Decorating each room in the house for me, is a labor of love. The Entry is the first room guests see, so with that in mind I took my time with this room and added sentimental and rustic touches for Christmas.
I added twinkle lights to each shelf of the hutch Greg and I built a few years ago. I still love it in this spot, but if you'd like to build one yourself or see it's original perch, you can read Quick and Easy DIY Project.
I donated most of my older trees last year to family. I said it was because they needed them and I wanted to help. Yeah I know, stop smiling. It's probably because I wanted to buy new ones. I have to hand it to walmart, they are upping their game as far as trees and holiday decor goes. Their skinny pre lit T-42 is my favorite and I have 2 so far and may go back for one more. I actually saw the exact same version at a local pool store that sells holiday decor November to December, and it's counterpart was three hundred bucks. Now full disclosure it was 8'-1/2" feet tall and mine is 7'-1/2"
The metal sign got to go back in the same spot as last year. I am finding out that if I love a look, I don't have any issues with repeating it. This is one of those times. Next year may be different, but who knows.
Each year I have been adding to my ornament stash and this year I finally have enough to safely say I have carried the Rustic theme all over my home in each tree. They are still different colors but rustic is the common element in all of them. A big part of my rustic theme this year if I wound grapevine from Hobby Lobby to most of my trees this year. It has added such a great element of not only texture but surprise. Wait til you see the other 2 trees that have it. You'd think by adding it to those they'd look similar to this but they don't!
This tree reminds me of my Grandma. Red was her favorite color and I have to admit I got teary when I started adding red in this room. I could not get her out of my mind. Her laugh, the way she'd grab my Grandfathers toe as he reclined in a chair and she'd yell "Whoopee" to make sure he was paying attention. Her biscuits and gravy. Which I have artfully mastered into a 5th food group in my house. A few weeks ago I decided to make it for dinner and sadly found out I did not have any milk. When Greg found out that I had to change my plans, he was literally out of the door getting milk within 2 minutes. I haven't seen him move that fast since I met him at the door dressed in a, well, use your imagination.
I bought so many owls back in November that I started thinking I had gone crazy. Until I started putting them in each tree around the house! I hunted online for them and wasn't satisfied. For 60 bucks an owl and the eyes were creepy looking? But I got lucky this year. Walmart had a brown one, you'll see that one in my Living room tree. I found 3 gorgeous white ones at (get this) Cracker Barrel and they were inexpensive!
The only new additions to this tree besides the owls are the velvet tree skirt, the large skis, red berry picks and the red beaded garland.
I hope this kicks off your holiday season with a smile and some inspiration to get motivated and decorate!
