Holiday Home Tour

My Mom has been asking me when I was going to post pictures of my new Christmas tree. So, since it was a special request and all, I figured I’d better get to it.

First, let me warn you. It’s not a traditional tree. It’s a primitive-type country tree. Tall, skinny, and sort of twiggy looking. Also, the needles are green and brown instead of just green.

I really like our country tree, which looks much better in person than it does in pictures. For one thing, it doesn’t look seven feet tall, does it? With the star, which I made by the way, it’s probably seven and a half feet tall.

I couldn’t just show you the tree. Especially since it really doesn’t look all that grand in the photo. So I decided to show you a bunch of Christmas decorations. They’re scattered throughout the house, so you’ll get to see some of the house, too. Which is why I’m calling this the holiday home tour.

Anyway…

We don’t just have one tree. We have three small trees. The one in the family room, shown in the first picture, is the tallest. The one in the living room is only about five feet tall.

Our smallest tree sits on the landing of the staircase. That door behind the tree leads to my messy office. (The mess is why the door is closed.)

There’s the family room tree again. By the way, the armoire is the one I talked about HERE. I bought it right before we moved.

There’s the fireplace. It was a working, wood-burning fireplace, but we converted it to gas. That way we don’t have to deal with the mess and inconvenience of wood.

Don’t you just love the white mantle against that brick?

The fabric garland is one of the things I made on my girlfriend getaway at Granny Trace’s house. Along with a whole bunch of gingerbread folks, aka gingers, which you’ll see in a bit.

This Santa gourd is one of our new additions this year. I really wanted to sit him on the dining room table, but at the moment it is covered with gifts. Some wrapped and some waiting to be wrapped. Along with boxes, wrapping paper, tissue paper, tape… it’s a mess. But how much do you love that Santa gourd? It, along with the tree and some other things, is from Sherrie’s Stuff, the coolest little craft store ever, which is right here in town. Sherrie painted the Santa herself.

This snow lady is another new addition. I saw her in a store window on Main Street and HAD to have her. I have a thing for snowmen. And snow women, apparently. When’s the last time you saw a snow lady in a fur coat?

Another shot of the living room. See the awesome snowman pillow on the chair? Granny Trace made that for me.

The kitchen is where Wilhelmina usually sits. I just now decided that show be the snow lady’s name. She looks like a Wilhelmina, right?

I took that shot a tad later in the day after I realized one of my favorite cards had slid down the string and gotten covered. I added a couple more cards, too. Hubby added the raisins, which he bought to make oatmeal cookies.

There’s the family room from another angle. Yes, our walls are still mostly bare. And those horrible bamboo shades haven’t been replaced yet.

I have to pause in the home tour to share this picture of the girls. When I got up from my desk, camera in hand, they thought we were going outside. They weren’t too thrilled that I was walking around inside taking pictures.

I was about halfway down the steps, taking pictures of the little tree on the landing, when I turned around and saw them waiting at the bottom for me.

Our trees all have a mix of ornaments. Old and new. Bought and hand-made. This tree has some of Eric’s ornaments, which I’ll have to hand over to him, soon. Since he’ll be getting married. More on that later…

I always try to buy at least one new ornament each year. One of my favorites new things this year are the clip-on cardinals (red birds).

Plus the gingers and garland I made at Granny Trace’s.

I told you there were lots of gingers. I guess I could have spread them out on the three trees, but they all ended up here.

Tracey made the stocking for me this year, too.

Sorry there aren’t any artsy ornament shots here. I was in a hurry. I even used the flash (gasp!).

Here’s a look up the steps from the foyer. See the cute little tree? I love it when it’s dark and all the lights are glowing.

I didn’t get out all of the Christmas stuff. In fact, there’s still a bunch missing. Not gone, I don’t think. Still in boxes somewhere.

The dogs were really getting impatient with the picture thing. They followed me everywhere, as usual. I thought K looked pretty funny sitting next to the Santa.

The table that Hubby hates sits in the foyer holding a little wintry farm.

That just about concludes the holiday house tour. The upstairs isn’t decorated. Other than green garland, red bows, and white lights along the railing.

But there’s one more pic I have to post. Not because it’s particularly festive, but because I have to share a picture of this bench.

I bought it when I was with Granny Trace and Carol earlier this month. I knew it would be perfect for either the foyer or this spot by the back door (in the breakfast room), where we keep our shoes, jackets, and dog-walking equipment. And I was right. It’s the perfect spot to sit and put your shoes on.

And that’s all, folks.

How’d I do with the tour?