annz - The spoons are in a simple shadow box from Michael's or from any other craft store. The back and sides are lined with a short napped fuzzy board. The spoons stick on with velcro that I believe came with the frame. Surprisingly, in the 10 years since they have been framed, I have never had to take them out and polish them. However, a few have follen down, like the one on the bottom left.

OK, start posting your decor. And lets not forget our Homemade Gift giving pictures and suggestions for this year. Not sure if we should start a separate thread for that, or post here. Suggestions?

I posted these two pictures on my burlap tree skirt thread, but thought I'd add them here, too. The skirt is for the tree in the family room that is decorated with some of my mom and dad's original ornaments from the 50's.

Also in this room, we display a large nativity set, also from my parents, on the shelf above the TV. You can see a glimpse of it in the tree picture (above), but here is the whole set.

Another vintage decoration I enjoy displaying every year are the two plastic trees that belonged to my maternal grandmother. I remember seeing them on the buffet in her DR. The ornaments on them are not original, tho. I have them on my DR table along with a vintage metal Santa bank from my parents.

And finally, the top of the piano in the LR, decorated very simply with some snowflake votive holders, greenery and a lantern (from Target!) with a pine cone candle. I leave this up way into January, since it it more of a winter decoration.

It needed something....like packages underneath. I got busy and put some stuff under it. ;-)

This isn't decorating the house although the wreath in the photo is hanging on our front door now. This is our Christmas card for 2012.

I have been really enjoying everyone's holiday decor. Thank you all for sharing!

I recently saw an idea I want to replicate for our front porch next year. But as I'm pricing it out, it's coming up to ~$300 for the non-lit portion. I am going to wait and hope some of this goes on sale right after Christmas.

This is the "look" - its big ornaments strung from ribbon. We have about 26' of porch I'd like to fill in, so I figure 1 ornament per foot.

These are from Pottery Barn:

And this is a couple line ups of some from Santas Quarters (and the gold onions from PB):

I am wondering, did you guys develop your decoration schemes over time, or bite the bullet once?

We tried to find some inexpensive oversized ornaments last year for DD2's front door area (no porch) but decided the cost and having to get a TALL ladder to hang were not worth the expense. I did find some pretty, colorful ornaments to put on her mailbox this year. She just had her first Tacky Sweater Party this weekend. DD1 helped her decorate, since it's hard to do it with a 1yo. lol

I love seeing everyone's decorations. Nothing like twinkling lights!

Most of mine looks like last year, but I did change up the lower level den mantel just a bit. Ordered cotton boll garlands and made a wreath. I've blurred out names on the stockings for obvious reasons:

I just figured out what my nativity is missing... a camel! :(

Outdoors:

Allison, I think our nativity scenes are very similar.

Kitchen Island:

Living Room:

Sandy claws!!!!

I love all of your decor!

I have a couple of question - any ideas on how to hang a wreath on our front door without damaging the door?

How do you add ribbon to our tree?

Thanks!

We finally (!!!) got the mantel cut, refinished, and installed. Just in time for Christmas!

whitdobe - What type of dog is a BC? I am in love! Also, what type of camera did you use to make those photos?

Ribbon... you are too kind! lol I start at the top, and go "so far" then pinch and wrap a tree end and do it over again. Then cut ribbon length when you get to the bottom. I rerolled to reuse this year. Not as perfect this year, but still pretty! lol

TheFoxesPad - Love your decor!

Love your little tree!

Yes, Jovi is a little red Border Collie girl. Black/white Border Collies are what most folks are familiar with but, BC's do come in other colors. I used a Canon T1i camera to take those photos. It's a digital SLR but a fairly inexpensive one. (Well, as inexpensive as a DSLR gets!)

I love the photos of everyone's canine companions!!!

SueB20 and anyone else who may wonder, I can tell you an easy way to take good photos of your dog in front of a tree. First train them to sit on something. This year I used a footstool and I don't have a photo that it shows up in. Last year I used a chair and I'll put a copy of that here so you can see it. Anyway, Jovi learns that sitting on the chair/footstool/whatever earns her treats so she's very HAPPY to get up on the chair/footstool. That serves multiple purposes. It "lifts" her higher so that the tree is fuller and full of ornaments behind her, it keeps her in one "spot" (on the chair/footstool) instead of getting up to wander around and it usually puts a great expression on her face because she knows she's on the chair/footstool and that there will be a treat coming any second! You can do this by yourself but I will admit that the training process is easier if you have someone to help�.one person photographing and the other doling out treats.

This was last year'.and Jovi looks very puppyish because she was.

She's matured a lot. Another from this year:

Lovely decorations, everyone! I have enjoyed looking at them so much.

whitdobe - I have an SLR camera but cannot get such a bright clear picture like yours. In fact, I cannot get a clear bright photo of Riley with any camera. She is always on the move, and I shake too much trying to catch her. lol

Now I remember the photo of your dog from last year. Yes, she has grown. Your tips work pretty well in getting the dog to cooperate. My Riley was stubborn this year, however. She heard the word "treat" and she was halfway off the chair and to the pantry before the camera shutter finished it's rotation. Getting impatient in her old age.

Photo from two years ago.

Here is this years photo.

I think we got off track with the dogs, but that's my fault. How about more deco or gift ideas?

I always tend to end up decorating everything else very peaceful and not super Christmasy but more Winter. Probably because it takes me so darn long to get them up. It's also usually very simple. I like greens here and there and stuff. I use a lot of fruit because it's pretty, my palette and so that it's always w/in my kids eyes and reach (hint, hint kids!).

My favorite Christmas pillow whose palette I adore:

A few figurines:

The whole tiny room (socks, dog toys and all under the table):

Wreath at window. It has white flowers in it and a green ribbon:

Clearly I am still deciding wall color - that's not some fancy paint job!

Oh yeah, and the inside of that book case will be painted white. Someday.

I've used the hangers like Sam showed, but the weather stripping on some doors make using them impossible.

This gave me a good laugh this morning and thought she would enjoy:

“Stuffed deer heads on walls are bad enough,
but it’s worse when they are wearing dark glasses
and have streamers in their antlers
because then you know
they were enjoying themselves at a party
when they were shot.”
~ Ellen DeGeneres

Happy Holidays

Parlor tree:

Mancave tree:

Family room mantel:

I do both. I'm not an exceptionally good photographer but I'm working on it. Sometimes I work with the camera on manual and sometimes I use it on full automatic. The photos above, I think are a combo. It's not me, it's the camera. I'm using a Canon T1i which is an older Canon Rebel series but, it does everything I wanted it too plus, since it was an older model and didn't
Have all the bells and whistles the newer models have, it was significantly less expensive than the newer models.

FP, your LR is so comfy looking. I would love to go shopping in your house. lol. I actually like the white walls.

DR Table

Dining room table centerpiece

Mantle. I will supplement with some fresh cut pine later tomorrow before the crowd of family arrives.

We took the old tree, slipped in some pine 'picks' to freshen up the tree.
Found in an antique shop a bunch of peacock feathers which became the inspiration for the club house mantel and tree topper.

We had a ball! There are more photos in the link below.
Merry Christmas everyone

We took the old tree, slipped in some pine 'picks' to freshen up the tree.
Found in an antique shop a bunch of peacock feathers which became the inspiration for the club house mantel and tree topper.

We had a ball! There are more photos in the link below.
Merry Christmas everyone

thefoxes - Love your home holiday decs, the chandelier (to die for, but I would not want to be the one in charge of keeping it clean:) looks awesome with the ribbons and vintage ornaments. Very pretty, I really like to see the unexpected or non-traditional colors in use.

outside playing - lovely mantel. Loving the pheasant feathers on your wreath.

@movin-on trying to checkout your pics, but your album looks to be password protected? Anyhoo, the others you posted were lovely.

Can't remember who was asking about the camera settings. I have a DSLR along with a few other cameras (hobby, etc), and I think if you use the auto setting together with any anti-movement feature your camera may have (many do), you will be good to go. Apperature settings, f stops, etc. are fun and exciting to set, but you really need at least one primer class before fooling around with doing your own settings, unless you have lots of extra time to play. Should you have the time and inclination, there are so many effects you can get with manual settings. Can you tell I like photography? Wish I had more time to "play" with my camera.

Thanks to everyone for sharing a peek into your homes and holiday decs, doggies, etc. What a happy thread for Christmas Eve morning.

Merry Christmas!

dining room tree:

beaded doves MIL crafted over 50 years ago: