Greetings to you! How has your day been going?
Before we get into today’s post, I have a little update: I changed over to a new email service on November 12th, and I’m starting to hear from a few folks who aren’t getting their email updates when a new post is up here at the blog. If you haven’t been receiving those, please sign up again using the subscribe box at the end of this post. Or, e-mail me at [email protected] and I’ll take care of it for you.
Fortunately, there weren’t too many problems transferring to the new service, but just mentioning this in case you are one of the folks who hasn’t been getting updates since the move. Thanks again for being a subscriber and as always, your email address will never be shared with anyone. You’ll just get an e-mail whenever a new post is up here at the blog.
Have you started your decorating for the upcoming holidays? I got my wreaths up on the windows before Thanksgiving but that’s about as far as I’ve gotten. (Pssst: You’ll find a detailed post showing how I hang wreaths on my exterior windows here: How To Hang Wreaths on Exterior Windows)
I have a fun idea for the front door using something I purchased a while back–hope to share it soon. Today I went out in search of a bit of inspiration and came home with cedar garland, so that’s a step in the right direction. Now if it would just magically hang itself. Think that will happen? 😉
While out I came across a snowy forest. lol A local garden store named Pike Nursery has beautiful flocked trees for sale. There is something so magical about a snow covered tree, especially when you live in Georgia!
They also had these critters for sale. If I had some logs lying around, I would try this as a DIY project. Just drill out some holes for the legs and using a peg type system, drill out and attach the neck. You could use a really good wood glue to hold everything in place. I LOVE how they made the antlers from tree scraps! So cute!
Not this year but in year’s past, I’ve seen this style Christmas tree in so many Pottery Barn catalogs. I love all the openness and unique look of the tree. So much space for hanging and featuring beautiful ornaments!
This style tree has appeared in their catalog several years in a row. I always wondered if it was a real tree and if so, what kind of tree it was. I think one year I even called Pottery Barn to ask. No one was ever able to tell me if it was real or not…and if real, what kind it was.
I think I got my answer this year while shopping in Pike Nurseries. Check out the trees they have for sale.
These are real trees, not fake. The tag states this is a Silvertip Fir tree. Have you ever seen these before? This tree was already in a stand with water and the tag said you could return the stand in January for an in-store rebate for the price of the stand. Just wanted to share this in case you’ve been wondering about the mythical and mysterious Pottery Barn tree, too. It does exist in real life!
Okay, I’m headed back out to hang garland. It’s raining now but I’m determined to make some progress on the porch. Afterwards, maybe I’ll do this. lol This photo was taken in my friend, Marie’s home last year when her home was on a Christmas home tour. Love a great Christmas home tour! Anyone going on a tour this year?
Take a tour of Marie’s home decorated for Christmas here: Victorian Home Decorated for Christmas The tour is spread out over several posts and you’ll find links to each post at the end of the first post linked above. Marie decorates every room of her home and it’s one of the most amazing Christmas home tours I’ve ever been on! Truly a Chrismas Wonderland!
Yes, lots of inspiration.
A first ever for me–I have the tree up and a lot of the decor done already! Company was supposed to come so I’m ahead of the game and will have time for homemade gifts after all! I love all the things you post, the care and thought you put into everything.
By the way, for anyone desperate, I saw a great article today about getting stains out of old lace tablecloths using Orvis soap designed for quilts (and cleaning horses). Dramatic results: https://reallyhandmade.com/how-to-clean-antique-lace-and-other-delicate-fibers/
I continue to find your blog one of my very favorites. The silver tip fir you mention is found in our Pacific Northwest as well but at higher elevations. Thank goodness this year people are lamenting they can’t venture out cut their own because the snow level is lower this year. Hooray! We do need that snow and rain! Happy Holiday prep!
Susan, I’d like to be soaking in a hot bubble bath right now. I spent much of the day helping to decorate at the Governor’s Mansion. It was an honor to be invited, and lots of fun to see the behind the scene activity. I hope to take my sister to see the decorated mansion when she comes to visit next week.
Good luck with the garland. I’ve still not started, but am moving in the right direction. One more trip to the storage unit to get things. ‘-)
Cant wait to see your porch decor…..always striking! My favorite Christmas tour is going to Madison, GA and seeing the gorgeous old, and sometimes newer, houses decorated for the season. Tour is this weekend…..
I’m STILL taste testing cookies….some jobs are never finished….franki
I thought for sure that Pottery Barn tree was fake! Wow! That is crazy. But I guess I could prune my balsam to look like that. I love firs because they are soft needled and more open to display ornaments. That would be a really different tree. Reminds me a bit of a Charlie Brown tree. 🙂
Really cool trees!
Hi Susan,
Yes, I love Silvertips! I live in the SF Bay Area and graduated from Noble to Silvertip firs a few years ago. I’m so lucky to have met a guy who gets permits and cuts them in the mountains near Shasta. He knows the exact trees I like… 9 feet, evenly spaced branches, not too wide. Silvertips are pricey at the lots, but he gives me an excellent price and even brings it in and puts it in the stand. Serious score!
Those flocked trees are stunning ,thanks for sharing.
Feeling like such a scatterbrain this year (and I don’t like it)! Every time I get inspired and try a new something or other, it’s turning out to be a dud (including moving in a new [vintage] piece of furniture, which was a total waste of time – didn’t work). So, I did my least favorite task first – the tree – and now I’m in and out of tubs, looking for one thing, and going off on something else (or two). At least the rain has helped me stay inside since the weekend and get a little something done. It’s the putting away fall decor that’s driving me crazy. And with the nice weather, I’ve been in the garden cleaning up. Who gets a touch of poison ivy this late in the game? This girl (not bad, just looks like a teenage flare up on the cheek). smh……
Planning on going to the Marietta tour this weekend. I finished my decorating last Saturday.
I’ll be there, too! 🙂 I’m doing the combo tour with a friend. What day are you going?
We’re going on Sat. What is the combo tour?
Check out the 6th question down on this page: http://www.mariettapilgrimage.com/faqs.html It’s my favorite because I see three homes, go somewhere for dinner and rest and relax, then see the other 3 homes by candlelight.
We had trees like this in Oregon when I lived there and they were called Nobel Firs….wonder if this is a new name for the same kind. I’m not a Christmas tree farmer! They are beautiful though and ornaments hand so beautifully on them. I’d buy a fake one in a heartbeat!
I love decorating for Christmas and looking at house tours and all the things that come with this time of year. I am still working on mine and have lots of ideas but, i’ll take more.
Well, I have my door decoration on the front door and I started my Christmas baking today. I made two pound cakes to take to the guys I used to work with at Halliburton. I have put away my Fall decorations but the door decoration is the only item that has found it’s way out of the closet. I hope to get my beautiful Christmas dishes (that a wonderfully sweet friend gifted to me last year) out tomorrow and in use. Maybe that will inspire me to start the full decoration of the house. Thanks for inspiring me to get busy, Susan!
Hi, Susan. Lots of interesting trees. We don’t have one, but I love the white flocked trees–Courtney, over at French Country Cottage, has some beauties on her blog! I haven’t done much decorating because I hang onto Autumn until Dec. 1st., but Michael did put up all the outdoor lights this past week-end and I set out all the window candles–looks so lovely, and doing that has put me in the mood to get a move on with the Dicken’s Village and everything else I need to do. Because we live so close to NJ, DE, and MD state lines, there are more home tours and festivities around here than one can possibly take in–we juggle them from year to year. One we usually never miss is returning to my old home place of Williamsburg for the Grand Illumination, so we’ll be there this coming week-end. It’s always fun to go back, and attending parties with dear friends is the icing on the cake. So much to do and so little time–seems the holidays just fly by. Hoping yours will be delightful!
I always love seeing your home decorated for Christmas! I will never forget the tour of Marie’s home that you shared with us. What a beautiful display. I’ll be enjoying 2 Christmas home tours this year. This Sat in Smithfield, VA and next Sat in Edenton, NC. I’m looking forward to both. Vikki in VA.
Vikki, that sounds like sooo much fun! I’m going on one this weekend…can’t wait. It’s one of my most favorite things to do this time of year. Homes are so beautiful and so magical decorated for Christmas. Have fun! I’ll be thinking about you while I’m on my tour. 🙂
I love tours! There are a couple mansions in Portland which have them. One named Pittock Mansion has all the rooms done by different groups with themes and it is great! You can see my photos of it here:
http://poetrose24.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-at-portlands-pittock-mansion.html
The other one is decorated with over a million lights on the exterior and gardens.
http://www.victorianbelle.com/the-miracle-of-a-million-lights.html
What an interesting tree!! Reminds me of the old German feather trees. I started decorating last week, have the kitchen done, hallway done, and most of the dining room. Will start the living room tomorrow, have to wash windows and curtains too!! Have two trees up and one more coming….all faux…… I bought those little fairy lights this year to put in the floral arrangements, so cute!! Front door is done, just have to put lights on the little tree by the door.
I started early this year because I’m cleaning all holiday decor out and have boxes and bags for the GW. Plus the Christmas spirit hit me early on!!
Can’t wait to see what new things you will do as well as the old things, always so beautiful at your house!!!
In our area (central Utah) we cut our own trees. We always look for a “Black Balsam” because they have similar growth habits as Silvertips. I like them because there is always room for lots of Christmas ornaments.
I always look forward to your beautiful Christmas décor and I am sure the reveal of your front door will not disappoint. Myself, I am again limiting it this year to just the outdoors as the interior is still upside down with the many renovations I am doing. So with that said; happy decorating, Susan. ☺ -Brenda-
Great inspiration, I love the flocked trees. Thanks to my helpful daughter and granddaughter, I have my tree up and decorated, wreath on the door, and tabletop tree up in the hall, now I need to find the decorations for that one! Will work along on the rest of the house, plus I’m culling out things I don’t use, and taking them to a thrift store. Time for some of them to find new homes! I love your blog, it is always inspirational.
My ancestors were German and they used “feather” trees which looked much like the one that was in the old Pottery Barn catalog. You can buy some online though the nice ones are quite expensive. I also like that old “cookie” tree made of wood. I sometimes decorate with ornaments, sometimes with homemade cookies.
I would almost guess that the tree used in PB adds is fake as I haven’t seen many trees with a gold trunk before..but … I could be wrong.
great pictures.
rls
I would love a white flocked tree
I don’t think I would add anything to it ?
Susan,
The silvertip trees remind me of the ones my Grandpa and uncles cut in the hills on the farm (Muscoda, WI) They are not sheared and only shaped by nature. We went to a new tree farm years ago and they had a section of trees that were a “little open” like the farm trees. They are fun to decorate. Now that we know that my wife’s January Illness comes from the real trees in water for Christmas, we have used artificial ones and can put one up in every room. I am on my last two, after I finish living room one. Almost done. 🙂
rick
Yes, I haven’t been getting e-mail notifications. Was wondering why, and now I know! I will sign up again.
Most of my decorating is done and after seeing the pictures here I am definitely inspired to finish the rest. The more flocked trees I see the more I love them. I also love the photo of Santa in the tub full of bubbles!