Bring out the holly… I love that old song fromMame. The joy they fill in that song about decking the halls. Is the same feeling I get when it’s time to pull out the boxes. Do you get that same feeling? Does your heart feel a little bit lighter when you see a family heirloom ornament? Or when you finally get everything in place and you realize your living room looks only slightly less jolly than the North Pole? I love all those feelings. I love to walk around the house and my Santa Collection on display. I love seeing my tree filled with ornaments that were gifts or picked up on vacations. But there’s also something else I love about this time of year, decorating with holiday greenery. I think they are beautiful and they bring that smell of Christmas into the house.
I bought this little wooden tree a few years ago. I’ve never really figured out what to do with it and for a few years it’s been tucked away in the box ignored. This year it’s found a home in a basket of pine, cedar, and pine cones on my coffee table. To make this arrangement you just need to collect enough pine to fill the basket. Then add in a few pieces of cedar and a few pine cones as accents. It’s a very traditional look and if you collect the greens from your yard or a neighbors it is really inexpensive.
I did another basket of fresh pine and cedar on the fireplace mantel. To create this look I started with two small branches that had small pine cone still attached. Once I anchored them in the basket with floral foam I worked in small bunch or pine needles and twigs of cedar, until I achieved the desired look. For some additional color I placed a few red Christmas ornaments. Be prepared for your fingers to get sticky. There’s usually a good deal of sap in evergreen trees.
I did another basket of fresh pine and cedar on the fireplace mantel. To create this look I started with two small branches that had small pine cone still attached. Once I anchored them in the basket with floral foam I worked in small bunch or pine needles and twigs of cedar, until I achieved the desired look. For some additional color I placed a few red Christmas ornaments. Be prepared for your fingers to get sticky. There’s usually a good deal of sap in evergreen trees.
I did another basket of fresh pine and cedar on the fireplace mantel. To create this look I started with two small branches that had small pine cones still attached. I anchored them in the basket with floral foam. Then I worked in small bunches of pine needles and twigs of cedar until I achieved the desired look. For some additional color I placed a few red Christmas ornaments. Be prepared for your fingers to get sticky. There’s usually a good deal of sap in evergreen trees.
This arrangement on my dining table is created using three faux branches of pine and two bundles of red berries I picked up at Hobby Lobby just last week. I used a crystal pitcher (a wedding present) instead of a vase. The sterling sliver candlesticks were a fantastic find while antiquing in Memphis last fall. I decided to leave my favorite Blue Willow and heirloom china on the table (another great find) and add snowflake napkin rings for a festive touch.
One last touch of greenery. This time in the kitchen. This little brown bowl was the home of a few Hen and Chick succulent plants until about a month ago when my black thumb struck again. Since I had a few small sprigs left I tucked them into this bowl and added another pine cone. The picture frame in this picture is a recipe card. It’s a hand written by my MeeMaw and it’s for Crock-pot Baked Beans one of my favorite things she made.
So that’s a little tour around my house for the holidays. I hope you enjoyed it. I know I loved putting it together and sharing it with you.
Susanne
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