Christmas Decorations.

I typically keep things simple when it comes to decorating for Christmas and this year was no different.  I am a big fan of silver and haven't grown tired of it after several years, which is surprising, given my ever changing taste!

We normally have a smaller tree set up in our entry way, but sadly, it didn't make it up this year.  I wish this area was a little more festive, but oh well.  My mom was so sweet and left that cute framed print for me!  I had seen it on Courtney's blog, A Thoughtful Place, and loved it, but we don't have a color printer (and I am a little too far away from the one at work to feel comfortable printing and trying to dart over there to pick things up before nosey folks walk by and check things out).  I didn't even tell my mom about the print -- she just saw it and thought I would like it.  Well, she was right! 

Now to the second floor.  In our breakfast room, I simply hung felt snowflakes from the chandelier.  The centerpiece on the breakfast room table is just a mercury glass footed bowl with red ornaments in it.

I also jazzed up our bar cabinet area with these fun swizzle (love that word!) sticks.  

The tray in the breakfast room area was adorned with yarn-wrapped trees.  They were so easy to make! 

Next stop . . . the dining room.  Keeping things simple, I just filled some vases with silver ornaments and put out my sweet twig reindeer. 

And because I don't have a color printer, I just printed out the text in the frame below in a very light gray and colored it in with a green fine-tip marker and added a pretty poinsettia sticker that I found while wandering around Michael's

On to the dining room table . . .

Those birds have Christmas carol song sheets decoupaged on them (along with some glitter) and are so cute! 

I bought some thick ric rac this year to display our Christmas cards on the closet door that's between our living room and dining room.  I should have ordered more because they are filling up fast!  I may have to do some rearranging and do more overlapping to make room for the new cards we're receiving.  To attach the cards to the ric rac, I just used paperclips; but you could use decorated clothespins like Megan at Honey We're Home.

 

And last, but not least, our living room. 

(I should have fixed that pillow on the chair, but hopefully you will be distracted by Riley under the stockings -- he's waiting patiently for Santa.)

Last year we bought the "JOY" stocking holders from Pottery Barn.  Little did we know at that time that we would be adding another member to our family.  With my OCD, the letters being off-centered bothers me, but at least the stockings are centered (and laying nicely).  Overall, I think it looks good, and Zoey is just thankful to have her own stocking (and I'm thankful that PB kids still had a coordinating one!).

And no Christmas decor would be complete without the tree!  It's been up and decorated since the day after Christmas.  It's so sad that we have hardly any presents under the tree (thanks, year-end billable hours).  But the upside is that all of the ones that are under there now are mine that my sweet husband has wrapped.  Don't worry, we are done with shopping . . . I just need to get busy wrapping the presents!  

In addition to the smaller tree in the entry way, we also didn't put up outside lights or our stair garland, which is usually the first thing that goes up.  We had our balcony (where the lights go) fixed and they were working on it up until recently, so we couldn't put the lights out.  And I wasn't going to be that house that puts up lights just a couple days before Christmas!  I'm super bummed about the lights, but at least the balcony is fixed!  (Next year, I will not allow Justin to call contractors so close to Christmas!)  

However, we do have some lighted trees at our front door.

Along with a wreath (and no, I'm not that short, our door is just pretty tall when you're not standing on the step!). 

I hope your shopping, wrapping, baking, and other Christmas preparations are going smoothly.  And I certainly hope that where you live is cooler than the balmy 80 degree temps we had here in Houston today!