This Christmas, we put up our tree...

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

We put up our tree the weekend before Thanksgiving.  Why?  Because we knew we would be too busy for the next several days to even think about sparing a minute for tree trimming.  We had three Thanksgiving dinners to attend and a full weekend of shopping ahead.  I've enjoyed lighting it up in the evenings after work.  I made this white velvet bow last year using my Bowdabra and I added four long tails to drape down the tree.  I've collected several decorative gold picks from the past couple of years and instead of using them around the topper, as I have in the past, I decided to stick them throughout the tree to add a little texture.  We bought the wooden ladder this year and eventually I'd like to purchase some elves to hang off of it but for now a burlap deer and a little Christmas bear are perched there.  It's totally by coincidence that they are both wearing red plaid.

 I love the ladder but I had to push it out some to accommodate some of the gifts so now it makes the tree look like it's leaning but it really isn't.  My tree is a faux linden pine from Target a few years ago.  My cat isn't at all tempted to climb it because the branches don't extend all the way down.  Eventually I want to get our last name embroidered on the plaid border of tree skirt.

This is our mantle this year.  I've had that reindeer tea light holder from Pier One for years but originally it was a bronze color.  It didn't stand out against the greenery so we sprayed it gold - much better.  The poinsettias were purchased from Target and the swag is from Michaels.  I showed the stockings in an earlier post from Brylane Home and I love them against our white fireplace.

 This is our side table, it's driving me crazy that the lampshade is crooked but I didn't want to set up the camera to take more photos.  Moving on - look at my new orchid!  R surprised me with this guy on the day we decorated the house.  I've been wanting one for a long time and now she is mine - her name is Charli. I left the little tag on her because I don't trust myself yet to take care of her without using it as a reference. 

I hope you liked a sneak peek into our holiday home.  I'll be posting more photos throughout the next couple of weeks.