Monday, December 9, 2013

Happy Holidays from my almost-decorated home

First, I’d like to say that I’m thinking about all of those caught in the latest winter storms, some with ice included.
We have had some sleet, a little snow, and freezing rain that left us with some ice. But we fared just fine and didn’t lose power—at least as of late Sunday night.

The frozen camillia bush in the backyard.

Larry and I were busy bees Saturday. We dusted, vacuumed and scrubbed floors, wanting the house to be extra clean before we started decorating for Christmas.
On Sunday, we put up two trees: the main one in the den and a small one on the dining table at one end of the living room.
With the main tree, we decided on red and silver for this year.

I still need to put the tree skirt around the bottom.


For the little tree, we used mostly gold and a little green.



Here are a few individual ornaments:

Larry likes snowmen. I found this ornament at a flower/gift shop in town a few years ago.


I bought this Mountain Lake ornament when I was at the resort on Thanksgiving.


A friend from grad school gave this ornament years ago. I like the stained glass look of it.


I cross stitched this kitty in 2000. She's black and white like both Waddles and Sam were.

I also put out Mr. and Mrs. Snowman. This pair lights up a cabinet in what we call the futon room (because it has a futon). It’s where I have my office, and I like glancing up and seeing the snowy duo smiling at me.



I get a little nervous while decorating trees. I worry about balancing things and whether or not the tree will look “good enough.” Isn’t that a waste of worry? It’s the meaning and thought that count, right?

The wreaths are on the doors. But we haven’t finished decorating. The lighted Santa and Christmas trees need to be set up in the front yard. And I need to set up the Nativity scene and hang the stockings.

I recently watched a show on TV that featured a woman who has well over 100 trees in her house. I wouldn’t want that many, but I am thinking of getting one more (small) tree for the back bedroom that we use as kind of a second den.

What about you, dear readers? How many trees (if any) do you have in your home for the holidays?



22 comments:

  1. i love your decor. enjoy getting ornaments that recall great such memories. we have one large tree & 2 mini trees. all fake, no real trees here. i am allergic to them. i remember my parents would get me a tree as a kid ... for my room & i would break out all over my face & skin with a rash. so it went to getting only a tree for the house none in my room. i love the smell. i enjoy the Christmas tree my parents brought me for our 1st Christmas together after our wedding in 2004. it is a thin tall tree. perfect for our home together. fun times!! ( :

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  2. none, our cats sleep in them, one used to eat the tinsel and I didn't know until you know where I saw it, ugh. When two of them try to get into or onto them at the same time, we find them on their sides...this last cat climbs and eats plants so definitely no tree. Yours are beautiful.

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  3. I love snowmen and cats, so I love the snowman and the Santa claws ornaments! Your trees are very beautiful. We also put up two; a big one, which is the official one, and a smaller one in our family room that brightens up the area. This time of year with the days shorter and cloudier, you need all the brightening up you can get!

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  4. Tina I LOVE your tree!!! I did red and silver this year as well Great minds :) and I am very much like Larry in that I love snowmen!

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  5. none. i really like your first one. the colors are beautiful.

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  6. Festive! I love the little green tree.

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  7. You so super delight my heart. I'm grateful this storm passed without too much distress . . . "Ice" ticks me off . . I imagine me walking up to the "Mighty Throne" and insisting the Holy One explain how THAT is a blessing . . (giggle - I have a great imagination.)

    I like all your pictures - but, the icy outdoor photo seems especially beautiful to me this morning.
    I once went on a house tour - a large, Victorian style home - and there were decorated trees everywhere. I don't even remember the number . . the lady giving the tour lived in that house . . (somehow she survived with things everywhere - and hardly any room to frolic about . . i would have fallen somewhere and been buried in the debris toppling . . . graceful living is evidently not for me . . giggle) - I should tell the story of the last time i lived with a decorated tree . . I refer to it as "The Yule Toss" - well, someday . . . . Thank you for being in my world. (PS - your decorations are BEAUTIFUL . . )

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  8. I'm down to one tree sometime. This year is a no tree. we do have a little silver table tree. Decorating is very satisfying for some people particularly if you have a creative side.

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  9. I saw a few minutes of that TV show also, Tina. It said she spends over $3,000 a year on trees and decorations! Anyway, I think your home is decorated just right, and it looks festive and warm.

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  10. Impressed with your trees! Great color choices. I was also noticing how lovely the red bead garland is placed on the first one. I can never get my beaded garland hung right. We only have one tree and I grumble every year I put it up. Afterwards, I love it. It's gold and red, featuring fleur de lis, angels, poinsettias, and musical instruments.

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  11. That lady must have a huge house.

    I love your Mountain Lake ornament.

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  12. Great shots of Christmas past and present, Tina.

    I have 2 trees. One for us and a memory tree for my sister, Kay. Xx

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  13. Your home looks lovely for the holidays! I've never thought of photographing ornaments before, but think it's such a good idea!

    There is only one tree in our home - and we changed up the colors this year! I'm a huge fan of it!

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  14. You know something, Tina, I have never had but one Christmas up in our house at a time. Never occurred to me to have more. Talk about 'small' thinking!

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  15. Lovely tree and ornaments! :). I love snowmen too. You are more on the ball than i am. We have started decorating but still have awhile to go. Our kitties like to 'help out.'. Lol.

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  16. three trees, all small, we don't "do" a big one anynore!! when the boys were here, we always put up a huge, live tree. and every year by morning it would fall over. so the hubs tied it to the handle on the sliding glass door so it wouldn't fall over!! that's my "worring about the tree story!!

    yours look really good, i like that big one best!!

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  17. Hi Tina, your photos are lovely...love your tree and ornaments! If you saw my post (I guess it was a few days ago) with a photo of my little red Christmas tree, you know that this is all I have for decorations. I so enjoy looking at other people's decorations, and I have thoroughly enjoyed yours. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  18. Well, I used to do 3 trees....1 in the living room, 1 in the family room and 1 in the guest bedroom...Now I am down to 1 and I can't even get that one up. Oh me oh my!! Enjoy your trees, I am sure they are perfect!!

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  19. Well, I don't have 100! But I have one big tree, two tall skinny ones and so far nine smaller ones that sit on furniture or hang on the wall. Right now, most are up but I still have ornaments to do! I just love it -- so much stuff, I don't even get everything out, but I rotate it around. It takes MUCH longer to come down, though, than it should! (I should mention I have a very small house and one of my friends says it looks like Christmas threw up in here! She is right!)

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  20. P.S. -- I started answering your question and hit post before I could tell you how much I loved what you'd done! The reds and greens are so holiday -- and I especially love seeing the ornaments. Don't you think they tell our life story? Your cross stitched Santa reminded me of Lizzie. They all have a spot on our tree. And I especially love your starry snow people!

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  21. i used to nitpick about the tree and making it perfect but i finally gave up and just let the kids go for it, it's much easier lol....love the mountain lake ornament and funny, i was just thinking this morning that i forgot to pick one up. we normally always get an ornament from our trips :( i'll have to see about making a picture into an ornament! your place is looking very festive!!

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  22. The ornaments are my favorite part of decorating - I love re-living the memories attached to them. Enjoyed seeing your decorations!

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