Born a Travelin' Tree

I'm noticing a lot of bloggers sharing the ornaments on their trees...and i like sharing...and i love my ornaments. My turn! My turn!

The tree, being relegated to the basement this year, is not getting its usual amount of love.  It's not been lit more than three times, it doesn't provide the nice glow and holiday feel while i watch tv, sip my wine, or read by its side.  Poor thing.  Let's give it some love.

Some of you know the boyfriend and i have been together for 15 years (just celebrated that big one last Tuesday!) but we only started collecting ornaments of our travels in recent years.  Before that, i clearly never had my own tree (being Jewish, and all) so these souvenirs do not go back that far, nor are they from my own travels. 

And this globe was the one that started it all.  We took a long weekend in Mystic, Connecticut and this old looking globe spoke to me.  To my love of travelling, to my desire to do more of it, and of course, would serve as a reminder of this mini trip.

I am suuuper obsessed with these smores ornaments. In addition to this Statue of Liberty, there are about 5 more.  And growing.  Keep 'em coming, in laws!

Hawaii, one of my absolutely favorite places we've traveled to, and Sedona, also one of the most beautiful places we've been.

Brugges!  My love of Brugge is like none else. Though we only spent 2 days there, it has made a magical, lasting impression.

Our recent trip to Aruba, with a divi divi tree hand painted by a local artist.

 

Amsterdam, symbolizing the entirety of Holland we traversed and my 30th birthday fabulousity extravaganza.  Behind it is an ornament from Tenerife, Spain.

 

Ok, this i asked for last year.  Like the globe, it reminds me of what i love to do.

We actually won a trip from a local radio station to see The Who in concert in London.  How crazy is that? 

And of course, a little love for Chanukah, on this big 'ol Christmas tree.

 

I asked for a manatee ornament this year, so we can have something to remember when we crossed "swimming with manatees" off the bucket list. 

As much as i love the themed trees that look very magazine friendly, i'll relive our travel memories any day.  What about you?  Multiple trees with different looks?  Random ornaments or single look?

I'm linking with Blah Blah Blahger's Tales from the Tree party, Traditions @ Jennifer Rizzo, Craftomaniac, Motivate Me Mon @ Keeping it Simple, DIY Showoff, Met Monday, Anything Goes, home stories a-z, nifty thrifty @ Coastal Charm, Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, be inspired @ elizabeth and co, tabletop tues, lil luna, get your craft on, sugar bee crafts. sugar and spice @ 733, wow us weds @savvy southern style, wicked awesome weds @ handy man, crafty woman, whatever goes weds @ someday crafts, 52 mantles, fall into fall, Transformation Thurs @ The Shabby Creek Cottage, vintage thingy thurs @ the colorado lady, Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple, hooking up @ house of hepworths, open house @ no minimalist here, share awesomeness @ 36th ave, tutorials and tidbits, simply link @ simply designing, Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring, happy hour @ Craftberry Bush, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, feature yourself fri @ Fingerprints on the fridge, Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity now, free for all @ 5days5ways, Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage, frugalicious friday @ finding fabulous, potpourri @ 2805, thrifty things fri @ the thrifty groove, show and tell fri @ my romantic home, overflowing w/ creativity @ it's overflowing, nifty thrifty sundays, under the table and dreaming., shaken together, seasonal sundays @ the tablescaper, 

Christmas, Christmas time is here

Can somebody tell me how it got to be only a week until Christmas?  Oy yoy yoy.  It's officially time to switch from music about latkes to music about lists.

As many of you know, i like to keep it religiously neutral in our household except for the tree and the menorah--so i'm real big on snow and wintry themes.  This also allows things to be very low key and very lazy.  Just dangle some snowflakes here and there, and bam, you're good to go all season.

Sparkly snowflakes from the dollar store, big sparkly snowflake from Country Junction General Store, pinecone Smith and Hawken ornament from Target clearance last year, and you've got yourself a snowtastic vignette.

True, let's not forget to sprinkle a little dreidel pizzaz.  The Jonathon Adler bird's gotta hold something.

Finally figured out a way to display the holiday cards with this duo from Wuslu/Decor Steals that was part of a gift code win.  Stuffed underneath the table, it reminds me of a real mantle...just instead of a fireplace below, it's cards.

 Wintry vignette behind the sofa with sweater looking flameless candles.

QVC and i are likethis.

There's no way to show you this without the tv there.  You're stuck.  And i'm stuck decorating the sides only.

Some close up shots with mercury glass owls, ornaments, and books.  And random chinese good luck cat the boyfriend brought back from Asia work trip.

You're tired of seeing the dining room, i know.  Corks, ornaments, silver candles, and pinecones in a thrift store tray for the texturey win. 

 

Loook!  Sometimes my pictures DO turn out good!

 

So of course the sunroom got all festive, with some Christmas Cactuses, a green blanket which the cats love since they insist on being out there in the cold weather, and...

 

this guy from a yard sale way back.  He's as tall as the sofa, stands on his own, and i love him.  In a very non demanding way, he demands you pay him proper winter respects. 

 

The tree is in the basement because we need to close it off from the kitten.  See that dreidel?  I love adding some Jewishness to the Christmas tree, it cracks me up, and it makes it more "ours." 

And yes, yes, yes, this is basement progress!  Carpet! Paint! TV!  Don't look too closely, because of course i will do a basement only before and after post.

So are you telling me you don't have a vintage fridge and a pile of baseboards gathered round your trees?  Yeah, clearly we're not at the "after" mark yet.

 

How bout some velvet ropes?  No?

 

However your home looks, enjoy it!

 

Celebrating the season at Christmas Hosue Tour @ The Nester,  House Tour @ Inspired Room :Tablescapes @ Stone Gable, Traditions @ Jennifer Rizzo, Vignettes @ Southern Hospitality, Craftomaniac, Motivate Me Mon @ Keeping it Simple, DIY Showoff, Met Monday, Anything Goes, home stories a-z, nifty thrifty @ Coastal Charm, Tuesdays Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, be inspired @ elizabeth and co, tabletop tues, lil luna, get your craft on, sugar bee crafts. sugar and spice @ 733, wow us weds @savvy southern style, wicked awesome weds @ handy man, crafty woman, whatever goes weds @ someday crafts, 52 mantles, fall into fall, Transformation Thurs @ The Shabby Creek Cottage, vintage thingy thurs @ the colorado lady, Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple, hooking up @ house of hepworths, open house @ no minimalist here, share awesomeness @ 36th ave, tutorials and tidbits, simply link @ simply designing, Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring, happy hour @ Craftberry Bush, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, feature yourself fri @ Fingerprints on the fridge, Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity now, free for all @ 5days5ways, Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage, frugalicious friday @ finding fabulous, potpourri @ 2805, thrifty things fri @ the thrifty groove, show and tell fri @ my romantic home, overflowing w/ creativity @ it's overflowing, nifty thrifty sundays, under the table and dreaming., shaken together, seasonal sundays @ the tablescaper, tablescape thurs @ between naps on the porch, xmas tablescapes @ stone gable, xmas tour @ nesting place, xmas vignettes @ a thoughtful place

 

A winter door to adore

My friends, this is a plea for your help.  I need to win.  Win what, you say?  A half a day off from work, paid, of course.  And how, you say?  By decorating my office door and knocking the judges', ie my coworkers, socks off.

Now, i would really love to do Chanukah all up on my door, really i would, but you know, i just don't think these are "look how spot on that menorah looks" sort of people.  So i'm thinking along the lines of winter wonderland, snowmen and mittens, sort of thing. 

But how can i make that be something special?  And interesting?  And on a door? 

Pinterest, yes, of course, ideas abound...but the actual implementation of it all is where it gets a little tricky for me.  I need some grade school teachers to help me out, b/c clearly these people know how to add some holiday bling to some boring spaces!

Source: andrewrachelashmore.blogspot.com via thecapeonthecorner on Pinterest

Snowman, simple, looks easy enough.

Source: myclassroomideas.com via thecapeonthecorner on Pinterest

Snowman, looks fancy, and time consuming.

Source: Uploaded by user via thecapeonthecorner on Pinterest

Oh if only i had the surrounding wall space for this, this is seriously kicking it up a christmas notch.

Source: bing.com via thecapeonthecorner on Pinterest

My goodness, this penguin is super cute and perfectly holiday neutral.

So then there's my other idea, which i have been wanting to create since last year, which is the ever popular snowman wreath.  However popular online it is, i know my coworkers will be seeing it for the first time. 

Source: sewmanyways.blogspot.com via thecapeonthecorner on Pinterest

Twig hands are an especially interesting (and hopefully not bug filled) idea.

Source: cottageinstincts.blogspot.com via thecapeonthecorner on Pinterest

Or adding jingle bells or rosettes for his buttons.

Ooh, and i could crumple up some tissue paper and make like a whole snowball scene!  Would you guys think that vote worthy?  Well let's hope my office does!

A Very Merry Christmas

I think it's rather evident that i've been taking it easy on the ol' blog...and i think i'll continue to do so, at least through the long weekend.  Be well, my friends, and have a very merry one!

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We interrupt your regularly scheduled...

Is it weird that i have favorite commercials for this time of year?  I love that these commercials, though many years old, are brought back out specifically for the holiday season. 

This is my most favorite, i think those little kisses are adorable.


Youtube tells me this has aired every holiday season in PA since 1992.  I look forward to it every year, but i bet most of you haven't seen...5 cash fives! 



S loves the yellow m&m!



There's also those those coca cola ones with the bears and seals, remember them?

Are there any commercials that mean "It's Christmas" to you, or that you look forward to this time of year?  Do tell!

Linking to fave things fri, bloggy reading, and the blog hops in my sidebar.

The stockings were hung

Proof that my cat likes after Christmas sales as much as me...this was a clearance Target find full of goodies scented with catnip. 

The inspector inspecting....

I apologize about the foot-this was happening so quick and my mothering instincts must have kicked in and told me to quick, get the camera!

A little closer inspection....

What a nut!  That's her entire head in the stocking, and i swear if she could have gotten in any further, she would have!

Mine.

And i may have gone a bit overboard for her stocking this year, too.    My best friend found it odd that Sunday has one, but she's not a pet person so you can't go by her.  I'm curious-do you buy your pets christmas gifts?  Do they have a  stocking? 

A Very Fancypants Tablescape

This may very well be the chicest thing i've ever done.  Chic and sophisticated, timeless and classy.  And dubbed by the boyfriend, fancypants.  Not to worry, that's a good thing.  It means my goal is achieved, and he sees it too.  Love when others appreciate your vision, right?

I wanted it to feel holiday-ish without being 100% clear what that holiday was.  This could go for Christmas, Chanukah, New Years, or really anything during winter, no?  The runner was not meant for this room when i got it (on clearance, HG) but i think it sets the winter white tone. Usually the accent color is red, so i wasn't quite sure this would work out.

You drink out of seasonal glasses, I'm sure.  I was thrilled to find this, but disappointed there was only one.  (HG)

The candlesticks were either thrifted or from the dollar store, the candles themselves were never utilized before (gift from way back) and remembered them at the last minute!  The only new item on the table are these little two toned presents (XMas Tree Shops) that i plopped atop the Spanish moss.

Snowflake napkins (Kohls clearance last year) and napkin rings (winnings) were the inspiration, adding to the two toned look.

What's that, these little presents light up?  A deal and a steal if i ever saw one!

I still thought it needed something, so these snowflakes from the dollar store (from last year) were just thrown into the mix.  Fancypants winter wonderland indeed.

A little extra bling-the blue ornaments in the apothecary jars were actually a garland. When I snipped them off, the remaining bits were just added to the Spanish moss instead of tossed in the trash. Their original destination, i'm ashamed to say. 

I would totally host a soiree dinner party just to eat it in here.  It's amazing that thrifting, dollar stores, and clearance can result in something so pretty.  I loooove it, and hope you do, too!

Linking this prettiness to made it 4 monday,  amaze me mondays, craft-o-maniac monday, It's a blog party, diy showoff, just something i whipped up monday, metamorphosis monday, motivate me monday, making the world cuter, polly want a crafter, market yourself monday, its so very creative, before and after party, anything related, take a look tuesday, tabletop tuesday, transform tuesday,  todays creative blog, show and tell, make it yours day, penny pinching party, sugar and spice, whatever goes wednesday, look what i made, hooking up with hoh, strut your stuff, transformation thursday, get your craft on, everything but the kitchen sink, favorite things friday, show and tell friday, show and share day, flaunt it friday, frugalicious friday, be inspired, feature yourself friday, the shabby nest, fun to craft, fabulous friday finds, 100 Ideas under $100, along for the ride, show off sunday, sunday showcase party, not baaaad sundays, A Round Tuit, seasonal sunday, sister sister sundays,  monthly open house, thrifty treasures, nifty thrifty tuesdays,trash 2 treasure, twice owned tuesday, tales from bloggeritaville, crazy cute, junkin' finds, i'm topsy turvy, creative share, theme party thursday, catch as catch can, free for all fri , all things good, tablescape thursday  Holiday parties in my sidebar!