Holiday Home Tour – 2018

CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE!!! I’m pumped. As much as I wish I did, I currently don’t have every room in the house decorated. It’s hard enough keeping my current decorations in place with a toddler who insists on trying to re-decorate. She just doesn’t understand my vision, guys.

The areas that I have decorated are the porch, the dining room where the Tree is (It’s the only room that has a big bay window and I love seeing the tree when I pull up to our house), our kitchen (very minimal decorating in here. It’s mostly the island top where the baby can’t reach. We also have our entryway decorated and of course the fireplace!  That is about it though.

I’m sure when Isla is older we will go all out but at the same time I really enjoy only have to pack a couple of tubs at the end of the holiday season. We have made a conscious effort this last year to have less stuff. We donated a ton of Christmas decorations at the beginning of the season and it felt really good to only hold onto the pieces that we really love.

FRONT PORCH

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This is our porch this year. You probably saw my post here that I did on my front porch but I also added these adorable tiny Christmas lights to the Christmas tree. I found them at the target dollar spot. This entire post should be re-named how to decorate your entire house with stuff from the target dollar spot. I basically live there.

We will be planting this tree once the season is over and I can’t wait to watch it grow! I’m going to put it on the other side of the driveway where there is currently no landscaping and next year we will get to decorate it at Christmas time.

ENTRYWAY

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here is our entryway! I built this giant cart console out of reclaimed wood a couple of years ago. It’s narrow-Only about 12 inches and so it will have to be anchored to the wall soon since our daughter is a climber. She hasn’t paid much attention to it yet but I’m sure that day will come. I’d love to do a post in the future about how to baby proof and properly anchor things to the wall. Someday.

I’ll start from the top of my console table: I hand painted the sign on top that says “Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal.” It was one that I was going to sell at a craft show but instead I decided I need to hang onto it.  The other sign that says our last name was a present from my aunt. I love it so much! We have very similar decorating styles.  She also bought me the mercury glass acorn lights on top. I just have them scattered up there. At night they give off the most wonderful warm glow to the whole entryway. I made the tiny white table riser on top. It gives the top some variation in height and is the perfect display for the paper flowers that my sister made for me.

The lantern is old and I’m not sure where I got it. I bought it when I was a poor college student and needed some décor in my tiny one-bedroom apartment. You can probably guess where I got the tiny trees all over my house. Yes. They are also from target.

The book page Christmas tree banner is something I made last week but I got the idea from my sister and you can see that post here.

The white FARM sign was also one that I hand painted several years ago. It was one of my first hand painted signs and it has been all over our house over the years , but it’s home is here now. If you’d like to see a tutorial on hand painted signs, let me know. The little white houses are from a store….the store is called target.

The round snow man candle holder and the little terrarium house are both from my aunt. Isla loves the little round snow man and tells him “Hi” when she walks in the house.

The crock on the bottom shelf was my grandmother’s, I don’t have any memories of her so it’s nice to have a piece of her here. It stays on the bottom shelf but I’m sure it will have to be moved once Isla starts climbing.

The book next to the crock is a beautifully illustrated copy of the night before Christmas that my mom got for me several years ago. I can’t wait to read it to Isla this year.

The door knob is from a local barn that was being torn down. I would have liked to have had the entire door but I’m not really sure where I would have put it. I thought about hanging it on the wall but I think it’s happy where it is for now.

The wire basket on the right was from Aldi. I’ve got some big wooden candle sticks and some pine cones in it. The candle sticks are from Michael’s and they have some similar this year.

DINING ROOM

Our Table

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here is our dining room- Some back story. We have an ENORMOUS farmhouse table that I built when we moved into our house three years ago that seats 10 people and is extra wide. I’m not really sure who all I thought would be coming to dinner but it’s nice to have.

Here is the table decorated. To make the tree work in this room we moved our dining table sideways against the wall and it opened up the entire room! I just have a simple set up this year. I have a book page runner (book pages that I have scattered about) and then on top of that I used my huge galvanized tray from crate and barrel. I’m not sure where I got the big tree maybe hobby lobby. The pine cones are cinnamon scented and from trader joe’s and they smell wonderful! Did you happen to see my post on tablescape ideas? You can find it here.

The buffet & desk

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We also have a large antique buffet that takes up quite a bit of room but I won’t ever get rid of it because it’s beautiful and it’s the first piece of furniture we bought together as a couple. We were living in Texas at the time and it was a craigslist find. It was painted lime green (yuck) and in need of some TLC.

I built the white table riser, the little wreath hanger with the bow and the farmhouse sign. My wonderful sister made me the book page wreath.

The planter box is from the barn that was torn down. I found it in a chicken coop and cleaned it up. It’s very old and wobbly but that is what I love about it. The trees and let it snow sign are from target. I promise, I don’t have a problem. It’s not like my daughter claps when we walk into target…Okay, she does.

This is my work space. I love this little writing desk. It’s almost 100 years old and I bought it from a local antique store. It’s pretty sturdy for being so old. The Christmas throw pillow is NOT from target. JK. It is.

The Tree!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here is our tree!! When we moved to this house, I told Evan that I wanted to have the biggest tree possible that our ceiling would allow. This turned out to be only 7.5 feet. This tree is actually pretty slim but it’s still a good size.

Our tree doesn’t have as many ornaments down below because Isla Rose insists on taking them all off. We left her some plastic ones down there to play with. I used 2 sizes of lights this year. It’s the first time that I’ve done this but I really love all the extra twinkles and will probably do it next year too. We have mostly sentimental ornaments from getting married, buying a house, having Isla and we even have duplicate ornaments of several of those. Isla’s grandma’s are pretty into buying ornaments.

I made the white pompom garland and did a post on that here. It was so easy and only took about 10 minutes.

Our star on top is from target last year. I love the gold and the projection on the ceiling. It’s so pretty at night.

LIVING ROOM FIREPLACE

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here is our mantle. Do you see how I’m trying so hard to cover up our sound bar with my decorations? My husband works for a big tech company and we have all the gadgets. He did a guest blog post for me awhile back on what men really want for Christmas. You can find it here.

The red burlap is from Hob Lob, the pine cones are trader joe’s. Isla’s stocking is from pottery barn kids and you can find out what I’m putting in it here. The tiny gold trees are from the At Home store.

The rest of the stockings are from target last year. Teddy and Gert, our two doggos each have a tiny stocking too. I added some twinkle lights to the mantle because I love how they look at night all lit up.

The little toboggan, skis and believe sign are target.

KITCHEN ISLAND and COUNTER TOP

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Our island top is home to our wooden tree that my aunt got for me, and the red buffalo checked table runner is also from her. She gives the best presents.

My mug holder is from world market. The salt and pepper shaker are from a local placed called urban farmhouse designs. The candle is from hearth and hand and the pine cones are ones that I found in nature and spray painted white. Yes, I am that lady who puts pine cones in her purse. The light up church is very old and we found it in the attic of our house.

I love this snowman Scentsy! My best friend sells Scentsy and they have the cutest Christmas wax warmers!! I got my corn husk Santa from the At Home store and the Christmas sign is from…drum roll, please…..Target.

Eventually I’ll do a full home tour but for now I’ve got a mountain of laundry to fold. Seriously, how does a tiny human go through so many outfits?

I hope you guys enjoyed this post! I know it was a little on the long side but you made it!  Do you have any special ornaments or décor that are meaningful to you at Christmas time?