Christmas Tree 2012

It is officially Christmastime at the Edwards house, the tree is done! This year, if you read THIS post, you know I'm trying to take a stress-less approach to the Holiday season. So with the whole decorating thing, I took my time.....but I've gotten the glitter vacuumed up and I'm ready to reveal the Christmas Tree of 2012.  If you remember the tree from last year, you will definitely notice a slight difference in this years tree. First, it's a completely different tree! How's that for different! :) After 17 years of decorating trees as part of my career, we broke down and bought a pre-lit hinged Christmas tree. After dealing with the ginormous yard sale tree (and the massive undertaking of lighting it) last year, I knew that I couldn't handle it this year, so we bought a nice small tree WITH lights! I decided to donate the other tree, by the way. I had this puppy up in less than 15 minutes.

 A lot of the ornaments are handmade from over the years. I made these snowflakes using Stephanie Lynn's tutorial. Click HERE to see her tutorial. Yep, those are clothespins!

 The little mushroom ornament is new this year.  Isn't it cute?

 Very neutral, with a lot of browns and metallics with a tiny bit of green.

 I don't know what is up with me this year, but just like the front door, I didn't use any ribbon. See more of the mantle HERE.

 Anywhere.

 Some evening shots.

I hope you are inspired!

Joining Sarah

Christmas Tree 2011

I've shown you quite a few pictures of the Christmas tree (hope you don't mind more)....When you live in a small place, it's hard to just zero in on one thing, like just the tree or just the mantle...you take one picture and you've captured the whole room. So let's go waaay back

down to the bare bones, all 8' of bones, pre-fluffed. With the acquisition of the new tree (read about it HERE) I had to rethink the space plan in the living room altogether. The sectional and rug were shifted down 3' and the tree still looks a little shoved in the corner. Last year the tree was in the opposite corner of the living room, but there was no way this tree was going to fit there. I didn't even get to use my Christmas tree Planter that I made last year, but luckily, I ended up using it at my booth space, so it worked out OK.
Moving right along....

Fluffed, scratched up arms and 1200 lights later and it's ready to decorate! Finally. I even had to move out the white dresser that is usually in that space, but left the mirror hanging to bounce a little light around.


Old and new ornaments fill every branch and I added some new faux bois ribbon to the mix. I'm not really sure what 'theme' the tree is....I suppose woodland would be a word, rustic, another, with just a shot of glam? Who knows. I do know there is a lot o'pinecones. It's like I see a glass pinecone ornament and I must buy it. I seem to forget that I have umpteen million already. So yeah, let's call it the Conifer theme. That's a good name right? Maybe call her Connie for short? No that's not a good idea, I would confuse her with my human friend Connie, so Conifer will just have to do.



The collection of candlesticks on the coffee table lasted, oh, about two days. Logan and candles just don't mix. I ended up with just the bowl of pinecones and a white poinsettia instead, much more kid friendly.


I've had a few request for a tutorial on the tree topper, I'm sorry, but it would be so hard to photograph and I don't think I'm brave enough to do a video...so here is a super duper close up:



A few other inquiries about the Noel banner, I did not use stencils but based my lettering on the 'engravers' font (it's one of my favorites).

If you have anymore questions, let me know.
Thank you for stopping by, I hope you are inspired!





In other news, I just found out I won the HomeGoods Tablescape Contest at Centsational Girl! Wee Hoo! A huge thank you to Kate and the other judges and HomeGoods, thank you so much!

Come back tomorrow for an entire tour!

Joining Sarah

Need a design boost? For advice and guidance on style, contact me!

A Christmas Poem: My Eight Foot Tree

Twas the height of yard sale season and all through the hoods, I search high and low for dazzling vintage goods. Typically, the children are still nestled, all snug in their beds while I have visions of furniture and accessories dancing in my head. Off I go with a roll of thunder, yard sales and garage sales to plunder!

When out on the lawn of a house nice and neat, I encounter a big tub and an eight foot tree! Away to the women I flew like a flash..."How much is the tree, I'll give you cash!"

A dollar she exclaimed, but I couldn't believe, what could be wrong with that eight foot tree? "Nothing" she answered, "and all the pieces are there..." I welcomed her answer, if I dare!


As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, I jumped in the car and waved bye, bye! Fast forward to now and gaze upon the tree. It's eight foot tall as you can see. What the fair lady failed to mention was that eight foot tree girth dimensions!


I spoke not a word, but went right to work and decorated the tree, I was going berserk! It's too big and dowdy, I thought with a pout, my head was swimming with all sorts of doubt!



I persevered and kept right on going. With ribbon and bells and pine cones and more, I decked out that tree, it finally started flowing!

Finally, I finished and I am happy you see, I'm tickled pink and glad I bought my eight foot tree.

So here we are at the end of my story, my eight foot tree in all her glory.

This poem inspired by Twas the night before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore with a little Dr. Suess thrown in for good measure. :)
Thanks for reading! More Pictures and details coming soon!

Need a design boost? For advice and guidance on style, contact me!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,

How lovely are your branches!

In beauty green will always grow

Through summer sun and winter snow.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,

How lovely are your branches!

I have been working on this post on and off for a little over a week, so you will see pictures during the day, during the evening, with stuff, without stuff, and during stuff. Hope you don't mind. What I do hope, is that you will draw inspiration from, our Christmas Tree.

Nope, she's not real, she's not new, and she's not pre-lit (dang it). It's made a trip from North Carolina, to Missouri, her box is tattered and taped, barely hanging on, it's missing two limbs and one leg of her stand (which I permanently fixed with a DIY tree planter). I remember picking it out, Keegan was just a toddler, and we paid 46.oo at Wal-mart. So not only do I attach a lot of nostalgia to ornaments, I place a lot of it with the tree too.

This year has been a flurry of re-do's, remakes, and recycles. Using what I have, reinventing some things and thinking outside the circle (sorry, I'm tired of thinking outside the proverbial box, I've decided to be in a circle), for no other reason than because I can. I hope you've been inspired too, you can make a lot of the ornaments you see, here, here and here.

Some ornaments are from anywhere from high end boutiques to Lowe's, to my local thrift store, to Target, it doesn't matter to me, as long as I like it.

Fully dressed Tree:

Naked Tree :)

Gallery wall adjacent to tree, this is still a work in progress. I've been adding things to it for a week now....I finally remembered to get printer ink so I can print some pictures of the boys.

I took apart a grapevine wreath and let it naturally twirl around the whole tree. This was the absolutely last thing I did and am so happy with the effect. It certainly adds dimension and character.

I placed the tree in a different spot this year too. I normally put it near the fireplace, but I started thinking that it is just too crowded. So the fireplace dominates the one end of the living room, the tree is in the opposite end of the room.

How do you like my stumps? I have my dear father in law to thank for them, they are making great candle holders, not to mention how wonderful they smell! I will be creating a tablescape in the near future with these so be on the look out for that!

I will be incorporating some (a lot of these) out on the porch too, I hope to get the porch and outside lights done next week.

Thank you so much for stopping by, I really appreciate it, I know what a busy, busy time of year it is.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,

Your beauty green will teach me

That hope and love will ever be

The way to joy and peace for me.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,

Your beauty green will teach me

Joining Sarah