Holiday & Seasonal Projects, Holidays

The Halls are Decked: Our Christmas Home Tour

Christmas Holiday Decor Tour | The Borrowed Abode

Welcome to the 2012 Borrowed Abode Holiday Decor Tour.  I’d like to thank Jen on the Edge for hosting a Holiday Homes Tour, which helped motivate me to actually decorate this week.

On this tour we’re pretty much going to stick to the living room, because – what with my not being Martha Stewart and all – I haven’t made enough decorations to include other rooms yet.

2012 Christmas Living Room | The Borrowed Abode

This year’s tree is not the best we’ve ever had.  Ok, it’s really the worst.  It’s been shedding needles like crazy, and it’s fat and awkward – a sharp contrast to our overly skinny 2010 tree – and poorly pruned.    That’s what we get for going to Home Depot late at night.  I first dragged Ryan to a small, family-owned tree market in our town – but the trees we liked were all so expensive.  I couldn’t justify spending $90 on what was, essentially, a dead tree that would end up being mulched in a few weeks.

Fat Christmas Tree 2012 | The Borrowed Abode

Because the tree is so fat, it looks bare. I don’t have that many ornaments – or lights – for it. I’m working on collecting the vintage glass Shiny Brite ornaments.  The ones I have now were my grandmother’s, and even though the paint is wearing off they are my favorite.  Favorite Vintage Christmas Ornaments 2012 | The Borrowed Abode

I have a few other special ornaments, too – I love the spun glass iridescent ornaments in the top right.  Then there’s the white “repurposed” leaf that I gave to Ryan as a joke, and a new addition – the Canon Memorial Chapel from my college (shown with the white leaf).

There was no good place to put such a fat tree, so it’s in the weird space between the dining ‘room’ and living room.  It makes for an awkward transition, and pretty much dwarfs the dining table.

Christmas 201203

I attempted a little festivity on the dining table with my favorite white wood-grain candles and some snowman votives.  Boy, does the winter table runner bring back memories.  I sewed it with a broken sewing machine about 10 years ago, when I was dying to learn to make home decor.

Christmas Tea Lights Wood Grain | The Borrowed Abode

Now I have a kickass sewing machine, I’ve created Janery, and I can whip up some pillow covers with invisible zippers (like those below)  in no time.  (The smaller sequined pillows are from last year at Crate and Barrel.) 

Christmas Pillow Covers Invisible Zippers | The Borrowed Abode

The little red shoes on the end table are vintage candle holders that first belonged to my grandmother.  I made the wreath by wrapping leftover pine garland in a circle, securing the loop with a few pieces of fishing twine, and adding a bow I saved from last year’s wreath.

For those of you who don’t sew, I made these easy no-sew Christmas tree pillow covers by using fusible webbing to adhere fun fabric to an existing Ikea pillow cover.  Tutorial coming this weekend. You can do it in 10 minutes, flat.

Christmas No Sew Pillow Cover | The Borrowed Abode

Behind the chair you see our Christmas Stocking Wall.  It was my solution to our lack of a fireplace mantel in our rented home.

The entry wall has an empty space behind the front door, so that’s where we’re hanging our Christmas cards this year.  The entryway table displays a few of my yarn trees from three years ago, as well as a huge pine tree candle I splurged on at Crate and Barrel this year.  I will not be burning it – it’s a perfect decor piece.

Christmas Entryway Front Door | The Borrowed Abode

When it comes to Christmas decorating, it’s definitely the little touches that I enjoy the most.

Christmas Accessories | The Borrowed Abode

Above, clockwise from top left: 

1.  Loving the handmade candles from Sydney Hale – the amazing scents are totally worth the splurge.  2.  A tiny vintage Santa is climbing my yarn tree.  3.  Love my red yarn trees in my coffee-table-scape. This year I added some green pine tree candles from Crate & Barrel.  4.  The candle lanterns looked a bit bare, so I added some small silver ornaments and glittery pears as filler.

I’m so glad I did finally decorate this year.  Last night I came home from work, determined to get it done.  I put on my striped Santa socks and a dorky red sweater vest, and stuck some glitter twigs out of my pony tail.  It helped me get in the spirit.  I powered through, and Ryan loved the results.
If you’ve shared photos of your holiday decor, please leave your link in the comments! I’d love to check it out!

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25 Comments

  • Reply jenn at 12:33 pm

    Isn’t it crazy how HARD it is some years to find the time/motivation for decorating for Christmas? I had a hard time getting in the spirit this year too, but now am really glad I did. Your living room looks amazing! And I actually completely adore your plump Christmas tree – I wish we had room for one that big 🙂

  • Reply Holiday Homes Tour 2012 | | Jen on the EdgeJen on the Edge at 12:38 pm

    […] The Borrowed Abode – I totally covet Jane’s coffee table display. […]

  • Reply Smalltown Me at 1:10 pm

    I love love love your vintage ornaments and the stocking wall.

  • Reply toya at 1:38 pm

    and where’s naked man in all of this?

    • Reply Jane at 3:28 pm

      Lol. I forgot to share! He’s topping the entire tree!

  • Reply Jen on the Edge at 2:54 pm

    I think everything looks terrific. I am still drooling over your coffee table display from last year, but did I get around to doing my own? No, I did not. Hmph. Maybe next year…

    • Reply Jane at 9:31 am

      Jen, it makes a great winter craft – why not do some winter ones that are white and green with the girls during the January doldrums? You can even put them out as winter decor? Just a thought. I’m going to sew my Christmas Quilt this January, since . . . well, since it’s still sitting in squares in the basement 🙂

  • Reply toya at 3:31 pm

    haha. yeah, i see his legs dangling in one of the pics!

  • Reply Brightside-Susan at 5:10 pm

    I love that fat tree! (And I need your pillow tutorial – I finished a needlepoint this summer that isn’t a pillow yet!) The yarn trees are fun and so is the tree candle was a great purchase!

    • Reply Jane at 9:35 am

      Hi Susan, thanks! Do you need an invisible zipper pillow cover tutorial? Or the no-sew one?

  • Reply Strictly Jen at 6:24 am

    Your decorations are lovely and the tree is fab!

  • Reply Molly at 7:23 am

    Beautiful! Love the yarn trees. May have to add some of those to our display. Thanks for the tour.

    • Reply Jane at 9:37 am

      Molly, you should definitely try adding some yarn trees! They were such a fun and easy craft to make. And crazy cheap, too 🙂

  • Reply Terri at 2:11 pm

    It’s funny how much you hate your tree; when I saw the first picture, I immediately loved you charming fat tree.

  • Reply Robin at 5:46 pm

    How cute! I always love seeing your seasonal decorating! I love that beaded green pillow, super chic and fun. Have a wonderful holiday season! 🙂

  • Reply denyse@crazy beautiful life at 8:19 pm

    That is the fattest tree I have ever seen, but I love it!

    I’m having a PINTEREST Social hop. I’d love for you to hop on over, grab a button and link up your Pinterest. If you don’t have Pinterest it’s ok, come link up your blog.

    http://mydailyphotojourney.blogspot.com/2012/12/pinterest-party.html

    I’m also looking for Pinterest Pinners to feature every week beginning in January. If you are on Pinterest and are interested in being featured come link up! Who knows you might meet some other great pinners and gain a few great ideas.

    http://mydailyphotojourney.blogspot.com/2012/12/looking-for-pinners.html

    Have a crazy beautiful week!

  • Reply tara at 6:33 pm

    Looks gorgeous! Wish I were crafty [sigh]…

  • Reply Kim Kasch at 11:55 am

    I love all the small details and I love that big, fat tree ;D

    So pretty.

  • Reply Michele P at 6:20 pm

    Wow, I looooooove me a big chubby tree. So beautiful and festive! I love your vintage family ornaments too, and I agree with jen on the edge that your coffee table display is to die for. Happy New Year!

  • Reply DIY: Easy No-Sew Applique Pillow Covers | The Borrowed Abode at 7:41 pm

    […] As part of my January goal to “finish abandoned tasks” I’d like to share with you how I made my no-sew Modern Christmas Tree Pillow cover shown in my Holiday Home Tour 2012. […]

  • Reply bdaiss at 2:34 pm

    (I’m a little behind on my touring…) Oh I love those ornaments too! I have my Grandmother’s as well and they are so precious to me. I never considered trying to collect additions but that’s a wonderful idea! Thanks for sharing!

  • Reply kalanicut at 4:52 pm

    I am just getting caught up on blog reading from the past three weeks. I love what you did for the holidays. And I think you’re tree looks lovely. I love all the history in your decor and all the unique touches you’ve created.

    • Reply Jane at 10:34 am

      I was catching up on yours just an hour ago 🙂 Thanks!

  • Reply Why We’re Not Decorating for Christmas This YearThe Borrowed Abode: Decorating a rental home | The Borrowed Abode: Decorating a rental home at 10:01 am

    […] see, every Christmas Ryan and I end up getting a tree and decorating at the last minute (often with disastrous results), because between work travel, multiple Thanksgivings out of town, […]

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