I’ve had a little bit of melancholy, not having my own house to decorate for Christmas, for the first time since the mid-80’s, when I moved into my first house. But, I’m not going to let that stop me from feeling festive. My parent’s house is not really a great house to decorate for Christmas, there’s not a lot of room to add things, but we just might put up a small tree. My mom has a small fake one that she usually puts in their den, but I’m thinking about getting a little tabletop real tree this year and putting it on the porch. I’ll keep you posted on that!
But, I will have plenty to share from my sister’s house and also plenty of friends who deck their halls, so the blog will have plenty going on for the month of December. I’ve already done some photo shoots and can’t wait to share with you.
In preparation for all the Christmas decorating that I know will be going on this week, I’m looking back to last year at my old house. I think it was my most favorite Christmas decorating I’ve done to date, so it’s worth looking at again. And there are bound to be some new readers who didn’t see any of my Christmas decor from last year, so I hope you enjoy.
Dining Room with Brown/White Transferware
The dining table was set with brown and white transferware.
Aqua Christmas Mantel
The mantel got a dose of aqua last year and I did love it.
Vintage Shiny Brite Ornaments
Oh, how I love my mom’s vintage Shiny Brites that she passed down to me. These might make an appearance this year too. They bring me joy, since these are what dangled from our tree growing up.
Glass Cloche with Natural Elements
The dining room buffet got a winterscape too with this cloche and natural elements.
Christmas real green wreath
I took a Christmas tour through Mountain Brook in Birmingham and saw some of the most gorgeous real greens. Great ideas for using real greens on that link, with mailbox swags and wreaths.
Colorful Christmas tabletop tree
My colorful Ballard’s tabletop tree was fun and you’ll see this again at my sis’s house this year.
Table Top Christmas Tree
I added another tabletop tree last year on top of my aqua plant stand.
Silver and Mercury Glass Christmas
I so love mercury glass and silver all grouped together and loved this table.
Lime and Red Kitchen Tree
And my lime and red tree in the kitchen was an all-time fave.
I’ve still got all of this packed away and one of these days, it will all come back out again and I’ll have a big Christmas celebration with it all.
Don’t forget the Holiday Home parties start next week! Layla’s up next Monday with table decor and I’ll cover mantels on Wednesday. Get your posts ready to link up if you have some inspiration to share!
Feel free to use this badge on the mantel post to link back, if you would like to.
Are you decorating for Christmas this week?
Are you doing more or less this year?
Some years, I feel like doing a lot and sometimes a little.
How about you?
If you’re stopping by from Nester’s Christmas home tour, so glad to meet you. This is a recap of my Christmas from last year and some of my fave things for the Holidays.
As I started reading…I was already thinking you should decorate your parents back porch that you redecorated! And how about their front door or porch???
Hi, Thanks for the beautiful inspiration. Haven’t started at all yet. Finally giving up the notion of trying to have a full size tree in every room. Going to look for some pretty table top ones too. THe kroger out Dallas Hwy. across from the Avenues has some adorable fresh cut trees that are table sized.
Best of luck to you Rhoda – I’m sure God has awesome plans in store for you,I don’t know many women who could experienced the year you have had and still be such an uplifting inspiration. God Bless!
If you go, hope to see you at the Marietta Pilgrimage.
I love how yor table top Christmas trees looked, such wonderful ideas.
Rhoda, can you tell me how to link to your holiday linky party that’s coming up? Thanks
Beautiful ideas! I loved your lime and red kitchen display. Thanks for sharing these ideas again.
Everyone I talk to is in a bit of a funk. We downsized last Christmas Eve(can’t believe I lived through it) This year in a smaller place we will only put out a fraction of our decorations. Why don’t you put a little tree in your bedroom? My daughter did that, besides decorating around her bedroom door, and with a wreath to boot! She had moved back home and it gave her a boost.
Prayers and blessings for you, Paula
No space to decorate for Christmas just means you won’t spend first week in January doing the packing it all away. Not spending your time to do a full all-out holiday decorating means you have more time to sing carols, visit friends, enjoy family, buy something for the angel tree, rejoice in freedom of religion.
Thanks for sharing all the great photos.
Love the silver christmas tree. I am doing silver and purple this year and starting to put all my decorations up now. Its all looking really pretty and I hope to blog my results.
I love all your pics above, look forward to all your Christmas themed posts. This is my first year in the blogasphere and I am totally addicted and Wowed! by everyones creative abilities. It is so wonderful to see that there are so many woman out there that love exactly what I love too 🙂
Lee
Your decorating is always so pretty and very inspiring. I am going to try to link up next week, I hope I remember the right days for each.
Hugs, Cindy
I decorated our home this past weekend and downsized it this year. We have some serious health issues to deal with, so all theknick-knacks that we tend to scatter thru the house are still packed . Funny thing is, we don’t miss them. I put up a tree in the living room and dining room and a small table top tree in the kitchen and our Christmas village in the family room. Our nativity set and angels are set up and I feel that is plenty. The bedrooms and bathrooms will not be decorated this year. A simple wreath is outside and a snowman decoration hangs on the front door. Most of what remains packed is being donated so we can declutter and simplify. After the holidays I am going to get rid of our large tree. I do all the decorating and taking down by myself and as I get older it is becoming a chore instead of a pleasure. I will never stop decorating, but look forward to doing with less.
When my daughter and her family moved out of state, somehow the ‘anticipation’ of Christmas just went out of me. Last year I put up ZERO decorations; however, this year I put up a tree as they were all here visiting for Thanksgiving. That inspired me to go ahead and do up the dining room and fireplace mantle. Guess I just needed a jump start and the grand-kids did the trick. 🙂
Well Rhoda, it was your blog that go me goin! Let me elaborate. I began searching for how to paint furniture black and lo and behold, I found your famous post which I followed! The chair looks great. HOWEVER, what really happened that day, is I discovered the world of blogging – I felt like a child discovering Disney World! So, what did I do? I thought I would start a blog…and here I am with that inspiration still stirring but unfilled. I am such a darn perfectionist that I want a result like yours which I know probably was quite a process and evolution! Anyway, I appreciate your creativity – Out of everything from last year, I agree – LOVE the green and pink tree!
I’m so impressed with your decorating skills. Here’s a suggestion, you could start up a small holiday decorating business or offer up your services to local charities and churches.
I remember your kitchen tree, Rhoda! Love it! Your kitchen decorations helped me do a little more decorating in my own kitchen for Christmas last year. Since we’ve downsized I am not using all my stuff. In fact, I’ve given my daughter and son-in-law quite a bit and have a box ready to go to Goodwill. I’d really like to simplify a bit, yet still have a very festive home for Christmas.
Rhoda,
I have followed your blog for several years. I know this must be the most difficult year; however, you give me great strength. Your wonderful spirit and uplifting encouragement truly blesses me!!
Happy Holidays.
Rhoda,
I remember you showing a few posts of your mom’s home. It was beautiful. But, it’s not the same as your own, I’m sure. I feel for you. I love reading your blog and seeing what you were working on next in your home. You are so creative and do it with such a thrifty style. You have influenced me from the beginning. From the first time I discovered blogging. I scoured your Archives for thing that I saw that I just had to see again or to show my husband so we could make the mirror or whatever it was. I still enjoy seeing your endeavors though. Hang in there and Merry Christmas Ya’ll!
Rhoda –
Vintage shiny brites, glass cloches, cute step stool – are we twins separated at birth? Love it!
Kelly
Beautiful job, as always Rhoda. I love your mom’s antique ornaments and the feathers on top of the mini tree. What a great touch!
(I’ve been a fan since the beadboard kitchen makeover!)
Merry Christmas!
it looks lovely, rhoda! i love the image with the aqua stepstool!