Christmas Angels

It's the simple things that make Christmas time special for me.  Especially when it comes to decorating.  There is nothing better than simple and easy!  My favorite holiday display is also the simplest  and is found on my black cabinet just inside the backdoor to my kitchen.   Green, white and silver colors combine to create a subtle Christmas theme.  The angel is from my mother-in-law's house and the watering can I have used for many years.  The white urn, which usually holds my ivy topiary, is a perfect container for a rosemary 'Christmas' tree. 

Close-up of brass angel.

Just outside my kitchen backdoor is another angel, also from my mother-in-law's house.  This is a garden angel whose basket I have filled with greenery.  I can see her from the bay window in my kitchen.

Garden angel.

For the holiday season, I have come to think of these little guardians as my Christmas angels. 

Next time, decorating the Christmas Tree: Step Two, putting on the lights. 

Genevieve

Decorating the Christmas Tree - Step One

Last year I did not put up a Christmas tree.  The stress of 2010 had worn me out and I couldn't face the effort of putting up holiday decorations, let alone take them down at the end of the season.  It was just all too daunting!

2011 has been as stressful as 2010, but I decided to once again have a tree for the holidays.  Usually I wait until the week before Christmas to 'deck the halls', but this year I started much earlier.  Yesterday I bought the tree!  And I'm so glad I did.  For the first time in my married life, there is no pressure to get the tree done.   I have over three weeks to finish.  Love it!

Decorating the Tree - Step One

Those of you who have an artificial tree, can skip this post.  And for the sheer ease of decorating and storage, I highly recommend an artificial tree.  I really considered going 'fake' this year.  But the tree I liked was just too expensive.  

I don't have a preference for live trees over artificial trees.  Both are lovely and also have pros and cons.  But let me know what you think.

Getting back to decorating the tree.  For a live tree, the first step is pruning and shaping the branches to make room for lighting and ornaments.  Many people skip this step, but it only takes a few minutes and is worth the effort. 

 Shaping a Live Christmas

• Clip the tips of branches that 'stick out too far' from the desired triangle shape.
• Create room for ornaments by pruning branches near the trunk that overlap. 
• Trim the tip of the tree crown to a height that will fit your 'tree topper'. For trees that have two or more tips at the crown, prune until only one tip remains. 

 Shaping the tree. 

 Checking my work.

Making adjustments.

 Branches pruned from the tree.

The final shape. 

Next post, Decorating the Tree - Step Two, lighting.

Before I go, look at the gorgeous table my sister set for Thanksgiving!

And the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, gravy, homemade rolls and homemade pies were delicious!

Genevieve

2011 is here! Thank God!!!

The New Year has arrived!  Thank God!  But, I will get to that later.

First, it's time to hang those 2011 calendars.  In small spaces, finding a spot that is practical, where calendars with handwritten notes and reminders don't look 'messy', can be a challenge.  For me, the best solution is behind cabinet doors in the kitchen.  I use Command hangers to keep the calendars in place.  Reminder notes are written or clipped to calendar pages.  There is a fishing calendar for my husband who loves outdoor sports and a school calendar for my son. 

 

My husband's 'fishing' calendar.  The Command hanger is just visible at the top.

My son's school calendar.  Soon it will be filled with handwritten notes and activity schedules.

I also keep a calendar filled with landscape photos from Tuscany at work near my desk. It's silly, but every month I look forward to seeing the new photo.  I've never been to Tuscany or Italy, but it looks lovely.  The blue sky contrasted with green hills and the shining sun always make me smile.

So why am I thrilled to see 2011 arrive?  Nothing magic or fabulous has happened. My husband continues his job search and the loss of my dear friend Maureen in late April is still painful. But just turning the page on a new year feels as if I am putting distance between the difficult challenges and memories of 2010.  Many of you sent comforting words and encouragement.  Thank you, thank you, thank you! Especially Laney, Judy, Melissa, June, Rue and my sister Kelley, your thoughts and prayers are so appreciated! 

I could not imagine decorating for the holidays this year, so I didn't.  My only decorations were gifts from friends. Jill sent a huge red poinsettia which stood in for our Christmas tree...

 

Christy sent paperwhite flowers in a stunning silver container ....

And Doreen sent a wreath with a big red beautiful bow.

 

What wonderful friends!!! 

For the family Christmas Eve get together, I also made my smoked salmon plate with salmon my brother sent from Alaska. That's my son in the striped shirt.

And I shoveled a path for Buddy to take his usual walks around the house.

That was it for Christmas. Surprisingly, it was refreshing.  I certainly didn't miss the usual pressure to 'do-it-all'.

Which brings me to Jewel Box® Home and this blog.  Amber has been the heart and soul of this blog over the past year.  I could not do this without her.  We both look forward to bringing you Jewel Box® tips for your smaller homes and spaces in 2011. 

Happy New Year to everyone!

Genevieve

Help! My kitchen is tiny!!

In this holiday winter season a lot of time is spent in the kitchen!  Guests sit at the kitchen table as you prepare tapas and appetizers for a seasonal party or soup and stew for a dinner table full of guests.  As they gather around my kitchen island this Christmas season, my focus will be on bringing warmth, space and style to my tiny Jewel Box Kitchen!

Some tips!

Photos Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

Paint it White!  White is your best friend in a small kitchen.  It reflects light and makes any space feel larger than it is.  The walls recede and create a seamless space which tricks the eye.  Instant square footage!

White isn't your thing?  Use a low-contrast color scheme. When there's little difference between the colors of the wall, the countertop, cabinetry and the woodwork, your eye glides over the surfaces looking for a place to rest, and that movement tricks your mind into thinking the space is larger than it really is. Here white woodwork and pale gray walls are close in color value so the eye doesn't trip over any sudden shifts from dark to light. The effect is serene and expansive.

Replace cabinet doors with glass.  Fool the eye.  Instant space!

 

Let there be light.  Lots of natural light enlarges any space. You may have no choice about the number and placement of windows in your kitchen, but maximize the light you do have by keeping window treatments minimal.

 

Trick the eye with mirrors.  Mirrors create depth and space.  Ever consider using a mirror for a backsplash?  You should...

Take the eye high.  Hanging pictures, platters and wall hangings to the ceiling draws the eye up creating a larger height.  This makes any room bigger.  Consider hanging platters and serving ware high above eye level.  Great storage and it tricks the eye!

Eliminate clutter. Counterops crowded with cookware and cabinets crowned by collectibles swamp a small kitchen and cramp your work space. To enlarge the room visually, clear off the counters, the windowsill, and the cabinet tops, and stash as much as you can behind closed doors.


However you choose, you can create a homey, inviting space to welcome guests this Christmas season!

~Amber

Winter Decorating on a Budget!

Is your Christmas tree up yet?  Are there Holiday lights on your house?  Have you begun your festive winter decorating?  After Thanksgiving, most people turn their attention to the upcoming holiday season and decorate their homes accordingly.  Some decorating can get out of hand and leave a dent in your household budget.  In my tiny home, we like to place glimpses of Christmas and winter around each corner of the room.  Not overwhelming, but festive and whimsical.  I am always on the look out for ways to re-use decorations or clever, cost-friendly ways to enhance the winter decor in our home. 

Photos Courtesy of Country Living

I always love hanging things from my light fixtures!  Garland and ornaments dress up an already fancy chandelier to give the Christmas spirit to any dining room.

Make a statement this year by decorating with splashes of vibrant color!  This living room reminds me of a wintery skating rink with its cool blue blocks of color.

Inexpensive and traditional...wreaths can be hung from just about any surface.  I love the whimsical feel of these hanging in the windows.  Instant window treatment!

White...cool, calming, reminiscent of a snowy landscape....it gives dramatic effect when used all together in toning hues.

How festive and fun!  A bowl full of ornaments!  Instant Christmas on any tabletop.  

Go on a winter's hike and gather pinecones for this darling wreath.  Hot glued together and sprayed with a dusting of white glitter paint, it can be left up all winter.

Sprinkle little touches of the holiday season in every area of your home!  A wreath tucked into a shelf, bowls of pine cones, a stray ornament...nothing overwhelming but the festive holiday season is still felt.

I love the idea of enhancing these cupboard shelves with paper cut out trim!  Even the kids could help with this easy craft.

Display those Christmas cards!  It is a special reminder of the friends and family who grace your lives.

Decorations that can be left out all winter are some of my favorites.  Pine cones and tiny evergreen trees are delightful reminders that winter has its own greenery.

As do winter bulbs!  I love to force bulbs in the winter. They are an inexpensive reminder that spring will come again and it is always such a sight for sore eyes when a beautiful Amaryllis or Paperwhite peeks out of a bowl in my living room.

Whatever your budget you can spread the holiday cheer with family and guests in your home with just a few inexpensive touches.  Have fun!

~Amber

Christmas on a Budget

This year I decided not spend any money on holiday decorations, except for buying the Christmas tree. My beloved amaryllis, poinsettias and fresh arrangements of roses and lilies would not be part of our Christmas scenery. I did not even buy a wreath for the front door, but instead used white lights and red bows saved from last year. I almost made an exception for my annual tradition of buying a few new Christmas tree ornaments. As a girl, my mom took me every year to pick out two or three new tree decorations. I have continued the annual tradition on my own, always thinking of my mom as I choose my ornaments. But this year, I was not spending money which I knew would make my mom happy.

So here are the results of my frugal creativity.

Christmas Greenery

Instead of buying roses and white lilies - which I love - for the front entrance, I filled a vase with pine greenery from the lower branches of the tree and fresh variegated boxwood from my garden. The 'red berries' are artificial. I reuse them every year to add a little pop of color to greens.

A large flower and fruit filled crystal vase is one of my 'wow' Christmas centerpieces each year. To recreate this focal point without spending money, I again used greenery from the tree and hung my Santa ornament collection from the branches along with gold bells that also typically hang on the tree. As a final touch I tied a Rudolph ornament on a slim red ribbon around the neck of the vase. A completely different look from the elegant flower and fruit arrangement, but still very 'Christmasy' and one my young niece and nephew will enjoy when they visit on Christmas day.

My Santa collection hanging from Christmas greenery.

Close up of a Santa ornament.

The Christmas Tree

I didn't spend any money, but I still have two new ornaments for the tree.

This is a tiny Godiva chocolate box tied with a red ribbon. I used an ornament hook to hang it from the branch.

This special ornament is a small jewelry bag that belonged to my mother. I stuffed it with tissue and hung it from a red tie cord near the ornamental birds that my mother always loved.


My tree skirt is two yards of red velvet I used several years ago for a Halloween costume. I think it frames the tree nicely and is an elegant backdrop for presents. (And yes, I forgot to sweep around the tree before taking this photo. That green speck on the floor is a broken tree tip.)


I also wanted to make holiday decorating a little easier, so I didn't hang the dozens of crystal icicles in my ornament collection. Not as much sparkle, but still festive. And less to put away when the holidays are over!

More Holiday Budget Decorating

Rosemary topiaries decorated with 'red berries' for the holidays. I'll be using these rosemary clippings for my beef tenderloin on Christmas day. (You can find the recipe on my New Year's Celebration post from last year.)

Santa ornament collection with holiday rosemary topiaries.

Dining room chandelier decked out with artificial greenery and a favorite ornament.

A trio of nutcrackers and a red berry wreath purchased several years ago.

A simple white bowl and pomegranates add holiday color to the coffee table. The pomegranates will be served with dessert at Christmas dinner.

Homecoming

Fast becoming a traditional holiday scene at my house is luggage dumped in the entry way when my son comes home from college. To be fair, this pile also includes luggage my younger son used for a trip to visit a friend out of state. It has now been over a day since both boys came home. I'm waiting to see how long it takes them to pick up their bags.

Merry, Merry Christmas!

Genevieve