Hidden Christmas Beauty

I thought my Christmas decorating was complete! Have you ever done this....................opened the door to a little storage/hiding place only to discover more beauty?

Yesterday, while searching for something while packing my travel bag, I found these perfectly lovely trees staring back at me from the cupboard of a little hallway table. Oh yes, I do remember buying them early in the year, knowing they'd be perfect for this Christmas. Tucked them away in the cabinet as I didn't want to crawl through the attic to stuff them in the monstrous green storage boxes.

I thought these filigreed trees very lovely topped with stars. Their soft patina is similar to mercury glass, but with a matte rather than shiny finish. I'm so happy I found them in time!

Almost too busy for blogging

Feel like you need to put your skates on? The days fly by far too quickly, don't they?

Are you up to your eyeballs in tinsel and glitter,

holly and ivy and no time to 'twitter'?

Your lists grow longer, gifts, food and booze,

all you really want to do is kick off your shoes.........

.......sit down and snooze - or at least have time to blog!!!

I am literally covered in glitter.......after hanging this otherwise very pretty, silvery mistletoe garland from Jo-Ann's in the dining room. Wow did it shed!

I still have to organize my time for baking Christmas cookies.......meanwhile I love these cookie ornaments.
I don't have to shop for a real tree but I did head out to the garden center this week. For my dining room I chose a creamy white Poinsettia named Polar Bear. Just 10 mins. from my home is the second largest Poinsettia grower in the country - wonderful displays and so hard to choose as they are all beautiful, healthy and perfect. I added a lacy fern to soften it and an Aspen candle with an outdoorsy perfume, named Goddess. The engraved 'silver' lid is beautiful, reminds me of antique powder bowls.

Homewood Gardens, Raleigh, NC

Perhaps my Christmas decorations are becoming less traditional now......not so much red and green, much more neutral. I love the softened look which seems to suit my year round decor which has become more decolored. I do love colorful decor, have had it myself over the years, and am always amazed at those of you who pull it all together so well.

Here's some color in the hallway...........do love the 'old world' Santas in rich colored velvets, and their little helpers.

More peeks at Christmas decor next time.

Beginning to look............

.....................somewhat like Christmas around the cottage.

Huge bunch of wonderful dried gigantic oakleaf hydrangeas from my 'tea lady' dear friend, Mary Ann. Great decorating potential in these.

Martha Stewart 'jingle bell wreath' from a few years back, on a silver hanger engraved with our family name - a lovely gift from dear friends.

If you ring my doorbell I'll be happy to show you around however I'm not done yet! This is the year I'm simplifying so holiday decorations have been edited, that takes time, and I'm just using things I really love to look at and which tie in with my simple French country, with a bit of Nordic thrown in, look.............mainly in white, cream and silver.

Busy weekend. Beautiful Christmas music concert, an annual treat, along with Moravian sugar cake and sweet coffee. Spent time in the gazebo yesterday afternoon putting up the Christmas tree - quite chilly so had to make a steaming mug of chocolate to warm my frozen hands. Worth it though, the lights sparkling in the crisp air really brighten up the night garden.

Wishing you happy, fun times decorating. I'll have more pictures to share later.