Okay, so I love decorating for Christmas! So much so, that every year I have a different theme. I’ve had traditional red, glitzy glam, coastal theme, you name it! This year I chose a pared-down color palette, layered natural elements in various textures and materials, and added some sparkle, for a modern-meets-rustic feel.
The Mantle
I like having one main piece, whether made or bought, that anchors my design. This year it is a Wood Wall Art from Shutterfly. I chose to use a family pic we snapped for our Christmas cards (making it go the extra mile!). It was taken outdoors, so it too had natural easiness about it. The settle wood grain showing through the print lends rustic quality, and the beautiful lettering adds a modern twist. I pared the wood art with other natural elements such as deer horns, pinecones and greenery, and burlap stockings. I completed the look with a touch of sparkle from some old-fashioned mercury glass ornaments and candle holders. This made for a simple and elegant display on my holiday mantle.
After the Holidays, I will leave the Wood Art on the mantle nestled amongst my ever-evolving collection of framed photographs.
The Gifts
There is just something about wrapping gifts. I love spending time creating the perfect gift wrap and making each package special for the person who will receive it. Especially family. It just makes me happy! Not to mention, I love seeing all those pretty packages under the tree.
To achieve that uber personal touch this year, I used the Classic Stripe metal ornaments from Shutterfly . Shutterfly has many designs to choose from, but my heart settled on the Classic Stripe design, because the color palette was a perfect match to my modern-yet-rustic theme. One side of the ornament can be monogrammed, and the other has a space for a photo. I uploaded a couple of our Christmas photos, added text, and voila! Not only did I ‘pretty-fy’ the gifts packages for our family, but they in turn, can hang these ‘tags-turned-ornaments’ on their Christmas tree year after year. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving!
The Details
All through the Holidays I like to display keepsakes in small vignettes. Usually these are old, passed-down objects, or vintage finds. This year however, I came across these cube ornaments from Shutterfly, and my heart sang. They were just perfect for my modern-meets-rustic theme. I ordered the Classic Scrolls and the Chevron Stripes cube ornaments. Both designs are really chic! I kept the photos in B&W which lent nostalgic quality. I nestled the ornaments under a cloche, a top a silver cake stand and sprinkled them with a bit of fake snow. And voila! A darling display through the Holidays that is both beautiful and, in the end, practical. Practical?!! Of course! I made one ornament for myself, but the others are gifts for special friends. Since the cubes are customizable, I added a monogram, name and year to each. The little cardboard box (also part of the display) will be the very box in which they’ll be sent to their new homes.
Because I chose a paired-down color palette, these cubes can truly be displayed all year round. How perfect!
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