Outdoor Christmas Decor!

There's a snowstorm in St. John's today and a lot of people have a snow day! So I thought it was a good opportunity to provide everyone with some reading material! You're all very welcome. :)

I've had a few requests for outdoor Christmas decor - so here we go!

Whether your style is traditional, contemporary, or somewhere in between, the front entrance of your home has a huge impact on visitors, friends&family, or the post man dropping of your Christmas packages! It's the first impression someone has before entering your home - celebrate Christmas with style by accentuating your home's most complimentary features!

I went through tons of photos of exterior Christmas decorations and picked out my favourites! Check out the pictures below and see if there's one that inspires you!  

DIY Christmas Wreath!

I saw this wreath on Better Homes&Gardens website a few years ago and had a major "I can totally make that" DIY moment.

After I made the wreath for myself, I ended up getting tons of compliments on it! Since then I've made a few more and have given them to friends & family for Christmas gifts! The end result is beautiful and it's incredibly simple to make!

So today the blog, we are making a wreath! 

Here's how you do it:

Step 1: Buy/Make a Pinecone Wreath
I was lucky enough to find a pine cone wreath at winners that would work for what I needed. But if you can't find one, you can always get a styrofoam wreath ring and hot glue gun pine cones to it to make your wreath - that way you can make your wreath any size you want.

Step 2: Spray Paint
The wreath in the picture above was covered in grey spray paint. I opted for a flat white spray paint for my wreath because the walls in my house are already grey and I didn't want the wreath to be totally lost against the background - you can use whatever works for you! Silver or a similar metallic colour would also work really well.

Note: If your wreath is made out of a styrofoam wreath ring, use a water based spray paint. The chemicals in regular spray paint tend to eat through styrofoam and cause it to disintegrate. I ran into this problem before and it was a total nightmare - not knowing the difference, I used regular spray paint on styrofoam and the project I was working on melted in seconds right in front of my face. I was devastated.
Now you can't say I didn't warn you.

Step 3: Place Your Ornaments
Once the spray paint has dried, it's time to figure out where to place your ornaments on your wreath. I was able to find three red cardinals and some small red non-shattering christmas bulbs at Michaels but I'm sure you could find them at any craft store around now where Christmas is in full swing.

I used 4 red miniature bulbs and 5 red small bulbs. Before I attached the ornaments, I laid the wreath down flat on a table and placed the ornaments so that I could decide where I wanted to position all the pieces. Once I was happy with the look I used a hot glue gun to stick the pieces on. Once all the ornaments are glued onto the wreath, wait a few minutes and then wiggle each ornament just to make sure they're secure - you may need to add a bit more hot glue if any are loose.

Here is a picture of my final result:

View fullsize

Hope the wreath inspires you to create your own or maybe DIY another design! 

Let me know what you think in the comments below! More blogs to come!

-MW

Christmas Trees!

Finding and decorating the Christmas tree has always been a favourite holiday event for my family.  It's a big production - everyone piles into the truck and we make our way over to the Christmas tree lot to go through every single tree. We have to make sure we find the perfect one and we can't leave until everyone approves! After finding the winner, we have to get the tree back home without it falling off the top of the truck (minor details). Once we make it home, we turn on the Christmas music and we spend the evening decorating the tree! It's one of my favourite parts of Christmas and I look forward to it every year.

I've always loved decorating the Christmas tree, but now being a designer, it's one of my greatest joys of the holiday season. The Christmas tree sets the tone for the holidays, while beautiful ornaments and festive tree toppers allow you to make it your own and show your personal style. Whether you prefer real pine needles and strings of twinkle lights or a pre-lit faux tree, when the decorating is complete, it will never fail to spread the magical feeling of Christmas cheer throughout your home.

For those of you who are looking for ideas on how to decorate your Christmas tree this year, I want to share with you some pictures of Christmas trees that I find inspiring! Hopefully these will help you narrow down some ideas and help you plan your Christmas decor!

The combination of gold & white with geometric ornaments on this tree is the perfect touch of modern!

I LOVE a beautiful snow covered tree!!! This one is absolutely gorgeous! The touch of red throughout the tree creates a much loved classic look!

Sometimes we need to remember that less is more. This simple Christmas tree by Homey Oh My is absolutely stunning!

I love the gold, silver, and nature decor on this tree! All combined, they bring a  simple and rustic feel while the twinkle lights reflect beautifully off the metallic finishes!

I have to be honest - I am not usually a fan of Christmas trees that are decorated in unconventional holiday colours. I find they can appear tacky and distasteful. But this tree decorated by Christine Dovey for Canadian Tire's 2016 Christmas campaign is absolutely beautiful and elegant.

I love Christmas trees that have handcrafted elements. This red and white tree features handmade ornaments and garland that bring an awesome vintage feel to the decor! 

Have a request or ideas on Christmas decor that I should blog about? Comment below!

- MW