Christmas Home Tour

Welcome to our humble abode.  Over the weekend my friend Erin and I went on our town's historic Christmas home tour.  It was so much fun.  We are so lucky to live in an amazing town with awesome historic homes sprinkled all over.  There was so much inspiration to be found in those homes.  We enjoyed it so much.  Last week Jennifer Rizzo hosted her annual Holiday House Walk.  If you haven't checked it out, you totally should...especially if you love christmas decorating.  So many beautiful homes and hours of enjoyment - warning you will get sucked in and it will be difficult to walk away from the computer.  So make sure you take a peek when you have a good chunk of time to kill - like so many of us do.  Ok, so now its time to take a peek at our little house all decorated for Christmas.  Its simple with lots of handmade elements throughout.  You don't have to go crazy and there are so many things you can do yourself to make your home special during christmas.  So come with me and take the tour...

I love lanterns, especially old ones.  This lantern was my great grandfathers, it has gotten a little spray paint touch up (it was pretty rusty) but I love it all prettied up for christmas and on our from stoup.

This year I really wanted a fresh wreath and I'm also really loving plaid at the moment - so this wreath was born.  

Its been a while since I've updated the blog, but I'm getting there.  So, there are probably many things that look different in here besides the christmas touches.

One of my favorite things I made this year was this little reindeer silhouette.  It was so easy, I'll share soon!

My little square boxwood wreath I made last year found a new home this year.  

Another old lantern sits in our living room housing a nutcracker of course.

Our christmas tree is real, its not perfect or immaculately decorated but I love it.  Our tree every year represents us.  Each ornament means something and reminds of us a special moment of our lives.  

The ornaments are often moved around by Silas and that's totally ok with me.  He loves sitting by the tree and asking about the ornaments and hearing the stories.

I also have some handmade elements on the tree, like this simple scrap fabric garland.  Something I made last year - and from leftover fabrics (so it was totally free!).

We don't have a mantle (even though we have two chimneys..the quirks of owning an older home) so this little place always kind of acts like a mantle for me.

I went simple with the advent calendar this year too.  And reused a banner I made a few years ago (from leftover paper and fabric again).

One of my favorite things we have started is collecting little nativity scenes from the different countries we visit.  Represented here is Ecuador, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Panama.  Silas loves these and I often find them in little places all over the house.

Ok, this is totally a pinterest thing I had to do this year.  I love these little winter scenes.

I love changing around this chalkboard for each season and I love seeing this reminder each day.  

He is the image of the invisible God,the firstborn of all creation. For by  him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.  Colossians 1:15-20

Merry Christmas!