Jingle Your Mingle On Over to My House!

It's here! It's finally here!  The day I have been waiting for ever since The Nester announced her Christmas Tour of Homes.  Woo Hoo!

So let's get this party started shall we?
Quick Disclaimer from the Author (that's me!):  I am going to type this post really really fast.  So please stick with me...there will probably be lots of mispellings and maybe even some words that sound like gibberish!

But it's important that I type fast....to avoid over-thinking.  To avoid convincing myself that my pictures aren't clever enough or my words aren't witty enough.  I need to type fast so that I can just have fun, show off my handy work and stop worrying about whether or not people like me...haha!. So let's get started!

This is where you would walk in to my home...if you happened to live here AND if I invited you over.  Just kiddin' you are welcome any time!

Seriously?  Don't you love it?  The only thing I had on my door last year was the stocking (Round Top Designs) This year the garland and rest of the decor was my little splurge!  You see the giant christmas balls in each upper corner?  I bought those way back in October from a local design showroom.

FRONT DOORS:  front doors are as important in home decorating as invitations are to throwing great parties.  My mom never believes me, but a great invitation sets the tone for a party. The front door is just like an invitation.  It invites you in and lets you know what to expect.  And I love what my door says!

My entry way from the ground as you walk in the house. You can't really tell but my colors are red and lime green.  Wimsey is what makes me happy.  Everyone has to find their style, some like fruit, some like burgandy and gold....I prefer bright and cheery!

Staircase from the top landing.  This two story entrance/foyer is totally why I bought this house.  I love it!

If I could only pick one new item a year to add to my decor collection I think it would have to be wire ribbon.  This year, I basically put wire ribbon on all of my existing decor and it instantly turned it into a Holiday Wonderland! Take a look!

Wire ribbon on the tops of my apothocary jars!

Wire ribbon makes a stupendous collar for my $1 reindeer (garage sale find) and turned this average topiary into a festive piece.

Wire ribbon tied around a clear vase (Southern Living) filled with lemons from my own back yard!

Wire ribbon accented with red jingle bells made my coffee mugs a hit at our Christmas party! I'm serious, all you need is to get yourself some super cute wire ribbon from Hobby Lobby.  But stick with a theme so that it looks like it was all on purpose....know what I mean? 

Remember my banister?

Well I used the same wire ribbon to hang my oober cute Christmas Balls from. See...

Oober cute aren't they?

And then there is my mantle.  Don't even get me started on how yummy it is.  I love to sit on my sofa and read (or surf the internet..who am I kidding) and just gaze at it's loveliness. I really hate that I'm not a great photographer....if you saw it in real life you would D-I-E!

Here is a close up of the stocking holders (Ballard Designs) and the rest of the mantle decor (Hobby Lobby and Garden Ridge 3 years ago!).

 PS - These stocking holders and stockings are the ONLY things I have ever purchased from Ballard Design.  Don't get me wrong, I would purchase way more from them but Dave Ramsey says I have to act my wage.  And they aren't my wage so most of the time I just have to admire from afar.  But I don't regret for one second my big splurge 3 years ago! 


And then there are the irreplaceable...most special parts of Christmas.

Gingerbread house built by my husband and three year old daughter!

These J-O-Y letters were made by my good friend Jenn.  I love things that have memories...don't you?

And of course the true reason for the Season....Christ's birth.  And I LOVE that my daughter is the one that set it up and placed the animals just so.  We had to work real hard to get the baby Jesus to stay in the stable....in her three year old mind it just made more sense for him to be riding the donkey or something!

And then there are special notes and pictures from friends near and far!  (Card holder is from Round Top Designs).

Well, I think this House Tour is coming to an end!  It was so nice of you to stop by, I wish we had longer to chat.

Perhaps next time you can stay longer.  I can make you a cup of spiced chai tea and we can sit in my cozy den and catch up?  Til' then my friend!