Christmas Tour 2016

"From north or south, east or west, with friends and family we've been blessed!"

I've started preparing for Christmas meals with family and friends! I am using my souvenir travel plates, but don't worry, I have clear glass plates to put over them for actually eating on.

The vintage map centerpiece goes well with the souvenir plates!

                                          I used a piece of "vintage map" fabric by Tim Holtz for the center of my table. 

There were only 1 1/3 yards available, so I made a larger tablecloth of cream paisley. 

The house was a cardboard form bought a year ago on clearance after Halloween. I pulled off the bats and covered it with pages from an old atlas. There is a plant stand under the fabric to raise the house.. The snow on the roof is vintage "cotton batting snow", complete with glitter. The stars are from the same old atlas as the covering for the house.

 I included a Fitz and Floyd Santa that miraculously survived the fire! (I guess if Santa can go down a chimney, a house fire can't hurt him!)

To get an idea of scale,  the table is 90" across. We will pull up chairs for each of the 12 place settings.

 The living room with the dining room in the background. We have a very open concept area.

I like little vignettes around the room so that your eyes have places to stop. This is simply a couple of vintage figurines, both pulling a cart, filled with candy canes. To tie it in, I put large candy canes in the flower arrangement between them.

The fireplace is kept simple with three carved Santas on an upturned shallow galvanized bucket and a small tree in the larger one. 

 The tree sits beside the fireplace, so that is really all the decoration it needed. 

 

I've dressed up the throw pillows on my sectional with simple ribbons tied like a package. They also make a great addition to an accent chair. (Check out the sectionals in this link!)

I love the easy care of my leather furniture! I can dress it up or dress it down, depending on my mood!

I removed the regular centerpiece and replaced it with a collection of nativity scenes, all hand made in Mexico and Peru. I placed two of them on the "holey" rocks we have outside.

The kitchen area 

(Behind the old screen door is my "Butler's Kitchen" which I LOVE!! It's where I get messy!)

The kitchen island, visible from the living area, has a large mirrored tray on it filled with snow globes and live flowering plants. I've covered the hand oiled red cedar top with a clear vinyl cover in preparation for the 13 children who will be here for Christmas Eve brunch! (All my sister's grandchildren. My two will not be here this year.)

 Snowmen dance on my window ledge in the kitchen along with a card from family the reads, "When life gives you snow, make a snowman!"

I have overloaded you with photos, so I'll save the bedrooms and downstairs for next time.

In the meantime, get some inspiration at the Home for the Holidays pages at Arhaus Furniture Pinterest Pages. 

See you next time!

Linda