Merry Christmas! I’m SO glad you are here. I can’t wait to celebrate with all of you.
Come on in the house and let’s visit a little while. I’ve been waiting for today when all of you would drop by. The arrangement on the front door is new this year. My friend, Cindi, who helped in the Holiday House made some of these to sell and I bought one. Yes, I cheated and didn’t make my own. 🙂 Actually, I did add the 2 big pinecones to it and I really love it on the black door. And that’s a new white Welcome done with vinyl on the door too.
On the foyer table, you’ll see the new tree I found at Ballard Designs and it’s really a good looking tree, very happy I got it. I decided to keep it fairly simple here and add my big hurricane lantern, with the tall tree and a few gold and white pieces.
I had all of these gold and white ornaments already and they work great on this prelit tree.
This cute little sparkly white and gold deer has been with me for a few years.
And this is the hurricane lantern I got last year from Linden Street (JC Penney) filled with 3 flameless candles that I got at Michaels. I love these things! They really flicker just like the real ones and create a nice ambiance. I tucked a few fresh cedar greens around the bottom on the silver platter.
A faux wreath hangs on the railing looking up the stairs.
I had to add some Christmas cheer to my antique mirror. Those Merry Christmas letters seemed to fit right in this spot and a couple of mercury glass votives flank the sides, along with some white pinecones I spray painted last year.
I found this cute brown cone at a yardsale 🙂 and love to fill it with fake berries and real greens. Those berries look real and I found them last year in Marietta on closeout for about 50 cents a stem. You know I love those bargains. The fresh cedar greens make the look and I cut them from a tree in our nearby woods.
Here we have ye big tree! It’s a 7 1/2 foot prelit fake. I’ve been doing gold and burgandy for many years now and will probably not redo this tree anytime soon. I still love it when it’s all glitzed up. I looked for those urns for fake trees for the last couple of years and haven’t spotted any lately, so I painted this plastic garden urn with some brown metallic paint and will share that with you later. Easy to do!
Here’s the tree topper I did for the Birmingham News and I’ll share how to do that with you too. Another easy project!
I tuck the tree here in this corner by the sofa and it’s a perfect spot to enjoy it.
Been practicing taking some artsy shots with my camera and I love how this came out. Glass balls in a gold box that sits on an end table, with some golden beads draped over them, an easy way to do a table display.
White glittery JOY spells out a greeting above the door to the hallway. This is a piece of wood molding tacked above the doorway that I painted many years ago. I love this piece and it will move with me wherever we go.
My cute nativity scene has been with me for probably 25 years now and I love adding it to this little table in the living room. Burlap comes in handy for a backdrop.
Are you planting any paperwhites this year? I did it last year and had so much fun watching them poke through and grow tall with blooms. I threw my 3 bulbs in the garage last year after Christmas and there they have been sitting. Imagine my surprise, when I picked them up and saw some green shoots already coming out, just waiting to get back in some water, along with a couple of babies. 🙂 So, hopefully I’ll be rewarded with those wispy white blooms again in a few weeks.
And my other container of fake paperwhites will stand in until the real ones bloom. I brought out a white yardsale birdbath that I’ve had, adding some red and green balls, real greens and a little fake snow for a wintery effect. I love this!
Another yardsale iron birdbath holds more tiny ornaments and greenery.
And there you have the tree and mantel in the livingroom.
The tree at night, looking back towards the front door.
There is something magical about a Christmas tree.
Moving to the black console table, I loved all this silver last year so much, I did it again. My hubby really likes this table too. One tip I’ve learned is to group like colors together for an instant collection. Most all of this is silvery tones and they all work together.
My favorite iron yardsale urn stands at center and the rest of the silver pieces are the accents. Some is mercury glass, some glittery silver, silver ornaments, all different, but the tones unite them all. Picked up that glittery Merry Christmas at a thriftstore.
I kept the little quail bird on top cause I just think he’s so cute. With the addition of some mercury glass ornaments, the urn fits right in for Christmas too.
That tall piece is actually 2 silver pieces stacked together, both yardsale finds. The tall cone on top is just a silvery Christmas tree glass topper. I’m completely ga-ga over mercury glass these days. Just found those pretty little votives to the left at Old Time Pottery this year, really cheap.
These 2 silver pieces (pedestal and tray) are both yardsale finds and look so pretty at this time of year. I found a whole bag of silver ornaments sometime back at a yardsale too, not sure if they are vintage, but they look to have a little age on them. And all mixed in with the new mercury glass ones, it’s all pretty.
Love the sparkle!
And another yardsale find, this silver candleabra makes another great item to use on this table. I just added a couple of pretty sparkly ornaments on top, with some silver pinecones hanging below and that’s it. You can be sure I’ll add a few more mercury glass pieces to my collection when I find more on sale.
So, that wraps up my house this year! I hope you enjoyed the tour and I can’t wait to see your houses all decked out for Christmas too. Please add your link on, so that we can all come and visit you too.
If you missed the kitchen, diningroom and mantel and would like to see it all, just click on these links for the rest. I’ve been decorating for Christmas like crazy!
And please be courteous and link back to this post and my party, so that others can join in the fun. I’ve got a busy 2 days ahead and hope to get by every single link and it might take awhile, but I’ll sure try. I’ve got the Lovelady Christmas party tonight that I’ll be helping with and tomorrow night, we host our own Holiday party right here at our house. 🙂
I’m joining in the following parties around blogland too:
Julia at Hooked on Houses Holiday Party
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick
Melissa’s Friday Linky at The Inspired Room
Have fun looking around blogland and be sure and leave lots of comments for everyone. We all enjoy that too!
Home for the Holidays 2009 Participants
Powered by… Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets.
erin says
Hi Rhoda!
wow…your Christmas Decor is gorgeous!! I especilly love the tarnished silver pieces embellished with ornaments!! i too love mercury glass and i’ve been experimenting with different craft techniques to get that look (not quite there yet, but close). thanks so much for hosting the fun party!
Happy Holidays!
erin
One crazy mama says
Your house is beautiful. Thank you for sharing!! Absolutely love the mercury glass…what gorgeous sparkle!!
Kathy@Creative Home Expressions says
Your front door looks great, Rhoda! What a nice welcoming entrance. I did a swag on my front door as well this year, rather than a wreath {nice to change things up every once in awhile}. Love the burlap with the nativity ~ that fits in great! I love all your containers filled with bulbs and beads; the silver display is just lovely. Great idea having all these containers on hand ~ they certainly come in handy and make it easy to decorate. Looking forward to seeing how to make that topper!
Renae says
Rhoda,
You outdid yourself Girl….fabulous!
My decorating this year is minimal due to no one being home!
Blessings Friend!
xo
Pam says
Wow it all looks so nice.
Lindsey says
I absolutely love your foyer table. So elegant!!
If you’re a fan of mercury glass, you should have a look at the post I just did on my blog last night! I have noticed that it is all the rage lately.
http://mrspottsthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/12/new-trend-mercury-hurricanes.html
Pat H says
Rhoda Your home looks amazing as always…thanks for sharing…Pat H
Merry Christmas!
paintergal says
Rhoda, as always, a beautiful job.
I thought you had photoshopped the “welcome” on your door. Pretty cool that it’s a vinyl cling!
I think I may have to borrow the idea of the frame around the decor above your antique mirror. Pretty!
Have a fabulous Christmas, Dear!
Mrs. G says
Rhoda,
OMG, your house looks so beautiful. You really went all out this year and I’m so glad you did and that you are sharing it with us. Hopefully before the day is over I will get my camera out and join in the party.
Hugs,
Sie
Debbie says
WOW!!
After seeing your lovely decorating it was hard to post my very “average ” decor. Yours is all so very lovely!! Simply Stunning
Misti England says
Of course, everything looks super fabulous, Rhoda! Wish I had time to visit everyone…maybe this weekend…
Thanks for sharing, and I love your photos. Very cool!
~Misti
Karen B says
Hi Rhoda, Your home looks beautiful as usual. I thought I’d join in today.
Merry Christmas from Elderberry Street
Pamela says
Absolutely gorgeous! Glad to join the party!
Have a wonderful season!
Pamela
Jenny says
Everything is so pretty! It looks like a magazine!
Pinky says
Rhoda, wanted to let you know: I linked to Susan’s TT, so if you’d like to see ONE of my holiday tablescapes (there wioll be more), please stop over to Between naps on the porch! XO, Pinky
kathysue says
Rhoda, your home looks so festive and elegant and warm and inviting what a wonderful combination. You have outdone yourself this year. Love the tree topper sooooo impressive. Hugs Kathysue
Donna @ An Enchanted Cottage says
I don’t even know where to start… Your entire home is so elegant and gorgeous! I do love your manger with the burlap roof… it made my heart skip a beat when I saw it :)… Donna
Melissa Miller says
Hi Rhoda,
What a magical party! Thank you very much for hosting it for us. I’m thoroughly enjoying my tour of everyone’s homes.
I was so busy drooling over your amazing home photos earlier that I actaully forgot to leave you a comment.
Your home is magical and so gorgeous dreesed for Christmas! Love, love your tree and the stunning topper! Your front door, entryway and mantel as well. Sigh….It all belongs in a magazine. You have outdone yourself my friend!
Thank you for your sweet compliment on our home as well.
Enjoy this joy filled season!
~Warmly, ~Melissa 🙂
Bonnie says
Looks fabulous as usual , Rhoda! Merry Christmas & would love to know how you did the topper! It is very striking!
Bonnie