Holiday Update, Part 1

Did you miss me? I've been busy. I'm happy to report that I'm done with the thesis. I flew home for a very quick trip because I was determined to walk in the ceremony - and I did.

More on this later. Promise. Whether you want to hear about it or not. 

Hope everyone is getting into the holiday spirit. Whatever holiday it is that you and yours choose to celebrate.

We actually have two separate themes going on in our house. The back room is full of whimsy and the front room is very traditional. I'm in love with both this year. Last year I think we only put up the tree in the back room because I was taking classes and Jeremiah wasn't being a good elf helper.

Anyways, let me share how we cheaply furnish our house for the holidays.

First, see the stocking holder/hanger? It's from Pier One or Crate & Barrel. But I found them at Salvation Army for maybe a dollar each. And they were gold so I had Jeremiah spray paint them ORB. The stockings were on them but Maddie thinks it's fun to hang from the stocking and swing around a bit so for now the stockings are resting below.

For six years we've had the bright and colorful ornaments. Then each year after Christmas I go wherever and pick up more ornaments at 75% off. So now we have a very wide variety of colored balls. This year I used extra balls (heehee) to decorate the mantle.

It's Elmer the Holiday Elephant. He's ready to assist with all of your holiday needs.

The tree is decorated with a bunch of colorful ornaments. I also had enough to fill this vase:

And this one, too:

The blue glass canister is from Salvation Army this summer. It was a splurge at five or ten dollars. I NEVER spend that much on anything. But I loved it.

 

Here's the mantle:

It's a whimsical good time. The tree looks similar, with all those colors. I only took one picture. I'm not sure why. But this is one of my new favorite ornaments for the small tree. Clearance, 75% at Crate & Barrel last year.

Oh, and I did the entertainment center as well. All the glass items are from Salvation Army or Goodwill. The plate and stones, too. The twigs are from my backyard, the pine cones were clearanced at Target.

I'm quite sure that the wooden thing with the glass lid is supposed to house cheese and crackers. Cheese at my house is housed in my belly.

Lastly, the table. The linens are from World Market after Christmas last year. Then we have the gorgeous bowl (that has mysteriously cracked down the side and Jeremiah is vehemently denying he knows what happened) with more pine cones.

The front room is yet to come.

Does anyone else stock up after Christmas? I've heard that some people switch themes yearly. We are not those people.

Although, I think that we have enough of the brightly colored balls that we could do color-schemes/themes from within. Like just the red and green next year. Or blue. Or maybe pinks. Or...

p.s. Jeremiah wanted me to add that the tall glass vase on the entertainment center has been the most recent victim of our ghost. When we came home the other evening, it had been moved. Not broken or chipped or cracked or anything. But instead of sitting on the table, it was nearby on the floor. The concrete floor. Jeremiah thinks the cat did it. But how does a heavy glass vase fall from a high table/entertainment center onto CONCRETE floor and not break? And land right-side up, with everything still in the vase? It doesn't. It was moved by the ghost. I left the damn thing on the floor. If that's where the ghost wants, that's what it gets. Don't piss it off. Happy Holidays.