Christmas Home Tour 2013

Welcome to my Home Tour 2013!

I have a lot of things to share this Christmas Season, but today I wanted to share Highlights for a Home Tour. I've been adding to the basics since right after Thanksgiving, and as time has progressed, I'm having a few more vignettes and details to show. But for now, I'll hit the high points of my main level rooms, that have been decorated in a little more "easy" and natural theme this year.(you can click on the photo, and then click again for a bigger image)

The Entry

I started inside this year, because outside we have about 9 inches of snow. I love snow, but it's nice to wait until after all the decorating's been done.

I've wanted the Christmas decor to be more simple this year; the older I get the more I want something that's easier to live with. I have tons of boxes and tubs of Christmas decor, but this year I've had to choose bits and pieces to make small groupings instead of dragging it all out, to then turn around and put all away in three weeks.

I love seasonal changes, and for me "Winter" is full of evergreens,

 paperwhites, and splashes of plaid.

Heading in to the Living Room

Kitchen

Hall Sideboard

The Sunporch

Hope you've enjoyed the Mini Home Tour.

I'll be sharing more this week,

as we get down to some vignettes and vintage pieces,

that are just for fun!

Joining these great Holiday Parties:

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Christmas Home Tour at Coastal Charm

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

The Inspiration Exchange at City Farmhouse

Creating Christmas at Must Love Junk

It's a Party at DIY by Design

Cottage Christmas Party at Fishtail Cottage

Treasure Hunt at From My Front Porch to Yours

Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Creating Christmas at Mrs. Olson's

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Shabby Art Boutique

Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

Come As You Are Christmas Linky at Common Ground

sending hugs,

Christmas House Tour 2012

I wanted to join in with a few of the Holiday Home Tours this year, so this will be a mini house tour in "broad strokes". I have lot's of fun "details" coming of the house decorating this year, but since I haven't been able to get to them, I'm just showing larger views of the rooms in this post.. You'll be able to see a little of what I've been up to, but look forward to a little more coming soon.

Here's the Dining Room.

 Living Room

Just a sneak peek of the sunporch

The Entry Hall

Hallway Sidboard

and these next two are from the kitchen, last year

 I'ts about the same this year,

 but the day I did this post I was packing for out of town
and the kitchen's still not photo ready...

Besides, I want to share a few new things this year,

so hopefully you'll want to come back.

Joining in with these parties this week:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Jennifer Rizzo Holiday House Tour
Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House
Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Have a wonderful Sunday and come back tomorrow 

for some fun Christmas Shopping 

xoxo,

Christmas Mantel

I think my roots are showing...

my traditional decor roots that is.

I wanted to "Simplify" my Christmas decor this year, and I'm not sure I really did that. But as I was pulling things out and trying to get some inspiration about where I was going in the Living Room, I just knew that I wanted it to be different from years past. I let my "white" be the backdrop, and went for some greenery to liven things up.

I've kept the basics in here; my mirrors, vintage book bundles,

 Wolff Pottery vases, and lamps.

Here are posts of the last two years mantels.

Click Here, and Here

And if you want to see

 what it looked like in the beginning of my blog,

just click Here

(just a warning, things look really different)

I wanted a preserved Boxwood Wreath, but haven't been able to locate one, so I improvised with a basic faux greenery wreath and wired in some faux boxwood sprigs. (Oh, I know where some are on the Internet, just not willing to fork out those prices)

These topiaries that I made about nine years ago

 have come back from the lower level family room decor.

And I found this wonderfully simple "Noel" sign at Leola's this year, letting it take center stage. I think a lot of us have wanted a more "simple" approach to our Christmas decorating, this year. I love decorating for Christmas, but putting it all away is the downside for going all out. Maybe I'm somewhere in the middle.

I'll have more from the Living Room soon...

Joining in for these great Holiday Parties:

at Savvy Southern Style
Under the Table and Dreaming
Between Naps on the Porch
Cozy Little House
Coastal Charm
A Stroll Thru Life
The Farmhouse Porch
Knick of Time

Be sure and come by Mondays for

 and each Thursday for

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend,

xoxo,