Oh, Christmas Tree!

This year, I decorated for the holidays a little earlier than normal.  I tried to wait.  I really tried.  Ultimately, I just couldn't wait to surround myself with a little bit of Christmas though!  Christmas came a little early this year! :)

I truly LOVE our open floor plan, but it does present a few challenges when it comes to decorating for the holidays.  We only have three rooms with windows that face the road, and one is our master bathroom,  so that was automatically ruled out.  The second room with front-facing windows is our office, and if the tree took up residence in there for the month of December, I would be really unproductive.  That knocked the office out of the running out too.  So, that left our dining room, which truth be told, doesn't get much use most of the time since we have a dinette. It's a little less than ideal though.  I had to rotate our dining room table... and now it's not PERFECTLY situated beneath the chandelier.  It's driving me about twelve kinds of crazy, but in the grand scheme of things, I am loving how everything turned out. 

I decided to keep everything relatively simple this year, because I am in the midst of the craziest year on record...trying to balance a ridiculously challenging school-year, my educational blogging/ TpT business, grad school, and presenting.  Oh, plus trying to be a normal person outside of my job.  You know.  Every now and then I like to enjoy something OUTSIDE of teaching too!  :)   Decorating is definitely one of my favorite outside hobbies, and truthfully, it's been a really great stress-reliever for me this year.  Currently, we're budgeting for an entertainment center.  I have my eye on one... but I won't pay full-price for it, so I am playing the waiting game at the moment.  We totally need something to fill the space in our living room.  The small entertainment console just isn't working there... although I do love me some World Market.  ;)

I know some people have different styles and tastes when it comes to mantle decor, but I really like a collected look, so mine is a pretty layered look.  I just switched a few things out from my fall mantle, added a banner, and added a few stockings.  Nothing earth-shattering!

I kept it equally simple in our dinette this time around.  I layered two runners... which is definitely one of my favorite decorating tricks at the moment.  I just switched out the fall flowers for a large candleholder and berries and transferred the cow and cloche from our mantel to the table.  Done-zo!

Aside from the simple table-scape, the dinette features just a few little embellishments like this spoon adorned tree, a simple white Nutcracker, and three felt wreaths.  I love the simplicity of everything!

I created a few simple vignettes in the kitchen as well.  I admit it.  I have a slight addiction.

Our hallway is also decorated in a very simple way.  I hung a wreath on our laundry room door... and I love how it adds just a little something to the area.  I also recently moved a bench into the hallway from a bedroom.  So far, I'm digging it.  I just can't wait to add a gallery wall at some point.  The hallway desperately needs artwork.  I just haven't found the right stuff yet!  All in due time...

I'm definitely satisfied with how everything turned out.  We're still kind of newlyweds, so everything is a work-in-progress.  Rome was not built overnight, and neither was our home.  It will all come together in time. 

In the meantime, I will be worrying about our sweet girl, Stella.  She had a pretty major surgery over the weekend, so I'm more concerned about puppy-proofing everything to prevent any more intestinal blockages in the future.  Just look at her sad little face.  She'll be requiring lots of TLC, so everything else, including decorating, can wait.  :)

Fabulous Fall

When I was younger, I really relished summertime.  I LOVED every minute of it.  As I've gotten older, I have started to appreciate the beauty of fall a lot more.  I just adore every shade of orange, red, and yellow.  Love, love, love! 

This year, it's taken me a little bit longer to decorate for fall, but I am finally getting around to it.  Slowly, but surely.  :)  Decorating a home is an expensive endeavor, no matter how thrifty you are, so I am chipping away at holiday decor a little bit at a time.  This is how everything  looks at the moment.

Now, I know my mantle isn't your typical fall mantle, but I basically LOVE it.  It looks so collected and eclectic, and it definitely does it for me.  :)

I mean who doesn't want a nice fall botanical next to a magnifying glass. a bunny cloche, and a tiny little cow creamer?!   Right?! 

On the other far side, you can see a few more eclectic elements.  I am basically obsessed with old salvaged architectural pieces, as you can probably tell. I also love to mix metals... and I love the contrast between black and white.  It makes my heart go pitter-pat.  {Sigh}

My teacher heart simply couldn't resist picking up this sweet little concrete apple.  :) It's so presh!

I also couldn't resist this printer's block.  I love how looks next to my bronze-esque monogram!

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I didn't do anything crazy in our dinette or kitchen.  I pretty much just layered a fall foilage runner over our burlap runner, and then added a few pumpkins for good measure.  :)

I've had this potpourri pumpkin for a few years, and it's still one of my favorites.  Simple & lovely!

I've also had this mercury glass pumpkin for a few years.  I have been searching for more of them, but I don't want to pay Pottery Barn prices, so I am going to continue to stalk and hope I find another at Marshalls or TJ Maxx instead!  I'm a cheapskate!  Guilty!

Friends, how cute is this basket?!  I picked it up from a local vintage boutique.  In fact, I may have an addiction, and I may go there a lot.  :)  One of the owners, Susan, has a great blog called Must Love Junk.  If you like the vintage aesthetic... you should check it out!  They even have an Etsy shop for all of you out-of-towners! 

I love the contrast between the rustic cutting board and the shiny orange pumpkin... and I feel like the burlap ties it all together in a really simple and beautiful way.

This fabulous French accent piece is spattered with orange, black, and green paint, and I LOVE it.

How precious are these little chevron pumpkins?!  I love the exposed seems and wooden stems! 

Of course, no fall display is complete without a few gourds.  Am I right?!  This pair is hanging out on a tray for the time being.  When I bought them at my favorite little boutique, they were hanging on an S-hook by happenstance, and I loved the presentation of it. So, now I am convinced that I need to buy one to hang these puppies somewhere.  Ha!  Soon.

Okay, and although I admit that I may have an unhealthy obsession with burlap, I couldn't resist this pillow either.  The embroidery is so dainty and sweet.

Do you want to know another obsession of mine though?!  Velvet pumpkins... and sweater pumpkins.  Currently, I just have one velvet pumpkin.  This one!  Sooner or later, I will be purchasing a sweater pumpkin or two though.  Mark my word! ;)

 Well, that concludes my fall decor tour.  I think I'm going to go back to salivating over my dream dining room.  :)  What do you think?!  A girl can dream, right?!