We have something new at our house for Christmas this year. It's an eighteen month old boy who loves to wreak havoc on anything within reach; his name is Adam. Adam has two older sisters who respected the beauty of Christmas decorations and kept their hands to themselves, I knew better than to expect this behavior from him. So to keep some of my sanity this season I had to think vertically. Here is what I came up with.
My kids thought I was the coolest when I hung this string of lights on our dining room wall. The first night it was up we ate in the glow of the LED lights. I like this idea because it reminds me of a neon light; and while OPEN doesn't seem to fit the bill, JOY does. In order to write the word I used a string of lights, floral wire, and steel cord that I found in the electrical department at my local hardware store. I had a couple sets of extra hands to help hold the wire in place while I formed the letters. I started with the y, and worked backwards through the o and the J. After I had the wire all laid out I went back and used the floral wire to attach the lights to the letters. If you happen to have access to Danny Seo's book, Upcycling, he has some directions you could follow too.
The second thing I changed this year was the tree. I was more scared of backlash on this change. Instead of a great big beautiful tree I opted for something different. I wanted the tree up and out of the way so that my ornaments and my son could live to see Christmas 2012.
The second thing I changed this year was the tree. I was more scared of backlash on this change. Instead of a great big beautiful tree I opted for something different. I wanted the tree up and out of the way so that my ornaments and my son could live to see Christmas 2012.
We bought a four foot tall live tree that I'm kind of in love with. I love that it smells fantastic, I love that I will plant it in our yard come Spring, and I love that it's contained. I was surprised that I paid less for this live, albeit, smaller tree than my 7 foot fresh cut trees of the past. The tree is not perfect, the branches are, well, organic looking. They jut out in a less than even way, but I don't think I've ever liked one of our Christmas trees more. I think I might try to find some fabric to cover the pot, or maybe decoupage it with tissue paper. I haven't worked out all the details, but I am really happy with the results so far. What are your holiday decoration plans? Do you have an artificial tree or do you hike out and cut down your own? Are fiber optics more your speed? I love them all. Happy Holiday planning! -Andrea
