LET THE PROS SHOW YOU HOW TO DECORATE YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE...

Hi guys.  Do you want to learn how to decorate your Christmas tree like the pros?  Me too!  I've decorated my Christmas trees the same way for years, just twirling a length of ribbon around the body of them and adding in some ornaments.

Very simple, nothing too fancy; and, while I like my style and will probably never change it (because I'm a creature of habit), I've always wondered how the pros do what they do to make their trees look so full, fluffy and festive.

How do they get all that ribbon tucked into the branches?  How do they get ALL those ornaments on there and in just the perfect spot?

I want to know!! You too?

Well there is one professional that all we bloggers know and love who is going to show us how...Jennifer Davenport from Jennifer Decorates, formerly Decorating Made Easy. She truly is a Christmas decorating pro and offers all sorts of tips and tricks in the following video that shows how the normal, average, everyday person like you and I can achieve a professional looking Christmas tree in just a few easy steps.

As a matter of fact, I think you will be SURPRISED at just how easy it is...

See, EASY!!!

Now go decorate that tree!!!

CLIPBOARDS AND AN OLD CALENDAR = A GREAT GIFT IN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES...

It seems like I have no shortage of friends and people to give gifts to each year.  You too?

I also seem to have no shortage of pretty picture laden wall calendars at home and at work that are all used up and ready to be thrown in the garbage around this time of year. You too?

So why not kill two birds with one stone. Get rid of those old calendars by recycling, restyling and reinventing them and giving them as gifts to all your friends.

All you need is scissors, a few clipboards (new or vintage), some glue dots and five minutes...

Clip all those lovely pictures from the calendar, cut them down to size if needed and hang them from the clipboards.  Secure the bottom corners of each picture with glue dots...so easy!

Then give them to your friends to hang as art on their walls...

Feel free to use a new, current calendar if you like.

I like the idea of hanging them in line down a long hallway...

Or perhaps in a grid on a large wall...

I think botanicals are especially pretty and VERY trendy, yet classic...

You know on second thought, maybe you should just keep all those beauties for yourself...hehehe...

JUST KIDDING!

This is a super quick, super easy and inexpensive gift idea and...the possibilities are ENDLESS. The best part is you can really give your friend, son, daughter, ANYONE a gift that matches their personality, taste and style. Have a friend that loves animals, use a calendar with cute, fuzzy, furry animal prints.  Your son love cars? Use a car/automobile calendar to hang in a grid over his headboard. The best part is when their tastes or styles change (or the seasons change) the pictures can be switched out with something different.  So versatile!!

Clipboards are only about $1 each, the calendar is free or you can get one for a dollar at most places and the whole project only takes about five minutes...can't beat that!!!

Don't like the idea of recycling the pictures off an old calendar? Give a whole new 2016 calendar with gorgeous photo prints made especially for clipboards.  They're a little pricey at about $25.00 but they would make a lovely gift for anyone on your list.

Check them out HERE...

Don't have the kind of money?  Download this free printable 2016 clipboard calendar. Copy and paste any image you want into it and print from your own printer.

Anyway, I just wanted to throw this idea out there, before Christmas.  You know in case you are looking for a unique, fashionable and trendy gift that is personalized and inexpensive to give to someone on your list.

Get creative this year...without breaking the bank!!

IT'S DECEMBER....YEAH, BABY!!!

It's December y'all!  Can you believe it?

It's time once again to celebrate and savor the season. The Christmas season...which I LOVE!!!

Sadly though I haven't even put one single decoration out yet.  I usually deck the halls and cozy things up the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving but not this year.  I just can't seem to decide what I want to do this year as far as decor goes.  The only thing I know for sure is that I want fresh, real and simple.

We will be getting a fresh tree from Lowes this coming weekend.  I can't wait!  Secretly, I hope it snows like it did the first year we picked a real tree...




We had SOOOOO much fun...dashing through the snow in a "one horse open sleigh" or a PT Cruiser, I should say...Hehe.

I have considered doing everything in the traditional red and green, which I love...

because it's so whimsical and festive!  But...naw, I'm just not feeling it.

I could go with something a little less traditional....like the gold and purple I did a few years back...





but I'm not feeling that at all!!!

I could do something with a wintry theme like I did last year...

Which I thought was GORGEOUS!!!  I'm just not feeling that for this year either.

Maybe I will go with an "all natural" theme this year and decorate the tree with flocked pine cones, cranberry and popcorn garland, dried apple and orange slices...something like this...

I bet it would smell AMAZING...

Or perhaps I won't decorate it at all...

or at least not too much...

and let the tree do all the talking.

Hmmm, I guess we'll just have to wait and see!!

How is your Christmas decorating going this year?