip of the tongue) Hubby mentioned how nice tasteful white lights can look.  Yes Dear, I agree, we should totally have tasteful white lights on our porch this year!  What a great idea!

Oh the possibilities!!!

So I was thinking of doing something simple like this:

Too much?

I can only imagine what our electricity would cost with that on!  I kid of course, I was more thinking along the lines of this.

The puppy completes the ambiance.  Think I could get Charlie to pose in a Santa hat?

I love the not-too-traditional-but-still-traditional look of magnolia garland.  Mix in a few metallic leaves and it would be magical (IMHO)

No lights that I see here, but if you imagine this simple garland with lights, I could see that working on my porch.  I also love the wreath (I see a non-traditional greenery theme emerging)

This is also a leading contender.  Take away the large red bows and maybe add a simple burlap bow and now we're talking.

I know it's probably taboo of me to say in blogland, but I have no desire to spend exorbitant amounts of time and money decorating when it'll be mainly Hubby and I seeing it.  I'd rather have a few festive vignettes that put a smile on my face and get us into the holiday spirit.

I'll probably bust out the tree and ornaments and get started this weekend- I may even force Hubby to help.  It'll be good therapy for his PTCD, I think.

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