Holiday Home Tour

Well, I know I'm a little late, that most of the holiday home tours are finished, but I'm going to tag onto one anyways :) It's not that I wasn't finished in time, it's the fact that my boys finish school a whole week before Christmas. I don't mind at all, however it means that the busyness of school concerts, and teas, and gifts for teachers and get togethers all happen earlier too. Whew! but now here I am on December 21st and the house is clean, the kitchen is stocked, the gifts are wrapped (mostly) and i have time to sit and blog. :) I've started with the small nativity i have right beside our main tree. It's a simple reminder of what all the fuss is about.

I gave a sneak peak of my decor here back in November just after I had started, but of course I've been "tweaking" all the way! hey! (sad i know). So here's the grand tour...

The Front Step

I got the idea for the lamps from a magazine (maybe style at home?); they used really pretty silver ones. I used what I had, our camping lanterns - still a very festive red. I used some curly willow and have actually tweaked since I took this pick, adding glittery red spikes of hydrangea leaves. I collected the greens from our property and next year, maybe I'll just pull out one or two rather than the vast array of a little of this and a little of everything we have. I liked this mish mash look for this year though. In cutting them down I found the birds nest and added it in.

The Front Entrance

Playing off the naturals and whites of the formal living room, I continued it in the front hall.

I found this wreath at Goodwill for $5 and love it just the way it is, it is hanging right inside the door. The set up for my dresser in the front hall came together over time. I love the natural look of the boughs with white ribbon and ornaments. I also love the way my new Scentsy looks here. The kissing ball I found a few years back and love it here in the foyer.

The Living Room

This was the best pic I could get of the livingroom tree. It does not do it justice. I've collected feather boas from thrift stores for 2 years, and love how this look is coming. So soft and cozy, especially against the browns in the room. I added a boa to our nativity on top of the TV hutch. I'm especially happy with how the garland in the window turned out.

The Family Bathroom

I didn't do a whole lot in the bathrooms. I add my bath and body works holiday soaps, a wreath in the window, a few topiary trees and voila!

The Master Bedroom

Again, since the master bedroom is finally finished it's reno - i didn't need to do much, just add some flourishes (this time purple). Notice how Mary's dress is purple in the globe nativity too?

The Older Boys' Room

Yes, they have there own tree (we inherited it from Aunt Fern). It is full of the mismatched decorations that they've made, the ones we collect for each of them each year, and even a few from when Chris and I were kids.

The "Baby's" Room

Carter gets a fiber optic tree.

The Guest Room

The guest room inherited our old bedding which again looks so nice in here. I added a few blue and copper bulbs and the room is ready for our company on Christmas eve.

The Family Room

The central hub of our celebrating, I aim for cozy and warm. The red and brown and gold is successful for sure. I love the stars on the curtain rod in place of a garland, and the kissing ball (we're a very kissy family).

I love the butterflies (they're throughout the house in little touches here and there) a reminder that we have Christmas because of the rebirth that Jesus provided for us. I pulled out grandpa's ceramic tree, and the garland on the stair rail has butterflies, red and gold and the non santa stockings.

Love the arrangement my mom made for the sofa table, love the niches on the bookshelf behind the tree, another scentsy, my sister's holiday poem and the mask she bought me in Italy this fall.

Love the berry wreath by the wing chair (also goodwill, also $5).

Our "Mantle"

Since we don't have a fire place yet, I've created my own mantle under the TV on the cabinet. I love it, love the birds, love our baby pics in fold frames, I love that the coziness is within view even while watching our holiday favs, and the Sing Off.

The Kitchen

Again, flourishes of Christmas. I made this centerpiece from what I had, will probably make a different one for Christmas dinner. I cleaned my hutch and added some bling, and in the kitchen area I have a wreath in the window, my snowman cookie jar, the holiday cube gift light and a bowl of ornaments - that's enough. Oh and another kissing ball :) I have a rod iron card holder, you can't see it because of the cards though.

The Guest Bathroom

I went with simple green and gold in here. Again, the holiday soap, evergreen scentsy, and a reindeer from Dollar Tree. I found the tree/bowl thingy at goodwill for a dollar, and havent' decided what to do with it yet.

Anyways, that's the jist of it. I'm done, including tweaking. It's time to start enjoying the boys' vacation, before it's all gone. Happy Holidays!