A Home for the Holidays

Thanks to my dear "frister" (friend who is more like a sister) Jodi, I have photos for today's post that do the decor justice, yay! She is an amazing photographer and an even more amazing friend. After a busy last couple of months (which I will blog about next week, I knew I'd get the decorating done, but doubted a blog on it would get done on time. Enter Jodi, having missed our regular coffee date and having a random Friday night open up for both of us (unheard of) I bribed her with Christmas cake and coffee to bring her camera with her for a visit. I love her and I love how our home turned out this year.

Before we get started, I asked my boys what their favourite parts of the decor were, which is so rewarding because they all picked something different, which makes the effort in decorating throughout the house so worthwhile...

Family Favs

Hubster Chris - The tree in the Family Room

Lucas - Garlands over the doors and Windows

Max - their bedroom tree

Carter - the outside lights

Tammara - The Nativity Vignette/ Family Room

Welcome, here's the front porch, because life got so crazy for a bit there, I have not really had a chance to "tweak this" - I meant to have more on the wire shelf and to add some ornaments to the trees, but I love the lanterns. At one time the windows on the doors where decorated with snow designs, but they mysteriously were "cleaned off" by some "helpers" from Carters 4th birthday and I haven't had a chance to redo them. it's funny too, the angle of this pic really highlights the fact that my urns are two different sizes, they don't look so different in reality - but here they do - hmmm. Will reassess after posting today....

Here's my first attempt at making a wreath. I love how it turned out. Much thanks to Rose Bartel for the fun workshop at Bartel's farm where we buy our organics.

Here's our entrance. I decided to stick with one colour scheme for the whole house (except our bedroom) - Red, Green and White with Gold & Silver. I love it. I do wish I had painted the front door red as planned, but I guess it'll happen in the spring now and be red for next year!

Anyways, I threw this super sparkly vignette together with things I already had. I love the effect of the white lights under the feather boa, and the way it shimmers all day and night.

Jodi really is amazing. Love this one.

Next we come our our "formal" living room. It's not really formal, we just don't use it as much because it's not close to the kitchen, school room or TV. But you do see it as soon as you walk into the house and walk through it to get to the bedrooms/ second bathroom.

She really is an amazing photographer - the dirt, dust bunnies and general messiness of the house disappeared with the click of her camera!

This is the 3rd year now. that I've used these feather boa's on the tree, I can't help myself. Plus this is an old and very spindly tree, so the feathers really fill it out and you can't tell. I do love how the red pops...but it was almost painful to not use the lovely brown things I had bought last year - but it was way too neutral for this year.

I love how the garland turned out with the red socks, the wood stars and fancy bulbs.

More red butterflies, I just love them too.

On the TV cabinet/ mantel I clustered various conical trees, bunch white lights in them, added the "gift light" and threw a boa on top. Glorious!

Now on to the rest of this floor...

Our guest room (mostly gold accents added to the existing decor)

(update on mess in wall - treated the walls to prevent spread and safely contain. Keep the room semi-useable until we can overhaul in the spring).

Here's the boys room. Yes, the photo was taken while they were sleeping, no they didn't wake up (I am truly blessed they sleep through anything). Thank you for ignoring the broken drawer that I should have fixed last summer. Thank you for ignoring the obvious need to redo this space in our home. The boys would have been disappointed if there tree was not in this tour.

The Family Bathroom. Once again, magically clean and shiny with a click! There is no red in here because I tied in a bit of the bedroom colour scheme with the purple wreath.

The Master Bedroom. I am not ready to part with the purple in this room, so we pretty much left it be.

but added sparkle.

A little here and there.

A photo op of Jodi's favourite chair could not be passed up.

Then we move on the main living space upstairs (yes our house is a bit backward but we're ok with that) Here's the garland along the stairs.

My fav. area - our nativity which has the last of the boa's used to create "snow". I still smile, because I rescued this nativity set from a garbage bin! So awesome.

Do you like my DIY wreath made with fun fur? Me too :)

The sofa table creates the "hallway" through this space.

Close up of the arrangement. We have more "birds" added to this decor, as well as the butterflies, et al.

Garland over doors - love the giant butterfly.

"Mantel" on TV cabinet.

The tree in our family room. So warm and cozy!

Random Ornaments (every year I try to find photo ornaments, and have pics of the boys on the tree from over the years)

Full Room Shots

On the way into the kitchen you pass our advent tree - I found this at goodwill for $5 and made the labels for the mini socks - put treats and activities in each of them and the boys are having a riot with it!

The balcony doors garland in the kitchen. I just wish my curtain rod had proper finials.

My "mantel" shelf in the kitchen has our family socks - the ones we actually use with some antique bells, family portrait, real holly from our garden, and candles.

Our advent wreath has since been moved to the island as I made the Christmas center piece for the table at another class at the organic farm yesterday.

and one of the boys "advent tree" treasures.

The window over my sink. (these were the snow designs are what were on my front door windows at one time)

My little cart has the cookie jars (from goodwill), my sleigh ornament that I got when I was 8 or 9, and some favourite Christmas cookbooks. I love the magnet nativity set on the fridge which was also an advent tree surprise.

After all the pics were taken (we missed the upstairs bathroom - more red, green and white with gold) we sat down to our dessert and watched DVR segments of The Sing Off Christmas Special.

Please note - if you happen to stop in for a visit in the next couple weeks (and you are more than welcome) I have lots of sweest like this because I just finished up our baking and participated in my sisters baking exchange. So awesome!

So there you have it our holiday home this year. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as we do and I promise, the craziness of my life has a dealine, Dec. 20th, after that, more posts will be coming - lots to share. See you again soon!

PS - I don't have pics of the outdoor lights this year, but they look better than they have in years (because we didn't have them for the past few years)

PSS - I'm linking up to this holiday home tour at The Inspired Room if you want to see some amazing homes. I'm always inspired when I take a tour here.