From the BlogSubscribe Now

Decking the Halls

It’s taking everything I have within me not to title this post, “It’s beginning to look a lot like…”

You’re welcome for avoiding the blog post cliche. You’re welcome.

But really, it looks like Christmas around here! This was my first year decorating our house for Christmas, and Michaels and Dollar Tree are thanking me. 🙂

I started with the mantle following this tutorial. (I think I have “a thing” for monograms. You could slap a giant “M” on toilet paper and I’d be pretty excited, so when I saw that you can make a WREATH shaped like a letter, I couldn’t get started fast enough.)
Monogrammed Monogram Letter Wreath - M
Then, I pulled every craft supply we owned onto the living room floor and got started on the rest of the mantle.
Christmas Mantle: how to decorate a mantel/mantle for Christmas with Monogram Wreath, Silver accessories and natural elements


I like the idea of sparkle with some natural elements, so I pulled out my mercury glass candle holders, and made little snowflakes out of napkins for two of them (like this, but mine aren’t as pretty.) On the third, I put a plain white candle, wrapped it in jute and hot-glued a little snowflake to the front.
Silver Candlesticks with white candles and snowballs on a Christmas Mantle
I wrapped some boxes of food from our pantry in fun silver and white paper, and brown craft paper, then wrapped them in burlap, jute twine and silver ribbon, and used the little faux gifts to create some height.

In the middle is a little bowl of sparkly ornaments, and on the right, a plain white vase filled with sparkly branches, and a snowflake ornament attached with jute twine.
White Vase with Silver snowflake and branches on a Christmas Mantle/mantel
Finally, I snipped some greenery out of our yard and just kept adding and adding!

(I don’t know what it is with these guys, but as soon as I get out the camera, they end up in front of it!)
Father and Son in front of a Christmas Mantel
On to the tree!

This was my first real tree, so it was a challenge to figure out how to fill any holes and keep it looking even. (PSA to anyone with babies or small kids: artificial trees can have lead, and release lead dust on all your stuff, so that’s why we moved to real this year.)
Christmas Tree with blue and green ornaments, silvery ribbon and decorations


Christmas tree with blues and greens, lime and turquoise
Check out how fun this ceramic reindeer is, hanging out on my entertainment center. I didn’t tell Andy about him when I put him out, so it was fun to see his crazy reaction to Blitzen’s head suddenly living on our cabinet. (Yes, this is definitely Blitzen.)
Reindeer decoration with colored vases for Christmas Display
In front of the tree, I added some garland and my nativity scene that was a gift from my mom a few Christmases back. I love the detail in the faces.
White ceramic nativity scene for ChristmasWhite ceramic nativity scene for Christmas decorations
A note about garland: WHY had it never occurred to me until this year to fluff up that cheapo garland with the real stuff? I picked up some $1 garland from Michaels – the kind that looks thin and ugly on its own – then doubled it over and added tons of clippings from my yard. So much better!

I added some of that garland (faux and real) over the window in the breakfast nook:
Chinese Chippendale chairs and Christmas decorations
And to the left of the table, I brought in some branches from the yard and hung snowflake ornaments from them.

I can’t figure out how to get nice pictures of this area, but this is the best I can do! In the window behind the sofa, I hung ornaments and made a little fur-wrapped wreath. (So easy – just hot glued fur to a wreath form from the Dollar Store.)
Christmas ornaments hung in a window
On the sofa table are apothecary jars and every clear vase I could scrounge up, filled with Christmasy things like pinecones, Christmas lights, tiny presents and ornaments.
Christmas Mantle decorations

And on either side of those, little Christmas trees I made using styrofoam tree forms from the dollar store. On one, I hot glued fur and on the other two, I used mini-muffin liners made into little flowers, then pinned on. (I followed a tutorial that I can’t find anymore!)

Fur Christmas tree decoration

In the foyer, I pulled out this obviously cheap and ugly wreath I inexplicably bought after Christmas last year, and fluffed it up with real greenery and letters to write “JOY” that I cut out of sparkly paper, then topped our (temporary) table with more faux presents and a poinsettia.

Bamboo mirror with JOY wreath
Finally, I added some (faux + real) garland to the staircase. I meant to go back and add lights or more flowers or something, but it is now Christmas Eve, and I think I may have missed the boat on that! Maybe next year…

Funny how decorating for Christmas makes it feel so much more festive, and inspires us to entertain. It’s been a fantastic holiday season so far… Merry Christmas!

P.S.: Check out these other holiday decorating ideas!




Let's connect

Comments

  1. Hi Kelly! I really love your style. It’s so simple and elegant. I love the monogram. . . I have a thing for them as well. The branches and the swag above the window! They are all so pretty. Thank you for linking up. It looks like your home is so festive and warm this time of year.

  2. Carly {xoxo teacherista} says:

    Oh my goodness! So glad you linked up on A Thoughtful Place so I could find you. This is just stunning! I could always use a little more monograming (can I just add an -ing like that?) in my life so this is just perfect. Loving all of your apothecary jars especially the one with a candle in it as well. Just a beautiful, beautiful home!

  3. Your decor is stunning! My home is decked out in the same color scheme! Loving the M above the mantle! Genious! P.S. I want your bamboo mirror and chair! 🙂

  4. Bopping over from A Thoughtful Place. I love your gorgeous color scheme! So very simple and chic! I love monogram letter wreath thingies! Yours turned out fabulous!

  5. Do you know the brand of your nativity set? My mom is looking for pieces to complement her current set she got when I was little girl from Home Decor.

Trackbacks

  1. […] think I liked last year’s mantle a little more: But I’m still kinda digging it. Here’s one more look: Have you all […]

  2. […] it’d be fun to kick off the season by dusting off a few Posts-of-Christmas-Past, whaddaya say?Christmas Home Tour & Mantle Turquoise & Green Christmas Mantle My Favorite Trick for Nearly-Free Christmas Garland Make […]

  3. […] Christmas garlandTurquoise and green Christmas mantelMetallic nativity-inspired Christmas mantelFull holiday home tourMake a monogram wreathMake your own Christmas art (one of my most popular posts!) (…and […]

Speak Your Mind

*

Back to top          Privacy Policy          Copyright © 2013 View Along the Way. All rights reserved.          Contact Me