So while everybody else is busy celebrating a new year, I’m all like, Look, I decorated for Christmas! The irony is not lost on me. But here it is anyway. The Revival House decorated for Christmas. I have an exciting new blog series coming up for 2014 that will hopefully be an explanation as to why I’m posting Christmas in January but if not, just know that I am late everywhere I go in real life, too. Hopefully the saying, Better Late Than Never, really is true…
I am obsessed with nutcrackers, hence the life-size ones I own. I have an entire collection that didn’t make it out on display this year. Again, hopefully the new blog series I’m announcing soon will explain why.
Nothing really fancy in the foyer but I am in love with my Moravian Star light hanging from the ceiling.
When I was in the first grade we lived in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and visited the Moravian village at Old Salem every chance we got. It’s where I discovered chocolate cheese! The star is a nod to my partly Germanic heritage.
Our elf helps keep things interesting and is a reminder not to take yourself too seriously.
{And while we’re at it…what is up with all the elf on the shelf hate these days! Whateves. We love him!}
Some clippings from a Leland Cypress in one of my favorite metal containers so we can at least pretend it’s not 80 degrees outside that window.
The boys’ rooms got a festive makeover this year. They have always had their own trees to decorate but this year I “splurged” on holiday bedding. This duvet set was a cool 30 bucks from H&M.com. Can’t beat that!
{Oh wait! You can! See the baby’s bedding below!}
Every year they get an ornament from their Dad to add to their tree. And then if we find an extra special ornament that “speaks to them” they add that to their ever growing collection, too.
This Santa ornament that I made for my oldest is an example of what I did before I was Southern Revivals back when I did traveling art shows and sold my folk art pieces. What? You didn’t know that?
One of my favorite things about this tree is the bubble lights!
Remember how I said you couldn’t beat that $30 holiday duvet set from H&M.com. Well you can’t, unless you get the $10 holiday duvet set from H&M.com. I could not believe how well it matched his new big boy room {that I have yet to reveal to you!}. I mean, how often to do you see Santa in my favorite color? Gray!
He has his own tree too but it’s not as full as big brother’s yet. Also, instead of bubble lights he has tractor lights because that’s how he rolls.
The very first time I laid eyes on this house I had made it mine in my head due in large part to the fact that it meant I could have a giant Christmas tree in my living room. Not that it’s important to have a giant Christmas tree but I have always wanted one.
The angel on top of our tree was made by a folk art friend of mine. The images are from 9/11. Not the bad, but the beautiful. Her eyes are closed in solemn remembrance. Bits of red, white and blue fabric dangle from her.
She is a reminder that the world isn’t always peaceful and beautiful but the human spirit can be. I love the fact the she is the centerpiece of my Christmas tree and also that her maker is Canadian. It truly was a day where, for the most part, the world was united.
The ornament that always goes on last and is always placed there by one person and one person only. He takes his job very seriously.
I wish there was a way to keep the Christmas glow all year long…
Giant glitter ornaments stuffed into the branches. They make me feel like I’m at a fancy NYC hotel when I look at them. For the record, I have never been to a fancy NYC hotel. Or to NYC. I paid only a few bucks for the ornaments.
In case you didn’t know, I love birds. Animals in general, really.
And while this tree is the amazing tree I envisioned it would be, it still isn’t my favorite.
The stockings were all hung by the chimney with care…
Check out these wood scrap stocking holders I made out of the leftovers from our farmtable. One of these days I will find some gold glittery deer heads or some antlers to put on the front of them. Unless I change my mind. I do that sometimes.
I am obsessed with folding wooden rulers made into stars. These I got from a friend at a local antique mall.
Whiney, complainey {but totally justified} story ahead. You’ve been warned.
I was so proud of these stockings. I made them using Osnaburg so they’d look like their more expensive look-a-like cousin, Linen.
I was so proud of these Pottery Barn knock-offs made from my own pattern with their lined insides and no-show seams that I called a local embroidery place before I sewed them together. I wondered if I should bring them in before sewing them up because I wanted our names as big as they could get them. That wouldn’t be necessary, she told me.
Listen. I know only a little about sewing and I know even less about embroidery. I vaguely remembered someone saying something about hoop sizes and them fitting inside the thing to be embroidered but she told me it wasn’t necessary. And I trusted her.
Imagine my surprise when I picked up my super awesome, amazing stockings with our nearly microscopic names on the front. The girl I had spoken to when I called in advance politely offered to redo them for me. And sew them shut. That was not ‘Sew Much Fun’ so needless to say, I haven’t been back.
One of these days I will make new ones and take them somewhere else. I keep asking for an embroidery machine. Apparently no one is listening.
Moving on…
The framed artwork was a team effort by my oldest and his dad. Dad did the drawing and B did the painting. They are my favorite holiday works of art.
Another folding wooden ruler this time as a Christmas tree. LOVE.
Living in south Georgia is never like living in a winter wonderland. The days are usually sunny and bright. I complain because I’d rather have winter but then I see a photo like this and realize I should shut my mouth.
No one understands why the girl who hates hunting and guns is completely obsessed {how many times have I used that word now!} with animal heads. I don’t understand it myself but I really, really am so in love.
You might be surprised by this but this is my favorite tree. The one with at least two bands of lights that are out. It’s a little messy and maybe even cluttered but it makes me happy every time I look at it.
The colorful lights remind me of being little and every one of it’s ornaments is special. This tree used to be my grandmothers. It spins slowly showing off lots of great memories from throughout the years.
Pictures of my children (left) and pictures of me as a child (right).
I can’t even imagine how old this one is. It belonged to my grandmother. Bing Crosby will always be my favorite.
My youngest gets excited every time his face shows up on our Pandora radio. ‘Look Mama! Just like on our tree!’
Our other babies – of the canine and feline variety – have stockings of their own on this tree. And this year will forever be known as the time our 35 lb cat, Malfoy, climbed up said tree to get the catnip out of his.
And then there are those bittersweet things like the paper nutcracker my oldest is likely too old & cool to ever make me again along with the dangly gold bead ornaments my mother made the last Christmas she was with us. So even though she was never able to see my dream house with the giant Christmas tree she is still able to be with me on my favorite Christmas tree.
Here’s hoping your holidays were merry & bright and that 2014 is your best year yet!
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