Fun and Inexpensive Christmas Decorations - Why Didn't I Think of That?

Southern Living

I am really loving lanterns this year for decorating.  I guess I should get some!

Here comes my favorite time of the year!  I know, it's pretty much everybody's favorite ar but for me, there are certain feelings you experience around Christmas that you just don't feel any other season.  We are supposed to try and feel charitable, giving and go outside ourselves all throughout the year but there is just something about Christmas that cannot really be replicated at any other time of the year.

Now this will sound odd but I don't necessarily like the decorating part of Christmas.  My girls will attest to this as I have been dependent on them the last few years to help, who am I kidding, DO all the decorating in our house for Christmas.  But in my defense, that's because as I have said before, I'm not the most creative person you will ever meet.  I do have good taste, if I do say so myself, but I just don't naturally come up with creative ideas for decorating for the holidays.

In preparation for the holidays coming up, I have spent some time looking for cute things that I think even I can do and I have come across some great options that you can create with things you already have around your house or are very inexpensive.  Everything from decorating a tree, wrapping gifts, decorating your front porch and all around holiday primping.  Take a look at what I found!

Source links are below each photo.

Midwest Living

This would be so easy to do and wouldn't cost a thing.  You can use frames that are already in use and then remove your Christmas photos after the holidays.

The 36th Avenue

If you need to do any sort of invitation, program or greeting card, this infographic is for you!  I love all of these fonts.

Design Milk

This is a great way to use Washi tape to put a tree up on the wall with a basket for gifts underneath.  So very creative!


Better Homes and Gardens

I love how the bow on top makes the box of glass ornaments look like a present rather than just a square glass vase.

Demilked

You have tried this one already, right?

Southern Living

I have been doing this for years and I am so glad to see that it is a popular thing to do.  When I first started putting ornaments in containers I wondered if it looked junky.  Now it is the cool thing to do!

Martha Stewart

This smells oh so wonderful when you have it displayed in your home.  The scent of the orange and cinnamon together is delicious!

Real Simple

What a great idea!

Country Living

This is a very rustic and yet simple way to cover the base of your tree.  I would keep it away from my fireplace though!

                                                                                                                                               

A wonderful and personalized way to tag gifts.

Make Today a Party!

So simple to do and yet so elegant.

Midwest Living

Uh oh!  Another beautiful lantern stuffed with holiday decor.  Love!

Better Homes and Gardens

Here is a cute way to display your miniature tree and Christmas treats on a small table by the front door to greet people as they enter the house.

Country Living

I wouldn't mind doing dishes at this sink during the holidays!

Front Port Ideas and More

Another warm and inviting entry that is very simple.  As long as you can find a rustic and worn looking old fashioned sleigh!

Real Simple

If you have little kids this is a great idea but try to use the plastic bulbs instead of the glass ones to avoid any injuries to your little ones.


Asheville

Great infographic showing you how to decorate a tree.  I wish I would have had this 31 years ago when I had my first tree!


Country Living

Jingle bells on your front or back door.  On your back door if you use the front door too often and don't want them to be distracting over the holidays!

So give one or two of these a try and let me know what you think and if you have other ideas, please share them here.  I can't wait to get started!

Happy Christmas Decorating!

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Who Wouldn't Want Their Birthday to be on Halloween?

Yes, my birthday is on Halloween and I must say that I have always loved it.  And not for the reasons that you might think either.  I enjoyed candy just like every other kid and I also loved that when I told people that it was my birthday that they would make a big deal about it and give me extra candy or sometimes a few extra coins in my trick-or-treat bag!  That was definitely a plus.

I really loved having my birthday on Halloween because I enjoyed all the the fun decorations and ways that people celebrated the day.  Not the scary, creepy and yucky stuff that you see now but the creative ways people found to enjoy the day.  I don't like that it has become this scary day that makes people uncomfortable, although I do understand the origins of the whole thing.  So, I prefer to ignore that and look at the creative and fun ways people have found to enjoy the day.

Take a look below for some neat ideas on how to decorate your home, your food and how to transform everyday products into Halloween fun without scaring off your little neighbor friends who are about to grace your doorstep next week!  Some are very simple and others a little more complicated but they are all ways to enjoy the holiday without causing people stress!  The sources are listed below the photos.  

Grandinroad

If you are creative, paint your pumpkins instead of carving them.  These are adorable and so much less messy!

 

 The Turqoise Home

Pop some fall colored flowers into a pitcher that is already placed on a table or other vase.

  It's Written on the Wall

Use a Sharpie to decorate bags of treats.

Hunters of Happiness

 

Create this cute "BOO" out of cardboard and paint.

Babble

I love these apothecary jars but you can use any sort of glass you like and fill it with beautiful Halloween candycorn, gourds or any other decoration.  I have even seen where people have filled glass or plastic jars with Halloween colored ribbons. 

Hubpages

I wish I would have thought of this when my kids were little.  Why am I always saying that?  Anyway, this is such a simple outdoor decoration that would look great on any house.

 

Tiffany Barber

Adorable!  Tangarines decorated as pumpkins with a Sharpie.

 eighteen25

 
This might be scary for little ones but it is pretty cute!

 

Good Houskeeping 

When you scoop out your pumpkin to roast your pumpkin seeds, use the pumpkin as a flower vase.  Also, decorate smaller gourds with thumbtacks as decorations.

 

The NY Melrose Family 

Using a triangle shaped soap dispenser, paint it to look like a piece of candy corn.

 

 It's Written on the Wall 

Cute witch cupcakes.  Cute - not scary!

 

 Cinchy Shopper

Everybody has mason jars and gauze.  All you would need to purchase is the googly eyes!

 

The Turquoise Home

I have seen this done with mason jar lids that are not painted as well and it looks just as nice but a little more rustic. 

 

Buzzfeed Life 

So easy to do and this won't scare anybody.

Plaid 

This would only take a minute to do.

eighteen25

Grab your kids or grand kids and have them help you with these cute jack-o-lantern luminaries made out of milk jugs.  Kids love to draw!

 

 Love This Pic

Again, this would be so simple and you should have the materials around your house to pull this one off.

Kate Arthur Modelmaking

I really like this one but it would take a little more work and materials to do.  Painting and sanding are involved but if you have the time and the tools, go for it!

So here are a few cute ideas to get you ready for the Halloween holiday.  Give one or two of them a try and if you have a fun idea, please share it below in the comments section.  

And please, everyone - enjoy my birthday!

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Fall Decorating Ideas

Better Homes and Gardens

This is a great way to present your mums without having to spend money on expensive planters

I know it's not fall yet but it is right around the corner and it is my favorite time of the year.  I love everything about it - the cooling of the breeze, the smell in the air and of course, the transformation of the trees can just stop me in my tracks. Especially here in Pennsylvania where it seems like every inch of this beautiful state is shaded by a tree.

So since fall is on the way but not quit here yet I thought it would be nice to share some of the fun and creative decorating ideas I have run across in my search for new fall decorating beauty.  Posting them now will give you time to come up with some fun an interesting decorations for your own home.  Below you will find everything from decorating your front door, decking out your front porch, primping your mantle and dressing up your table tops.

Most of these ideas are very simple so they don't require a lot of prepping or planning but they are oh so fun! The links for the sources are listed below each picture.  Enjoy!

MSN Living

I could make this cute "Mason Jar Lid Pumpkin" in about 5 minutes!  Now that's a project for me.

Glitter Guide

This is a great way to display pumpkins inside your house.

Country Living

A splash of fall color in your living spaces helps it feel more "fallish."


HomeGoods

Now here is a decoration for those of us with very little crafting ability.


Remodel aholic

Painting pumpkins takes a little more time and effort but don't you just love the plaid one?  Cute!


HGTV

Very simple and yet this table display says it all about the season.  Well, besides the taking of candy part!  Right after that is the giving of thanks part.

Better Homes and Gardens

This looks so warm and inviting to me.  I would feel so comfortable walking into this house because it looks like someone who really cares about how their home looks on the outside lives on the inside!

Decorating Ideas Made Easy

Again, I could do this in a heartbeat at my house and actually, I think I will!

Real Simple

Miniature gourds are really inexpensive in the grocery stores and they do make the most adorable candle holders.

Amanda Jane Brown

Here is another project that I can easily do.  I believe I have everything except the fancy jar but I do have others that I can use in it's place so I will be trying this one for sure as well.  My husband now has something to do with that huge ball of twine in our garage!

Country Living

I love the reds in this table display.  It is a little different from the usual oranges, yellows and browns that you see in fall decorating but it is still beautiful and warm.

MSN Living

I think everyone has decorated with pine cones in some form or another but this one is really cute so I had to add it.

Good Housekeeping

These pumpkins looks so dressed up and yet homey next to the large and majestic urns.

Letsdothisbamf

I wish I had some lanterns like these to put at my front door.

Better Homes and Gardens

Again, this is a brainless project but oh so beautiful.

Country Living

Another painting of the pumpkins shot.  I like it!

MSN Living

Here is a great way to display the beautiful leaves your little ones are about to bring home to you.  Make them feel special by framing them and displaying them.

Front Porch Ideas and More

If all else fails, decorate with loads of pumpkins and mums at your front door in any configuration you like. You can't go wrong there!

If you have other great ideas on fall decorating, I would love to hear them.

Happy Fall Decorating!

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