Merry Christmas everyone! Can you believe that Christmas is just one week away? It's crazy, I know! My husbands birthday is also on Christmas day, so we have so much to celebrate and be thankful for :) This was us last Christmas in Banff National Park.
We are very excited to be heading to NYC for New Years Eve this year! It will be our very first time there. Definitely a bucket list trip for sure. Hopefully I'll get to show you all of my amazing photos from that trip in January!
Today I am very excited to give you a tour of my holiday home. So sit back and relax as I give you a tour of the decorated areas. I can't believe that it's decorated and all set for Christmas! Yay! I can't wait for you to see all of the hard (but pleasurable) work I've put in since November. Christmas is such a joyous time of year, and I really wanted my home to give everyone a big cozy hug this year.
Let's start off in the living room...here's the beautiful frosted tip 8 ft beauty :). This Alfred Sung tree has been with us since 2008, and it's still going strong...and by strong I mean, I've had to replace the pre-lit lights that burnt out on the top section, and then there is one section that does not light on the back....haha! But who cant tell? ;) It doesn't matter to me because I still love the look and shape.
This beautiful tree skirt is made of red burlap and there are three wooden buttons down the font to close it. Isn't it darling!? I purchased it here in Lloydminster at The Country Store downtown. The pom pom burlap stockings are from Michael's...and you'll get to know pretty fast that pom poms were my jam this year. The wooden XMAS sign and flocked mantle garland are both from Homesense.
There are two signs here that were purchased from local small business'.
This one that says MERRY AND BRIGHT is from the gals @pineandprairiedesign on Instagram. They are two moms in Lethbridge, AB who make these wonderful superb quality signs. The wood and details are top notch and I was glad to support some fellow Albertans :)
This 'TIS THE SEASON TO BE FREEZIN' sign spoke to my soul when I saw it at! This cute piece is from @willowandgrow on Instagram. She works out of Lloydminster, so I was so happy to support her. And there a little close up of the cutest pom pom stockings ever!
This photo above was my biggest "liked" photo of all time on Instagram this year. The live edge table from Homesense has been a big hit and is so versatile with any sort of decor or holiday. It helps that my cute pom pom stockings are hanging out in the background :)
PRESENTS
"Bright COPPER packages tied up with strings...these are a few of my favorite things"...ok...I did change the song slightly, but here's why.... These copper wrapped Christmas gifts were my crowning glory this year! So many people were enthralled with the shiny paper. I have to admit though, when I saw the wrapping paper in Homesense, I knew it was going to be a HUGE hit! Copper and rose gold have been the metals of the year, and are used so widely in a variety of ways, even to wrap your gifts!
I simply added some raffia ribbon and a sprig of pine with two snowflake embellished bells...and voila! You have a beautiful gift anyone would love to unwrap. Cute as a bell....in this case.
This beautiful money shot (literally!) won me some great things...my Edmontonian pal, Erin @where.home.begins nominated my photo for a contest with Decor Rewards Holiday...and I won! Both the weekly hashtag game and the $220 USD, to be exact!! I'm so proud of my sweet little packages...they did really well this year! I had added some variation as well to some of the gift toppers: red snowy winter berries, gold mini poinsettias and flat glittery cedar branches. They are the cutest gifts I've ever wrapped.
PILLOW TALK
OK, besides pom poms and burlap, I had a slight pillow obsession this year. Can you spot the pom poms, though....haha. Yes, right there around the reindeer pillow and on the wool red pillow which has tons of white pom poms! They are both from Homesense, but the JOY pillow, and Nordic styled red and white patterned pillow are from Walmart. There is just something about tons of pillows that make a space feel so warm and cozy. I have to quickly point out, the magazine on the bench, Cottages and Bungalows, has a beautiful Christmas home spread from Jodie @jodie.thedesigntwins. She has been my ultimate inspiration and teacher these past few months, and I adore her! We also can't forget the Christmassy Rae Dunn mugs that have swept the nation. These ones say HOLLY and JOLLY :). The quilt was made by my mother in law...isn't it gorgeous!?
CANDY ADDICTION
Yes! Candy as decor....well MOSTLY as decor ;)...we ate lots too. Isn't it so fun to be able to decorate with candy? Most people say that they would more likely eat them before they could display them, however, these jars were filled about a month ago and are still pretty full. I guess my family doesn't like peppermint as much as I thought. I purchased varying sized jars in height and in width to display this sweet goodness from Homesense and Walmart. The larger than life candy canes are from Bulk Barn. Tie each lid with a ribbon of your choice and you've got a beautiful counter top display your guests will drool over....literally haha!
If you are going to put you candy on display, why not put your hot beverages on display, too? This coffee cart is such a darling addition to any holiday house. I mean, come on: chocolate spoons, biscotti, gingerbread coffee, maple earl gray tea, Bailey's Irish cream, white hot chocolate...need I say more? They had so many great mugs this year at Homesense, including the cute ones from the National Parks: I picked up Banff and Jasper, my Alberta parks :). This cart is also so versatile and comes from IKEA.
DINING WITH STYLE
Although the rest of my home is decorated with lots of red, blue, copper and green, I wanted to bring a bit of elegance to the dining room this year. I selected palette of cream, white, gold, glass, crystal and wood to be the focus. Simple yet beautiful. The jumping off point was my winter wonderland tree from my previous blog. After that, I found this gorgeous crocheted antique tablecloth and built from there.
These raffia chargers from IKEA were the perfect fit to bring a bit of rustic into the elegant. Gold rimmed dishes, pizzelle's, and shimmering gold ribbon brought the place setting to life. My friend Shawna @willowbloomhome made that beautiful wood bead garland for me. It is so gorgeous!
I added sparking crystal flutes, some peonies, birch branches, pine cones and very tall candlesticks, live wood platters and this table was done. Glamour meets rustic vintage right here folks. The antique milk glass vases fit perfectly into the cloche for a different take on how to display your vases. My gold cutlery didn't make the photos this time, but I will definitely be using them in future photos.
WELCOME FRIENDS
Seasons Greetings to all who enter! Lets turn our focus to the outside now. With my front door being such a deep cognac color, I had no choice but to go "au naturel" with my front door decor. Whites, golds, greens, blacks and natural elements was the way to bring out the Christmas magic of the season. Living in Canada adding some fun local elements are a give-in for me.
I purchased these skates at a second hand store here in Lloydminster, AB. The two foot high baby skis are from my wonderful friends at Home Hardware @homehardwarelloyd . I love their store! So many good quality items that you won't find anywhere else. I also added a stainless steel bucket filled with birch logs! It's so fun!!! This rustic SEASONS GREETINGS sign was purchased from a yard sale in the summer for $5! What a steal! It matches my door perfectly and keeps the rustic vibe alive.
This battery operated lantern adds such a beautiful glow at night and also brings a classic vintage vibe. Almost a dickens village feel. I bought it at Canadian Tire (for all of my non-Canadian friends: this tire store has decor.....don't ask, I still don't understand it either...but it's amazing! haha). This frosted wood sled is one of my favorite purchases of the season. It has a little twin sister who you will see inside with the pencil tree in the front entry soon. It's a real rustic wood sled from Homesense that is about two feet high. It's just a darling piece of decor!
This beautiful wreath was also a yard sale find. It has faux birch log inserts and lovely frosted pine cones and sprigs. I added the deer head from Walmart and turned it into a Canadian classic!
Here's an alternate night time view! Look at the wonderful glow :) I love the garland of white poinsettias I added to my five foot pre-lit trees from The Great Canadian Superstore. This is the perfect welcome to an guests or family.
A COZY ENTRY HALL
One of the first spaces that I decorated in the home was my banister. I wanted some neutral greens because again, my steps are cognac color, so it's a little bit easier to match to a neutral. Greens in my mind are a neutral to any space. These beautiful long faux garlands with pine cones are from Homesense and twisted in between are fairy lights for night time.
I have since moved my entry table to the other wall (photo to come). In it's place I decorated with a pencil tree from Michael's black Friday sale, a mid-century modern chair, and my favorite pillow of all time: the red poinsettia! This JOY sign written on a cut log is made by Crafty Business in Tramping Lake, SK. Of course I decorated the rim of my lamp with pom poms to tie things all together from the other rooms. There's the sister sled ;)
The navy blue wall was a perfect backdrop for this darling vignette on my entry table. This snowy red and white garland is from the Dollarama! They have had some great stuff this year. Can there be Christmas without a Charlie Brown tree? ;) This year was definitely the year of the red car with the tree on top! This image was everywhere...luckily I found a cute wooden art piece at Homesense along with the cutest little reindeer around. Again, I decorated with the skates stuffed with glittering cotton stems. It is a great way to add whimsy and fun to any space!
WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS
Last but not least...The Christmas Master Suite:
This was my first time EVER decorating seriously for the bedroom at Christmas. In the past I've added candles, or little items from the Christmas boxes that didn't fit anywhere else in the house, but I had never gone full out! Mind you, some would say I didn't quiet fulfill the task because there's no Christmas tree in sight! haha :) but I went for pre-lit driftwood garland as my twinkle light effect. Maybe next year you'll see a tree ;)
The star of the show in this room is the emerald velvet bench! It's such a wonderful color to decorate with at the holidays. The rich texture and tone bring a grounding elegance to any space. I use this bench in different parts of the home year round, but I thought it would be great for the holidays in my bedroom at the foot of the bed.
The second show-stopper was this ultra soft pom pom blanket, both from Homesense. The cranberry velvet pillows were my second pop of jewel tones, besides the bench. Add in a fur lined plaid pillow to the party and everyone's excited! This Bath and Body Works candle smells so delicious! Its called Winter...I also have the wall flowers and they are so festive!
This variation of pillows showcases a floral element...making it more Wintery than Christmassy. The postcard pillow reminds me of our trips to the Canadian Rockies...my favorite Canadian destination. I love that they are only 4-5 hours away :) It also matches my headboard beautifully!
WE'VE COME TO THE END OF THE TOUR AND THE BEGINNING OF A NEW YEAR!
Here's the house in the day time! I haven't been able to get that night time shot yet. We are so blessed to be able to live in this beautiful home. It's been a great six months (minus the crazy Canada Post mail carrier we have...long story :/ ) and we look forward to many more years here.
I can't tell you the joy I feel knowing you have stopped by to check out my holiday home tour. I am hoping and praying that this Christmas will bring you much love and peace. May you be the light in someone's life who is less fortunate than you and may you truly feel the love of the baby who came to this earth to bring you the ultimate love you need. I hope you have lots of fun, great food, and family memories this season! MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!!! And a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Check my Instagram page for more fun and ideas this Christmas! - Jenn xoxoxo