Remember, wayyyyyy back to a week ago when I lied to you but didn't know I was lying to you because at the time I was actually telling the truth?
Well, I'd like to explain that lie.
I told you that I would be paring down my Christmas this year. I thought at the time I typed those words they were true. In fact they WERE true.
Until 2 days later when Brett, an editor from Canadian Living magazine emailed me to ask if I was going big with my Christmas decorating this year.
Um. Sort of. I guess. Not really. I suppose I could. Crap. Me no speaka di english.
7 really bad iPhone photos and a couple of emails later it was confirmed. Canadian Living was coming to shoot my house for their Christmas issue to be published next December.
And they were coming in 4 days.
So as it turns out, this wasn't the year that Christmas got pared down.
Instead, in fact, this turned out to be the year Christmas got jacked up. I decorated until I had scars.
This is not a lie ... I found sparkles in my ... well never mind. But they shouldn't have been there.
Behold Art of Doing Stuff readers, the Christmas House Tour 2013.
A military guard might seem like an unlikely Christmas ornament, but these little metal soldiers were my father's when he was a little boy. They have enormous sentimental value. Plus it's a good reminder that not everyone is sitting by the fire this holiday season.
I'll remind you all next year when the article comes out if you promise to remind me that NEXT YEAR is going to be the year of the pared down Christmas. A year of rest, solitude and where every body part, and organ will be declared a sparkle-free zone.
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Sandy
Beautiful!
Sarah In Illinois
Who can have their house ready for a magazine photo shoot in 4 days!?!?
If you weren't my idol before, you sure are now!
Karen
PFtt. My sister's house is always magazine ready. And I mean *always*. It's frightening. ~ karen!
Cindy
Gorgeous! Will you come do mine?
Bobbi
Makes me want to curl up on your sofa with the warm blankie and sip the cup of whatever is sitting on your stump-table. Stunning, yet calming. A++. Well done.
Karen
Hah! That was coffee Bobbi. I swear. Yup. ~ karen!
paula
Karen, it all looks so lovely, what a fantastic home you have. I too loved the soldiers and their meaning. My husband is a police officer and in the early days of our marriage and young family he had to work every other Christmas. It made it hard to have start a tradition since each year was a bit different. I had started to buy a Christmas ornament for the two kids each year beginning with their first Christmas. We would give it to them on Christmas Eve as sometimes our daughter would cry that her Dad had to go to work and it would help to soften the blow. This is now something we do every Christmas Eve, the children unwrap their Christmas ornament and we include who else is at our table that night with their ornament. I find an ornament that represents something they have done that year or has some sort of meaning to them. This year our daughter is away working in the US over Christmas though we will see her at New Years. This tradition has helped connect and tie our little family as we have gone through the years. When my children eventually have their own trees, they will have a lifetime of ornaments to take to add and hopefully continue that tradition with their families.
Thank you for sharing your home, it truly is beautiful. paula xx
Leslie Zuroski
Beautiful job Karen! Now, sit down and eat some chips.
Lynn Rollins
LOVE to see the soldiers, LOVE sentimental! What's Christmas without sentimental? They're the best part of the whole kit and kaboodle! I swore I wasn't decorating either this year and I've decorated my regular house AND my vacation house.... the clean up part is the problem.... the decorating part is fun and fulfilling and sentimental! OOPS! I lied to, the 2nd thing that caught my eye was the fuzzy throw on the dining bench, I'll be sitting there if Brett will hold me from behind, my old hurting back needs support, but that invites me. Merry! Hope your hoo ha is glitterless by now, unless you wanted to attract a .... eek. sorry! edit
Kelly
love the tree with just the white lights. guess what i'm going to do later today after a quick trip to Home Depot (my plan to hang a few red bulbs on my norfolk pine and call it a day having been nixed by my husband, who has no hand in decorating the tree)
Margaret McDonald
Awesome job. We've all gotten that call before. Except mine was from my daughter Friday night. We are coming tomorrow to do Christmas. Eh? Shopping,wrapping, cleaning,tree up,decorating,groceries and cooking all in one day. No time for lists, just get 'er done. It went so well they came back for brunch on Sunday and decorated the tree.
Merry Christmas.
Su
beautiful!
Jody
Fantastic! Where do you get the clear Lucite blocks. I love those?
Karen
Hi Jody - I got them years and years ago from The Bombay Company. ~ karen
Twyla Harkey
Karen
Just gorgeous!!! Merry Christmas
Tigersmom
Nicely done.
I totally failed at paring down this Christmas, even with my sprained ankle. Something about seeing ornaments and decorations that I didn't put on one of the trees sparks my creativity and I must find a way to use them somehow.
And what is it about cats and tree skirts? My favorite cat, may he rest in peace, was convinced that the Christmas tree was just an incredibly ornate water bowl with a built-in napping blanket made just for him. There is something very sweet about anything napping under the tree whether it be a cat, dog or that Idris Adobo guy (in your case) or whatever his name is.
I love your sentimental reminder about our various military members, as well.
If you want to leave your decorations up until after the spring garden is planted so you can rest, that's ok, too.
Carol
Sooo beautiful. You are amazing. Love the cats and the boots by the tree. They make it look like home.
Farquist
Um...wow.
jainegayer
It's beautiful, Karen!
The mantel is my favorite but the christmas balls in the box under the table are a close second.
Thank you for all the great ideas.
Well done!
JennyW
Simply put - perfection (insert sigh here).
Maureen Locke
Absolutely gorgeous Karen. Every single bit of it. You have such a knack with decorating, something I always wish I had. I am the queen of clutter with not a wall or surface that doesn't have something on it. However, this year for Christmas, all I have up is the tree. I'm too tired to decorate and it just means putting away "stuff" and hauling out more "stuff". The tree is my favourite part and as long as I have that, I'm happy. :)
Laura Bee
Love it! Although for a second ~ I thought the pinecones were wasp nests! (It was late & I went to bed right after...)
When are you going to share the outdoor shots?
Wendy
Love the soldiers and all the unexpected components. Absolutely lovely!