HOLIDAY DECOR......LIVING ROOM

This year is the 1st year in the new house with a fireplace...Ive been waiting 11 months to decorate this thing.  And then.......decorators block!   I wanted something different than what Ive done before but didn't want to go out and spend more money (I have 5 children to buy Christmas presents for in this house....lol)

I also wanted to edit my holiday decor (or at least challenge myself to try).  I love the style of Lynda from Focal Point....http://nyclq-focalpoint.blogspot.com (she was a merchandiser as well and I love her use of objects to tell a story in a room) I also have a soft spot for her because she's a Jersey Girl who relocated to South Florida (cant blame her for that decision).

I do still have small children in the house so I still want it to be whimsical and magical for them as well.  So here is what I came up with for the living room.  Keep in mind this is just our sitting room, our family room/Dallas Cowboys cave is downstairs with a playroom area.  So I kept this a little more grown up and a lighter more natural palette than I usually do.

Leopard sofa w/ muslin pillows and I switched out my spindle lamps for these more elaborate ones.  My book page wreath and the rest was exsisting.

I use my Macy's dining room chairs as side chairs, again another wreath. I also switched out the brown curtains to muslin tab-tops.

The archway from LR to DR hold our 7 stockings with 1 extra for my daughters best friend Nikki.  Do you think we have room for any more children??? (just kidding)

Lamp I pulled from garage storage, my heavy metal cross and a glass bowl or ornaments.

Other sidetable...box was gift from husband while he was in Iraq (how sweet) and I cut fresh greens from front yard bush and ta-da a cute simple vignette.

My old standby leather ottoman with a burlap throw.  On top as always my black toile tray with some books and very old bible and rosary (let's remember what the holiday is all about).

Closer look....small metal cross, decanter w/ oatmeal, brass candlesticks (they remind me of Ebinezer Scrooge)

This was how the mantle was coming together...was trying to use this great crystal lit garland my friend gave me...the white wiring was giving me such stress.

Dollar store gold star, along with trio of glass votive holders and some textural decorative balls

This is the left side, same star but I filled a vase with white rice (snow) and walnuts mixed with chestnuts (needs a refill...i was snacking)

J is for Joseph....

Love this artwork...got it off season at BBB for 75% off. Cha-ching!

Companion piece

Also companion piece...I love it.

This is the intended spot for the tree.  Do you see that magazine page taped on the wall. (thats my inspiration tree from Ballard Designs) I want a tall somewhat thin tree this year.

My ceramic santas from around the world..they each have country and year on them.

Another 5 Santas

And ladies/gents  this is why you should go with your partner for the family tree. This is a Douglas Fir that is 8-9ft the tag says...it reaches the ceiling of my LR (ahhhhhhh) 

Out came the clippers, it was literally covering half the fireplace. lol

But hey waste not want not or however that saying goes....I used those little branches to beef up my mantel area.  Dont you love my use of a gold charger to camoflauge the 36" flat screen. lol

As of right now 2 a.m this is what the mantel looks like (cant say that will be the case by tomorrow or Christmas morning for that matter).

Now decorating this mammoth of a Christmas tree is my next project.  God I love my husband...(if you could only hear the sarcasm...lol)

Well its time for bed....goodnight to all!

HOLIDAY DECOR......DINING ROOM

This year's palette is Rust,Gold and Green, the inspiration comes from the curtains that I hung in the dining room for Thanksgiving.   Besides those are 3 of my favorite colors to use in our home.

Curtains on left inspiration...everything exsisting. Cost. $ 0.00

My beautiful angel is surrounded by glass containers filled w/ ornaments and an antique santa tree topper.

Left side vignettes

Right side vignettes

View from kitchen archway

Tabletop display

Apothecary jar filled w/ some pine cones

Dangling ornaments along window wall

Vignette

Ornament vignette

Handmade Advent Calendar....my 2 eldest daughters and I made this on the 30th. lol

 

Coincidentally...those dates 25, 18, 13 are January bdays of myself, my son & my daughter. (signs)

A mini topiary I made from last years rust  tree beads.

This huge pinecone is from Jacinto State Park in California...it got a little smushed in the tubs.

My 3 year old wanted to decorate a tree this year so this is her tree and her fabulous decorating job.

The altar holds my lovely village, underneath are my 3 angels.

And as I said in a previous post....my favorite Christmas possession.  My grandfather Salvatore made this by hand and the pieces inside are from Italy.  Its on display every year!

HOLIDAY VIGNETTES

Well Ive been back from my break over a week now and Im running around here like a chicken without a head. The day after Thanksgiving I started packing up and stripped down the rooms of the main floor of the house.

 The next day I started brainstorming my ideas and setting up the basic backdrops that I could add to later.  I wanted to do my rooms different themes/color schemes then I have in the past because we are in the new house this year.  

 I will be posting tours of each room individually but I was so excited about the Holiday Linky parties that Im trying to put together a little something to participate.  Last year at this time I had not yet started blogging so this is all a new experience for me.   The ladies of blogland rock when it comes  to holiday decorating  Debbie, Lynda just to name a few.

 I hope you all are having a blast decorating your own homes and Im enjoying touring them all from the parties.

This is our animal print letter J that usually resides in our tropical living room year round.  I just relocated it at the bottom of the fireplace.

The is one of the side tables in the living room as well (notice the tropical plant in the back..lol) I cut fresh greens from the bush out front grabbed 3 little ornaments and placed them on top of a box my husband sent me while he was deployed in Iraq in 2009.

This is the top of my antique buffet in the dining room.  I have created 5 separate vignettes here.  I have a thing for 3's and also symmetry...I'm working on it okay!  In the center is the funky Advent Countdown Tree I created with my 2 eldest daughters...each cone is filled with candy.

This is on top of the antique credenza in the dining room.  One of my apothecary jars filled w/ rust colored ornaments, a candle stick with a wooden rosary from Puerto Rico and an empty bottle of Petron tequila (love the shape and top)

This is in the kitchen on top of the hutch.  A lit eucalyptus tree w/stocking ornaments Ive started collecting.  The jar is actually hand-painted and has a country christmas scene.

This is the bottom of the hutch where Im displaying burlap stockings and one of my Joy pillows from my holiday line.

I will be linking up with the following lovely ladies for their fabulous holiday parties:

Layla @ http://theletteredcottage.net/holiday-home-linky-party-our-christmas-mantel 11/30

Rhonda @ http://southernhospitalityblog.com/kitchen-vignettes-lime-and-red/ 12/2

Kate @ http://www.centsationalgirl.com/ 12/7

Sarah @ http://thriftydecorchick.com/ 12/9

LUCKY 7 DESIGN....HOLIDAY LINE SNEAK PEEK!

Ive been working like a little elf trying to get my holiday line finished.   Today I put some finished touches on a few items and posted them up on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001151300967 as well in my Etsy shoppe http://www.etsy.com/people/LUCKY7DESIGN.   So I figured I should give you guys a peek as well.  

More to come soon!

Book Page Snowball Wall Hanging

Door hanger made of vintage napkin

Rudolph & his reindeer friends ornament set

Rudolph ornament

Old World Stocking made of burlap bag

Finished w/ jute border for personalization

CHRISTMAS DECORATING SERVICES.........

This year I will be offering holiday decorating services through Lucky 7 Design.   I have decorated the homes of family and friends in the past and decided it would be fun.   Like I've mentioned before my background in retail, particularly in merchandising is something I just can't let go of and love with a passion.

Christmas trees are a favorite of mine, during my employment with Lowe's Home Improvement the holiday trees I decorated were actually featured in one of the holiday commercials filmed at our store.  The set design crew liked them so much they decided to use them.

These services will be available in New Jersey, mostly in Central NJ.   For more information including pricing please contact me at lucky7design@yahoo.com



HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK ALOT LIKE CHRISTMAS......AT THE JOSEPHS.

Well my wonderful husband pulled all my christmas tubs out of the garage (i think the total was about 22) and on Friday I packed away Thanksgiving and welcomed my favorite holiday CHRISTMAS!

Im very busy with trying to get the holiday line up this week but I did snap some shots of what I started but of course will probably add to, tweak or just completely change. lol

My Victorian Village in the Dining Room...a little nervous this will be 1st year is in reach of little hands.

We have such a large family that we hang our stocking over the LR archway..and those are just for the children in the house.  Always buy an extra stocking, you never know when you will have another baby. lol

The top of the fireplace...this still needs work.   I didnt purchase anything new this year....working with what I already have.   I got those pictures at Bed Bath & Beyond on 75% off clearance 2 yrs ago in Spring. 

This is my prized possession for Christmas...it was hand made by my grandfather Salvatore.   The pieces are from Italy (some are chipped but its makes them more precious to me).   I have to go grab some of the fall hay before the trash gets collected....and place some inside

The kitchen hutch which I didnt have last year.  Its holding my collection of Christmas teapots as well and holiday plates.   This hutch has been a blessing, so glad i refinished it and kept it.

HOLIDAYS ARE HERE....BUSY BUSY BUSY

Well this is kinda my first post since my long break.    Ive started working on my holiday line for Lucky 7 Design and just trying to decide what I want to do with my stocking this year.   In the old house they went down the staircase, last year over the archway from living room to diningroom.  But this year we have an extra stocking to hang baby Kemorah's for a total of 7 (lol)    I also have a mantel to hang from this year, thanks to my husband and Craigslist.  

Below is the mantle from Sept/Oct

Lucky 7 Design

IM BACK....WELL ALMOST

Well I had to take some time off to handle some family business.   I also decided to switch my internet provider which made the break a little longer than expected.   I dont have a themed post for today other than Im back and found out that Im a little more addicted to the internet then I thought.  But also learned all the great things you can do when your not in front of a laptop all day.

Enjoy your weekend !!!!!