There are a few more holiday projects going on (aka: getting crossed off the list – woot!) so let’s get right into it. Last year I grabbed four of these 3-packs of white felt tree ornaments from Target. I picked them up about a week after Christmas when they were marked down to ten cents per set instead of a dollar, which meant that in total I had 12 mini felt trees for 40 cents. They seemed kinda perfect to make a casual little banner that looks like hand-cut paper but is actually felt that I didn’t have to cut (which is win/win). Sidenote: this is my hand but it looks so much like John’s that it’s scary. Are we becoming one person? Can that happen? Should the person that we’re morphing into be called Shon or Jerry?
Anyway, next I grabbed a random ribbon remnant from the box of leftover ribbon in the closet that I recycle for gift wrapping and laid it out on the floor with my little trees under it to see the spacing. You can see that they had little gold strings around the top of them for hanging, so I just clipped those off.
Then I grabbed 12 paperclips from the office supply drawer. Bada bing, bada boom. Sure, I could’ve sewed them each in place or used smaller/cuter clips (like mini clothespins or something) but I didn’t want to be fussy about it and just wanted to make the window look festive using things we already had around the house. Call me crazy but there’s something deliciously casual and sweet about white felt trees, navy ribbon, and little silver paperclips. But if you’re feeling fancy you could get cute binder clips or teeny tiny clothespins instead.
Behold… another mini tree!
Yup, our tabletop tree is ba-aaack! You can check out last year’s mini tree here (and the 38 homemade ornaments that I whipped up for last year’s Pinterest Challenge). Or you can just feast your eyes on this year’s beauty. Oh but don’t mind that mangled little gray pashmina I tossed under it for the time being (I think using some sort of silver faux fur could be awesome).
As for the ornaments the only theme is: meaningful, sweet, handmade, and treasured. Basically in the words of Clara, it’s full of our “special special favorites.”
We piled on a ton of ornaments that we love love love – whether they were from a local craft fair – like the Virginia ornament below – or even from a few amazingly crafty readers at book tour stops, like this sweet one with Clara’s baby silhouette…
Look at this fun felt YHL one that someone else made for us at another book tour stop. So cute, right? And in the background above it you can see John’s bike ornament that I got him last year and an old disco ball from Target over five years ago (along with a small brass french horn, which is what John played in high school band – mah man).
This odd little moose-related ornament might be our favorite. It’s two freshly wedded moose snuggling up to each other. We picked it up on Alaska on our honeymoon. Cue the collective moose aww.
Another favorite is this burger one that we bought in honor of none other than the Burg-meister a few years back. And check out that cute felt owl above it (another reader-made ornament from one of our tour stops- have I mentioned how crafty you guys are?!).
Basically it’s a tree full of awesomely mismatched and meaningful treasures. You can see that our homemade antlers, spray painted animals, & glass bulbs full of brightly colored paint still have a spot up there, they just get to be surrounded by everything from preserved gingerbread cookies to an old empire state building ornament that reminds us of our time spent in NY where we met back in 2005.
And of course we had to bring our new DIYed chalkboard into the festivities, so John faced his chalk-is-screechy fears and made a little Starbucks-ish drawing, complete with a snowman (he dipped the chalk in water before writing, which you guys suggested for vibrant colors and less chill-inducing screechiness – which seemed to work well, especially with the colored chalk). You might have seen it on instagram last week. I added some snowflakes and then Clara got to work drawing “a pretty rainbow for Santa.” The family that chalks together stays together.
Now this formerly un-festive corner makes me straight up jolly.
Oh and in the spirit of holiday updates, here’s how the little ornaments that I glued to magnets are now faring with three holidays cards up there to keep them company. I’m happy to report that they still look just as cute as they did without cards. And since we snapped this pic yesterday afternoon three more cards came. Woot! I love finding them in the mailbox. #cardnerd
Oh and check out this amaaazing advent calendar we got from our friends the Pohls in Germany (their three year old daughter named Clara is our Clara’s penpal – more on that here). They sent this traditional German advent calendar where you unwrap each envelope or box to find little treats like a tiny doll, candy, stickers, even a small package of colorful tissues. So far Clara has been having a blast opening one thing per day.
So there you have our holiday updates.
set up the big tree (gradient, baby!)get a live tabletop tree again (like we did last year)decorate the mantel, the built-ins, and the entryway console- hang our outside lights & decorate the front porch
shoot a Christmas picture of Clara & Burger for our annual holiday cardmake an advent calendar for Clara? Ahh I’m behind already!- shop for slash make all the gifts on our Christmas list (I’m about 90% done, can’t wait to cross this sucker off!)
We still haven’t hung any lights out front (ack!) or finished all of our Christmas shopping/wrapping, but maybe this weekend we’ll get there. What’s left on your Christmas to-do list? What have you euphorically crossed off already? Is it not amazing to drag a pen across things that you’ve completed? Maybe I need List-Crossers Anonymous. Anyone else having fun with a tabletop tree, homemade banners, or anything else that feels sweetly handmade? Spill the holiday beans.
Update: You can check out all of our favorite holiday decor finds here – many of which are under $15!
Did those chairs around the table come from target? I’m debating buying them for my kitchen table but I hate to do without trying them out..
They were actually from eBay nearly ten years ago! I got them for my apartment in NYC fresh out of college! They were orangy-wood but I painted them white. Very comfy!
xo
s
I have those chairs, Andrea. I got them on Craigslist, but they’re basically the same as the Target ones. Shop around – you can find them really cheap (I got 8 used-like-new ones for $75). I think they are comfortable as dining chairs, but you wouldn’t find me lounging on them for more than a couple hours. I also like that they stack.
Yes, I’d say an hour or two works but if you’re going to lounge all day you might prefer the sofa or an arm chair!
xo
s
Hi Sherry, where did you get those white chairs by your tabletop tree? I’ve been considering getting chairs similar to those, but I’m not sure if they’re comfortable enough to sit in for several hours. Your Christmas decorations are beautiful, by the way!
They’re from ebay almost a decade ago! And they’re actually comfy!
xo
s
I totally vote for Shon, it’s like Shaun but spelled way cooler. My husband and I’s “one person” name is Jesley.
Also I love your little mini tree! It’s adorbs!
Haha, Jesley = awesome. John and I crack up that both options of merging our names sounds like a real name that already exists. What we wouldn’t give for something funny like Melisjamin.
xo
s
We have a mini tree this year, too! Part of my Holiday 20/20 Tablescape…
http://thisnestisbest.com/2012/12/13/2020-tablescape-woodsy-christmas/
Cute!
xo
s
Hi sherry & John. I was trying to find out where your table and chairs are from. I tried looking at your list under your new house and i couldn’t find it. I have a similar one from Ikea but the base is different, and i’m looking for cute, inexpensive chairs for my eat in kitchen.
Thanks!;)
The table is from a thrift store (we added a round top since it came with a weird too-small square one) and the chairs are from ebay nearly a decade ago (they were ornagey-wood but I painted them white). Hope it helps!
xo
s
Love your pashmina mini-tree skirt idea!! I’ve been using an old wedding veil for mine. Teehee.
So funny!
xo
s
All of your sentimental ornaments made me swoon. Thank you for sharing!
Aw thanks Emma!
xo
s
Hand twins! *FRIENDS reference*
Hahaha. I love that episode.
xo
s
Yes!
Did I miss it or did you post some ideas for DIY gifts this year? I can only imagine the stuff you guys come up with for your loved ones!!
Love the chalkboard in this post – have just added it to my basement playroom list!
Thanks!
We haven’t done that yet (we can’t blog about things we’re giving to people before we give them or it ruins the surprise – haha).
xo
s
My mini-tree is a nativity tree. I bought a ceramic nativity set after Christmas one year and wired it into the tree. I use a gold star as the topper, a mini-gold star garland, and a little bit of raffia throughout. The “skirt” is cream fabric with a gold mesh overlay. Also, I did a mini-tree for my sister that is navy and white and Frosty the Snowman themed. Love the mini’s! And I love all your special special treasures. Lots of good memories. Merry, merry Christmas!
So sweet!
xo
s
“special special favorites.” Heart melting:)
What is it about that list crossing that feels so darn good? I’m a list maker too and crossing stuff off just makes my whole day!
I ALWAYS say that I’m going to buy Christmas stuff when it’s half off the day after Christmas, yet I NEVER do. Maybe I should write that on a list …. for motivation.
Yes, write it on the list! Haha! I’d never remember anything if I didn’t write it down (and then get the giddiness of crossing it off, haha).
xo
s
The German advent calendar is neat!
I still haven’t put up my little mini tree on the mantle. I bought a little one from Trader Joe’s that came in a little wooden cube-shaped planter. So far I have painted the planter with Benajmin Moore’s citron paint (same color as my front door), but I haven’t decorated it yet. Need to get on it!
The morphing into one person totally got me. I don’t believe that’s your dainty little hand ;) I vote for Shon.
P.s. cute tree!
That advent calendar is such a sweet gift!
Isn’t it?! We’re having so much fun with it! She has so much style -it’s full of pretty papers and tags and tape and other decorative elements that make me say “um, this is amazing, even for moms” – haha!
xo
s
i’m thinking about trying to make a paper chain garland w/ my 2 1/2 year old son. i figure that i’ll use my handy dandy paper cutter to cut strips and have him help me tape them together? am i crazy? i’m thinking about figuring out a way to hang Christmas cards from it, too.
love those felt trees – so cute!
I think that’s really cute!! Send pics!
xo
s
We have a little tree in our house that I love. Our first apartment was very small, so we had a very small tree with very small ornaments. This little tree has given way to a bigger tree with bigger ornaments, but I’ve always loved the tiny ornaments. So we have a little artificial tree with all of those little special ornaments from our first Christmas spent together. It sits in our upstairs back bay window and lights the back room quite nicely. It’s always fun to see it greeting us as we walk in the back yard.
Good job on your holiday list. We’re working through our list too, but it has far more items in the “not checked off” state than your list does.
Oh, and for your morphed name, I always like the sandwich approach. Shohnerry would be a good one.
Ooh, way to give it some flair.
xo
s
I love Christmas trees filled with treasures only known to the people that live there. We stopped using the pretty—but to us—not as special matching ornaments long ago on our tree (they have homes elsewhere!). Every year the girls love finding all of “their” ornaments…ones they’ve made, or were given. And each year we can’t wait to find out if our now 7-year old gingerbread man has made it to another Christmas. He’s had a few repairs over the years (his red-hot candy buttons have fallen off more than once), but so far he’s only missing one arm. He’s our fave. :)
Cheers to your memory tree!
Haha, so cute!
xo
s
Falling in the “sweetly handmade” category is our new addition of framed Christmas carol lyrics. http://www.oldtownhome.com/2012/12/10/Creating-Holiday-Art-That-Really-Sings/index.aspx Even if you don’t have made calligraphy skills, this is something anyone with nice handwriting or a computer can do!
So cute!
xo
s
Will this year be the first year that you’re not displaced from working on a major project? haha
Wouldn’t that be amazing?! We’ll have to see what we get into. Sometimes they sneak up on us. Haha!
xo
s
Dude, can you give me your brain? You guys are so crafty!! I’m always reading and catch myself thinking: “Why didn’t I think of that?!” I’m proud to say I am D.O.N.E. with my Christmas shopping (which is a huge accomplishment considering I did all of mine on the 23rd last year) and most of the decorations are up. I wanted to make a wreath for the door, but we’ll save it for next year. My boyfriend and I are still on the hunt for a special ornament to mark our first Christmas together!! Eeeek, and that advent calendar makes me jealous. I wish I had one for myself! :)
Aw, it’s no small feat to be done with shopping! I’m jealous!
xo
s
I did something similiar in our family room, although I made a girl tree in honor of our 3 girls!
So sweet!
xo
s
OK what is wrong with me and my fridge? Stainless steel = magnets don’t stick (in my house). I want to do cute bulb ornaments too!!!
I think some fridges are magnetic and some aren’t – wish they all were though!
xo
s
Super cute mini-trees! You’re so creative! I wanted to share my DIY ornament idea that I just completed. My brother got married in September and I saved their invitation and other inserts that came with (i.e. travel guide, brunch info, even the tag they put at the table). I bought a clear glass bobble (pack of 4 at Hobby Lobby), then took the invites and such and cut them into strips. Then curled the strips around a pen and put them into the bobble. I topped it with a cute bow of their wedding colors and attached a tag they put at the table with their names and wedding date. IT IS SO STINKIN’ CUTE (if I do say so myself). Happy to send you pics of the final product.
Love your site by the way and as we get ready to buy our first home, I plan on putting some projects from your book into play. Thanks for a good read always! Merry Christmas!
So cute!
xo
s
I wish you had this up a week ago. You certainly would have made my mini-tree list! http://embracemyspace.com/2012/12/05/trim-up-the-little-tree/
Aw thanks Sara!
xo
s
Man hands???
Seinfeld reference.
Just kidding! I do not have long fingernails at all and my hands look masculine, especially since I inherited my dads large knuckles.
Haha, I have really short fingers and John has really long ones so our hands never look the same- that’s why it’s so funny that somehow this shot is merging the two!
xo
s
I also got the tree ornaments last year on mega clearance. My son hung them on our large tree. They are so adorable. I am hoping to get more discounted ornaments this year.
Me too! They’re so cheap after a few days!
xo
s
I picked up those same trees last year (in green, red, and white) and hot glued them into a table runner. I’m NOT using it as table runner this year, as I think my 2 year old will try to pull it off, so for now it is hanging like a banner on a door. I love how these trees look. I like your version as a garland, but I have a garland problem. There are 5 Christmas garlands hanging various places in my apartment and I keep wanting to buy more! In need an intervention!
Hahah!
xo
s
I have that same moose ornament- it was the cake topper at my husbands and I’s wedding. Now it is front and center on our moose themed christmas tree thats in our bedroom.
SO cute!!
xo
s
ah! 1, i don’t know what i love more – the picturesque quality of a mini-tree (is there anything that’s not adorable when it’s tiny?) in front of the chalkboard, or all of those handmade felt ornaments! maybe one day you’ll have enough that felt ornaments will be your main tree’s theme! (perfect if there’s another little new babe running around)
2, i’ve been trying to get in touch with my german heritage a little and have really enjoyed the dear clara series (so weird/awesome how they’re “every day” is so different/similar to ours in the states) but since you posted their last names, i’m wondering if i may be distantly related to your pen-pals! my last name is puhl, which was apparently altered from pohl during immigration. i’ve NEVER met any other pohl’s or puhl’s until one day i was getting something engraved with my intitials.. the girl who was engraving said hers were the same. her name was Dana Pohl! (so weird) and we were able to figure out we were in fact related. i love how small the world is and how connected we all really are. anyway, there was no real point to that second comment except to thank you for going beyond inspiring us to be crafty, but to also inspire us to think of our families and where we came from. i will now make my german family proud by making a german advent calender :)
No way! That’s so funny! I wonder if you’re distant relatives? It’s such a small world!
xo
s
It’s crazy that your spouse is your hand twin (love FRIENDS)! I like Shon the best. My husband and I don’t have a cool name – Danalie or Natiel (Naniel?) – I don’t know. :)
I love Danalie!
xo
s
I love that your little tree is full of the special ornaments! I love my big, decorated tree, but once I have my own family (especially kids) I want a separate tree for all the handmade stuff. I helped my mom decorate their tree, and it was so much fun seeing ornaments from my childhood. One of my favorites is seeing a pretty ornament, then seeing my attempt when I was younger, like in this example: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=591529429225&set=a.569514043235.2038930.110400015&type=3&theater
SO sweet!
xo
s
So fun! I love the mini tree. I am also giggling a little bit about how many questions you are getting in the comment section about your table and chairs the mini-tree is on. I guess even glitzy Christmas trees can’t take your mind off some good looking furniture! I just posted about my Christmas decorations…and I think I need to cross off putting up Christmas trees sooner. We have FOUR!
Haha, isn’t that funny! No one ever asks about them so I think it’s because they’re usually hiding behind the sofa. Incognito furniture. Haha!
xo
s
The baby Clara silhouette ornament is so cute. I may have to add making 2 of those to the want to do list.
Hi Jerry!
I have those same white ornaments on my tree (along with red felt hearts and green felt trees) because my insane 1 year old cat insists on climbing the tree and I’m afraid she will knock the whole thing over and break my special ornaments. Yay Target for having cute, cheap, non-smashable ornaments! And fingers crossed that Olive will be mature enough to ignore the tree, like my sweet 13 year old cat and well behaved chihuahua, next year.
Haha, that’s a hilarious mental picture. Sorry for laughing.
xo
s
Super cute idea with the tree garland. I bought the same little trees for 10 cents last year and I just (today!) added them to teacher gifts for my girls’ extra teachers (PE, Art, Music, etc.). Love opening up all of my fun bargain finds from the previous years’ sales.
Such a cute idea!
xo
s
We’re a mini-tree family as well: http://www.thebookofjimmy.com/tis-the-season-underway/
Space-wise we don’t have a choice. We’ll be decorating it this weekend (finally). I’m sure eventually Ill be happy about having a big tree if we can fit one, but I’ve come to like our tiny trees.
I love little trees! Can’t wait to see it all decorated.
xo
s
Love the cute banner and mini tree. The ornament collection is so special as it represents each member of the fam.
I have a quick question – getting ready to use chalk board paint in my daughter’s room. Unfortunately, it is carpeted. Do you know what I can place on the carpet under that large wall to catch all the chalk and keep from getting it all over the carpet? I was thinking of trying the stuff movers use to protect carpet.
Hmm, that’s a great question! Does anyone have suggestions for Suzy? Maybe a long runner you can place there in a dark color to catch the dust and then be tossed into the wash?
xo
s
Has no one told you about these yet? http://www.chalkinkworldstore.com/product_p/890085001739-c6.htm
We’re putting a chalkboard in our kitchen and we are going to get these instead of chalk. I found them on a blog but I can’t recall which one.
Love the advent calendar! We have a fabric one and days 1-11 she got a chocolate coin then 12-23 she gets a book and the 24th she gets an early present.
Those look awesome except beware of them leaving marks (we hear if you don’t erase them regularly they can “ghost” and leave lines on your board permanently. That’s why we’re afraid to try them :)
xo
s
just a fellow band geek stopping by to say that i also have a french horn ornament on my tree…
High fives Amanda!
-John
A different Amanda band nerd :P :
I played French horn in high school too, so my mom used to buy all the French horn ornaments she found. By the time I graduated, half the tree was covered in shiny, shiny horns.
Hilarious! We only had a glass one and a brass one.
-John
I believe that’s called a “French hornament.”
Bwahahahahahahahaahahah!
xo
s
Oh my gosh I grabbed a TON of those trees last year, I have them in several colors and was trying to decide what to do with them. This will be perfect for our cookie swap Saturday!!! Thank you.
All our ornaments are unique, lots of glass, even one that was my great, great, great grandma’s and is real mercury glass, to hand made from our daughter. Do you have a pickle ornament on your tree? That’s always been fun, who can find the pickle first. Mom had a big one and a tiny one.
Oh yes, we love our little pickle!
xo
s
How sweet that Clara sent Clara an advent calendar!! Any chance you could share with us what she gets each day? I love stuff like that!
Let’s see, so far she has gotten an iron on shirt decal, a lollypop, a pack of tissues, a tiny fairy doll, a chocolate egg, oh man I’m forgetting! They’re so sweet! Clara loves it!!
xo
s
I would also know what was opened from the advent calendar!
Yesterday she got a pair of socks that she loved and the day before it was a tiny toy penguin! They’re just sweet little trinkets and a few functional things (like socks, a packet of tissues, etc).
xo
s
Oh yay! Bonding moment! I bought 10 packs of those mini-trees from Tar-jay last year. I’m attaching them to goody boxes and gifts, but the garland is a great idea! I think I have enough… ahem…
Love the mini tree- what a fun idea.
That’s a really cute idea too!
xo
s
Am I a little bit crazy for thinking that Clara drew a nativity? That’s all I see when I look at her chalkboard!
Awww! So sweet.
xo
s
I love the mini tree! I didn’t get to do one this year, but I’m hoping that it will happen next year!
Hi, love the mini tree. I’m thinking of getting one for my one year old to play with…hope it will distract from the real big tree!
I was just looking at your to do list up there and was wondering if you posted about your christmas cards this year? If so, I guess I missed it!
Oh not yet! Just have to wait for friends and family to receive them before we ruin it and post them all over the internet. Haha!
xo
s
I love your little tree. My favourite trees are ones where almost every ornament has a memory or meaning. Whenever we go on vacation, we always pick up an ornament to remember the trip. Also, growing up, my Mom gave us each an ornament every year so that when we moved out and got a tree of our own, we’d have a collection of ornaments to start out with. Needless to say, our tree has no colour scheme, rhyme or reason but is chalk full of memories! And I LOVE iT!!
I gotta say…I love when you write “behold” in your blog posts.
I’m trying to figure out a way to incorporate it naturally into everyday speech…harder than it sounds, especially in the office!
Hahaha, might I suggest:
“Behold, it’s lunch time.”
xo
s
Is anyone else having issues with pictures loading? Sorry if this has already been addressed. Half the pictures load fine, and the other half, te top fifth of the picture loads and the rest is just a grey colour. I’ve cleared my history, cookies, etc. and it still hasn’t solved the problem. Help! I want to see the pictures!!
So strange! We haven’t changed anything on our end for years when it comes to hosting/pics. Is anyone else having this issue?
xo
s
I updated Firefox to a beta version and it’s been giving me some fits like picture-loading problems and pages looking more text than HTML-y. Maybe your browser is whacking out?
Awww – I love them all. The moose ornament is too cute! We are planning on cutting out paper snowflakes and hanging them around the house (if I had my way it would look just like the movie Elf). :-) Great job you guys!