Simply Christmas...

I recently was a guest blogger on Designer Garden if you missed it, here's what I did for her Twelve Days of Christmas Blog.

This is my entry way/stair area.  My home is pretty average in size, so no grand entry, but fingers crossed for the next house!  I recently just finished this tin door and hung it over the buffet.  It'll stay here all year long, but lucky me it adds to the Christmas theme, and the door knob on it is the perfect place to hang my wreath.

 Just a little close up of my new deer, I got them at Kohl's and I adore them.

I couldn't figure out the best way to display the cards this year, I'm pretty happy with how this worked out.  One nice thing, you can see them upon entering my home.  Next year I will hunt for a cool shutter, or maybe I'll finding something on another blog.  :)

These great little wreaths where a happy little accident, I was rolling paper cones to make ornaments and discovered after assembling them they where HUGE!  Instead of tossing all the cones I came up with my 'HO HO HO' wreaths, and couldn't be happier.  The down side was rolling a few hundred smaller cones for ornaments.  Live and learn!

Lovely close up.

....and closer yet.  I think you get  the idea.

This year I decided to go simple on the mantel, actually just simple.  In years passed it's looked like a cluttered mess.  Simple = good!  I'm just learning to sew, so the stockings aren't perfect, so don't look to close!  I was going to let the kids decorate them, but then decided NOPE.  They are perfect as is, well to me.

This is my pride and Christmas joy, my Jim Shore nativity.  Love all things Jim Shore.

Here is a glimpse of the tree cones I made and our new stocking holders.  The elf is supposed to help the kids behave, but unless I beat them with him...not going to happen, thankfully he's cute.

The banner reads Merry Christmas, I'll do a few tutorials for all ya'll in the coming weeks, but so easy and cute.  I should add, the little trees where a steal and Joann's, I have two more on the mantel.  I just couldn't pass them up, I was really feeling SIMPLE this year.

A close up for you of the table, again, simple and affordable.  I don't like to spend to much, but I wanted to make sure it was still lovely.  I was going to decoupage these ornaments, and discovered I didn't have the patience, so they are naked in my glass container, and that's all I'm going to say about that.

I love this tree, don't get me wrong, but unless you are a glutton for punishment don't make one!  I really don't know how my kids put up with my crafting, the crying and screaming has to scare them?  256 cones later it did produce this tree and the lamp shade wreath next to it.  We all survived, so it could have been worse.

Love this music  print ribbon, I think I bought 6 or 7 rolls of it...shhh don't tell the hubby.

Another of my lovely Jim Shore creations.  Have I mentioned how much I love him?  Hopefully I will get a new one this year, yes I would like that.

What's that next to Santa?  Oh, my JIM SHORE Santa's Workshop.  I may have to send Jim Shore a fan letter, or at least my first born.  (Momma is kidding Connor, you're safe, for now!)

Last, but not least, the TREE!  Notice the Santa and Reindeer refreshment area, got to make sure he has enough energy to travel the world.

 I made the majority of the ornaments on here, it was fun, but I can't say if I will do a homemade Christmas every year.  I may add to this one, but no starting over from scratch for a while.  Well, maybe...

Cute Hobby Lobby find.  Believe it or not, it's hard to find a topper for a small tree that isn't too "cute".  I also added some gingham garland.  It really makes the tree pop now.

Here's a close up of the garland.  So easy to make, just cut or rip some fabric into stips and tie them together.  

I made some paper wreaths and fans, Santa knows I rolled a ton of cones.  Poinsettias on clips, red felt snowflakes.

Simple frames with music paper.

Scandinavian tart tins.  Berry bunch with ribbon.

Glitter words.

This year I wanted to make Christmas very special for the little people in my live.  Their Daddy, my Mr. Type A is working in Afghanistan until June, so I wanted to spoil them a little extra.   Here is a sneak peak at their little trees and a few of their ornaments.  All store bought, but very cute.  I shopped mostly Kohl's, Hobby Lobby and the Hallmark Store.

This is my daughter Lauren's (Lo) tree, pink for a princess, and she is the resident Diva Princess for sure!   I bought the tree topper from a great shop on etsy theStarcraft.  She also made my son's tree topper and some gorgeous garland for his tree.

Every year I let the kids pick out one Hallmark ornament for their trees.  This year Lo picked out the Little Mermaid.   If you look closely you can see the beady garland I bought her at Kohl's, so cute and colorful, just like my little girl.

Lo is the younger of the two so I let her pick out a few extra ornaments this year, didn't want her tree to be bare.  She loved the circus elephant, so TA DA!

Connor's black tree, yes black, we decided it was the perfect super hero color.  He has been a super hero since he could walk/talk.  We've gone from Spiderman, Batman, Ben10, Ironman to Luke Skywalker.  Right now we love all things Star Wars!  LOVE.

This year he picked out the Ironman ornament, but we ordered the Luke Skywalker one.  The store was out, but never fear, we had one delivered from another store.

This is the gorgeous garland I was talking about earlier from theStarcraft, I told you it was gorgeous!  Full of beads and hand made stars, about 9 feet long!

I hope you enjoyed your glimpse of my very Simple Christmas and hope to see you in blog land.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

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