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It’s been one bedlam moment after another as we have attempted to get all our Christmas decorating finished, but I’ve been enjoying the process, the laughs, and as my 12 year old daughter declared, “Quite the Christmas attempt.”
Last year, I picked up boxes and boxes of ornaments when they were slashed to 90% off at Walmart. Ten days after Christmas, I happened to walk in the very day that they dropped the prices, so I decided to stock up.
Yes, the variety of colors made decorating more interesting, but it sure was fun to try and find the perfect spot for these $0.50 worth of Purple ornaments. Filling my yard sale cloches with them was their exact calling.
More 90% off ornaments. I’m typically a silver kind of gal, but for $0.50, gold worked well. Filled to the top of this $2 yard sale bowl, I love the contrast.
My bedlam began with my frugal mantel fiasco as I began spray painting a mirror after midnight. Yes, the story is quite involved, but the silver mirror was supposed to go on those shutters with the wreath I so desired, but it still just leans, and I think it’s awfully comfy, if I don’t say so myself.
There’s just something so cozy about real life decorating, bedlam and all. Laundry, white lights, empty bowls and messes from crafts – it’s what we are all about.
It’s fun to make a simple corner cabinet come to life by just adding a few Christmas elements. Colorful ornaments, a crisp napkin used for detail, candy canes and some live greenery stuck in a yard sale pot makes this thrifted, white corner cabinet cozy and festive.
And in the midst of the chaos, often I need to slow down and focus on my Lord. I choose to put reminders of that in my decorating, since this season is all about Him.
Typically, we put up two large trees – my fancy tree with white lights and ornate ornaments, and then the kids have their own tree that they can decorate however they desire. We’ve been quite behind in our decorating this year, so I gave them a corner to do what they wanted. They did a fabulous job with their Christmas kid corner.
Last year, my friend inspired us to make some simple paper crafts that give a High Impact Look for virtually free.
We’ve once again enjoyed our annual tradition of making some kind of Gingerbread House decoration. Part of the tradition? Buying it on Dec. 26th for 50% off and storing it until the following year. 🙂
We had a bit of a Christmas tree fiasco as well. We went to SEVEN stores to replace two white light strings that burned out, and every store in my greater metropolitan area was sold out of them.
YES…ALL of them. So I went with what I had, and tried to use the outside icicle lights white NET lights. You know the ones you throw on the bushes? Yep, they are now on our tree because I am completely classy like that. (No one will know except the one guest who sits in our corner chair.)
I hope you have such a blessed time during the next few weeks never forgetting the focus of Christmas – Dirty laundry, unwashed dishes and all – embrace the miracle of the season.
Part One of my Christmas Tour is finished…..stay tuned for Part TWO! I never even got to our tables and tablescapes. 🙂
Please check out my sweet friend, The Nester’s Christmas home tour.
oh I love those paper crafts hanging! So cozy, Jen. Merry Christmas.
I love your Christmas home! Isn’t is so fun doing all the crafts, baking with the kids! We also did a gingerbread house from last year too, my kids were like,”is this safe to eat” :)) Enjoy your Christmas! Visiting from the Nester’s Tour!
AHA! So it’s not just me! I looked all over the place for some plain old white lights–none to be had. LED lights for $15-20/strand? Yes, ma’am, those you can find. Plain old twinkle lights? Nope. But using your net lights was a stroke of brilliance, I think!
I love the glimpses of real lights. And your 12-year-old sounds like my kind of girl. I’d say that “quite the Christmas effort” paid off handsomely. 🙂
Hope you’re having a wonderful Advent season!
Oh, it’s all so pretty! Love, love! And the gingerbread house for 50% off? Oh my word! I am so doing that this year!
Stunning! Decorating for Christmas is one of the things I am most looking forward to when I am an adult with a family. Christmas is a great time to build memories and create traditions that will last for years. Beautiful.
I love your blog. The whole idea of beauty and bedlam is so real and so like my life. I smile every time I am on here. 😉
Thanks for sharing the reality of your decor! I appreciate the encouragement to enjoy the beauty even with the reality of life and kids all around.
can we talk about that photo i think you must be in your kitchen taking a picture of your tree & the gingerbread house. the one with the bokeh tree. it’s just beautiful & cozy!!!
i love the paper craft & snowflakes too!
merry christmas.
kellie
So pretty! I especially love your sparkly mantel. It looks beautiful!
How is this for real life decorating – in my attempt to create this lovely beautiful, cozy family moment I lit a bunch of candles tonight and then turned down all the lights and turned on some Christmas music for dinner. When dear husband got home, he commented how nice it was. Fast forward 2 1/2 hours and when I came downstairs after putting my kiddos to bed, dear husband says “Well the candles were really nice but one burned through the side and melted candle wax all over the mantle, the greenery, and then dripped onto the freshly cleaned carpet.” Oh and then one of the other candles in a glass hurricane was apparently under a vent and complete coated the glass hurricane with black “soot”. Lovely – a nice combination of beauty and bedlam! Thanks for your encouraging words about enjoying even the crazy holiday moments.
Oh Robin – we are living a parallel life. That would SO happen to me. Wait, I think it has. 😉
Your decorations look amazing! Love the kid corner. I have always wanted to do two trees – a girlie tree and a kid friendly tree but never get around to it.
Did your boys help decorate, too? Just wondering because my boys had no interest at all this year. They each have their own ornament boxes, but they kind of threw them on the tree in less than 5 minutes. Sigh. Maybe it’s their ages (9 and 12). We’re making Christmas cookies on Sunday, so we’ll see if that holds their interest.
I loved this post.
Thank goodness for bedlam.
I am going to stock up on ornaments after Christmas too.
I love mounds of ornaments!
Merry Christmas,
Laura
White Spray Paint
I enjoyed the tour, your decorations look wonderful!
Oh, I really like all the ornaments in the cloches! Very pretty. 🙂 & I bought all of our ornaments 2 years ago {we got married in October, so this is our first Christmas together} on clearance at Target, just saved them in a box for this year. It was nice to not have to go out & buy them this year! 😉
stopping in from Nester’s!
A girl after my own heart! Aren’t after Christmas sales the best?
And I spotted a blue mason jar on your corner cabinet, zinc lid and all!
I’ll be back to check out more of your posts. I’m here on the holiday tour from Nester’s.
came over to visit from Nester. Your decor is beautiful and I’m looking forward to Part 2!
It looks great!! I especially love the mantle!
I LOVE the paper ornaments hanging in the doorway! Beautiful decor!
thanks so much for making me realize that I don’t need to have a perfectly decorated house. Your post made me laugh, made me think, made me smile and inspired me as well. I love everything about your Christmasy home. Even the boys’ bathroom made me giggle—my grandson’s room is just like that!! (we adopted him). Like you, I don’t spend alot on my decorations—I use what I have or buy from thrift stores and yard sales and of course, after Christmas sales! Oh, and my area was completed sold out of those clear lights as well—-know where I found some—the dollar store! The last place I thought to look. I have used outdoor icicle lights on my tree before and almost had to do the same this year. Ahhhh, thanks for the memories.
Your house looks lovely…especially with the reality with which we all live! I just bought those hurricanes from Dayspring and LOVE them! I’m looking forward to seeing the rest, and joining in at Nester’s.
hey! I have that SAME RED HEART ornament (in your white bowl w/ silver ornaments)–bought last year AFTER Christmas clearance, hung it up right away for Valentines & leave it up year round. Yah baby! Only regret I didn’t buy MORE of them because I LOVE Valentine’s SO much! Great job–thanX for keeping it *real*.
Love the mantel!! Looks beautiful.
it looks so beautiful! i especially love your mantle— it’s gorgeous!
Love your mantel….not just for Christmas…the shutters, mirror and the glass items look great for everyday!!