Merry Christmas everyone! Today I am sharing how I have slowly been “creating Christmas” in our home using my favorite eclectic mix of vintage, French-farmhouse and traditional treasures. It’s been a little crazy around here in between finishing up finals for my Christian Ministries/Biblical studies graduate classes and returning back to full-time teaching as a high school Choir director just started three days before Thanksgiving! While I am far from being “finished” with the decorating I did manage to get the dining room ready to share with you in time for the fabulous Christmas Home Tours hosted by Marty of A Stroll Thru Life.

 

 

This week 30 creative bloggers are teaming up to bring you all kinds of gorgeous Christmas decor inspiration! If you are coming over from Cassie Bustamante or if you just happened to stop by, I am so happy to have you! 

 

This year I am just loving how the dining room is coming together so far! I incorporated traditional red and green decorations, tons of tartan and plaid, shimmery and shiny ornaments and tinsel, rustic and natural greenery, fruits and woodland elements, and of course lots of vintage. All of these items combined work to create the festive look I love for the holidays.

 

I am just crazy about this pretty Christmas corner filled with all kinds of Christmas eye candy and vintage-shabby-farmhouse goodness.

 

My small flocked tree has been decorated simply with just a few ornaments, mercury glass beads and handmade candy canes. The tree just fits between the antique church pew and the perfectly chippy-shabby vintage chest of drawers. 

 

 

I created a pretty Christmas vignette featuring a couple of my favorite ivory Belsnickle German Santas on top of a vintage dresser. The salvaged tin piece is a recent antiques store score and the small mirror was previously in our  powder room before it got a makeover for the One Room Challenge last month. The mirror is adorned with the prettiest little wreath with an olive green satin bow.

 

Did you notice my salvaged antique porch post “peppermint stick?” I created a temporary peppermint stick using the cutest red and off white striped ribbon wrapped around a chalk painted $3 vintage porch post. After Christmas I can just remove the ribbon and use the porch post in my everyday decor.

 

 

I placed the porch post in my favorite Frenchy graywashed basket along with some beautiful gift wrap tied up with pretty, red velvet ribbon.

 

‘Each year my decorating is almost always influenced by the colors and styles of the wrapping paper I find. I fell in love with this green plaid and red ticking stripe paper this year. I just loved the gold and ivory paper I used last year so when I found another roll at Marshalls this year I snatched it right up. 

 

Where did those vintage elves come from all of the sudden???  I don’t like the looks of this! Don’t let those sweet, innocent little faces fool you!

 

While our large family tree in the music room is where most of our presents will end up, there are already a couple of presents under the flocked tree in the dining room. An adorable snow couple. whitewashed toboggan sled, and an antique style pull-horse are fun toy props under the tree.

 

 

As soon as I spotted this cute horse at a yard sale a few years ago I just had to have it for my Christmas decorating! I made him a little red plaid scarf for the holidays.

 

 

This view would be so cozy and relaxing if not for the fact that those knee-hugger elves are hiding again!

 

I have just started adding a few Christmas touches to the antique china cabinet. I will share a post with more photos later this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am so happy with how the whole dining room is coming together so far. Everything looks elegant with a classic Christmas feel. The tablescape isn’t quite finished but I already love how it is looking. Over the years I have found that a beautiful vintage style bead garland is perfect for dressing up our chandy for the holidays, as it adds a touch of traditional elegance to the dining room.

 

I filled my long dough bowl with a mix of realistic, faux cedar and pine garlands along with pine cones, “cloved-cuties,” pomegranates, nuts, holly, antlers, and faux birch branches to create an elegant and traditional centerpiece. The pretty French vase has been filled with a mix of fresh evergreens and some holly clippings from the bushes around our front porch. Winter birds are also a theme at our home for Christmas this year.

 

The small French urns on each side of the table also contain fresh evergreen bouquets. A pretty green glass spritzer bottle will help keep the evergreens fresh a bit longer.

 

Here I had just started setting up my tablescape. The white and gold trimmed teacups, saucers and plates are recent dime finds from a local church rummage sale. The plaid plates and saucers are from TJ Maxx.

 

 

I decided to fill the teacups with fresh cranberries for a festive touch. Now I am not so sure how I feel about that with those elves on the loose!

 

Everything looks so pretty for the holi…wait…oh no! What is going on back in my cozy Christmas corner!!!??

 

 

Those elves are making their mischief again! Looks like they have decided to take the decorating into their own tiny hands by unraveling Santa’s hat to use for tinsel! Grrr!  Now I will have some extra cleaning and redecorating to do! I will let you know how it all turns out in my next post!

 

 

 

More Christmas Home Tour Sneak Peeks!

Here’s a few more sneak peeks of our vintage and traditional holiday home in the living room and music room. I will share a tour of each of these rooms in more detail this coming weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be sure to stop back by next week to see more old-world European vintage style treasures around our living room and music room!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed seeing how I have slowly been “creating Christmas” in our dining room and a few sneak peeks from my full Christmas home tour coming up next week. I do hope you will plan to stop back by often during the holidays!

Now it’s time to continue on with more Christmas inspiration from the Christmas home tours. Next up is Dixie Delights. I know you will love enjoy her beautiful holiday home! You can follow along all week with the tours via the links below.

 

Thank you so much for visiting today! Merry Christmas!

Amber

 

Monday, December 9

   A Stroll Thru Life ,   Remodelando La Casa ,   Cuckoo4Design ,  Far Above Rubies , Southern Hospitality ,  Pink Peppermint Design 

Tuesday, December 10

House By Hoff,   Duke Manor Farm , ZDesign At Home  , Taryn Whiteaker ,Inspiration For Moms ,Decor To Adore   

 

Cassie Bustamante , Follow The Yellow Brick Home ,Dixie Delights , Hymns & Verses , Modern Glam , Thrifty & ChicThursday, December 12

Our Fifth Home ,  11 Magnolia Lane  , Our Southern Home  , Seeking Lavender Lane  , Setting for Four , Southern State Of Mind Friday, December 13

Grace In My Space , White Arrows Home, The Woodgrain Cottage , Designing Vibes , Thistlewood Farms , Life On Cedar Lane,  

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