The Gardner Antique Fireplace Mantel and O'Christmas Tree

Our Christmas tree is up and I am now revealing the antique fireplace mantel we are currently using in our sitting room. I have just fallen in love with it. This along with all of our new chandeliers and sconces have been my favorite projects we have completed since moving into our new home. Mike stripped it and restained it in an M L Campbell Woodsong II oil based stain in the Espresso color. I think that color is rich and we had hoped would match our wood floors and I think it is a near perfect match.

You know the times when you buy something and you just know that you are going to love it forever and ever. And you know everytime you see it you will think to yourself I am so glad I bought this. Well this is how I feel about this Christmas skirt. I think it might be the rich velvet against the satin fabric.

No Christmas decor would be complete without wreaths from greenery and little snowmen dancing around a Christmas tree. I so debated putting these delicate little things out this year. I looked at them and then I looked at our four year old. I bet I did that three times and told myself I will just tell her not to touch them. Well I regret to say that the little one with the shovel has been broken twice since. I think she learned once I glued the nose back on because it has not been touched since. She stands there and looks at them but I have not seen it anywhere but next to that little Christmas tree.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. We have a Christmas party along with an appointment with a good friend to talk about a few chandeliers for her. And I just adore chandeliers. :)

Book Page Christmas Trees

We have been doing a little bit of Christmas decorating around here. It is always fun to get out the Christmas boxes because there are little items you have collected over the years that have been forgotten until the lids are pulled off. Faith had so much fun going through nearly every box! I made these book page Christmas trees last year but opted to put a little handmade garland around each of them this year. Each garland is a bit different and some are hardly noticeable but I like the simplicity of the look. I did a tutorial on the trees which can be found under our December 7, 2010 Studio 5 segment on the right side bar if anyone is interested in making a set of their own. I hope that you are enjoying the start of your holiday season!!!

The Curly Wreath

Faith wanted a wreath for her bedroom door so we came up with this one. So many wreaths require glue guns but that just does not work for a four year old. We did this by using masking paper and book pages and ripping them into strips. We then curled them around a pencil. While I used the glue gun Faith was able to curl her own strips and tape them on so it worked out perfectly. Here it is hanging from her door and greeting all who walk by. Super easy and not too time consuming which is a big factor around here!

Live Nativity - The Evening of December 10

My parents had the opportunity to host a beautiful live nativity for our LDS church behind their home. Just beyond the patio and waterfall is where this marvelous activity took place. Members took a small winding path leading to the actual manger scene. Scriptures from Luke marked the path along with sheep and goats (all live stock). The words shined brightly with each spotlight drawing attention to the glorious story of old.

What a humbing experience to stand and witness a resemblence of the circumstances surrounding the evening of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The lighted star above the stable led the wisemen and shepherds to the new born infant.

This sweet little donkey was amongst the manger with Joseph and Mary.

Thank you to the Canyon Estates activity committee for reminding us the tree meaning of Christmas and for letting our family come and participate. It was a spirtitually uplighting event and one that we will remember for a long time.

The Frosted Gardner Mini Christmas Tree

We put our little mini Christmas tree up just before Thanksgiving so we could enjoy it for an extra week. I wanted to keep it simple so I made a little banner to wrap all around it and then aside from the lights I called it good.
And then my imagination with the white tissue paper pom poms took over and the display above the tree got a bit grandiouse. But that is ok. We like it this way and our little one loves it!
So hanging above our little mini tree is about twenty pom poms in two different sizes.
They spiral down to the tree almost touching the star crowning all of its glory!
The banner consists of masking paper and silver glittery bows.

This little tree is super heavy and not because of the tree itself. If I remember correctly I put 1,000 lights on it! I store it with the lights on so it has been a few years back. It is pretty loaded - and with all white lights of course!

It is a good thing tissue paper weighs next to nothing - otherwise we could have a huge problem.

O' Christmas Tree. . .

amidst a

Winter

Wonderland!

I am linking to the parties on my sidebar.