Holiday Decor

This post has been about three hours in the making. 

It might go down as one of the most exhausting blog posts that I've ever created.

Apparently I filled up all my Blogger storage (or something like that) and had to create a Picasa/Google+ profile in order to be able to upload more photographs.

Okay.

So I had to download Picasa, then create my profile or whatever and then upload pictures from my computer to the Picasa album.  THEN I could upload them from Picasa to this blog.

And of course my computer did it ever so slooooooowly.

Am I missing something?  Is this how everyone else has to do their pictures?  Am I just really behind on the Blogger times?

All the above, I assume.

Regardless.  Pictures are here.  Enjoy.

Before Natalie was born, I eschewed everything red, white and green for Christmas, instead choosing white, silver and turquoise.  

I was kind of a Christmas decorating snob.

But now that Natalie is here, I feel like I need to just embrace the fact that red, white and green is going to invade my house every year during the month of December.  So that's what we've done.  I've gotten rid of all the old turquoise decorations and we've stocked up on more traditional decor.  I think it will serve us much better in the future because I know once Natalie starts school, she will be bringing home copious amounts of red, white and green tinged projects and creations.

ENTRYWAY TABLE

Usually Craig and I don't decorate the house for Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving while we watch the Aggie/Texas game but since that tradition is null and void this year....we went ahead and did the majority of the decorating on Monday and Tuesday.

I really tried to utilize vases and decor that we already had and then just add a little bit here and there.  I definitely was on a budget of some sort....and when I say "budget" there was no distinct number, but I knew that I didn't want to break the bank.

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I found this printable through Pinterest and it's the "code of the elves" form Elf with Will Ferrell - one of my personal favorite Christmas movies.

I took a vase we already had, filled it partially with cheap ornaments from Garden Ridge and then hooked candy canes over the rim.

Another printable from Pinterest, this one is a verse from the Bible that relates to the birth of Jesus (and is also quoted in the Peanuts Christmas movie).  I gave Craig the basketball nutcracker last year and the candle is from Target.

Another close up of the ornaments in the vase.  Cheap and festive.

LIVING ROOM MANTLE

Here is the mantel - this space probably gave me the most stress and frustration.  It's such a large area but I didn't want to clutter it up and have it look messy.  This is what I've come up with so far.  I think the wreath we have is beautiful but unfortunately it is too small and doesn't have enough POP for that big rectangle.  I spied a large wreath with big red, silver and green balls on it at Garden Ridge but I think I'll wait until it goes on sale after Christmas to purchase it.

On the left side of the mantle, I pulled out a red vase that contained Valentine's Day flowers at some point and stuck in some silvery beaded branch things that I got for $1.99 at Garden Ridge.  In the vase on the right (again, which I already had) I threw in and layered some pinecones (already owned), silver beaded garland (already owned) and bright red and green ornaments (bought in a big box for $9.99 at Garden Ridge).  On either end are two sparkly green trees that we bought a few years ago from Target.  I also added in some Christmas pictures of Natalie framed in Dollar Store frames which I plan on updated each year with a picture from the previous year.  In the middle are blocks that spell out "Merry Christmas" that I bought at Hobby Lobby for $11 on sale down from $22.

At first when I finished the mantle I wasn't terribly impressed with myself to be real honest.   I thought it looked empty and childish - not nearly as beautiful and fancy as some you see on Pinterest.  But later that evening after we returned from the grocery store, I walked into the living room and saw the mantle lit up with the rest of the living room dark.......and it was beautiful and perfect.  Not too much but not too little - just right.

CHRISTMAS VILLAGE

This one is Craig's baby.  He LOVES his Christmas village.  Since the redecorating of the living room, this brown Ikea bookshelf has been sitting in the entryway because I've been on the hunt for an old sideboard table to refurnish.  We lugged it back into the living room solely to display his village - we've got a fire station, a pub, a brewery, a collection of stores, a house and a ski chalet.  

Yes.  A brewery and a pub.  Don't worry - our collection also contains two police officers so the village is safe from drunken shenanigans.

LIVING ROOM TREE

We have two Christmas trees in our house.  Yes.  Two.  This small one resides on a table in the living room and holds our sentimental/family ornaments.  The other tree which is much larger is in the dining room which faces the street so that can be seen from the street.  That tree is decorated in silver, green and red exclusively and is where the presents are kept until Christmas morning.

LIVING ROOM COUCH

Last year after Christmas, Craig and I hit up Target for some sales and found these two cute pillows for the couch.  Cheap and easy decor.....and fun for Natalie to throw off the couch as well.

DINING ROOM TABLE

I put together this little centerpiece because the green apples that normally sit on that silver stand just weren't very festive.  The red charger was a dollar at Garden Ridge and the berry twig things were $1.99.  The candle holders were $2.99, again from Garden Ridge (and I saw something similar for almost ten bucks at Target!).  I'll probably busy some sort of table runner after Christmas - possibly silver or white.

So that's what we've been up to this week.  Lots of cleaning and rearranging mixed in with shopping and playing.  Natalie has been wonderful.  Absolutely wonderful.  Only a handful of frustrating moments - most of them occurring when she is hungry or tired.  We have really enjoyed spending time with her this week and I'll be sad to go back to work on Monday.  

At least only four weeks until Christmas break, right?