Christmas Tour

Last year, I invited you to come again and enter through our kitchen.  So, that's where this year's tour will start.  I purchased these two wreaths, which I just simply adore, and hung them from the top of my window trim with small nails.  After looping the ribbon onto the wreath frame, I added a grommet to hang the ribbon onto the nails.  I think I'm in love!  I can picture wreaths here all. year. long.  Except, I don't think it will be so nice when opening windows - so it may just be a winter-thing! ;-)

I made the shorter candle by hot gluing cinnamon sticks to a candle and then finishing it off with some cute ribbon.  The taller candle has ribbon wrapped around it with a piece of artificial berries tucked inside.  The candle stands and topiary are all from Southern Living at Home, some of my favorite pieces!!

Need a quick idea to spruce up your cooktop? I placed a seasonally scented candle and surrounded it with various nuts. It's simple to do, but I always get lots of comments about it.

Another simple idea is these plate racks. I have 4 plates that coordinate with the wall hanging my mother made me. I swap out the plates each season for a new and fun look.

I wanted to find a special little place for a gingerbread nativity set I purchased after Christmas last year. What better place than the shelves in my kitchen!

Here's a closer look at the top two shelves.

Leaving the kitchen and entering our family room, you'll find our entertainment center.  On the bottom shelf is our Advent Calendar as well as our Advent Nativity set - which I absolutely LOVE!  Hanging on the side of the shelf is a stocking I made for my hubby a long time ago and peeking out from inside it is Charlie, our Elf on a Shelf from the North Pole.  The two pieces of pottery on the top two shelves are from my hubby's place of employment - wonderful keepsakes!

The other side of our entertainment center.  The wreath is on a wreath stand (another thing I am absolutely in love with).  I think they give you so many more options with wreaths.  I purchased mine, here.  I decided to add my Easter egg to our Christmas collection this year, too!  Because you don't get to Easter without Christmas!

And at the top of our entertainment center, is my Willow Tree Nativity.

Turning around, you'll see our Christmas tree and mantle. Our tree is decorated with Hallmark ornaments that date back to 1980. I've continued the collection with my children. You'll notice another wreath stand on my mantle; I just couldn't put a nail in the stone!  At Christmastime, I replace my silk flowers on the red sconces with these little evergreens.  The stockings were made by my mother-in-law.  They are similar to the one that I made my husband ... and I have one half completed sitting in a basket! :-D

Inspired by Just Mom, we created our own set of "JOY" letters to hang above our "window mirror." I wanted to find bigger letters, but all her readers must have gotten to the craft store before me. :-(

Around the corner from our family room is our living room. Here's a little tree that my 3 year old enjoys playing with. Isn't it obvious? ;)

The other side of the living room entryway.

Our front door.  We get so much wind at our house that I cannot hang wreaths outside.  :(  So, we settle for hanging them inside!

This is our living room where Quintin and Elle have their salt dough nativities displayed.  They both made them at our homeschool co-op.  Quintin made his 2 years ago and Elle made hers this past fall. In the middle is a picture of a snow-mail-man delivering mail to a little girl named Hannah.  Hannah's family attends our church and last year she was diagnosed with cancer.  Her Christmas wish last year was to receive lots of Christmas cards.  She received well over 157,000 cards!!  A local artist created the picture and they have raised lots of support for many other children battling cancer.  Hannah passed on to be with our Lord this past June, at just 5 years old.  We were sad but we also rejoiced as she joined her mommy up in heaven!  Her mother passed away when she was a toddler.  This picture is very special to us!

Thank you for visiting.  If you haven't done so already, head over to The Nesting Place to see many more beautiful homes and Christmas tours!