Christmas Home Tour 2014

I am happy to be a part of the "Christmas in the Country" Home Tour and Link Party 2014!  I am one of over 40 decorated homes participating in this two week event from November 28th till December 12th.  Please visit Creative Country Mom's to see all the new stops on the tour each day.  There is also a Holiday themed link party for the event where everyone can add their posts!  Let's enjoy a homespun, Country Christmas at www.creativecountrymom.com!

I'm finally back! And just in time to do the Christmas Home Tour 2014! I had to take a short hiatus because we all caught a respiratory virus that landed the baby in the ER for breathing trouble and both kids on antibiotics for ear infections. It's been a rough two weeks for sure. But hey, I got to ride in an ambulance for the first, and hopefully last, time!

Since I've been spending the majority of the time since Thanksgiving holding sick kids, this year's Christmas decorations are rather simple and thrown together. If it weren't for Hubby and my wonderful mother-in-law, they wouldn't be up at all. But lest you think that all the cleaned up photos are our real life, I've included some behind the scenes shots too. I hope you enjoy the tour!

Welcome to our home! It's so nice to have you here to share the season with us! Don't mind my Christmas wreath. I made him last year and he seems to have suffered the loss of a few of his pinecones while in storage. Fixing him is on the agenda, but it probably won't happen this year. Do come in!

Our entry is a long skinny hallway with nowhere to gather so let's take a left turn into the living room. We can turn on the fireplace and chat for a while. Feel free to take off your shoes and curl up on the couch with a blanket. You can count on me to make the coffee! Or tea. Your choice.

You may notice my tables are completely bare except for the lamps. That's because the Munchkin is in that stage. The one where nothing anywhere is safe. So watch that cup of coffee if you set it down. Mini Flash will be there in 2 seconds.

Do you play the piano? You can play all you want, just know that there will be little hands wanting to play along with you. So, basically, that gorgeous version of O Holy Night that you start playing will end up not sounding anything like O Holy Night, let alone music. You have been warned.

Oh, and the berries are real, the plant is fake. It's pretty easy to just stick some of the real stuff into the fake stuff to get a different look! The real stuff happens to grow in my yard so I didn't even have to go anywhere to get it!

I love having a mantel to decorate! It's wonderful to cozy up to a fireplace that's all decked out for Christmas. Like I said, my decor is pretty simple. I bought two cheap fake garlands, twisted them together for fullness, and then slipped in some real pine and boxwood from my yard to make it look nicer. 

I didn't have time to make a thousand little pompoms, so I made the other garland out of jute twine and cotton balls. Classy, right? It'll be our secret.

From the living room, you can step into the office and see our Christmas tree. It's fake. I know, you were dying to know. Both of the trees we have up were left in the shed when our In-Laws moved out and, if they hadn't left them, I doubt we would have any tree up by now. 

Of course, I added some other Christmas touches throughout the office. Or should I call it a study? Hubby wants to call it a study. It sounds more highfalutin' than office does. Pinkies up, y'all!

Now if you'll just move on into the kitchen, we'll get that coffee I keep talking about.

Feast your eyes, folks, because my kitchen never looks this good! 

We have a few boxwoods, a firethorn bush, and a pine tree in our yard that all made contributions to our decorations this year. Being stuck at home and not having a lot of money to spend really makes you rethink how you decorate. There is no obvious Christmas decor anywhere in here. No sleighs, snowmen, or bells. Just branches gleaned from my yard. 

I've loved having you here! Before you go though, I'd love to show you a glimpse of our real life. Part of making a beautiful home is welcoming family, friends, and strangers, into your house and letting them know the real you. The real you that let their kids eat lunch in the living room today. The real you that hasn't dusted in two months{or years!}. The real you that snorts when you laugh sometimes.

Because that real you is worth getting to know.

I hope you enjoyed the tour and I hope to see you again soon! After all, I showed you my dirty laundry. We're friends now. You can't escape it.

There are over 40 homes participating in the Christmas in the Country Home Tour. And just as many different decorating styles! Take a few minutes and check them out at www.creativecountrymom.com!

Merry Christmas!