My prepping for Christmas began with two paint jobs - one for me - one for the hubs. Since the front door is the first "welcome" guests and family see as they come home for the holidays . . . this faded green door needed a touch-up. (Hubs painted a closet for me :))
A couple coats of paint both green and white - recycling the Christmas wreath from the previous two years and the tour begins . . .
I have had a Santa collection for many years now and last holiday I spread them around the house. This year I went back to my old faithful choice - atop the piano - - - adding some greenery.
As something new and discovered on Pinterest I threw some left over garland into my hubs's family crock!
When I finished the living room - I decided that this was not enough to dress up the room - so I turned to my side business Avon for a couple of touches of lights and music - - -
Santa's workshop plays various Christmas favorites and the little train goes round and round. The snowman globe will be added to this little corner of the kitchen. It can be set to blow snow and with our Texas family coming from south Texas and hopin' and wishin' for SNOW - - - I decided to add in snow and snowmen as much as I could!!
The tops of the kitchen cabinets became a fun project! A small collection of snowmen that I have had at work became the highlight of my decorating!
Then we move to the basement family room and guest bedrooms. Whiile the upstairs is Santa and Snowmen . . . the basement is where the tree is - a simple little tree - and a more rustic theme.
Not a tree that would be featured in any kind of magazine :) but it is filled with our history as a family. The kids's first ornaments, the school project ornaments, my mom in law's homemade dove, many angels and some "vintage" flocked plastic reindeer . . . rememember those? In our other home in Glen Elder the tree always was placed in front of a window . . . thought that was how you did it . . . so others could see your lights! But here in Beloit, we had to decide one tree or two - upstairs or down. Opted to put our little tree in the family room in basement corner. With the lights on . . . WE get to enjoy it ourselves . . . and isn't that what is most important?
Since my kids are both coming home for Christmas with their families I thought it would be fun to give everyone a tree in their room . . . I got creative. For 1.50 I found this half-tree and for 50 cents bought red ornamental balls to put on . . . It has lights and yes they even work!!
I found a baby doll quilt in a tote with the doll clothes and thought it would be perfect for a tree skirt in the "red room" as we call the room where the granddaughters will stay. They are 12, 16, and 20 and an air mattress has to be thrown on the floor but they love camping out together for four nights . . . laughing, playing games, or just chillin'.
My son and his wife will be staying downstairs as well and they have their own tree of course:
Tree, Santa, Lantern. These are a few of my favorite things . . .
And lastly, as I wanted all of our guests to have a Christmas Tree in their rooms . . .
I added this little snow covered branch tree with lights to our room . . . which shhhhh this is a secret . . . is where our daughter and her hubs will stay. It seems that our guests now all want the basement guest bedrooms - not sure if its the beds? the big screen TV in family room? or privacy? that draws them to the guest rooms down there . . . claims have been made and gramps and I have to decide who stays where. We are offering our room as a "consolation" prize!! Dad and I will sleep in the upstairs guest room - it's a little small and has no room for suitcases - - - no bed side tables - - - but we will be very comfortable there. So . . . I am looking for a little touch of Christmas to put under the tree. Any suggestions??
A few more touches and that will finish my tour!
Sisters gave us a flower arrangement in a red lantern last 4th of July. We had just lost our family dog Dodger. I knew the red lantern would be used as a permanent house fixture . . . and mixed it in with a lantern given to me from my sister Tami as well as my "moose" on a shelf.
The rustic theme does not fit me . . . but ever since a trip with Clay to the mountains of Estes Park I have changed my mind. We vacationed with the elk in town, and we came home with a wooden elk as a reminder of the beauty of the Colorado Rockies. Last winter thanks to Clay's work we were sent to the Dominican Republic and spent a few days in Punta Cana. The wooden bull is a reminder of that trip.
If you look closely you will see the elk in the middle of the shelf.
Both the sled and the horse picture are new touches. Interestingly, the above picture belongs to my father in law, Rex Henningsen. Being a rancher and raising his kids around horses, it's a very fitting reminder of our dad. Rex was in a terrible car accident one month ago. He is recovering, but slowly.
My husband smiled when I brought it in from the shed and said could we hang this?
The new puppy at our home got into the Christmas decorating . . . or UNDECORATING . . . she snuck our son's first Christmas ornament off the tree and chewed it to bits . . . so it's no wonder a week spent decorating equals a tired momma and a tired puppy.
Hope you enjoyed my little tour ... You will google home tours and find many more extravagant homes with many more elaborate decorating ideas . . . but as I like to say - - - oh actually I think Martha Stewart says . . . "make it beautiful". So whether you have a big home or small home . . . fancy or modest . . . decorate it with your beautiful things . . . they are really "your beautiful memories".
From my house to yours . . . Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Jump over to my sister Tami's blog - - - Just One More Thing and tour her beautiful home full of family treasures and memories!
