December 19, 2014

4 STEPS TO BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY WRAPPING

December 19, 2014/ Mallory

Now that Jessica's given you some ideas on creating beautiful tablescapes, all that's left to do is finish wrapping presents, right? Well hopefully you're at least that close to be completely done with your holiday gifting.

My favorite way to do finish up gifts is by having a wrapping party with friends! Have everyone bring their own scissors, tape, paper (gifts of course) and some ribbon and embellishments to share. You can have snacks, a hot cocoa bar or a signature cocktail to make your spirits bright while you get your creativity on!

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

Solid wrapping paper (or one that isn't overly busy.)
Coordinating patterned paper
Ribbon, jute, baker's twine and fabric
Embellishments likes pinecones, feathers, gingerbread cookies, ornaments
Gift tags
Tape
Scissors

Now that you have the essentials, let's start wrapping some gifts!

Your presents are just as much a part of your decor as your tree.

Stick with the same color scheme/theme as your tree and other decor for a cohesive look. Kraft postal paper is one of my favorite papers to use because of its versatility and minimal cost. You can find it at most big box retailers and office supply chains or find some online here.

STEP ONE: SELECT SOLID AND PATTERNED PAPER

Once you have your main papers (or "backdrops" as like to think of them) picked out, you can begin. Remember to use at least one solid and one pattern for contrast. You can also create your own pattern with stamps. I love this block print idea from Miss Mustard Seed.

STEP TWO: ADD RIBBONS AND FABRICS

When you have your gifts all wrapped, start adding on the extras. Ribbon, jute, fabric strips and leftover strips of your patterned paper make great add-ons for layering. I love this idea of using old clothing for fabric.

STEP THREE: ADD EMBELLISHMENTS

Next, you want to "dress" your gift with a little something extra. Here are a few embellishments to consider:

Pinecones-plain, painted or glittered
Plant clippings--pine, magnolia leaves, etc. (grab some clippers and head out into your yard to see what you can find)
Feathers
Ornaments
Gingerbread cookies (in any shape)
Pictures (scenic or portraits)

black and white ribbon and kraft paper.jpg

STEP FOUR: TAG IT

Last but not least--you'll need a gift tag. The Internet is swarming with free printable tags so there's really no excuse to slack in this last step! If you don't have the time or ink to print some of those, make your own with come card stock, a whole punch and some scissors (to cut a decorative edge).

And that's a wrap! Pun intended. I hope these ideas get you motivated to make your gift wrapping a memorable part of your home's holiday decor!

December 12, 2014

A Luxe Christmas

December 12, 2014/ Mallory

Christmas is my favorite time of year. Hands down. Gingerbread house making, Christmas carol singing, Prancer (or Little Women) watching, twinkle lights glowing, cinnamon and cloves smelling, present wrapping, candlelight service attending...it's the best time of year.

I'm hoping to pass on many of my childhood Christmas traditions as well as make new ones with my little family. I want Auden to love this time of year just as much as her momma. Right now, it's not looking so hot---at least on the Santa front.

Is that not the cutest/most pitiful thing you've ever seen? Poor girl. And poor Santa.

Even though Santa isn't a favorite of hers, I'm hoping decorating for the holidays will be one day. When I was little, we used to go pick out our own tree at a tree farm, cut it down, get it home, crank up the Christmas music (Little Drummer Boy, anyone?) and decorate it as a family. It was magical.

Every year, I get Jon to pull down all of my Christmas boxes from the attic and my brain gets to work on how I will decorate our own house and tree. I like to change it up a bit every year, but I don't like buying anything new--that's when your creativity gets to work.

My mind went into overdrive this year, and I began to imagine what I would do if I could wipe the slate clean and start over with decor. I decided I'd want a luxe, warm, classic look for our home. I didn't get to make this dream a reality, but I did make it a design board for all of you! Maybe you'll get inspired and want to spruce up your own home for the holidays (or at least catch some of these on sale to put up next year :)). Here is my luxe Christmas wish list...

“Luxe-
n. The condition of being elegantly sumptuous.”

{click image to enlarge}

one // two // three // four // five (Target in-store) // six // seven // eight // nine // ten

I think I would never tire of that look...at least not for a long time. Maybe next year I can make it happen! Have a great weekend everyone! And remember to contact us at the top of the page if we can help you with your own decor!

November 14, 2014

Felt Ornaments, Holiday Decor Steals and A Nursery DIY

November 14, 2014/ Mallory

It's the most wonderful time of the year!...well close, anyway. I usually wait until after Thanksgiving to start decorating the house for Christmas, but this year I already have the itch. Maybe it's because I have more time this year (last year we had a brand new baby that took all of our attention and I was lucky to have any decorations up). Or possibly it's because we won't be spending Thanksgiving at our home, so I'm all "Out the pumpkins, in with the pine!" Having a little one to enjoy all of the lights and sparkle is a incentive too...although it might make decorating a challenge with her little hands wanting to touch/pull on everything. Whatever the case may be, I'm ready for holly!

I was looking at Crate & Barrel's holiday outlet sale online the other day and found some really cute ornaments for really cheap... and y'all know I love a good deal! Specifically they had a good bit of felt ornaments (great for kids!) on sale. Felt ornaments are great for many reasons:

Family tree decor- With these you don't need a bare bottom tree in worry that the kids will break something
Mini trees in your kids' rooms- Again with them not being fragile, the kids can even play with them and even decorate the tree themselves
Gift wrapping- Finish off that cute wrapping job with a keepsake. Some of these are cheaper than the cost of a bow!
Nursery decor- Before you call me crazy, let me explain. How many of you have seen really cute felt/wool mobiles on Etsy that you loved but didn't like their price tag? Well with a simple embroidery hoop or dowels, string/twine and ornaments, you can make your own!