Deck the Halls: Christmas Home Tour 2014

Christmas has come and gone. It always makes me sad. On one hand, I can't wait to put decorations away so we can get back to "normal". On the other hand, I dread it because I know its OVER. I wanted to document this years decorations before I forget.

In the den we had our mantle decorated with clippings from the tree and my mercury glass collection. It was beautiful. I added an old window and a glitter banner that said "peace". We also had Sally's Little People Nativity set up. She loved playing with Baby Jesus.

On the other wall, we had Sally's advent calendar set up. I snapped this picture before filling all of the buckets. Note to self: buy smaller gifts next year :)

We have a huge den that is divided in the middle by a double fireplace and bookshelf. Here is the bookshelf. I added some vintage elves and blocks and our gingerbread house.

Our pretty tree!

On another shelf I added more elves and a snow globe that Sally and I made this year.

Our new mantle that Joe made.

I have a wooden box that I filled with Christmas pop-up books, Christmas card books for the past several years and our Magic Light Wand.

I always do a "cupcake" themed garland in the area moving into the divided part of the den.

In the entryway, I always love to add a garland to display Christmas cards. I poke a hole in the corner of each one with a push pin and then hang it with a hook.

My entry way table displays my ever growing collection of vintage ornaments.

I also added a garland to the stairs. I think I want to add lights to this next year.

I did the same table in the dining room as last year...burlap, black and white plaid, lantern, pinecones and greenery.

On my buffet, I added mercury glass and my reclaimed wood box filled with ornaments.

I added a boxwood wreath to our vintage greenhouse window.

In this room, we add a real tree. Its a new thing I started last year but I love having a tree in this room. I put it in a vintage galvanized tub that belonged to my great grandfather. 

My theme on this tree is "woodland rustic"....think birds, burlap, owls, wooden stars, mercury glass, etc. I love it!

The bathroom upstairs is the next room on the list for a renovation. Its' your typical old house bathroom.  I tried to make it festive this year. I bought the striped shower curtain off a local resale group for $5.

I added some glass jars full of ornaments and candy canes along with a candle, new soap and hand towels. 

Sally's  room was the same as last year with her sweet little tree and Christmas banner.

Our kitchen was fun too. I kept up the banner from our North Pole breakfast.

I love my new sign that I got from Michaels this year.

Our porch is one of my favorite parts. I made the JOY sign last year. Joe made the star and then I added a little tree and vintage sled and fishing bucket.

Until next year...

Estate Sales and Thrift Shops

Sally goes to MDO two days a week. I use those days for cleaning, running errands....but lots of times, you can find me hitting up my favorite thrift shops or attending Estate Sales. The week before Christmas I hit the jackpot! I hit up a local Estate sale and was one of the first people in line. I knew exactly what I wanted (I had seen preview pics online). I headed straight for the back and my jaw just about hit the floor when I saw all of the vintage holiday goodness!

Check out my finds:

Vintage Halloween decorations. I plan on hanging these up next year! Some of them are a little broken, but that's ok. Im still on the search for vintage Halloween cupcake picks.

 

I also scored a vintage Strawberry Shortcake towel and a whole box of vintage Christmas tags and stickers. I got the vintage Santa mugs and the white Pottery Barn mugs at Goodwill on the same day. The vintage metal elephant toy and old Christmas lights were also a great find!

I love a good vintage BINGO game so I had to snatch this one up. I had also been looking for old Christmas lights that I could put in a jar. This box was perfect!

I loved this box of little vintage ornaments! I got the deer at Goodwill for $2.

These were my favorites...a whole box of vintage reindeer and Santas, a vintage elf and a whole box of vintage ornaments for my collection...LOVE!

I think I spent $15 on everything so I was super excited!

Five on Friday

{one}

Our Christmas cards are mailed!! I LOVE getting the mail in December and seeing everyones cards. I hang them up on a garland.

{two}

Joe and I did the St. Jude 1/2 Marathon a few weeks ago. It wasn't exactly pretty but I finished. This was my third time to do it and I always feel such an accomplishment when I cross the finish line.

After doing 13.1 miles, I was sore...I took a nice hot bath, then a shower and then laid on the couch!

{three}

Joe and I attended A Christmas Story at the Orpheum. It definitely put me in the holiday spirit....such a cute show!

{four}

We are getting an IKEA in Memphis. I am so, so excited about this!! I was sure Nashville would get one before us so this must mean Memphis is moving on up in the world. Now we just need a Trader Joes!

{five}

I made homemade peppermint bark this week and it is delish!

I hosted "Left Right Center" group at my house this week. I had so much fun cooking up some yummy food for everyone and it made me motivated to keep the house clean.

Sally had a class party at Mothers Day Out this week. I made "Reindeer Noses" for all of her classmates. 

We also wrapped up some teacher gifts.

We were in charge of bringing a dessert. Thank you Pinterest for showing me a cute way to make Santas out of Milano cookies :)

I can't believe Christmas is just days away. I am finally done shopping...just waiting for the last gifts to come in the mail so I can wrap them up.

More Christmas Shennaigans

My little mermaid loves the tree!

Elsa loves the tree too! Can you tell we play a lot of dress up in our house? ;)

I have been fun making Sally Christmas themed food :)

She is so funny! She knows which gift belongs to who and is very excited about the ones wrapped in Little Mermaid paper. Oh...character wrapping paper...the things we think we will never do.

Sally loved putting the star on the top of the tree.

{Figgy}

Our Elf, Figgy, has been so silly the last several days. Check out what she has been doing...needless to say, Joe and I have been having a lot of fun setting her up each night before we go to bed. 

{Alpine Village}

Thursday night we met up with the cousins for Alpine Village. Trinity Baptist Church puts this on every year and reservations fill up fast! I was so excited for Sally to attend this awesome event this year. I knew she didn't remember our visit last year. She had a blast!

They have the gym set up like a village with little houses. In each house you do a craft, get candy, decorate a cookie, make reindeer food, etc. The girls thought they were so big going into each house with their bags of goodies. 

We waited in line to see Santa. Sally loved this Frozen theme tree.

At last it was her turn on the big guys lap. She did great!

They also had an area with fake plastic snow flakes and the kids had so much fun!! Sally was even making snow angels...cray girl!

{Zoo Lights}

We hit up Zoo Lights on Saturday night and it was so fun. The weather wasn't too cold and we got there early so we beat the crowds.

Mommy and Sally in the light tunnel

Daddy and Sally

Carol Hannah and Sally

Sally met Santa again and told him (AGAIN!) that she wants an Anna doll and a sucker that claps (something she saw at Hobby Lobby).

We made crafts, looked at the lights, rode the Polar Express train and the merry go round, saw real reindeer...a night of making memories!

{Gingerbread Houses}

On Sunday morning, we had the cousins over to make gingerbread houses. We picked up kits at Tarder Joes. 

I honestly cannot remember the last time I made a gingerbread house. It was so fun! 

This has become a new tradition for the girls. Gingerbread House Day!

I think they turned out so dang cute!

{Five Senses Christmas Book}

Sally and I made a book last week. She loved the idea of making a "book" and of course wanted to read it a million times. I would say that is a success! Here is the printable.

Sequins glued on the tree

a bell stapled on

a brown felt circle glued on the bear

We painted the stripes on a red candy cane and then used a paint brush to add peppermint extract.

I let Sally paint the gingerbread man brown and then we sprinkled on cinnamon.

{Mistletoes}

I painted polka dots on a small canvas and then painted Sally's little feet and stamped them. I love making little keepsakes like this.

{Grinch Day}

I have always loved the Grinch and have so many fun activities to go along with it. I decided to keep it low key this year. I made Sally a special Grinch snack and we watched the cartoon version in bed. 

{Work Party}

Joe's company had a work Christmas party at a local country club on Saturday night. Sally met Santa for the 3rd time this year and repeated the two things that she had asked the other Santas for.

Of course my silly hubby had to get in on the action of sitting on Santas lap!

I decorated my side porch and I just love it. Vintage galvanized fishing bucket, antique sled...can I just keep it this way all year?

We have been wearing Christmas outfits almost everyday. I want to get our wear out of them.