It's Alive!

tree-star.jpg

My Christmas tree, that is.  Since getting my own apartment, I've had the same fake little tree.  It's a very nice, full, psuedo-realistic fake tree, and the decoration has varied slightly from year to year, but I decided this year I'd shake it up a bit. Both this year and last, while perusing Home Depot, my attention was grabbed by these cute little potted trees for $25 a piece.

Home Depot Tree

Considering I took a pretty much identical phone pic last year, I went for it!

2013 christmas tree

It's a little Charlie Brown-ish, but I'm totally digging it.  She's got Pizazz!

2013 christmas living room

And it got a custom pot thanks to rope and hot glue.

undressed tree pot rope tree pot

It grounds it and adds texture below the branches.  Small project for such an impact!

I also reused last year's DIY clay ornaments, although I'm thinking a new DIY ornament for this year is in order, don't you think?

ornament-closeup

My new tree topper that I purchased on our trip the other week is reminiscent of the light that I used last year, but much daintier.

tree topper snow

As I mentioned last week, for the first time ever, the interior wasn't the only place getting a bit of decoration.  After a bit of hemming and hawing, I decided to go au naturale outside with real garland draped around the porch entry with simple white lights.  At night it adds just a little bit of 'sparkle' and makes me smile without making dear Hubby cringe- mission accomplished!

exterior garland

I've also purchased my FIRST EVER wreath!  Yup, I've never been a wreath person before, but this one from Target hit just the right note.

first wreath

I'm sure some of the decorations will evolve a bit over the next few weeks as I play around with things a bit more.  It's definitely helping to get me in the Christmas spirit!  That and LOTS of Christmas music!  It's an addiction, that I only let myself indulge in for a month every year.  Who's with me? What's your favorite Christmas song or CD?