2014 Holiday Christmas Tree in Paisley and Plaid

We finally finished decorating the tree last night.  Whew!
 I'm still smitten with all things plaid,
 but to change things up a bit, I added some paisley to the decor.

2014 Tree

Foyer with Paisley Runner as a Backdrop

Instead of garland, I like to tie layered empty frames onto the railing.
 Some fresh magnolia and a plaid ribbon give them the holiday look.

Empty Frames on Stair Rail

I layered some frames in front of my paisley runner too.

I added birch bark to my green demijohn.  Love the drippy paint on the middle frame.

Layered Frames and Green Demijohn

Notice the stacked plaid suitcases whose purchase prompted the entire tartan love fest this season.

Plaid Suitcases

Happy Holidays


Kathy

To see my 2012 tree go here.

2012 Christmas Tree

To see my 2013 tree go here.

My 2013 Christmas Tree

Holiday Snippets--Adding Sparkle to What You Already Have

 Since I have pops of holiday decor inside and out,  I'll share some sneaky peeks of how I add Christmas outside.  My mantra is to work with what I have and sparkle it up.

I have a tall planter topped with an iron garden sphere next to my garage doors.  In the summer, a fern explodes through its curves, but for the holidays, I fill it with clippings from our Christmas tree, my cedar tree, my neighbor's magnolia and add my very favorite accessory, spheres.
To see the post and how I did it, go here.

I usually make wreaths with a mix of the greens from my yard and Christmas tree clippings, but I'm really liking the look of just boxwood.  It's a stand alone no frills wreath.

Boxwood and Berries Close Up

On the side of my garage I have some ornamental ironwork.  In the summer it supports climbing vines and in the winter it's a backdrop for a wreath.

Boxwood Wreath on the Side of My Garage

One of the features I like about my house is that the chimney is on the front of the house and faces the street.
 I have a matching iron grill on the chimney and added a second wreath there.
The berries on the tall nandina add some holiday color.

Wreath On My Chimney

I can't forget the lamp post that my awesome Dad built for us.  It sports a burlap and a peacock feather ribbon that gather together the clippings from my nandina.

Lamp Post with Holiday Decor

Here's a closer look at the dangling greenery.

The chinoiserie bench is always on the front porch.  In the summer my porch is all about blues and oranges.  For the holiday, I removed the cushions and rug, added a sequined table runner, and draped some branches that we cut from the base of our Christmas tree.

My Front Porch

I tied the branches onto the bench with some burlap, added a few ornaments, a silver garland, and placed my sequined deer into the greenery.  Of course my disco ball had to participate.
I've had these sequined deer for a long time.  They always make an appearance this time of year.

I can't forget the front door.  I love that it faces to the side.

Kathy

To see my holiday mantel go here.

My Other Mantel

Sherry, who writes the blog,  No Minimalist Here, invited me to participate in her Christmas Blog Hop.  I usually share my family room mantel, but for this holiday hop,  I'm featuring the faux mantel in my sun room.  

My Holiday Mantel

Have you noticed that for years silver seemed to be the metallic of choice for holiday decor?  

 This year I'm noticing that golds and especially copper are showing up for the holidays.

Chinoiserie Chairs with Copper Pillows

My copper demijohn left the foyer to be part of the mantel decor.  I draped it with a copper wreath and a garland of copper ribbon and beads.  It's next to a cloche filled with feather trees.

My French Demijohn

I placed preserved boxwood orbs on top of my houndstooth hurricanes.  To give them some height,

 I used some black and white books as risers.  I dangled some copper garlands too.  

 The Santos Angel traveled from the foyer to be on the mantel. 

 (The reflection in the mirror is my pull down classroom reference map that's on the opposite wall).

My MCM greek key mirror is always on the mantel.

Greek Key Mirror

I thought these chippy finials were just the right color.  

My chinoiserie faux bamboo chandelier is reflected in the mirror.

Gold Finials and Chinoiserie Chandelier

There's a third finial on the opposite side.  The mini sunburst mirror is actually an ornament.

Another Finial and a Sunburst Mirror

Santos Angel

I still have another mantel to share, my holiday tree, and some outside decor.

I hope you'll come back and see me again.

Kathy

Thank you Sherry for organizing this Hop.

Please visit all the participants for some great holiday decor ideas.

Click on the highlighted blog title and the link will take you to their blogs.

Enjoy.

Links to Participants
Please visit them all to see what fabulous holiday ideas they've shared.


Wednesday 12/10

No Minimalist Here

Uptown Acorn

The Vintage Nest

Dixie Delights

Thursday 12/11

Common Ground

Housepitality Designs

The Essence of Home

Northern Nesting

Friday 12/12

Miss Kopy Kat

21 Rosemary Lane

A Stroll Thru Life

Not Your Average Holiday Tree

This year as I was getting ready for our way too early holiday open house I decided I wanted something different to display the ornaments.  My solution was to repurpose an antique drying rack.  

A vintage plaid suitcase was the inspiration for the tartan tree.

My Drying Rack Tree

To help you visualize what it originally looked like unfolded:

Antique Folding Drying Rack

It actually folds up flat, but I thought that partially open--or closed--it resembled a tree.

Come on, use your imagination.

Drying Rack Tree

Of course I easily found plaid ribbon at Michaels and the wooden beads were part of my holiday decor stash.  I draped the "branches" with beads and ribbon.
 I held them in place with florists' wire.  The Santos Angel is for sale.
 She was precariously hung on the top of the rack but was too unstable to hang there for the whole sale.
She ended up perched on a shelf.

Drying Rack Swagged with Beads and Ribbon

I felt very lucky that one of my wholesale suppliers still had some plaid ornaments in stock and also very lucky that they arrived before the sale.

"Tree" with Plaid Ornaments

I few years ago, also as a store display,  I repurposed an old ladder as a tree.
 I draped it with greenery and burlap garland and buried it in ornaments.
 I topped it off with a hat box.

Ladder Tree

Have you used something for a tree that wasn't a tree?

Kathy

This weekend is our last sale of the year at Sweet Clover.
We'll have lots of mark downs.
All my ornaments are on sale and if you've been thinking about a piece of furniture in my booth,
it's probably been marked down too.  Pillows are $10 off any pillow in my space.
 I'll also be bringing in some new pieces.

And we'll have Santa on Saturday from 11-2 so bring your kids and cameras.

Sweet Clover
December 5-7
10am-5pm daily

4051 Stanford Ct
Frederick, MD

To see what I had for sale at our first Sweet Clover Holiday Open House go here.

To see what I had for sale at our second Sweet Clover Holiday Open House go here.

Don't miss the Christmas Blog Hop.  Coming soon.