A Cozy Christmas Tale: Decorating Adventures, Sentimental Surprises, and Ephemeral Magic!
Join us for a heartwarming journey of simplifying Christmas decor, crafting sentimental art, and embracing the magic of ephemera. Enjoy DIY tips, festive transformations, and stories behind each creation in this holiday-inspired blog post.
So, Christmas is around the corner, and I've got to spill the cocoa beans – we're not putting on the dog, as they say at the cottage this year. Nope, our holiday look is getting a little makeover, thanks to some upstairs renovations. Honestly, I'm afraid the dust invasion from the construction will give my asthma a run for its tinsel. After some pondering, I decided that tackling the regular cleaning chaos will be enough, and I didn't want to sprinkle construction dust on our Christmas decor like dubious snowflakes.
Let's be real; we've got enough Christmas stuff to make Santa's workshop look like a minimalist's dream. But, I figured, why not turn this year's less-is-more approach into a festive opportunity? So, I'm here to share some Christmas decorating wisdom – ideas that are more breezy than a snowflake's journey to the ground.
Speaking of Christmas legends, my grandma recently hit 101. She used to be the holiday maestro, baking up a cookie storm and decking the halls with simple, yet cherished holiday decorations. But as the years went by and Grandpa took his decorating skills to the North Pole, she found clever ways to sprinkle Christmas magic without breaking a snow globe.
So with Rosezella in mind, I am sharing with you some ideas for the dining room that are very easy Christmas decorations to put together. Who knows, maybe this less is more lifestyle will carry over to every Christmas from this point forward... nah, we love it too much!
My mom and I had to go through the entire contents of my grandmother's home recently. It was a lot of work, and so memories flew through my mind. There was an auction, which I will share more about perhaps in a post all of it's own soon. Me, being me, and the sentimental one, whatever did not sell, I was loading up in my car and bringing home with me.
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As fate would have it, her chrome lazy Susan that nobody wanted at auction became my Christmas muse. I removed the cut glass plates for safe keeping, threw in some tartan plaid ribbon on a scalloped Dollar Tree tray, and started scavenging our home for mini treasures. Tape tins, creamer jars, and even a Tuck tape tin (not exactly Christmas, but why not?) amongst other miniature finds joined the festive party.
I even had a blast making stands for our bottle brush trees – a DIY delight! I continued adding bits of tartan plaid ribbon to so many treasures, even to my milk glass, red polka dot salt and pepper shakers. I also added in items that meant something to us. A round brass keychain of yesteryear sits on top of a gold studded white star candle.
Here's the lowdown: there's not a single thing in this setup that's shouting "Christmas" at the top of its tinsel-covered lungs. And let me tell you, that's been a total game-changer. There was no scaling Everest or navigating a Christmas-decorated obstacle course that required cardio training just to access the Christmas decorations in the attic.
I went on a scavenger hunt around the house, gathering items that were practically begging for a festive makeover with that trusty tartan plaid ribbon so I could add bits of holiday cheer to our home without the full-on decorating chaos.
Next stop – the buffet. Vintage greenery, a surprise Campfire Marshmallow tin from hubby, and a DIY Santa masterpiece (yes, I fancy myself an artist, teehee) transformed the space into a festive feast for the eyes.
The greenery doesn't show very well, but it is vintage, and I am loving it! It was another discarded item from grandma's auction, and I was only too eager to scoop it right up (can you believe the auctioneer had it slated for the trash, I gasped)!
The pièce de résistance? A black-and-white photo of Grandma and her sisters in 1943 turned Christmas magic. Clocks (scrapbook paper from Walmart), Santas, and a touch of red turned a simple family photo into a timeless holiday masterpiece. It's like I stumbled upon the North Pole's art studio.
I've recently discovered a newfound fascination with ephemera. Case in point: I crafted this picture as a heartfelt tribute to my grandmother, since this will be a remarkable milestone of 101 Christmases this year. It felt like the perfect Christmas gift for her.
Now, let's talk about that pesky glare – apologies in advance. Despite my best attempts to capture the moment, the persistent sunlight streaming through the window decided to play its own dazzling role, creating an unavoidable glare on the glass. My sincerest apologies for any visual hiccups, but trust me, the sentiment behind the piece shines through.
For the mantel holiday decorating, I kept it simple yet elegant – candles with timers (thank you, modern technology) and pine sprigs. Easy, breezy, and utterly charming.
Our roll top desk came along for the winter ride, with a few sprigs of pine, and simple trees I made from a set of receipt spikes I picked up several years ago. Finally, a way to display them for winter in our living room!
Our little bird from last spring's mantel found a home in this bird house I have had for nearly 30 years! I could never quite decide what to do with this little gem until now.
The milk glass urn, a thrift store find from many years ago got a makeover with a vintage inspired floral arrangement creation. I was pretty happy with the way it turned out, extending from side to side instead of a typical upward flower arrangement.
Adding bits of pine and eucalyptus to our roll top desk gives a wintery flair for the holidays, just a plus in my book since it can all stay up all winder long... now that's what I call lazy decorating, yeah for me! 😉
My friend Debbie, with Debbie Dabble created a miniature Victorian bed and breakfast she calls Nelson Crest in her home. I took a page from her book and created a miniature library for our living room. I have always wanted a library brimming with old leather bound books like the Victorian home I grew up next door to.
I created this small vignette using a stool my husband's grandfather made, just another example of sentimental decorating here. I enjoy sprinkling these pieces through our home that have meaning to us.
So here we are, with a Christmas vibe that's less fa-la-la-la-la and more "let's sprinkle some holiday magic without breaking a sweat." Because this year, simplicity reigns supreme, and our home has never looked cozier. Cheers to a Merry, not-too-fussy Christmas!
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Happy Holidays!
Cara
