When you walk up to my friend Cara’s 1912 Victorian home, you can’t help but feel the holiday cheer. She decked out the home for Christmas. The wicker chairs on her porch got dressed up for the holidays with bright, red stripey throw pillows. And a green table runner draped over the table in front of them proves that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get festive. A real evergreen wreath hangs on the door. But it isn’t the only greenery in sight. A galvanized metal bucket brims with sticks, holly berries, and evergreen and pine boughs clipped from her parents’ land and hauled back in her dad’s pickup truck. The door’s open but before you step inside, her sweet puppy Jude might come out to greet you. And then you’ll know you want to stay awhile. Vintage meets new Every year, the teeny town of Weston, Missouri, where Cara lives in her much-loved rental house, hosts a holiday candlelight homes tour. She decorated her house especially for the tour using vintage items, new finds and what she could forage in nature. Everywhere you look, her vintage-meets-new decorating style abounds. Like her collection of new...
5 Easy Christmas Decorations (Ones I Love!)
When decorating for the holidays, I like to keep it easy. I challenge myself to (mostly) decorate with only recycled items and items I already own. This year, I want to share my favorite items to decorate with for Christmas, and how I’ve used them in my home. 1. Decorating with fresh greenery The trimmings from my real Christmas tree make the perfect decorating accompaniments for the rest of the house. For example, I stick leftover boughs in vases and mason jars, and then place the “bouquets” throughout my house. This year, I used them to decorate my fake mantle (really just shelves above my couch.) They add greenery that lasts. You don’t have to water them or pay attention to them. Plus, they smell divine. 2. Draping a finger knit garland on the mantle Last year, I discovered the wonders of finger knitting while I was in bed with the flu for three days. Finger knitting is an easy peasy craft. And, it makes one long strand, like a garland. There are tons of tutorials out there that can show you how to finger knit far better than I can. Give it a try! It’s super easy. I made two strands...