Deck the Halls - The Table is Set!

Merry Christmas!! I decided to add one more post to my deck the halls series... Our Dining Table! We entertained for Christmas Eve dinner, and I had to show you all a sneak peek of the table decor.

The table is set with a brown paper runner topped with a silky cream smaller runner, to add both a rustic and elegant touch. The china is our wedding set, used for special occasions and gatherings. And the little glittery birds are ornaments  that I am using for the place cards! There is a little clip at the bottom, perfect for attaching to your tree branch or a place setting card. Our antique bench is the place for coffee and desserts. Later, I set out two little cakes- chocolate for one and carrot cake for the other. The smaller cakes make a pretty table setting and give your guests a dessert choice! I also made some cookies- you can never have too much dessert!

I'll be back later in the week with some new year sparkles!
Merry Christmas!!

Deck the Halls - The Kitchen

The presents are wrapped (well, mostly) and the packages are bought (well, mostly). A girl can dream, right? This is one of my favorite days of the year- I love all of the anticipation for the big day. I get excited for the gathering, eating and gift giving time with family. I hope you are all enjoying this time too! And here is the last installment of the deck the halls series... The Kitchen!

In this part of our home, I place a simple wreath hung with a cranberry red velvet ribbon in front of the window. In certain spots in our home, I like the simple, quiet moments of holiday decor. It doesn't have to be dramatic or time consuming to add festive decor in your home. Sometimes, the simple things are what make you smile most! The dishwasher has a gold, graphic towel to add another holiday inspired element. And the holidays would not be complete without some cookies! On our cookie stand, I showed what's left of our lemony crisps!

And to the right of our wreath, is the dining area in our kitchen. The chandelier was spruced up with some festive and glittery branches. The twig base is the first layer. I actually liked it so much last season, that I kept the twigs around the light fixture all year. Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!!

Deck the Halls - The Foyer

The holidays are fast upon us..... like- this weekend! So here is another installment of the deck the halls series... the foyer! I had grander plans for the foyer this year, but never seemed to find the right decorations. The plan was to adorn the staircase with 3 wreaths, like this image on pinterest:

Source: theinspiredroom.net via Simple on Pinterest

But, I never seemed to find the right wreath- I was looking for boxwoods, and for some reason- they have been hard to find this year. They are either too expensive or in the form of garland. I'm not ready to give up yet, however- I can still find some early this week in time for holiday entertaining! The search is not over! Here are some decorations that are up in our foyer:

The first two images show our bench decorated with a small tree wrapped in burlap and a bow. Also on the bench, is a large holiday book and whimsical bird. Future plans for this space include a large, oversized mirror above the bench. (Santa, do you shop at home goods???)
Leading into our living and dining rooms, there is a small table set with a winter white scene. It's not overly colorful, but I thought it was fun to let your eye take a break from all of the traditional holiday colors and set the table to remind me of snow. Also in the foyer, is a small mirror with hooks, suitable for an oversized glittery stocking and a fun, whimsical sign. The hand on the shelf is actually made out of paper mache and is supposed to be for placing jewelry, but adds a touch of whimsy to the vignette.

How about you- are you still adding last minute touches???

Oh So Simple Holiday Decor Ideas!

If there are still areas in your home in need of some holiday razzle dazzle, then you're in luck! Pinterest is always a great source for inspiration, and it definitely doesn't disappoint in the holiday decor department! I am still looking for a few spots in my home that need a little spruce up, and I love these ideas-

Source: beverlys.com via Simple on Pinterest

Source: junkgardengirl.blogspot.com via Simple on Pinterest

Source: thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com via Simple on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Simple on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Simple on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Simple on Pinterest

Whether it's simple wreaths, wrapped presents in a pile, or pinecones and branches layered on a bench- simple touches don't have to take a lot of time. The beauty and style, however, just looks like you did!

Deck the Halls - The Front Porch

We are getting super close to the holidays- I can't believe it! There are still some decorations to put up in the house, and lots to do- oh.... I need about 5 extra hours each day, this time of year! But, I do have our front porch decked out! Here are some images to start your week...

The wreath on the front door is real and from a local grocery store. The other wreath on the siding is artificial and adorned the front door last year. The sleds were given to me from my mom, which she found at antique stores many years ago. And you may remember these white planters from my fall decorations. They were used for my pumpkin topiaries here, and now they are filled with birch, evergreen and burning bush branches from our yard. (I love free decorating!) I started clipping branches for our winter decor last year. It's a win-win situation, because I'm cleaning up my yard while decorating for the winter season! I just leave them in the planters as decor all winter long, then throw them in the back yard forest at the end of the season. I love the red and green from the branches- it gives the front porch a festive look.

Little by little...... we're getting there!!

Deck the Halls - The Dining Room

It's time again to show another part of our home that is all decked for the holidays! Today, it's the dining room... Here are a few shots of our dining table and chandelier makeover:

I like to keep the decorations pretty simple, so it's not a stressful experience! On pinterest, I recently saw ball ornaments placed inside a cloche for display. I loved the idea, because I collect cloches and had a couple just laying around! So, I placed the ornament balls inside and put them on my wooden display stool for a elegant, rustic touch. I then used my red holiday plate underneath, for added depth and interest. I placed it all inside a large basket and added the table runner! Pretty easy!
For the chandelier, I used some beaded garland my mom found a few years ago at our local grocery store and attached small ball ornaments with wreath wire. I also did this chandelier display last year and was able to get away with keeping the ornaments on the garland. So, putting them up this season was super fast and easy. I just had to weave the garland around each candle bulb!

So there you have it- fast and easy! What are your holiday decor plans?
Or are you completely on the ball and already finished??? (I'm not!)  :)

I am linking up this post to Michaela's blog party!



Deck the Halls - The Living Room

The holiday season is upon us, and the decorations are making their way out of the basement and back into their proper seasonal spot! I am moving at a snail's pace this year, so I started with the extra ball ornaments and will hopefully gain more momentum from there. I think it's fun to use ornaments in different places around your home, instead of just the tree. There are so many places to show a little holiday cheer- why not spread the love in different nooks and spaces in your home! In my living room, I have placed some ornaments in glass containers, candle holders and even on books!

The holiday touches in this vignette are minimal but add a subtle, festive flair to the room! The pillow basket has the addition of a gold throw, because I love to use some silver and gold in my holiday decor. The tray on the dresser is adorned with my Country Living holiday coffee table book and glittery and shiny ornaments placed inside a glass container. I even added a few on the book for a touch of whimsy!

Another spot in our living room also has some new holiday cheer!

This secretary desk also has been adorned with more ball ornaments and festive decor! My nutcracker, covered in silver and gold sits on a coffe table book, with a single glitter ornament tucked inside a glass candle holder. My candlestick lamp shade has been replaced with a festive red and green plaid. And a larger glass container sits on the secretary desk, filled with more ornaments! A watercolor print from Laura Trevey also joins the holiday decor, because of its beautiful blend of colors, including red and green!

Much more holiday decorating to come... stay tuned!

Linking this post up to Courtney, from A Thoughtful Place. She definitely helped me get motivated to decorate with this month's link party!



What I'll Be Doing This Week...

It's about that time to start taking out the bows, ribbons, wreaths and all the trimmings! I am starting a new series later this week, called Deck The Halls! Every week leading up to Christmas, I will feature a spot in my home that is all ready for the holiday season. (This will be a great motivator for me, as I seem to put things off!) These are the things I am thinking about for this week, via pinterest:

Source: theinspiredroom.net via Simple on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Simple on Pinterest

Source: aroomsomewhere.net via Simple on Pinterest

Source: momsbyheart.net via Simple on Pinterest

Over the years, I have decorated our home similar to these ideas above. This might be a little ambitious for the week, but I am (hopefully) up for the challenge! Wish me luck!

Have you added any holiday decor yet? I would love to hear about it!!