Christmas Banister

One of the many things I love (and appreciate) about Christmas decorating is the help I get..my daughter Courtney, decorates all of the family room, and my husband, Steve, sets up the trees and most of the garlands. It doesn't look like this when he pulls it out of the box. The greenery is older--before they came with lights attached to them. So he has to re-attach and connect the lights, makes sure they are all evenly distributed and then wires it to the banister, calling me to check to make sure it "swoops" in all the right places! :-)

And then I get the fun part..decorating the greens. Winston's favorite part is being in the pictures!

I usually buy a few things at 75% after Christmas the year before to add to the garland. But this year I found this sparkly red ivy pick at Michael's for 50% off and bought a few..

The Poinsettia, bird's nest, berries, and mesh ribbon have adorned this garland for years..

And on the other side of the banister that faces the sitting room, I stuck in wine colored roses to compliment the colors from there.

Today I am linking up with:

DIY By Design

and

Savvy Southern Style

I hope you check out those fabulous blogs..and peruse thru the amazing ideas and decor that many bloggers are offering!

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas." -- Calvin Coolidge

Christmas Mantle

 This is the mantle in our sitting room decorated for Christmas.

 This year I decided to showcase the cute carolers that usually sit out on our front porch,

along with the lanterns (a garage sale find that Courtney scored). I guess this puts a new take on the phrase "bringing the outdoors, in", huh?! :-D

 I wove in 'sheet music' ribbon in amongst the garland..

and attached vintage musical horns..heirlooms from my mother. I remember when I was a little girl, blowing into the horns..they actually make a sound!

And the three carolers remind me of my own children when they were young. So I guess this mantle could be called "Nostalgic Christmas!"

I am linking up to Mantle Link Party at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

and

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Fa-la-la-la!!

 ..So here is the "BEFORE" in our family room...

..and here is the Christmas decor that my daughter, Courtney, did.. she left the shelves on the left as is because we will put our tree there and it hides the shelves anyway..

I am thrilled that Courtney decorates the family room and I LOVE her styling!!

 The vintage book "Night Before Christmas" was a thrift store find! And the darling "Merry Christmas" blocks were hand painted made by my dear friend, Judy.

We've acquired quite a few Christmas decorations over the 33 years of marriage..Steve and I would shop the sales after Christmas for decorations. We don't do that anymore!! ;-)

I love Courtney's 'vignettes' on the shelves...I'll be showing more of her decorating in the family room later.

I am linking up to Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

Cheers!

I've Decked the Halls!

More to come on Monday!!

“Christmas gift suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness.

To an opponent, tolerance.

To a friend, your heart.

To a customer, service.

To all, charity.

To every child, a good example.

To yourself, respect.”

{Oren Arnold}

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

"Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence."

{Erma Bombeck}

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

A Touch of Fall, Part 2

Hi! I've got just a few pics of the little Fall Decor I did~outside and in the family room..

Pumpkins and gourds and mums greet you at the front door..

And this little table with the birdcage is out all year round..I just change out the decor to match the season..easy peasy!

And in the family room I  did a tiny bit of decorating..the mantle, the coffee table,

and the oak cabinet..

A couple views of the bookcase. By next week the whole room will be tricked out in Christmas!!

Hope you have a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!!

So once in every year we throng

Upon a day apart,

To praise the Lord with feast and song

In thankfulness of heart.

~Arthur Guiterman, The First Thanksgiving

A Touch of Fall

 Greetings! Life has been calling me in other directions other than blogging and decorating recently..but I managed to do a little fall embellishments~I'll share another pic on Wednesday, right before the transformation to Christmas! So the above pic is Before Fall..and below is the After:

I kept some basics there (the lamp, mirror, tray, dish for pumpkins and runner) and added the fall touches. It makes it so much easier when you can use what you already have out and tweak it a little to compliment the holiday!

I am linking up to Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday, and A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday.

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

Albert Camus