Up next in our Holiday How-to series is Tina from the blog, The Enchanted Home (yes, the very same Tina who profiled our gifts last week!)  When she’s not blogging, Tina is putting the finishing touches on her dream home chateau.  Those of you who know Tina’s blog know how chock full of great ideas and pretty pictures her posts can be and this one does not disappoint!

Introducing The Enchanted Home…

Hi there, it’s Tina from The Enchanted Home.  I am so happy to be at one of the prettiest and most stylish  places in all blogland…  loooove The Buzz blog and am honored that they asked me to be their guest today.  My first thought was to do a post on table settings because I do love setting a pretty table for the holidays but then there was the pressure of having to actually set a table well before Christmas and sorry but it wasn’t doable with my crazy schedule lately.

So I decided to do a post on how to add holiday cheer and pretty festive touches throughout the house in subtle easy user friendly ways.  That I could handle!  And the perk is that it “forced” me to get a head start on holiday decorating and I have to say though it’s just begun, it feels great!  So here is what’s going on around here lately…..

I like adding subtle holiday touches everywhere but even in unexpected places like  the powder room,  it is important to not overlook them!  I added a pair of holiday topiaries which I have had for years and always find a place for them.  I added pine-cones to the base this year…  I will as Christmas nears, add a rope of fresh garland on top of the mirror as the crowning touch but can’t do it too soon so you’ll just have to visualize it.  I also like to have a holiday scented candle burning in my powder room for guests and think I will have to try the new Diane James Home Winter candle!  These work beautifully with my colors…

Holiday Topiaries

This is a simple touch, adding pine cones to the base of a plant or flower…

Added Festive Touches

LOVE flowers.  Especially white and on occasion, red.  This is a wee bit intimidating now that I’m thinking of it, doing this post for the doyennes of magnificent faux flowers!  (Hope this passes muster.)  One of the best investments I made years ago was on some really good quality white amaryllis flowers/plants; I cannot tell you how much use I have gotten from these babies.  I put them in different pots and containers and experiment and move them around…  and the best part is, they never die and always look fresh and perfect!  Here’s a look I am loving this season.  I added the amaryllis to various pots and filled the base with scented pine cones instead of the usual moss.  Looks pretty and smells so wonderful!  Pretty red amaryllis in pots with holiday greenery and berries are a nice accent to my breakfast room table.

Red Amaryllis and Berries

These are for my kitchen…

White Amaryllis and Pine Cones

Simple and soo easy.  I put them in my planters which are fiberglass that have an aged finish and are super light and easy to move around.  I simply “build them up” with tissue or whatever is handy and place the flowers then add a layer of scented pine cones on the base… and voila!  Love the look.

Kitchen Blue and White

Ditto for other containers.  Anyone who knows me or my blog knows my insatiable love for all things blue and white.  And I must say, Christmas flowers look splendid with blue and white – here’s proof!

On my island I keep this really huge old blue and white porcelain bowl (about 20″ round) and I like to change it out seasonally.  So for Christmas, I added two large white poinsettias and again, added the pine cones to the base… so easy but looks gorgeous and festive.

Kitchen Poinsettias

P.S.  I have to admit, these are fake poinsettias!  But they’re really good quality and I swear everyone thinks they’re real!  No shedding, no mess, nothing…  Love it!  I bought eight of these about eight years ago and saying I have gotten my money’s worth is an understatement!

Just starting to do a little front door decor.  It’s a work in progress but it’s getting there.  I like getting an over sized wreath; to me – the bigger, the better (nothing worse than a wreath too small for a door, kind of like drapes that are too short) and I like it on the simple side, a great big luxurious bow, lots of mixed greens, berries and pine cones and maybe minimal adornments just here and there.  This year I used a 36″ wreath of white pine filled with big chucks of variegated boxwood and regular boxwood to make it really thick and full, and it’s filled with big pine cones.  I may add some berries and this bow is from last year…  I may keep it or I may go with a mossy green bow.  Will experiment as I love to do!

A Lush and Lovely Wreath

Pretty Planters

Just Add Berries!

I haven’t thought yet of how I am going to set my still unfinished dining room but I will surely be using my antique china, my etched crystal, my sterling flatware, crisp white linens and will have a ball with my newest item, custom pewter napkin rings.  For Christmas, I am loving the idea of the deer, the Santa’s but also switching things up with a few of the whimsical animals, too.  I also have a “thing” for nutcrackers and bought  mini ones a few years ago and put one at each setting – they add a little holiday cheer to each space.  I also love to put a sprig of greenery with berries on top of each napkin…  Still experimenting, but that’s the fun part!  

The Table Set and Ready

Pewter and Gold

I love making small holiday vignettes on tables, consoles, etc. – it just allows the magic of the holiday to be felt all over the house instead of maybe just the room where the Christmas tree is placed.  As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how important it is to spread the cheer all around and it just makes me happy!  Here are two vignettes that are about done (though I knowing myself, I’ll be tweaking them right up until Christmas Eve!) 

Vignette #1

Vignette #2

This is where I am so far…  Still have to get the tree, decorate the stairs with garlands, bring out my nutcracker collection – there’s still plenty of decorating to do!