Trimmings, tutorials, tips - Christmas week

Welcome to my Christmas House
which is constantly evolving around here. I think there should be more lights on the tree and I still have boxes to get back down to the garage but so far, so good. Everything I have done is simple and easy. No highly involved tips and tutorials here. This week should be joyful not stressful.

Trimmings
This year on the staircase railing, I mixed synthetic garland with cut boughs from the tree. It adds a little thickness and smells good. Ribbon, beaded garland and pine cone lights finish it out. I've had all of those things for years. I keep base colors simple so when I want to change things and use trend colors or lean towards a theme, I only have to buy a few extras in any given year.

This year I am displaying the Christmas cards received. I just used small clothespins to hold them to the garland. That cool card is from my friend Alysa, my 1st mission companion in Japan. Love that girl!

A few trimmings of metallics and beads. More on that during the week.

Some of my favorite ornaments are the ones that the kids make in school. Not only are they sweet and simple, they have an American Folk art quality to them. Charley made this in 3rd grade with a clothespin and tissue paper.

Tutorial
Just get a clothespin and any kind of paper you'd like to use. Cut the paper into a rectangle, round the edges, accordion fold the center, pinch it if you'd like, and clip with the pin. Could it be any easier?

I cut the paper afterward a little more and crumpled it.

Here we used a page from an old book and wrapping paper. You could also paint the pin or use vintage clothespins as well. For those, you'd just have to glue the wings to the back since they don't have a spring hinge.

Tip

So if you're like me and like a lot of lights, you know how quickly they can become tangled and never can stuff them back into their box when you go to store them. A lifesaver was when I cut cardboard into an "I" shape and wound the cords onto it. They store easily this way and best of all, never a mess of lights.

So that rounds it out today. Have fun out there! I'll be back with vintage ornaments, our annual "gingerbread" village, and making Mexican hot chocolate - our fave!

Out.

Laura