Getting Ready for Christmas - Decorating with Nature

Welcome to our home! I'm so glad you're here.

I almost didn't decorate our home for Christmas this year.

But I'm glad I did.  

Decorating for the season gives me the chance to pause and think what really matters. So, I gathered all the pretty things I could find around our home and went on a mission to cozy up this place. 

This is our family room, where we spend most of our time together as a family. 

Do you see the library card catalog turned into a coffee table up there? I just brought it into the room hoping that could stay, but our boys have already bumped their heads twice while wrestling. I might have to send it back to the basement...

I used baby's breath for the first time last year, and I'm using it again this year. It's so delicate and it looks as if fresh snow has fallen all over the room. 

It's been over a year since I painted the brick fireplace, and it's held up great. And if I ever need to do a touch up, I just need to pull out two cans of ASCP and a piece of paper towel. It'll be a very quick and easy fix.

I feel most comfortable when surrounded by natural elements. I used grape wood, pine cones, feathers, eucalyptus and winter berries to create this nature inspired vignette. I still like the DIY bubble art in the gallery display, but I might change them up for something different in the new year. 

I covered the low bookshelf filled with the boys' toys and books with a table cloth. I already took the cloth off the shelf, but this is something I can quickly throw back on when we have guests over. 

And this reminds me of something I often forget. We don't always show all of our messes to other people.  

Some days I wonder why I can't even manage my own kitchen sink while everyone else's life seems so perfect. You can't compare your inside to someone else's outside. I have to remember that this holiday season. 

An assortment of eucalyptus and winter berry arrangement in an antique ginger jar. I went to Trader Joe's and spent $14 for the entire arrangement. You don't have to spend an arm and a leg to create a statement piece.

I smell the Eucalyptus and cinnamon scented pine cones every time I walk by this corner.

Our TV gallery wall today. 

I sold a few of my original artwork that was part of the display, including the pineapple art (this one is a print). After staring at the blank frames for a few weeks, I decided to fill them with the art prints from the shop. 

I also did quick calligraphy art with watered down charcoal ink and added to the collection. You can see what the gallery wall used to look like here. 

A simple winter berry arrangement in a white creamer. 

Our Christmas tree is decorated with white branches, baby's breath, and our usual Christmas ornaments. We're going to add our personal ornaments to the tree and bake some cookies this weekend. It's going to be fun! 

There's an angel at the top of the tree, but I couldn't have it fit into the photo without having the sofa getting in my way (my husband just gave me an eye roll).

The decorated deer antlers paired with my favorite art print and nativity scene. I only took a few pieces out of the entire nativity set this year. I wanted to keep it simple.

And a few pictures from our entryway. 

I kept the white pumpkins from our fall decoration.

A simple evergreen wreath decorated with brown feathers and baby's breath, and the DIY painted resin bust. This is what you see when you first walk into our house from the front door. 
 

More decorated deer antlers with DIY modern art.

Decorating our home for Christmas helped me put things in perspective and focus on what I can be grateful for instead of what I don't have.

No matter where you live and where you are in life, may you find the light of hope shining through the darkness of night. May you find some slow and quiet moments to unwrap the gift of love this season offers. 

Thank you for stopping by. Wishing you a happy and relaxing holiday season! 

 xoxo