I thought I would show off my little house today! I have it all decorated for Christmas and I'm very happy with it! I also realized, I haven't ever shown off my house so now that I'm done creating all my Christmas orders, I will clean and photograph everything!!!
Anyway, today is about the Christmas!
First up! this is over my stairs. My mom gave me the shelf and I've been trying to come up witha cute way to decorate it when it isn't Christmas. So far, I haven't been very successful which is mainly because I'm too cheap to buy anything. Anyway, right now it has on it, starting at the left, a little wooden sign that says :"Rudolf with your noseso bright, won't you guide the sleigh tonight."I picked that up at a little party store that was going out of business. Then there are two metal trees (clearance, Joann) and those cute wooden "JOY" blocks. The framed sign, I'm actually quite proud of. I bought the vinyl from some deal of the day site, and it says "Joy, hope, peace, believe, christmas." I looked everywhere for a cute frame to put it on. I was planning on just getting a picture frame and putting a cute peice of paper behind the glass and then sticking the vinyl straight on the glass. I couldn't ever find one that I liked that I was willing to spend the money on. I mean really, I can't just spend 30 dollars on a frame that will be out for about a month once a year. So I was at Hobby Lobby and I finally decided to get one that was okay. It was still 10 dollars but I decided to just do it. I kept walking around and found myself in the wood crafts aisle. I saw this frame that had an 8 by 10 opening and a big wooden frame around it. I knew I had some Christmas paper at home so I decided to make my own. I'm really happy with how it turned out. It ended up being about 7 dollars because I had all the other supplies already. Now I have a completely original frame that I love!
So this is just a shot of my stairwell. I was really excited to have a banister to put a garland on. And I could go all the way around it because we don't go downstairs!
This little advent calander is hanging on the closet in my entry way. My dads mom gave it to me and I think it is just adorable. I think next year I'll try to find a better location for it though.
These stockings are also hanging in our entry way. Somebody gave them to us as a wedding gift (great idea!) and they have our names embroidered on them. We don't have one for Liam yet, I figure he won't care so I don't want to spend the money.
This is our Christmas tree. It looks just like it did last year, except this year there is a baby to pull the ornaments off!! I kind of love it though. I though about putting the ornaments up higher so he couldn't reach them but the tree is so darn short that if I did that, there would only be decorations in the top foot of the tree. For the most part he just ignores it though, he is more excited about walking everywhere.
Now this is something I really love. I decided this year that I wanted to start collecting a Christmas village. I was going to buy one piece a year and seee where I got with it. Well I told my mom this and one night, while she was helping my grandma put out her nutcrackers, my grandma asked if she would like her village. My mom said no but she I would! So instead of my one little house, I started off my collection with six!!!! There is a train station, four houses and a church. I love it! I love that I have things that belonged to my grandma.
Here is my mantle. This year I decided that one of the things I really really wanted to get was a nativity. I don't have one and, hello! Christmas is about Christ! So I found this Willow Tree nativity on a killer sale and had to have it. It isn't the full set, but the most important parts are there. I told husband that he as welcome to give me the rest of the nativity as Christmas gifts in years to come. On here are a couple more things my grandma gave me. I have one of her many nutcrackers and then the figurine of Santa with the kids is a little music player. It spins and plays toyland. I think its super cute! There is another metal tree and the sign in the background says Joy to the world multiple times. The picure frame is another one that I made. I really wanted a frame to put Santa pictures in but, once again, couldn't justify spending 15 dollars on a holiday frame. This one cost me 3. The paper chain I made in activity days. I'm over the 8-9 year olds. They are so cute!
OHOHOHOHOHOHOH!!! I never posted a picture of this BUT I GOT A PIANO!!! I am so beyond thrilled. I went to Bonnie's recital at the piano store and I saw this little beauty on sale for a KILLER deal. I went home and consulted with husband and after finding out that they would drop the price even lower, I bought it the next day!!!! I even got two students that pay for the darn things with their lessons. I'm so thrilled to have a piano in my home!!!
The second picture is probably my favorite Christmas item I own. My mom has a this same tree and it plays silent night. It has always been my favorite decoration that she has. I remember being so excited to unpack it from the decorations every year and twisting it up an playing it over and over. Well when I was going through the things that my grandma gave me, I found it!! I have my very own Christmas tree!!!! I don't even have words to say how happy I am to have one of my own! I love it!
Well, there you have it. My holiday house!!! I'm so excited to spend time with my little family and to see our even bigger families too! Merry Christmas everone!
