It seems like just yesterday the weather was warm and sunny, and I was decorating for summer. Well those days are gone, and we’re already getting near freezing temperatures here at night, and that means it’s time to start thinking about decorating for Christmas.
I had to plan a bit this year because I decided to make new decorations this year that matched our new living room color scheme. Of course, it took longer than I thought it would because work kept getting in the way of my crafting time.
Christmas Decorations: Bookcase Holiday Makeover
Tonight my mom stopped by after jury duty, and it was a chance to get her help with putting together my vision of a teal and silver wintery wonderland. Of course, right at the start, I realized I’d forgotten the faux snow though I swore I’d purchased it. And the paper starlight strings that arrived nearly two months ago were put somewhere “safe” by my husband, and now he can’t remember where he put them. Still, we decided to forge ahead and made changes as necessary to get it mostly finished.
Christmas Decorations: You Say Hokie, I Say Homey
First, my mother called my homemade Christmas decorations “hokie,” Whatever; I love sparkle and shine for the holidays so hokie it is! I could have pulled out the expensive Christmas houses and nativity scene I’ve been collecting for years, but it was fun to do something different, corny or not.
Christmas Decorating – Step 1: Clean Your Space
I started by emptying the shelves of my Sauder Cottage Collection Bookcase. The color is Cobblestone, a pale grey, and it’s the perfect backdrop for my holiday decor.
Christmas Decorating – Step 2: Options
I gathered all the decor object options I had for the bookcase and placed them together so we could pick and choose and pull from a wide variety of items. What’s an option? Anything within the selected color scheme from anywhere around the house – it’s all fair game.
I also made some new items this year. Some simple Christmas Houses, painted deer, and more.
Products used to create these Christmas Crafts: Darice Papier-mache Houses (set of 3, small, medium and large), wooden moose, wooden deer, Miniature Christmas Lights (decorative only), miniature candy canes, miniature bottle brush trees, large bottle brush trees, miniature blue garland, Aleene’s True Snow Paint, miniature wreath, teal jingle bells,unfinished wood craft snowflake shape cutouts, snowflake cutouts, 3/4″ mini wood spoons (shutters), Martha Stewart Acrylic Paint in Pearl and Metallic, and miniature picket fence.
Make your own Sequin-covered Christmas Tree – You’ll need a Paper mache cone, a roll of sequins in teal and silver, a hot glue gun, 5/8″ sheer organza ribbon in aqua, round gems, platinum bugle beads, and Mini 10″ Canadian Pine Wreath.
Add a garland of pearls to a miniature Christmas tree – string them on 24 gauge wire, wrap them around the tree, and secure them in place. The Pearl beads are from House of Gems – mint, light blue, white, and green.
Ready-to-paint Darice Papier-mache Houses (set of 3, small, medium and large) make creating your own holiday village easy. Even kids can paint or decoupage theses houses. Embellish with Miniature Christmas Lights (decorative only), miniature candy canes, miniature bottle brush trees, large bottle brush trees, miniature blue garland, Aleene’s True Snow Paint, miniature wreath, teal jingle bells,unfinished wood craft snowflake shape cutouts, snowflake cutouts, 3/4″ mini wood spoons (shutters), Martha Stewart Acrylic Paint in Pearl and Metallic, and miniature picket fence or leave them simple – it’s up to you!
Then I added even more sparkle with glitter-embellished flameless candles. Check out my easy tutorial on How to add glitter to a flameless candle instructions.
Christmas Decorating – Step 3: Placement
With clean and bare shelves and a pile of possibilities, my mother started placing the items on the shelves trying to add interest by varying the heights of the pieces and grouping things together. Colors were also taken into account and distributed throughout the shelves.
Instead of faux snow, my mom used white tissue paper and white and silver garland that my sweet husband ran out to the store for to replace the snow. He says the store didn’t have faux snow available yet, but he hates the stuff so much he may have been telling a little white lie.
But the tissue paper and garland looked pretty good together, and the houses were raised with books to accommodate the depth of the makeshift ground cover (sure, the bricks and stone paths I painted can’t be seen anymore because of the paper and garland, but I know they’re there).
My mom kept placing things until she was happy with the way it looked and then I went and rearranged it the way I liked it. Isn’t that what all mom and daughters do? In the end, I love how it looks and since I’m the one that gets to enjoy it; I’m going to go out on a limb and say that’s what’s most important.
Oh, and guess who found the snow?!? Yes! I added it on top because it’s not Christmas unless you’re sweeping up pine needles and fake snow all month long.
Christmas Decorations: Holiday Bookcase Makeover Part Deux
I still have the matching bookcase on the opposite side of the fireplace to do, and I need to buy more battery powered LED fairy lights to add some nighttime glow. Even still, I’m loving the way it’s all coming together.
Oh and mom, I’m not offended by you calling my decorations hokie….but do it again, and I’ll be making a set for you, too!
Have you started your holiday decorating? What’s your color theme this year and do you change it up from time to time?
