NewlyWoodwards

an unconventional home

Holiday home tour: the red tree, a fence and DIY silhouettes

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This year, I decided that less is more when it comes to holiday decorating.

Psych!

(I didn’t fool you if you’ve read my blog for any length of time. I’m about as low-key and less-is-more as Tammy Faye or Dolly Parton…Love you, Dolly.)

There are a lot of lovely blogs out there that do a great job with less-is-more. I’m not one of them. I’m more of a “throw-everything-out-there-and-make-it-work” holiday decorator. I love holiday decorating, especially Christmas. I like to have multiple themes going on in different areas of the house. I like to have more than one (or two, or three, or four) trees.

I also strongly believe in themes for holiday decorating. This year, I’m going to take you on a little holiday decorating tour in our house.

Here were my holiday decorating ground rules for this year:
1. I will not buy any Christmas decorations this year. If I want something new, I will try to make it myself. (Exception: I’m giving myself liberty to purchase $50 of supplies for handmade items. Nothing pre-made.)
2. I will not stress about getting it perfect. I will do what I can and not become a holiday-decorating monster. (Not that I ever would. I would never turn anything fun into an ugly chore.) I’m subscribing to the Nester’s mantra that it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.
3. I will rethink how and where everything is placed this year. I will not automatically put things where they were last year. I will flex my creative muscles.

So, on to the first stop on our tour.
Holiday house tour: Seeing red in the dining room

The tree:
This tree has a lot of our wedding ornaments, along with some glittery, jumbo hand-me-down ornaments, poinsettia and berry stems. I also added both white and red lights.

 

One of my favorite holiday decorating tools is tulle. If you don’t use tulle on your tree, you so crazy. It makes a tree fuller, resembles snow and is something many newlyweds have. (I actually was given tulle from a friend before our wedding.) I use tulle on every tree.

The stockings:
I decided to reuse the fence (gifted from my mom with a fall arrangement) for stockings. Since we don’t have a mantle, this works out for us. I just added a little glitz in each stocking and …. ta-da.

Art

This may be my favorite element. Did you spot my new “art?”

I blatently copied was inspired by a silhouette by Ballard Designs.

But, I wasn’t attracted to the price. So, I pulled out scrapbook paper, drew the outline of a tree and gifts, and cut. I backed it with white and framed it. Easy, peasy.

That took about 5 minutes. So, then I made a few more to round out the wall.

Stockings

 

Ornaments

 

This may be my favorite things that I’ve made this year for Christmas. So simple and completely free, everything was on-hand.

So, grand total for this dining room tree and surrounding area was….. $0. I had everything on-hand from past holidays, I just repurposed.

 

What do you think?

Holiday Artwork

Next up in the holiday home tour… dining room hutches and table decor (next week).

 

Comments

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  3. It’s all so VERY cute!! but I have to say I LOVE LOVE LOVE the art!! ….oh gosh, do I still have time to make some? LOL

    You’re knit stockings are adorable!! Where did you get them? We have a fence piece like that, and it sits outside, but I love the idea of bringing it inside!!

    ~TidyMom

  5. I love it–I also signed up to follow-again. Google is playing a number on us. If I could tell you all the problems–ugh–I’ve talked to Google on line more than my hubby in the past 2 weeks.
    Love your tree and stockings–those are so adorable.
    Cheri

  8. ok…guess what i’m going to say??? the same as everyone else. that picket fence is pure genius!!! well, that entire corner is just pure genius. your cut art, tree and ALL!

    happy weekend!!!

  9. Love your cutouts…my favorite is the fence with the stockings…I like that you have 3 diff colors in your stockings..they look great grouped with your other pieces.

  11. I was about to just scroll down and comment that I loved the framed pictures behind the tree, but I read on and now I like them even more! Bravo! What a great and easy idea!

  12. Amen on #3! No decorating ruts! I too am going to work on the Christmas-izing of the dining room. I really should be more proactive with it, considering it’s the first room you see when you enter the house! Duh!

    take care!

  14. from the moment I saw the first photo I REALLY liked the silhouettes and hoped you’d talk about them! Very cool! Great job! Kelly

  15. Wow Kim! You out did yourself. The tree turned out beautiful. I love you stockings on the fence. I think it’s such a fun, cute idea. I’m really liking the silhouette’s too, yours turned out great! Isn’t it fun to see what you can accomplish on a budget and by reusing. You did a magazine worthy job.

    Merry Christmas & Hugs…Tracy 🙂

  17. I also never considered using tulle on a tree! I LOVE your small picket fence….so cute with the stockings (made a note to search for one to use next year) Happy Decorating

  18. Would you believe that I have never heard of using tulle on a Christmas tree!?! I am thinking of all the tulle I have hiding in my closet (wedding leftovers) and that little extra something that my tree needs… Amazing work on all of your decor!

  19. Thanks for all your kind words. You make a girl happy in the heart.

    Stockings are from Target last year (maybe the year before?). I’m not sure if they exist this year. Although, I’m sure you can get similar on Etsy.

  21. love it all. dont know my favorite – i do love the lil fence for your stockings though 🙂 the wall art is so awesome! we re-used wedding day ornaments (blue & silver) on our tree too :))

  22. I love everything, especially the picket fence for the stockings! How clever!
    gail

  23. I never thought about using tulle on the tree….brilliant. I love how you switched it up from the previous year. I always put things back in the same place so that I do not have to think too much. I am also digging the cutouts….so cute!

  24. Hi! I am thrilled to have you link up the Thrifty Thursday! What a great post! If you will be so kind, link back to TT so your preaders can visit the other participants. I Love the Ballards inspired arrt…and the fencrpost stockings are PRECIOUS! I am also a fan og tulle. Need to buy some! Thanks for linking up to Thrifty Thursday!
    Leigh
    Tales from Bloggeritaville
    http://www.lbratina.blogspot.com

  25. So pretty!! If I tried to ‘decorate’ like that, it would look, well, like my treen already does!! LOL.

    Would love to know where you got the stockings! So cute!

  27. Oh, I love the silhouette art! That’s definitely my favorite, too. I’m going to file that idea away for next year…

  29. GORGEOUS darling !!!! Love love love the red. Missing the red in my living room. ** sigh *** my crazy idea to go all pink has left me with red withdrawals. Might have to overcompensate in other places….

    And your DIY art ? Mega fab. Love it – like something in a magazine. Perfect and festive !

    xoxo

    Kate

  31. You are so right – tulle is just the thing! I always use ribbon, but seeing your tree makes me realize tulle would suit my prupose much better. And isn’t “Ballard Designs” totally the best to copycat from?! I just love getting their catalogs.

  32. That stocking fence is my most favorite thing yet! Let me know if I can feature this! I lust love it!!!!!! email em if that’s ok and include the url to this post would ja! It’s always hard for me to look back and try to find it in teh link up!! Your the best!

    becca

    bluecrcickedesign@gmail.com

  34. The stockings on the fence idea…now that ROCKS…LOVE it! Your home looks beautiful…thanks for sharing it!

    Blessings,
    Linda

  35. I love it! My favorite part are your Ballard-inspired art pieces — I would pay money for those.

    Well, now I wouldn’t because I know I could do it myself, but still, totally awesome!

  37. I’m in L-O-V-E with the silhouette idea. I’m gonna have to get on that this weekend!

  40. we have basically totally opposite holiday decorating philosophies 🙂 BUT I still think your house looks great! I love what you did with your stockings — mine are sitting in a drawer which is NO fun!

    I am with you on the spending though. the only thing I bought this year was wire wreath forms (of course, I’m going to have to replenish my stash of floral wire).

  42. OMG….I was dying for you to get some pictures posted. The room looks adorable and I can’t wait to see the rest of the house. I agree with the rest of the posts about the fence. I absolutely love what you did with it. The stockings are a perfect touch. I am so VERY proud of you Kimmy Ann!

  43. Jealous. Jealous of your picket fence. Jealous of your mad decorating skills. Jealous of all your creativity!!

    I’m totally going to steal that silhoutte from Ballard, er, YOU. And I’ve never ever even thought of using tulle on the tree…what an awesome idea!

    Also — random question — where did you get your stockings? I love them!

  44. ::hopping on expedia.com::
    I’m flying out there to your abode so I can revel in your beautiful holiday decor. I want to make a sweater out of those stockings, they’re so darling & cozy.

    And I’m bringing a crate of wine. It’s only right.

  46. I love the fence idea instead of a mantle! I need to go find a fence now.

    PS Your comment remark is absolutely adorable. I really do go “They like me, they really like me” when people comment on my blog…the sad truth.

    Post a Comment
    Please comment on Kim and Ryan’s blog! Every time you do, an angel gets it’s wings.

    Okay, maybe not. But, Kim usually gets a big smile on her face and says, “They like me, they really like me.”

  47. LOVE your holiday decor Kim!! I totally have to steal the silhouette idea….might paint it on a cabinet door!! Your tree is gorgeous….so elegant! Hope you’re enjoying a warm cozy SNOW DAY!! 🙂

  49. I love a girl that loves her themes. I always thought my house was a bit schizo with my different themes but you’ve showed me I can embrace it, not lock it up in a straitjacket. So I thank you. Ok, onto the compliments 🙂

    Stockings on the fence? Adorbs.
    Fun sparklies sticking out of the stockings? Stealing this idea.
    Tulle on the tree? Genius
    Tree topper? Seriously love it, so non-tradish.

    Need more themes. Now!

  50. The stockings on the fence are brilliant! And your Ballard Designs inspired decor looks great! I can’t wait to see the next few updates!

  52. It looks great! I love the fence with the stocking! The silhoutte idea is awesome! Your pictures could be in a magazine!

  53. Everything looks great! I was considering doing the silhouette idea in our three frames in the living room…you may have just pushed me over the edge! Your’s look great!

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