Wednesday, December 8, 2010

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
In beauty green will always grow
Through summer sun and winter snow.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!


I have been working on this post on and off for a little over a week, so you will see pictures during the day, during the evening, with stuff, without stuff, and during stuff. Hope you don't mind. What I do hope, is that you will draw inspiration from, our Christmas Tree.





Nope, she's not real, she's not new, and she's not pre-lit (dang it). It's made a trip from North Carolina, to Missouri, her box is tattered and taped, barely hanging on, it's missing two limbs and one leg of her stand (which I permanently fixed with a DIY tree planter). I remember picking it out, Keegan was just a toddler, and we paid 46.oo at Wal-mart. So not only do I attach a lot of nostalgia to ornaments, I place a lot of it with the tree too.
This year has been a flurry of re-do's, remakes, and recycles. Using what I have, reinventing some things and thinking outside the circle (sorry, I'm tired of thinking outside the proverbial box, I've decided to be in a circle), for no other reason than because I can. I hope you've been inspired too, you can make a lot of the ornaments you see, here, here and here.

Some ornaments are from anywhere from high end boutiques to Lowe's, to my local thrift store, to Target, it doesn't matter to me, as long as I like it.
Fully dressed Tree:
Naked Tree :)

Gallery wall adjacent to tree, this is still a work in progress. I've been adding things to it for a week now....I finally remembered to get printer ink so I can print some pictures of the boys.

I took apart a grapevine wreath and let it naturally twirl around the whole tree. This was the absolutely last thing I did and am so happy with the effect. It certainly adds dimension and character.




I placed the tree in a different spot this year too. I normally put it near the fireplace, but I started thinking that it is just too crowded. So the fireplace dominates the one end of the living room, the tree is in the opposite end of the room.


How do you like my stumps? I have my dear father in law to thank for them, they are making great candle holders, not to mention how wonderful they smell! I will be creating a tablescape in the near future with these so be on the look out for that!
I will be incorporating some (a lot of these) out on the porch too, I hope to get the porch and outside lights done next week.



Thank you so much for stopping by, I really appreciate it, I know what a busy, busy time of year it is.


O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Your beauty green will teach me
That hope and love will ever be
The way to joy and peace for me.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Your beauty green will teach me




Joining Sarah



39 comments:

  1. I saw this wonderful post TOO late. My son just split all of our logs for firewood. You are creative and I love the glamorous woodsy look you have created. So unique.

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  2. That is exactly what I want my tree to look like! I am going to do this next year! I love the glitz with the rustic, so pretty!!! And that frame wall so pretty! The logs put me over the top!!! I love stumps, I have one on my porch.

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  3. Your tree is beautiful, but WHOA- LOVE your logs and your gallery wall! I adore what you've put in those frames so far (and not put!) With some family photos added in, that'll be fantastic! Yay for whole house holiday remakes!
    : ) Meg

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  4. Your tree is stunning and I love the jute wrapped pot you have it in! Lovely!

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  5. I love those stumps with the candles on them, what a fun addition!

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  6. I like it all - the tree with the natural elements mixed with glitz, the jute-wrapped pot, the tree stumps with candles, AND the gallery wall! Great job!

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  7. Michelle,

    I LOVE it. I used to be in charge of decorating our precious churches GRAND foyer and we did over 20 trees each in a different theme and one was a woodland tree --so beautiful.

    Cheri

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  8. I love the grapevine wreath wrapped around the tree! The stumps with candles on them are just gorgeous!!

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  9. Ooooh! Your tree is just gorgeous! I would really appreciate it if you would link this beaut up to my Christmas Tree Show-Off!

    http://straightstitches.blogspot.com/2010/12/welcome-to-day-4-christmas-tree-party.html

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  10. you tree is so beautiful, and I love the stumps, such a great idea.
    thanks for visiting.

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  11. Just stunning! Looks like something out of a magazine. Great job!

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  12. Hi Michelle! Lit or unlit, stuff or no stuff - your tree is gorgeous!! I love it.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  13. Michelle is gorgeous, beautiful, spectacular. I love it all and I love that you mix cheap and chic ornaments. The grapevine idea is genius, I might add it to my tree this year....Its lacking something. I also think the planter is awesome and all of the tree stumps and candles. Such an amazing appealing presentation. P.S. I love fake trees...I have 2 this year 1 real and 1 fake...I got real this year but I going fake next year. lol Happy Holiday to you and yours!

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  14. I love your tree,adding the grapevine wreath certainly brought everything together. It's totally amazing. I also love stumps. I used them one year on a table in the 80's... I think i have a picture somewhere. But yours are wonderful with all the character they have. Also love the wall. that is gong to be a great place...

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  15. WOW!!! This is all amazing, well put together and just breath taking! One of these days when my boys will leave the tree alone...not run into it, throw things on it...sigh!

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  16. Love your Christmas Tree! And I love the frame display in the background- such a great idea!

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  17. it looks beautiful, michelle! i love the wood touches, and all the natural inspiration.

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  18. Hey Michelle... Your Christmas tree is fabulous!!! Thank You for sharing. XoXo

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  19. So beautiful! Can't believe I hadn't found your blog before. Thanks for visiting and following me!

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  20. Hi Michelle! Thanks for following me! I think your tree is one of the most stunning ones I've seen around this year! Love the natural theme of it! And the stumps!!! Like minds think alike! Just yesterday I searched through my wood pile to do sth simmalar :)
    Now I really have some ideas - I still was lacking for my tree, though mine will be a little more simple...
    Greetings from Norway!

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  21. I love everything about this! That tree stand is FABULOUS, and I thought the stumps were perfect. I can't wait to see your tablescape with them.

    Everything is wonderful. Love the wall art behind it too. I'm so glad that I stopped by.

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  22. Your tree is absolutely fabulous !! I love everything about it ... from the grapevine garland to the apple greens and golds to the "turd" pinecones (your son is funny)! And, I also love your candles perched on top of the wood ... you've got fabulous ideas ... I look forward to following along. And, THANK you for your visit and kind note about the trees I did for my clients. *Becca*

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  23. This is one of the most beautiful treesthat i have ever seen! I really love the grape vine? that you put around the tree... it looks great!

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  24. I love your tree all wrapped in grapevine and those stumps with candles are just perfect. Can't wait to see what else you do with them!

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  25. Your tree is sooo pretty! Loving the base!

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  26. Thank you thank you thank you...your tree has just given me an idea...inspiration hit me
    Thanks x

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  27. Your Christmas tree is amazing. The grapevine just gives it that rustic feel and then all the detailed items that give it the classic and eloquent feel. Thanks for the inspiring post. Loved it all.

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  28. Your tree is beautiful! And I really love the stumps as well! What a good idea. :)

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  29. Your tree is gorgeous! Love the grapevine. I also love the stumps, perfect with it.
    Sherry

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  30. Michelle, that is truly an amazingly gorgeous tree. Everything on it goes so well together. Love the added grapevine. That is what I wanted to do, but our grapevine is very hard to pull apart. It's like it is spring loaded. May have to try again. Just GORGEOUS!

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  31. LOVE the natural elements on the tree.....and the tree stumps are GORGEOUS. GREAT job!

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  32. I'm going to start sounding like a broken record...but I love it!!! haha I'm sure you don't mind my comments. :) I love all of the natural elements. And all of the candles on the floor in the wood add a very nice effect.

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  33. Oh I love the candles on the stumps!! Fabulous idea!

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  34. I book marked this last year and have been looking for it! Finally I found it, just love your decor. I hope to incorporate some of your ideas in my house this year.

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Thank You for taking the time to comment! Because of the insane amount of spam comments, I had to stop anonymous comments-sorry for the inconvenience.
Michelle