The Start of the Christmas Decorating

Well, I am just taking my sweet time this year decorating for Christmas. Not that that isn't usually the case. It just seems more obvious to me this year. I look on blogger and down the list I see home tours and links filled with holiday decorating. Some people even have more than one tree decorated! Impressive! And me, not even ONE tree yet...haven't even made it to the tree lot. I'm feeling a bit like a blogging slacker. I'll just show you what I'm up to a little at a time so I don't get too overwhelmed. LOL

The NOEL was new last year. I always like to throw in something new every year to keep it fresh. I also try to move the old things around so they seem like they're new, mainly to keep me interested in what I'm doing.

I tried something new with the chandelier this year. I hope the fresh greenery lasts and this thing doesn't burst into flames.

Speaking of dangers, I learned yesterday that beyond the obvious hazards of decorating; ladders, hammers, power tools, standing on things that you shouldn't to reach places you shouldn't and so on, that near encounters with rattlesnakes are now on my list of decorating dangers. The day after weeding through the ivy to place my Christmas lights in a perfect row down my sidewalk, I received an email from my neighbor across the street that right after I came inside at dusk, there was a rattlesnake in her driveway about 15' from where I was crawling around. Scary!

Anyway, on with the decorating...

I have an enclosed stairway so I usually don't pay much attention to it but this year I thought it looked a little sad so I added some greenery, ribbon and bells. If you can't find the color bells you want (I couldn't), paint them. These were gold. I painted them the wall color and sanded.

Trying to make my blues work this year.

I love the smell of the hazelnut coffee beans when the candle is lit.



Again with the fresh greenery. I hope I don't regret this.

Well, that's it for now. I'm still fiddling with the mantle and a few other things but I'll share them soon. Happy decorating to those of you that are like me and still have a lot to do.

sharing with ~ French Country Cottage