Our Christmas Trees 2012

This year we decided to decorate two Christmas trees – a medium sized one in the living room and a smaller one in the foyer. We don’t have the space for a large tree, so breaking it up into smaller ones helps us spread around the Christmas cheer!

Christmas Tree #1 – Silver Bells with Rustic Touches

There are so many different ways that you can decorate a tree – traditional, glamorous, bright neon colours, rich dark colours. This year I decided to go with a more rustic theme – elements from the outdoors combined with ornaments that had a handmade look. For a little more sparkle, I added in some touches of sparkling silver.

As soon as we got back from Florida, I dug out all the Christmas bins and got started on decorating our tree. I could hardly wait to get it up. It helps that it is only a mini one – takes less time to do!

This year I participated in an Ornament Swap at Tutus and Tea Parties, and swapped with Angela from Little PINK Thread. I send her a set of Sparkly Clothespin Snowflakes and she sent me some beautiful crocheted and knit ornaments, including this adorable cable knit heart, with a wooden button. They fit right into the look that I as going for this year. Thanks Angela! 🙂

This It’s A Wonderful Life metal angel ornament was tucked into my stocking last year, and I was so excited to finally be able to put it up. That movie holds a special place in my family’s hearts and it’s nice to have a little memento from it. The front is inscribed with the famous line – “every time a bell rings, an angel gets it’s wings”.

I also added a hand sewn red bird I made a couple of years ago, and a carved rock moose that was on a gift tag I received last year.

While we were in Florida, I popped into a dollar store and picked up these festive snowflake and star sleigh bells. I had some trouble packing them up tightly in my luggage to prevent them from jingling the whole way through customs and airport security! I added silver thread loops to hang them from the tree, but I’m hoping to turn them into a project later this season.

The final touch was some mini red and green glass balls to fill in some of the spaces. I bought these years ago in a discount bin after Christmas, and they’ve become a decorating staple here ever since. They remind me of the old mini antique ornaments my mother puts up on her tree.

We had the tree set on a timer this year, and I have to admit that I love coming home to see it turned out. It lights up the whole living room and makes it feel so festive and warm.

Christmas Tree #2 – Gingerbread Men and Snowballs

With the new dresser in the front hall now, I’ve taken to creating little vignettes there – a pitcher of wildflowers in the summer, a trio of pumpkins in the fall.

With the holidays coming up, I wanted to spruce that space up too, especially when it is the first thing you see when you come in the door. (Please ignore the missing handle. I keep carrying it around in my purse, hoping to find a nice set of replacements!)

The tree is actually my childhood tree that used to sit in my bedroom and was my first tree when I moved out on my own (I used it in a stone pot, back at my old apartment in 2009). This year I decided to use it to showcase the Gingerbread Men Ornaments I made a couple of years ago. I added a few mini snow white ornaments as well, but I opted for not putting lights on it this year. I love that by being in such a central location of the apartment, you can see it from the not only the front hall, but the kitchen, dining room, living room and bedroom.

Beside the tree, I have my driftwood canoe (a favourite find from the summer), which is perfect for dropping in finished Christmas cards that need to be mailed out. It’s a great reminder to grab them while I’m heading out the door.
The last tree isn’t from our apartment, but it is one that I just had to share with you.

Christmas Tree #3 – My Brother’s Tree at University

My brother is away at university right now and sent me a picture of the tree he made there – getting creative with what they had in a house full of boys away at school.

Not that I’m promoting drinking, but I have to admit that this was pretty creative. Reminds me of the year my sister’s roommate made a menorah out of beer and wine bottles. Talk about reusing materials on a student budget!