My Home: Simple Minimal Holiday Decor
December 01, 2011
Join me for a peek around the house, won't you?
TRUTH:
These are peeks of decor last year (2011).
I have rarely planned or thought out
a holiday decor scheme...instead, it is
about intuition, white lights, and creativity
with stuff I already own.
Think 19th century crockery
meets candlelight.
I melted leftover candle taper stubs
and filled these vintage crocks from England.
Think indoor swing gets busy with
boxwood branches from the yard.
Think kids' table warmed with lambskin,
and an old box greets new apples.
cost: $0
Think teeny cup by artist Rae Dunn
reinvented as a wee vase in a window sill.
Think handfelted wolf baby
poised for love.
Think beyond evergreens to ordinary
herbs such as rosemary (thriving outside since May).
Cost: still ZIP
Think a simple pop of Christmas red
crowning prayer books in the hutch.
Smells heavenly, I tell you.
Think...like I always say...
nothing says HAPPY HOLIDAYS
like 'bloater paste.' (see photo above)
You're still reading!?!
Holy holidays, just making sure.
Think natural, no cost, not-so-obvious gestures
around the house this year on your quest
to make it merry.
You're cute when you're frugal, btw.
Hey! Are you new around here?
Cool. I would love to have you follow.
Sending love and peace this holiday season
to meet you where you are planted
and to encourage you to
never be afraid to hope.
Peace to you right where you are.
30 comments
It's simply lovely and peaceful. Very sweet and perfect for a warm & cozy holiday season.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Cindi
Hey Michele, I like you philosophy...not over thinking christmas (it can be hard enough) and using what you have. I like to dig out related items like religious cards, rosarys etc and I always have heaps of those little battery operated fairy lights from Ikea, which can be draped around or thrown into jars and the like. I love your use of red apples and foliage and who does'nt need a bit of bloater paste sometimes (especially at xmas)!! Have a great weekend. Robx
ReplyDeletep.s. thanks for that 'Make it Merry' calendar, I will try to visit the one's that are left.
well done Michele..so simple and perfect..I too enjoy using what we have and I posted a few days ago about our tradition of collecting our holiday greens each year...I have rosemary that I clipped from our friends beach house over Thanksgiving that I slip in to the mantel etc...the aroma is wonderful...enjoy your holiday decorating...so enjoy peeking around your home..xo, Mariaelena
ReplyDeleteWe always go for simple and brings the outdoors in since we live in a forest. This looks like a lot of fun and can't wait to visit everyone through December. Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteThat's sure the theme this year to re purpose and reuse - shop the house etc. I do that too (and get all my decorations from the second hand store for cheap cheap!) Have a Happy Holiday!
ReplyDeleteDear Santa,
ReplyDeletePlease bring me
Michele's vim and
vigor and heart as
I decorate and
celebrate this year.
She's a gem!
xx Suzanne
So simple and lovely! The wolf baby - oh I'm dying. Cuteness overload. Bloater's Paste for Christmas? Entirely necessary. Send some this way.
ReplyDeleteI adore using rosemary as well - I have a ton of it in my back garden so definitely need to try that and it smells great too (W bemoans the fact we don't have a real tree because he loves the smell.. wondering if this might appease him?).
You really create the loveliest vingettes.. I'm in awe of your talents missus.
Mwah happy weekend xxx
Perfectly lovely!
ReplyDeleteYour home and vignettes are like opening up a killer issue of a favorite magazine! Love everything you have done, you truly do have the "golden touch". Amazing what a little imagaination and good taste can do. OK, well a lot of good taste helps and you my friend, have it!
ReplyDeleteThat wolf baby..too cute! And that beautiful vintage-y container for the candles..LOVE.
Such sweet decor. The simplicity of the prayer books in the hutch is powerful. I think the little sip cup is also so neat.
ReplyDeletehi Michele, just love your sense of style and particularly highlighting the beauty of things that are already beautiful like rosemary and apples and prayer books passed down through the generations. My holiday enthusiasm, having ramped up at a steep pitch since the first of November, seems to have leveled off and I could really use a boost. Thanks for this message of quietly inspired creativity :) sending my best, diane
ReplyDeletehi Michele, just love your sense of style and particularly highlighting the beauty of things that are already beautiful like rosemary and apples and prayer books passed down through the generations. My holiday enthusiasm, having ramped up at a steep pitch since the first of November, seems to have leveled off and I could really use a boost. Thanks for this message of quietly inspired creativity :) sending my best, diane
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! Loving it all, especially the sip cup vase and little wolf baby who is so gosh darn cute! AND, your cost was zip...you know I love that!!
ReplyDeleteMichele - the pop of christmas red in the apple on the shelf is just brilliant...my favorite!
ReplyDeleteMichael
Your frugal holiday ideas are just wonderful, Michele! Love your creativity, girl! :) That little felted wolf is darling!
ReplyDeletexoxo laurie
Oh Michele, even my Holiday theme is going to be frugaicious me. There is nothing beyond warmth and simplicity.
ReplyDeleteYou are a master of showing how simple is beautiful! I adore you how you found Christmas red and green in objects from the garden! So original and wonderful. I love your vintage jars and other cute items - the wolf baby near those sweet words and the darling Rae Dunn's cup are charming! You warm my heart, my lovely!
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend!
Hugs,
Meera xx
Yes and yes! I have a marmelade jar that is the twin to yours sitting empty. But it will be filled today.
ReplyDeleteI love the teeny tiny crock. I feel an ebay search coming on. :)
What a lovely, pretty Xmas decoration!
ReplyDelete♥ Franka
I have a stack of reading books that are waiting to have some simple, crowning touch of read added.
ReplyDeleteThank you--have a peace-filled, abundantly blessed holiday.
I love your old crockery! Bloater paste is such a yuletide tradition. ;)
ReplyDeleteReally, it's all lovely and it's all merry. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Michele, great inspiration with the small crockery pots! I need to do this with mine, thanks for sharing all the great ideas! xoxo
ReplyDeleteLove fresh greenery, fruit, and candles! Very nice! Thank you for joining me at Home Sweet Home!
ReplyDeleteSherry
Love. Every. Bit. Of. That.
ReplyDeleteYes.....
Hello Michele, I am happy to read about your christmas preparations. I love the pure and simple character of it all. My christmas will be filled with lovingly made hearts of felted blankets, wooden mooses and lots of children running in to pick some freshly baked cookies (in that one second that I look elsewhere, it is part of the fun).
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful, pure Christmas, all of you!!
Love, Kyra (from Eexterhout, Netherland)
You stylist you! I want to see more - much more!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd what a Swedish thing to incoporate red winter apples as part of the decor. White candles and red apples - some Swedes still use those 2 things as the only Christmas tree decorations!
Lovely!
Mon
I like the way you think! Beautiful, soothing winter collection...
ReplyDelete<3 Christina at I Gotta Create!
Party with the Wildly Original Crowd.
I just love the little touches you have placed around your home. Your style is fantastic. I LOVE that crate!
ReplyDeleteLovely touches Michele...as usual...you are so right about the no cost simplicity of Christmas...my favorite things are always pinecones, twigs and greens from the garden...I just put up an almost no cost console table...Enjoy your beautiful home this holiday season...xo, Mariaelena
ReplyDeleteWhere can I get some of that "bloater paste"???
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Christmas touches!
Your comments add to the beauty...thanks in advance for your kindness.