DECORATING FOR A CHRISTMAS PARTY

 A PARTY SHOULD START WITH A WARM WELCOME,

so I started my decorating before my front door..

I have a little covered walkway leading to my front door

the perfect place to start decorating!



I suspended lanterns and made pillows from felt placemats... yup, placemats...

Hanging the lanterns had the advantage of bringing the candlelight to eye level

The pillows did actually begin life as placemats.  I found them at a discount home store and removed the stitching from one end to allow stuffing with polyfil.  (You can do this with any placemat that is made from two pieces of fabric - provided you can separate the two sides and its not bonded together).  You can insert a pillow form if you have the right size.  Stitch the end closed and you are done!  So easy!



I really had fun with my garden urn this year.  I added curly willow, greens, a few red ball ornaments and some sparkly glittered branches.  I just stuck them into the dirt around whatever was growing there - like creating a floral arrangement...

I think the red plaid flannel wired ribbon was my best find this year. 

I used it last year at an event I decorated for, and decided to get a little for myself this year.

It was perfect for the front door.  The wreath was one I purchased, but I created the swag from a plain green swag you can buy at Michaels.  I added frosty picks, berries and the ribbon to it.

In the small entry there is only room for a potted poinsettia

but I added a little more cheer with a basket on the back of the front door

stuffed with greens, berries and sparkling branches, and hung with ribbon

 and a glittery red birdcage ornament

it was the perfect accent

 and added a 'pop' of red

  

I used burlap ribbon on the garland.  The garland has pinecones and white berries to which I added frosty pine and icy branches.   A silvery santa key ornament hangs from the big burlap bow at the base of the stairs.  

 The large mirror on the landing received a few silvered glass finial ornaments and I added frosty pine boughs and some wispy greens to the plain (and cheap) green garland.

 the paperwhites in this urn are real and extremely fragrant

I used the paperwhites throughout the house for fragrance and because I loved using living plants for decor.

I used burlap ribbon on the tree [and about 1200 lights] to tie it to the garland on the stairs.

I always elevate my tree - this is an 8 foot tree on top of a wooden chest about 2 feet high.  It allows more room for presents, and really makes the tree the centerpiece of the room. 

[Its also high enough to avoid Bailey's wagging tail - or most of it..]

 I have no 'theme' to my tree, but I do make sure there are lots of mercury glass, silvery glittered and crystal ornaments to tie it all together...

I love fun and unusual ornaments, and ones that have special memories.

Sometimes a touch of Christmas is all that is needed to make existing accessories festive...

like a few gold stars

or a snowy garland

but some areas need more of a focal point - like the dining table...

 

for the table centerpiece I used an antique french wicker basket on a large silver tray

 and stuffed it with greens and berries 

surrounded by silvery votives and deer

and I had to play with the chandelier, too

silvery mercury glass and beaded garlands, dress up the greenery

add a few dangling crystals and mercury glass ornaments...

and more paperwhites and burlap 

don't you love those paperwhites?

In the kitchen, I fell in love with this huge snowflake cookie cutter

and it inspired this wreath

[some day I might actually make cookies with it]

the sideboard in the kitchen was the perfect place for a Santa display

and my copper pots

The powder room's antique shelf needed a little holiday cheer

I tucked some cheery holiday touches in the shelvess

and added crystal garlands to the greens

The mantle had a little snowfall....

I found these darling branches with sparkling snowflakes and puffy snowballs

and added them to the pinecone garland.  Tiny silver wire lights - battery powered - sparkled in the greens

I added living poinsettias to the decor - I brought more red into this room and the kitchen - warming it up a little -  and kept the formal areas a 'red-free' zone - or nearly - just a touch or two.

The snowmen (and ladies) looked perfectly frosty behind the sofa.

 In the family room, my second tree is completely fun (and articifial)

chockablock full of the most adorable ornaments...

including some from our travels

  

Ready for the Party!

Merry Christmas!

from my big beautiful girl, Bailey....

and me!