~A TREE IN THE MAKING - How I Decorated My Tree~

HOW I DECORATE OUR CHRISTMAS TREE

I promised yesterday I'd share with you some of the tips I learned from attending a "HOW TO DECORATE YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE" Seminar several years ago at Dallas Market. I have always LOVED the Christmas decor in the Showrooms and Boutiques and wondered just HOW they got regular old (and sometimes UGLY!) Trees to looks so fabulous! Here's what I do.

First...as you can see...my Tree is GREEN. It actually has some bits of brown in it and it's a little wild and scrappy looking! It is not a pre-lit Tree. I've actually wanted to spray parts of it white (don't faint) but I didn't want to paint over the lights which we do NOT remove year after year. (If repairs need to be made then my Mr. AGPMan does that part!)

So...first off place your lights on your Tree (duh!)

Next I wrap my Tree with WIDE Ribbon. Round and round you go! You don't have to do this in any particular way but do be careful not to wrap it with too much ribbon or you'll run out of room for other things!

DRESSED IN LIGHTS AND RIBBON

Below is a close-up picture for you! As you can tell you can see the wires from the lights peeking out and about...

CLOSE-UP OF RIBBON

ANOTHER CLOSE-UP WITH BERRIES

Next comes twigs of flowers, berries, stems, roses, etc. You don't have to be matchy matchy here! I once bought a flower arrangement and ended up not liking it after I got it home. It was relegated to the garage for over a year. I needed more fluff to my Tree so I pulled out the flowers and stuck those into the tree. If they are too dark in color then dust them lightly with that spray snow. (Spray it outside though...it can be messy!). Below is a close-up of the tree with flowers added.

PRETTY FULL AT THIS POINT

If you are filling your Tree in like I do it should be getting fairly full at this point. I often use springs of greenery (sometimes frosted) to fill in the gaps and even flowers you wouldn't think of as being for Christmas (like silk Geraniums!)

TIME TO ADD FAMILY KEEPSAKES

Once your Tree is to your liking you can begin to add your keepsake bulbs, ornaments, tinsel, bows (I never skip adding the bows...never!), etc. Last but not least I add a big ribbon bow with several long tails to the top. I twist the tails around and tuck them in and out to add fullness.

AND HERE SHE IS AGAIN

In a few days I'll show you the Family Tree I have in the front of my home. It is red-based (don't faint!) and it holds most of my keepsake ornaments and special mementos we've collected over the years. It is decorated in the same manner I just used different colors of flowers, ribbons, etc.

Hope this gave those of you who needed some direction a little help!

Blessings to you as you decorate with joy and love...Rebecca

"IF NOT FOR THE MIRACLE...O' Christmas Tree"

~My La Chaumière de Briarwood
CHRISTMAS TREE~

Christmas 2009

MY CHRISTMAS TREE

Proudly dressed in glitter and lace
Shimmering pink she takes her place
Ribbons and Roses, she's clothed to the nines
Filling the room with the fragrance of pine

Bedazzled with ornaments
Twinkling and bright
She shines through the darkness
A beacon of light

Carefully holding
Her memories of love
She stands representing
The One from above

For all of her beauty
For all that we see
If not for the Miracle
She'd just be a Tree.

(c) Rebecca S. Nelson/2009

Blessings to you as your prepare your heart and home for CHRISTMAS...Rebecca

~My LA CHAUMIERE de BRIARWOOD - Just a Peek~

My La Chaumière de Briarwood
(Dressed in Holiday & "Christmas" Style)

Sweet Peeps...

Just a quick note to thank you ALL for the kind and loving comments left for me as my family and I honored the first anniversary of the passing of my beloved Gramma. That was a rough day. Knowing she is in heaven (and is no longer blinded by Glaucoma) helped us all celebrate her life and legacy with joy! Thank you again.

OK...onto some fun stuff!

I promised you all some pictures of my La Chaumière de Briarwood (My Briarwood Cottage) decorated for Christmas and here is just a small glimpse. I promise to show more pictures including some close-up shots soon. Also, I snapped some pics on just HOW I get my Christmas Tree to look like it does. I learned some amazing tricks while at MARKET when I once owned a brick and mortar gift shoppe. I'll be posting those pictures in a day or so!

Because I paint pink roses many people mistakenly believe that is all I decorate with. I love pink. I always have. But, I much prefer for each little treasured find (and creation) to have a place of honor in my home instead of having it all over the place. Besides...when you paint the stuff you don't always want to see it in your face every day. Even though I LOVE what I do, for me, I think it's a bit arrogant to have only my own things around me. I love to mix my own work up with things fashioned and designed by other artisans!

~DECK THE HALLS~
(and the vintage cupboards)

Because I have soooo many things to choose from for my Christmas decorating I sometimes struggle with just what to put out. My personal thought is that this sweet old cupboard is WAY overdone...but, I've been swamped with work (a good thing!) and the thought of removing ALL the dishes and replacing them with Christmas themed ones...well, I decided NOT TO! :) So, I left them in place and decorated around them. Maybe next year!

Our Tiny 20 YEAR OLD TREE
(Made New with Vintage Finds)

Also, this year I've gifted to my sweet girl many little mementos from her childhood (I have saved some things back for her big brother, too). I have more RED than I will ever use and they both love to "deck the halls" with traditional Christmas colors. The thought of waiting until I'm gone and having them rummage through all my JUNQUE makes me nervous. I'd much rather see them both use and enjoy all the things their Momma has loved (and decorated with) over the years. The really special things I've saved back and still use in my home. I'll be showing some of them later this week.

Vintage CHERUB COMPOTE

Sweet & Lovely

I found this old compote a couple of years ago and fell it love with it. It isn't an expensive piece...probably from Napco...for sure made in Japan in the 1950's or so. I filled it up with a hand- tatted doily, a frosted pink rose, new and older bulbs and my favorite hand painted Hearts from Germany.

~DECORATING ON A BUDGET~
Shop Discount Stores
Great Finds To Be Found

This darling glass jar was found at ROSS for $14.99. I love it! I filled it up with extra pink and gold bulbs~ My favorite part of the jar can be found on the front. Hanging from the lid is the silver Angel I won in a blog drawing from Martha at Martha's Favorites.

~MY FAVORITE SACHET PILLOW~

(this darling little Christmas Angel
just called out to me!)

I have NEVER decorated my home at Christmas the same way! Each December I put my favorite keepsakes out, give some once dearly loved finds away and then add some new (and even more OLD) into the mix. It's the ONLY WAY I can manage all the decorative treasures I have. If I buy something new then something else has to go.

These days I purchase ONLY what I love and skip on everything else.

~ONE OF MY MOST BELOVED TREASURES~
(made by my Brandon's kindergarten hand 1986)

Over the years my children fashioned many "presents" for me. Many were paper-based and those are in their respective keepsake boxes. When they were really small they made Christmas Ornaments for their daddy and I. Our son, Brandon, made this tiny pine cone tree on a bed of fluffy "snow" in 1986 while in Kindergarten. I've put it out for 23 years now. Where have the years gone? Sniff.

Soooo much more to share with you before the season is over...stay tuned. You just have to see my outside decorations...my Mr. AGPMAN is amazing...I think you are going to LOVE how he transforms our home with sparkling, bright lights~ More soon...

Blessings to you as you remember that all that glitters is not gold! I encourage you to make room for Him...Rebecca