Singing Loud for All to Hear

One of my favorite parts about Christmas is getting everything up, and then just sitting (or rather, CRASHING, onto the couch....) and looking at the tree lights. AHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Last night I finally finished getting MOST of our Christmas decor up. I have a few odds and ends to tackle today. But it's mostly there.

It took me longer to get my decor "projects" done then I planned....

But I'm super happy with them. (I'm going to be sharing a few in the upcoming days. They're ones you can do too!)

I have to preface with saying that for YEARS we've not had very much money at Christmas time. (what's new? Right?) Anyway, as much as I LOVE decorating, I just haven't had hundreds of dollars to spend on decorations.

Everything we have is either hand-me-down or SUPER inexpensive. I'm talking CHEAP-O! And slowly, each year, I'm beginning to buy one or two things. I have a "decoration" budget each year, depending on the funds. And once that's reached, I have to "make-do."

One of my big purchases (and by "big" I mean...this cost about $30) this year was to ditch our 25 year old, hand-me-down wreath. I'm not a huge wreath fan. I can totally appreciate cute ones. But I don't own very many. I was jumping for joy to get rid of the old one.

This is a flocked swag, hung vertically, with a uber glittery daisy clipped to it. (I bought them separate. The flower is attached by a clip, so if I want to change it or add to it....I totally can)

This little modern shelf was a birthday gift a few years ago. I LOVE finding things to fill it with. It usually has a really modern red vase in it. But I was thrilled to find this glittery tree for $12. Slick.

Several years ago I saw a Pottery Barn Christmas catalog with hanging Christmas balls. They were around $25 a piece. WHATEVER! I decided to fashion my own version with those super cheap beads that you can buy at any craft store, and some cheap Christmas ball ornaments. A little wire (and some 3M hooks....LOVE THOSE!) And mine looks pretty darn close. And it was about $10 for the whole thing!

I really wanted to change our decor this year, but re-doing would have cost a fortune. A great way to do that on a budget is to either "change-out" a color...or add one.

Our cute red & silver Christmas decor got a punch of teal! Yay! (thanks girls at Eighteen25

for helping me talk my husband into adding the teal....you're awesome trees were the "look how cool this is!")

And I have to admit something.

Actually it's not an "admittal" I'm kind of proud of it....

Not one ornament on my tree cost over $2.

Yep. Not one.

Up close, you can see that they're all plastic.  And maybe a professional interior designer would gag.  But I don't mind.  I think it's pretty, and it didn't cost us a fortune.  And years when we were struggling to even buy gifts....I was still proud of my tree.

Finally, my Christmas "decor" budget this year was spent on a couple new projects.  I'm gonna share a few of them in the upcoming days....

The first one is making me GIDDY with excitement.

It starts with how my family has a LOOOOOONG list of "must-see" movies every holiday. Some are the classics....some are hilarious family things that are really obscure. But part of the season is "quoting" all our favorites.

See if you can get any of these:

"Plain milk's fine"

"Don't push me down Clark" "I'll try not to Aunt Bethany"

"You like sugar, huh?" "Is there sugar in syrup? Then YES!"

"Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

"It was.....SOAP POISONING!"

"She thinks I'm CUUUTE."

"Mew, it's mew!" "IT'S CATNIP!"

"How would the accounting staff suddenly like to be UNEMPLOYED?" "HEATWAVE!"

My word, I could go on for years!

Here's one of our favorites:  Super obscure....

"You can't buy a ticket to Christmas"

Hmmmmm?.........

If you get this one, we are BESTIES FOREVER......

It's from a funny 80's TV special called "The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas" starring the Smothers Brothers.  If you look, you can still usually find it at least once during the season.  Ted Edward Bear tries to stay awake through Christmas.  And at one point he goes to the Bear Airport and asks to buy a ticket to Christmas.  All the bears laugh hysterically and the ticket agent tells him, "you can't buy a ticket to Christmas."
Gold.




I've got one more quote classic for you. I decided this year to take one of our loved quotes and turn it into a really cool, modern piece of Christmas art. Wanna see how it turned out?

YAY!

I love it. I designed the poster and had it printed out 16x20 at Winkflash. You can also do them one-hour at Costco. I found an old frame (that was ugly 80's golden) and painted it our new best friend (teal). And we now have a quote from our dear friend Buddy the Elf right in our living room.

I could not love it more!

Don't forget to start on all your Holiday favorites early. And if you don't have any favorites....try some new ones! Having traditions is what makes the Holidays SOOO special!

Thank you so much for the OVERWHELMING response to the "Elf Quote Poster".  However after over 400(that's right, not an exaggeration.....over 400!!!!) personalized e-mails containing the quote poster....I'm done sending them out for this year.  So I hope all of you enjoy your season, and your singing.  Buddy would be proud!

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