Show Us Your Life – Christmas Tour of Homes

I welcome you to our home in all of its Christmas finery.  I have had so much fun this year decorating a new home and finding new places to showcase my favorites.  I’m so happy with the way the house turned out and hope you enjoy seeing all the details!

We have artificial greenery everywhere to prevent allergies and because I’ve sworn off real trees after our disastrous tree falling incident a number of years ago.  But I’m so happy with the pre-lit garland that I found at Trees ‘N Trends this year.  I accented with hand-made (and thus very NOT perfect) burlap bows and Charlotte and I used mod podge and lots of glitter to make these paper mache hearts from Hobby Lobby sparkle.  The effect at night is gorgeous!

If you turn to the left from the front door you’ll see one of my many nativity scenes (or activity as Charlotte calls them).  You’ll also head into the dining room.

I kept a lot of the decorations real neutral and just added pops of color here and there.  In the dining room we have a gorgeous 9′ Blue Spruce tree from Balsam Hill.  We decorated the dining room tree with all of our nice ornaments — our Christopher Radko’s, our glass balls, our ornaments from trips we’ve taken, etc.  It sparkles insanely at night with all the glitter and glass and the color on the tree accents the neutrals on the table very well. You can also see our custom art from Kim Wheeler of Small Words Art hanging on the wall which definitely livens up the room.

If you turn to the right from the foyer you are in the study.

We have the same 9′ Blue Spruce in the study but this one is covered with the kids ornaments and those special to our family — handprints, Christmas card ornaments, childhood ornaments from when we were little, etc.  This tree is very bottom heavy because we let the kids do a lot of the decorating but that’s one of the things that I love about it.  There are so many memories on this tree, not only for us, but for Charlotte and James too.  And I love that you can see both large trees out the windows from the street.  There’s lots of sparkle at our house!

And I’m so happy with the way the mantle turned out.  We’ve loved this mantle ever since it arrived last year and it works beautifully at Christmas time.  I’ve got to buy new stockings for next year and I’m sad to have to retire these burlap ones (from The Bobbins Nest) a number of years ago.  They are lovely and the contrast with the burlap and our pewter nativity that we got on our honeymoon is so neat to me!

When you continue into our home you reach the kitchen which we accented for the holiday season.

There’s not a lot of Christmas going on in here, but enough to make me smile.  The real wreath on the window over the sink is the only real greenery in the house and I love it.  I also love the small artificial wreaths that I found at a shop around town.  Jason didn’t realize they weren’t real until I told him today!  I also made a big print to go over the stove and painted chalkboard paint on a cheap platter from Target to add some glamour.  And, as I’m sure you can guess, my favorite area in the kitchen is the collection of handmade items from the kids.  It’s amazing to see how quickly they grow.  We’ve got plans to make more art this week since school is out!

Across from the kitchen is the den with a little bit more of holiday cheer.

It wouldn’t be a tour of our home at Christmas without seeing Frisbee our elf.  Although, to be honest, Frisbee has been pretty lazy this year, using the excuse of fog and rain to stay at our house instead of going back to the North Pole and then relocating a good many nights this year.

Of course we also have other touches of Christmas throughout the house, the kids Christmas trees, a small mini ornament tree in the guest bathroom, and others.

In all the hustle and bustle of the season, we are trying to impress upon our kids that Christmas isn’t about Santa or elves or lights or trees or presents.  Christmas is about the gift that God gave to us in his Son, Jesus.  We love being able to reflect that in our decorations of our home and are happy to share our home with family and friends and with you over this season.

We wish you and your family many blessings this Christmas and always.  Merry Christmas!

Tours of our home during past Christmases: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 (2012 we were building and living with my parents)