A Stylish Steed Christmas – Day 10

Can you believe that it is already Day 10?!?!  The Twelve Days of Christmas are almost complete.  I hope that you have found some awesome things that you can incorporate into your holiday season.

With so much family time approaching, you are bound to have some quality gatherings around the dinner table.  Amidst the wonderful food and the seasoned conversations, what better way to bring in holiday cheer than with a beautiful tablescape display.  Creating a gorgeous spread on your dining room table gives beauty to your home, even when dinner is not the main event.

On the tenth day of Christmas The Stylish Steed gave to me, decor for my guests when dining.

I have created three different designs to fit the many needs of all of you out there.  You may find some pieces from each design that you would like to incorporate together.  Make sure that your design is congruent with your colors in the dining room.  Your tablescape will look best if all the color compliment one another.

The Rustic Look
Now you know I couldn’t create a tablescape without designing one in my favorite look.  The rustic tablescape goes perfect with my dining room colors and preexisting decor.

Beginning with a burlap feed sack as my foundation, I insert some boxes underneath to create different heights for my display.  Just like clothes hide a multitude of sins, your table covering will also hide your display secrets.

I decided to create a custom focal point this year from my holiday display.  I am in love with this rustic tree made from all things that are truly southern: magnolia cones, magnolia leaves, and cotton.

This piece was so easy to create!  I simply hot glued the magnolia cones to a purchased cone tree.  Because of the irregular shape of the magnolia cones, I inserted some leaves to fill in the holes.  Lastly, I adorned the top of the tree with cotton.  To bring in height and style, I placed this homemade creation on an old piece of luggage.

This piece could easily be duplicated using pine cones.  It is adaptable to fit your creative needs.

Another great piece in this design is an old coke crate.  These are pretty easy to find at flea markets and antique malls.  They can serve a multitude of purposes and have such history.

Inside the coke crate I placed a lighting element, some purchased ornaments, on old vintage inspired bell from At West End, and some rustic pears created by wrapping old light bulbs in jute.  Scatter some natural elements like the magnolia leaves and pine cones around and your table is complete.  I know I’m a little partial, but I absolutely love this display.  I can’t wait to put it out for real in a few weeks!

The Traditional Look
Some people are traditionalists at heart.  They can’t help it.  It’s nothing but turkey and dressing on Thanksgiving, cake and ice cream on your birthday, and RED and GREEN at Christmas.  If you are one of those, it’s fine.  I’m not mad at it.  I think it’s great to have those people in your life.  So this ones for you, traditionalists!

This tablescape screams CHRISTMAS!  Nothing but red, green, white, and an abundance of holiday elements.

I decided that glass pieces would serve as my centerpiece.  After placing a beautiful tall red vase with a vibrant green jar, I filled a clear glass vase with mini marshmallows to add to the texture of the design.  I brought all three pieces together by tying a bow on the marshmallow vase.

I balanced the large vase full of ornaments on the right with a great golden tree with jeweled details.  This gem of a find was less than $10 at Pier1 after Christmas last year.  Take advantage of those “after Christmas” bargains!  You can find great items like ribbon, decor, and wrapping paper for a fraction of the price.  Put it away in storage for next year…it’s not like it’s going to spoil.

After the placement of some ornaments and fresh greenery, I am ready for those reindeer to pause on my roof!

The Whimsical Look
This look is so much fun.  It’s vibrant colors and whimsical look makes me smile when I see it!

*Remember earlier when I told you to bring in colors that matched your dining room?  This is why!  Please disregard the clashing of color in this photo.  Concentrate only on the table design.  I repeat, focus only on the table design!

After draping my pink fabric over a white tablecloth, I was ready to build my display.  I opted to flank the centerpiece with matching over-sized wine glasses.  I filled the glasses with ornaments and allowed them to be statement pieces on their own.

The centerpiece trees are handmade and cost less than $10 combined.  The same tree that was used above was used on these.  After painting a solid coat of paint on each cone, I secured the glistening glitter with spray adhesive.  Elevating one of the trees on a clear candlestick holder keeps the table interesting.

Last but not least, I draped two different ribbons around the tablescape to add dimension and color.  A great printed pink and an iridescent silver were the perfect combination for this design.

Now that your table is ready for guests all you need is a dinner fit for a king!  I hope you enjoy creating a tablescape that will bring your family and friends together during the holidays.  I had such a fun time creating these and hope you will too.  Please don’t hesitate to share photos of your own creations!  I would love to see your Christmas creativity in action!  Until next time, stay stylish, my little elves!

Also….if you need some great ideas for that dinner, check out my awesome friend Rebekah Faulk.  She has the perfect herb roasted pork that will have all your guests asking for seconds.

A Stylish Steed Christmas – Day 9

Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it is also the most expensive time of the year.  With parties, gifts, charities, and more, the bills can sure add up quickly.  With the impending debt that you see adding up before you, let’s look at some décor for our home that won’t break the bank.  In fact, these impressive additions to your home might not cost you anything at all.

On the ninth day of Christmas The Stylish Steed gave to me, décor for the penny pincher in me.

We all have things lying around the house or garage that we don’t use.  In many cases, it is leftover items from a weekend project or an activity from the warmer months.  What better way to save money than make some beautiful display pieces from items that are doing nothing but collecting dust.

Stacked Tree
If you’re like me, I always over-estimate when it comes to purchasing supplies for a project, and then, in turn, am left with tons of leftovers.  That scenario was what brought me to create this great stacked Christmas tree.  Using leftover lumber, I am able to bring a personalized piece to my home décor for Christmas.  I had some extra scrap pieces of 2×4’s from a weekend project.  You can do the same with your scraps.  You will need six pieces of wood in the following lengths:

(2) 2 ½”
16”
12”
8”
4”

After cutting the pieces to the appropriate lengths I painted the two short pieces brown and the remaining pieces in a leaf green.

After the paint was dry I added an aged look to the wood by painting black on the edges and smearing it with a wet paper towel.  Always remember to rub the paint with the grain of the wood.  This wet rubbing will also give you the opportunity to take off some of the green paint to add to the weathered look.

When the distressing was dry I measured and centered the boards atop one another and secured them with hot glue.

Now you could leave this tree just as it is, but I decided I needed a little more personality.  I decided to write a holiday message on mine.  After painting my words and some details of dots and stars, I hot glued a star cookie cutter to the top.   It was now ready to display.

The only cost I had in this project was my cookie cutter, which was less than $1.00!  You can’t beat that with a stick…or a scrap piece of 2×4.

Tomato Tree
This summer I decided to try my hand at gardening.  For the first time ever I grew tomatoes, banana peppers, and bell peppers.  For the most part it was a huge success.  My one little tomato plant produced enough tomatoes to feed a third world country for at least 6 months.  Needless to say, I spent my summer giving away tomatoes to anyone who passed by.  However, now that the first frost has come what do I have left?

A great way to re-purpose out of your garden is by creating this tomato cage tree.  By using that old tomato cage, you can transform your gardening garbage into holiday works of art.

The first step in your creation is securing the top pieces together with wire to form the point of the tree.

Next, I chose a fabric that would best coordinate with my decor.  I went with an inexpensive muslin material because you know I love my rustic looks.  Beginning at the top of the tree, I attached four long strips of fabric to the top of the tree with jute.  I made sure that each strip was lined up with the vertical support of the cage.

Allowing the fabric to billow, you will work your way down the cage, attaching the fabric along the way to create a billowing effect that will look like snow laden branches.

(Pardon the blue glow.  I was watching The Real Housewives of Atlanta while I worked on this.)

When you have reached the bottom of the tree, cut off any excess fabric to insert later for filler.

When all four vertical pieces have been secured, you then use the same process to fill in the gaps with the excess fabric.  When the filler pieces are inserted, you have yourself a finished tree!

To give your tree a more natural look, consider inserting branches or leaves to the design.  Something like pine branches or magnolia leaves would be a great addition.  I think inserting pine branches in a tree wrapped in light fabric would give the look of a snow cover pine tree.  You can even choose to wrap the cage in lights before adding the fabric to give your tree a glow!

If you are placing this outside, you may find it useful to insert it into a large pot to avoid any wind from blowing it over.

I am sure that you have seen a similar process done with tomato cages before.  Most always, these trees are done with deco mesh ribbon.  I, personally, am not a fan of the mesh ribbon because EVERYONE uses it for wreaths and decorating.  I chose to go with the fabric and also used a technique that I have not seen before.  I love the outcome of this tree.  I am sure it will look great on my front porch.  Who knows…you might get to see it later!

O Christmas Tray
(You sound like a true southern when you read that out loud)
Another great recycled project is this tiered tray tree.  I am sure that all of you have a similar display pieces stowed away in a closet somewhere.  Maybe you have used it to display cupcakes at a party.  By adding a few little touches of Christmas cheer to this tiered tray, you create an instant centerpiece for your dining room or a great addition to your coffee table. 

This project is super easy and only requires a few items.  I chose to tie strips of muslin and burlap to the edges of my trays.  Next, I simply placed pine cones and Christmas ornaments in each of the trays.  Your finished product greatly resembles a beautiful Christmas tree.

Of course mine is a little rustic.  You could easily create yours to fit your decor.  A little spray paint and glitter on the pine cones would completely soften the look of the entire display.  Add some beautiful blue and white ornaments and attach some snowflakes or glittered ribbon, and you’ll be walking in a winter wonderland all season long.

Three great ideas that are high impact and low-cost.  I love all of these pieces in my home for the holidays and hope you enjoy them as well.  Look around your garage and basement and see what “junk” you can use to recreate an awesome piece for your holiday home.  Until next time, stay stylish!

A Stylish Steed Christmas – Day 7

Entertaining is such a big deal at The Stylish Steed’s home, especially during the holiday season.  When having guests over, I always try to think of unique ways to add conversation pieces to my décor while still maintaining functionality.  One way that I successfully create this is with lighting.

At a party or event, I always feel that overhead lighting is such a killer.  I am a believer that soft, mood lighting is more appropriate for intimate gatherings during seasonal times like Christmas.  To increase the WOW factor of your soft lighting, I have come up with some ideas that are cheap and each to achieve.

On the seventh day of Christmas The Stylish Steed gave to me, unique displays for holiday lighting.

Just The Right Angle
To create an eye catching display, consider grouping random pieces of glassware together.  By painting this easy design on your glassware, candlelight with flicker and illuminate your artwork.

I was able to find an assortment of glass votives and vases at the local dollar store.  Next I placed rubber bands at different angles around the glass pieces.  Keep in mind that anywhere there is a rubber band will create an unobstructed view of the candlelight.

After placing the rubber bands, simply spray paint the piece with your choice of color.  I chose to use white, but any color that would accentuate your décor can be used.

After the paint dries, remove the rubber bands from the glassware, revealing the clear, unpainted glass.

Cluster your painted glassware together and create a dynamic lighting display for you and your guests to enjoy.  I use the flameless flickering candles in my glass pieces.  It gives the look of a real candle without the worry of burning your house down.

Frosted To The Rim
Another beautiful display that would be great on a mantle are the frosted vases that glow from within.  This design is the most simple of the three, but that doesn’t mean that you lose any dramatic effect.  I feel that this concept works best with cylinder containers.

All you have to do is mist these containers with white spray paint.  This frosted look will allow more light to show through rather than the opaque paint from the above project.

After the paint is dry, secure a decorative ribbon around the base of the container with glue.  Something like E6000 may work better than a hot glue gun since the heat might not be compatible with the glass.

Making sure the seam of the ribbon is in the back, place them on your mantle and drop a battery operated strand of lights inside. The battery operated lights will remedy the problem of exposed cords that can oftentimes ruin the effect of a display.  Group varied size cylinders together to create a more dramatic show.

Illuminated Reindeer
This little holiday creature is wonderful for a table centerpiece. You will begin with a clear glass cylinder.

Using white paper, make a cylinder that is slightly smaller than the opening of your container, securing it with tape.  Next, attach a strand of battery operated lights on the inside of the paper cylinder in spiral formation with tape.  Insert the paper cylinder inside the container.  When the paper is in place, fill the area between the paper and the container with fake snow or snow beads.  You may find it best to make a paper funnel to assist you in pouring.

To create “antlers” for your friend, you will need two thin branches and spray paint them white to add to the snowy effect.

After inserting the antlers inside the paper cylinder, all that’s left to do is thread a small red ornament onto a long strand of jute or twine.  Centering the ornament in the middle of the strand, begin wrapping it around the center of the glass cylinder.  Make sure you wrap this tight so your nose won’t end up around his neck.  Secure the twine with a double knot in the back and cut off any excess.

You now have the finished product that is ready to display.

Hopefully you have been inspired by these three ideas that will help you glow this holiday season.  You probably even have most of the supplies stashed away in a closet somewhere.  Take these ideas and use some of your own to make the season BRIGHT!  As you work to get your home shining this season, always remember to stay stylish!

A Stylish Steed Christmas – Day 6

We are to the halfway point!  Are you exhausted yet?  Don’t give out on me now; this is a marathon, not a sprint!  Stay hydrated folks!

The holiday season brings such a wonderful display of decorations that warm the soul.  Trees strung with twinkling wonder, snow laden hills, trumpeting angels atop evergreens…the list could go on and on of the wonders of the holidays. With all these decorative possibilities, I often find myself struggling for decorations to put on my doors.  I think decorating doors within your home is an easy way to add to the holiday feel of your decor, but I get tired of seeing wreaths.  I need something different.  And if you can’t find what you want, why not make it?

On the sixth day of Christmas The Stylish Steed gave to me, unique pieces to use as door hangings.

Fleece Square Wreath
The first item that we will look at is a whimsical wreath that brings a fun twist on the traditional evergreen.  All you will need for this project is about two hours, some heavy gauge wire, and fleece in three shades of green (1 yard of each color).

After stretching out the fleece, I began to cut strips 4 inches wide.  I wasn’t exact with this either, because the irregularity will help give your finished wreath extra fullness.

When all the strips were cut, I then divided the strips into 4 inch squares.

One at a time, I feed each square onto the wire (alternating the three colors), making sure that no piece laid flush with the last.

When all the squares were wired together, I tightly twisted the two ends together and filled in the gap by adjusting the squares.  I covered the remaining gap with a red burlap bow.  You could use any fabric to make a bow, or buy a premade bow.

To add another layer of personality, consider hot gluing red buttons in groups of three to the wreath to give the look of holly berries.  After some fluffing, this wreath was ready to deck the halls.

This concept doesn’t have to be limited to the Christmas season.  I think this idea would be great for other rooms in your home, year round.  I could really see this wreath in a girls bedroom with coordinating colors from their bedding.

Snowman
You’ve heard of the abominable snowman, but this is the adorable snowman.  This festive hanging is so easy and is such an eye catcher.  An added bonus is since it’s not heavy “holiday” décor, you can leave him (or her) displayed until February.  For this project you will need 3 canvases (12×16, 12×12, and 10×10), some craft paint, two sticks from the woods, a hot glue gun, and a strip of fleece/fabric.

To get started, you’ll need to water down some brown paint and brush the corners of canvases to give them some dimension.

On the bottom two canvases you will paint “buttons” (three on the bottom, two on the middle) by painting black spots down the middle.

Next, you will need to add some personality to your snow person by giving them their face.  I watered down some red paint to give my snowman rosy cheek.  By adding black coal eyes, a carrot nose, and a squiggly smile, my snowman is ready for winter.

Once the paint is dry, it’s time to secure the canvases to one another.  I found that hot glue was best because it dries quickly and creates a great bond.

When the glue is set, all that’s left to do is add the finishing touches.  Choose fleece or fabric that goes will with your décor and simply tie it around the neck, allowing the ends to hang to the side.

You can easily leave your snow person as is, but I chose to add some earmuffs to help Frosty brave the winter chill.  To achieve this, I glued some heavy gauge wire on each side of the top canvas and then covered up the ends with my ear muff made of fabric.

It’s that easy!  This adorable creation will be a great conversation piece for your guests during the holiday season.  It packs tons of personality and is so easy to construct.  And the best part is this Frosty won’t melt inside your warm and toasty holiday home.

Cheese Hoop “Wreath”
I hope you have your “repurposing” pants on because we’re about to turn out a cute creation from grocery store junk.

At our local Piggly Wiggly, they sell fresh hoop cheese.  This zesty cheese comes in a round, wooden crate.  After the store takes the cheese out they sell the empty crate for next to nothing ($2 to be exact).  Now I fully understand that you may not have the privilege of being near a Piggly Wiggly, but I’m sure your local market that sells fresh cheese will have these crates also.

For this project we are only going to be using the lid of the crate.  There are lots of things you can do with the bottom, but we will save that for another day.

I chose to paint my lid a festive, holiday red.  You will need several coats of paint in order to achieve a vibrant hue.  Otherwise, the untreated wood will soak up a lot of the color.

When I achieved my desired color, I cut a circle out of burlap using a large bowl as my tracing guide.  Utilizing my trusty hot glue gun, I attached the burlap to the center of the lid.

In an attempt to hide the edges of the cut burlap, I glued twine to give it a more finished look.

After finding a cute snowflake design that I liked, I traced the outline and began to place a variety of white buttons onto the burlap.  The beauty in this snowflake comes from overlapping the different buttons to create your masterpiece, giving it dimension.

If snowflakes aren’t your thing, you can use the process to create something that is more in line with your taste.  Maybe a large block letter of your family name, a whimsical ornament, a star…the sky is the limit.  Go wild with it!

When my snowflake was complete, I attached ribbon (you guessed it…with hot glue) to the top of the lid to add an extra pop to the design.  Using a traditional wreath hanger, I was ready to decorate my door with my finished product!

Now that you have three options of wreath alternatives, there’s no excuse for a plain, drab door this holiday season.  I hope you have fun creating these wreaths that are sure to last longer that your fresh greenery.  So get busy preparing your wreath to deck the doors of your home as you continue, as always, to stay stylish!

A Stylish Steed Christmas – Day 5

One of the most exciting things about the holiday season is participating in family traditions.  For as long as I can remember my family has shared in two particular traditions that always take me back to my years as a child.

One Steed family tradition occurs on Christmas Eve night.  For as long as I can remember, we pile into our car and as a family we venture into the surrounding towns and look at Christmas lights together.  We have our annual stops that we love to make, but also veer off our scheduled path to see some new places that we have heard about during the season.

The second tradition takes place on Thanksgiving night.  After the meal is put away and our bellies are full, Dad and I bring in the Christmas tree (normally with much grumbling because of the ordeal) and we begin to pull out all the ornaments that we have accrued over the years.  Most of them have a story associated with them.  It’s always fun to reminisce as Mom meticulously places each ornament on just the right branch.

Ornaments are such a huge part of Christmas for most families.  Whether they are handmade items from years past or expensive ornaments that are exquisite and delicate, they all bring to mind memories that bind families together with thoughts of good times and holiday cheer.  Sometimes placing those items on the tree amidst all the other tinsel and lights is a waste.  They are all lost in all the busyness.  Oftentimes, some of the ornaments we love simply don’t match the style of our tree decorations.  Regardless the reason, some ornaments need to be uniquely displayed for all your guests and family to see throughout the holiday season.  It is with that thought that I decided to share a few special ways to display these precious ornaments in your home.

On the fifth day of Christmas The Stylish Steed gave to me, creative looks for ornament hanging.

Raking in the Memories
With such rich memories surrounding your ornaments, what better way to display them than a vintage item from generations past.  This rustic way of displaying your ornaments may take you out to the shed to find your grandfathers old metal rake head.  By removing the head of the metal rake from the wooden handle you are left with a rich piece of family history from which to hang your ornaments.

 Depending on the size of your rake head, you can choose to hang an ornament on each prong or alternate them to show off just a few ornaments.  This would be a great addition to a wall in your dining room that is sure to get a lot of traffic during the holidays.  I simply hung this rake on a door from a wreath hanger.  For photo purposes, I left the rake very bare.  In real life I would liven it up with a bow up top.

And on a side note, this is a neat piece you can use after the holidays to house your nice wine glasses for an unconventional wall hanging.

A Window to the Past
I am constantly in search of old windows.  I don’t care if the glass is broken, panes are missing, or the paint is chipped…I love to find them and reuse them for multiple things (we’ll discuss those purposes on a later date).  One of those great ways to re-purpose windows is to use them for framing your holiday ornaments as artwork.  By simply suspending the ornament from ribbon that is attached to the back of the window frame, you highlight those pieces for all to see.  Display your window over in a corner with other decorations or prop it up in the kitchen or in a shelving unit for all your guests to see.  Wherever you decide to put this, it will get attention and also showcase your valued pieces.

My precious god-daughter, Lilly, handmade these beautiful ornaments for my family.  There is an awesome place in Fort Payne, Alabama called Orbix Hot Glass.  Orbix creates some amazing pieces and they have been featured in publications nationwide.  Lilly created these for us and they are just too special to be hidden in the branches of our Christmas tree.  I staged my window with a chenille throw over a chair, greenery, an old suitcase, and some grapevine pieces.  I love the vintage look created here with all these pieces that work together to highlight my Lilly’s hard work!

This is me and my little Southern Belle (literally) at Halloween!  I adore this little girl!!!  I just had to show you how cute she is.  Now back to the ornaments!

Shedding Some Light
Many times during the holiday season we gather around the dining room table for food and fellowship.  What better way to present your ornaments than by hanging them from the light fixture.  By cutting ribbon and cords at various lengths and dangling the ornaments from the chandelier, you add to your tablescape display and spotlight your prized Christmas possessions.  I chose to suspend my ornaments with a combination of glittered rope and jute to best compliment the existing decor of my home.

There are many variations to this you could explore.  Be creative and use your space to showcase your winter wonders.  If you don’t have a chandelier, consider suspending a branch from the ceiling with fishing line and hang your ornaments at varied heights from the branch.

Now that you have these ideas for displaying your favorite ornaments, maybe you will be inspired to look around your home for other unique ways to showcase your items.  Don’t let limited space restrain you from showing your friends and family your important memories.  Stay creative, stay resourceful, but always…stay stylish!