Anyway, I decorated our house in such a lovely way, with only MB and I to enjoy it for the entire season. At least two more souls - friends Cory and Sarah - stopped in for a few minutes before we went to dinner one evening, but otherwise, my work remained mostly unseen. I would post these photos either way, but that is the impetus, though the main event is over.
Still, I didn't go all out, because we spent Christmas with my brother Justin and his girlfriend Summer in Portland, OR, this year. So I decided not to get a real tree, since we'd spend six days less enjoying it. And we'll only be living in this house until the Spring, so why ingratiate ourselves with the neighbors via an ostentatious display of lights in the windows or outside?
Presents under the tree before MB and I left for OR. Some of these we sent in the mail to family members, others were waiting at home for us when we got back. (I usually include the presents we send to other people in the "photo of tree with presents" photo. More picturesque that way.)
My pretty Christmas fireplace and mantel. Those stockings have been in use since my brother and I were children.
We didn't actually use the stockings this year, since Justin and Summer sweetly had some waiting for us, when we got to Portland.
This is my trusty 15-dollar Target tree. While unpacking ornaments this year, I meditated on the tempting idea of giving in a buying a real tree after all. Once I started decorating this tree, however, I was able to get myself under control, and forget about it!
Colors for this year's tree: blue, gold, white, and silver.
Ornaments that are blue, gold, white and silver are mostly angels, stars, snowflakes and orbs.
The wreath is similar to the wreath I constructed a couple of years ago, only that wreath was made of tree trimmings, and for this one, I used more fakery in the garland. Added lights this time.
Seems I am incapable of detouring too far from the my traditional "red & blue" scheme.
In fact, I missed the red and green ornaments so much, I used them in a centerpiece for the dining nook table. ...I was pretty proud of it.
I inherited nearly all the ornaments my small family had when I was a child, plus many ornaments that had been my grandmother's (Grandma's cherished golden tin ornaments and white crocheted ornaments, plus ornaments my older cousins had made for her, from felt, yarn and paint). I love how the years of use in many of the ornaments, mixed with the sparkle of some of the newer ornaments, endow our Christmas trees with the spirit of authenticity and history. It works aesthetically and emotionally.
I made the mistake of going to Target soon after Christmas last year, and was thus tempted to buy a bunch of 80% off Christmas crap. Of which temptation, I gave in! Which is where the teeny white tree comes in. Some of the teeny ornaments came from the post-Christmas sale at Michael's.
That mini-train set does function. My mother sent it to MB and I during our first Christmas together.
The Christmas Creatures (and the embroidered sign) placed around the house were fun gifts from my craft fair-loving Aunt Joyce and cousin Beverly, for a period of a few years, when I was a college student and a younger young person.
Mama also sent the fold-out paper tree and fold-out paper snowman pictured above, just this year! Thanks, Mama!
Having used all my blue, gold, white and silver ornaments, and found a place for my favorite red and green ones, I still managed to find something to do with my pink, purple and black ornaments.
As I write, the decorations remain in place. This year, I have to re-pack them with cross-country travel in mind. By the time I unwrap them again, we'll be back in San Diego. Signing off until then, Amanda The Christmas Artist
2 comments:
I love your mantel!
Do you always decorate your tree with a particular color scheme? It looks great. I always just put all the ornaments on the tree all together with nary a thought to overall aesthetics.
We took down our Christmas decorations right before new years. But, of course, missed about half a dozen items. But there is no way those items will fit in my full-to-the-brim Christmas bin. Sigh....
Thanks, Bonnie!
In the past couple of years, I've wanted to do a color scheme, but I didn't have enough ornaments. Since I used a smaller tree this year, it worked. I'll probably try it again, next year. (Hmm, pink tree?!?!)
Haha, when I first starting storing Christmas ornaments, they all fit into this Christmas tin I had that originally held popcorn (you know, those huge, delightful tins of popcorn that around at Christmastime?). Now I store it in about seven different boxes. A little out of control.
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