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12.13.2009

Christmas Tour of Homes - Nester Style!

So, you remember how much I want to stalk admire The Nester? Well, she's hosting a Christmas Tour of Homes today and I'm joining right in! So, many of these things you've already seen, but let's just look at them all together and humor me...shall we?

Okay, here I am, welcoming you to my Christmas-y world for a day. Imagine I'm offering a Caramel Tassie and a cup of hot spiced cider...Come tour my home:

You've all seen my Christmas Angel Wing Mantle, but I'm so dang proud of it I'm pulling it out again! Click on the link if you want to learn to make a pair of these wings for yourself.





I've been collecting this Christmas Village for a few years. All the pieces are from the Dollar Store (seriously) and for this reason, it doesn't bother me to let the kids set this town up and play with it all season. They nested the houses on that thin cotton sheet from the Dollar Store with lights under it. They then pulled off puffs of cotton batting to make snow (all their idea). I have to admit, it does look magical!



Here is my Paper Snowflake Blizzard, ala Elf, the movie. We sit down with hot chocolate and a good Christmas movie and cut, cut, cut! The kids really love the magical, whimsical feeling of this and it's just lacy enough to be pretty, too.




Here is our family tree, the one with all the meaningful ornaments, that is only decorated from 4 feet and under because it's the kids' baby. It looks better in the dark (cringe).



Here is my "pretty tree" from the living room. Kids can look and help a little bit, but it's MY baby (sigh).





My beautiful Lenox Nativity that took me 12 years to collect. One. Piece. At. A. Time.



And the kids' nativity (That I yelled at my husband for spending so much on at the time! But, now, I'm happy to have it. It's priceless.)



This table holds my Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String
. They are full of love, you know. The kids love to read the tags on each package and imagine me filling it with all my love.



Here are my colorful snowflakes in my ever-changing kitchen window. Mama needs something pretty to look at while she's washing dishes! And no one ever said snowflakes have to be white.




Finally, here is my Eddie Ross ornament wreath (I cheat on Martha with Eddie sometimes - ssshhhhh...). The colors of this wreath make me sooooo happy! Lucky for you, tomorrow is Tutorial Tuesday, so you get to learn to make one of your own! So, come on back, you hear?

Run out to the Dollar Store or Target and pick up those tubes of inexpensive ornaments, try to get about 100+ in all different sizes. Large, medium, small, and tiny ornaments all together work the best. Then pick up about 8 nicer ornaments to accent (see the striped ones in bright colors?). Then you can meet me back here tomorrow for assembly instructions.





I'm not a "Happy Holidays" kind of girl, so Merry Christmas!!!

Psstt! I'm having a hand made ornament linky party on Thursday, so don't be late!

Christmas Tour of Homes with The Nester

87 comments:

  1. Love your Angel wings. I need some of those. Very pretty house!

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  2. Your fireplace mantal is just amazing and so fun and festive!

    sandy toe

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  3. Oh. my. gosh. So many beautiful things, I'm pretty sure blogger won't let me gush about ALL of them! Love the nativity, the wings, the brown paper boxes...

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  4. I love the brown paper packages...so cute!

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  5. Your home and Christmas decorating is beautiful. I think the snowflakes with lights are magical. Merry Christmas.

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  6. I made the ornament wreath too. I am laughing at your "cheating on Martha" comment. :)

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  7. I love the snowflake garland! And what a great idea for the brown paper packages!

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  8. Beautiful....

    Thanks for sharing...

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  9. Your home is just beautiful. May many wonderful Christmas memories be made within its walls.

    Our home is having an old fashioned handmade Christmas this year. I hope you will stop by.

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  10. The angel wings are amazing - I'm going to have to make some for our home. Merry Christmas!

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  11. Your home is stunning!! I love the mantle, everything looks beautiful!! Merry Christmas!

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  12. Beautiful! I especially love the coloured snowflakes and the Eddie Ross wreath. It's all just lovely! Thanks for sharing - Merry Christmas!

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  13. THANK YOU for not being a "Happy Holidays" kind of girl. Merry Christmas! Yes, ma'am!

    Your house looks wonderful. I'm not sure what I like best. Your Lenox nativity is beautiful. . . yet I probably like the kids' set even more. And all your snowflakes--enchanting! Everything looks great. Thank you for sharing it!

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  14. What a beautiful home! I love your idea of the "brown paper packages tied up with string" and your angel wings. They are the perfect touch.

    Merry CHRISTmas to you and your family!

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  15. Loved all your bright colorful decorations and especially the snowflake doorway. What a cool idea.
    Debbie

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  16. Everything looks so fabulous - WOW! I love the paper snowflake blizzard. When my kids get a little older that will be a super fun project! Thanks for the ideas! : )

    Oh and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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  17. love the decorating, especially the children decorating the tree, Great Memories.Your Nativity sets are beautiful too.
    Sue

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  18. Beautiful! I love your ELF inspired blizzard!! :) Your angel wings are gorgeous!

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  19. Beautiful. I love your Xmas tree.

    Merry Christmas.

    Warmly,

    Bernie

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  20. Everything looks great. I really like the paper snowflakes, they are awesome!

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  21. Your home is beautiful and I'm going to try to remember to come back here tomorrow, because I really want to know how to make one of those bulb wreaths. Thanks for the tour!

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  22. Everything is so beautiful! Especially the angel wings!

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  23. The Angel wings are stunning!
    I love Lenox. Not that I own any. I just like looking. ;)

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  24. just beautiful!!!congrats!

    merry xmas!

    xoxo

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  25. Hi Jennifer, your decorations are lovely! I wish I had a "pretty" tree, but our one year old is such a "bulldozer" we could only put decorations on the top half of the tree...He pulls them all off! The kids' nativity is a great idea, I need to look for one of those. My daughter would love to put on a play with it :)

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  26. I think both of your trees are pretty. :) Your ornament wreath is fabulous!!!! I made one too a couple weeks ago. They are so festive.

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  27. Love the angel wings! Your home is decorated so beautifully for Christmas!

    Kathleen

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  28. I love it all--super gorgeous.

    Just an FYI -google is not updating my posts in reader-ugh so you just have to come by if you want to see all my Christmas decor.,

    Cheri

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  29. Growing up I used to love to go to my favorite Aunt's house and stare at her Lenox nativity set. So pretty. And I love the one for your children as well.

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  30. Jennifer it's all GORGEOUS! Really, you're home is just lovely - and full of creativity and love!

    I love your nativity (and I see you collect the Willow Tree figurines! I've always loved those!)

    We were watching Elf last night and I thought of your blizzard! I tried to cut out some snowflakes over the weekend, but I couldn't get the paper folding process right :( I'm going to have to try again.

    And the brown paper packages are adorable!! What a sweet idea! I love sentimental things like that!

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  31. Oops - forgot to say...MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Hope your guys spoil you rotten! :)

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  32. Your snowflake garland is so charming!

    Merry Christmas!

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  33. Everything is absolutely beautiful! And I love the brown paper packages tied up with string...I think I'll have to add some to my decor this year! :)

    LOVE the angel wings - I'm off to check out the 'how to'! :)

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  34. The wings are great! I made me an Eddie wreath as well!

    My kids would go crazy over the snowflakes!

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  35. I love your decorations! I made one of the wreaths already but I am coming back tomorrow to get some pointers. Mine needs help.

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  36. Love the Angel Wings and the Snowflakes! So inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

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  37. Very pretty! The snowflakes are amazing. I may have to do that next year.

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  38. Oh my! So beautiful! I just love how your Christmas tree sits in front of the windows. I bet it looks gorgeous from outside of your house, too. And, the ornament wreath is adorable!

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  39. Your house looks great! I won't have anything to post, but I look forward to checking out your ornament linky party :) Maybe it will give me some ideas for next year.

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  40. Seeing it all together like this really brings out the Christmas feeling. Your home looks wonderful even the blurry picture of the kids tree!

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  41. OH my gosh - I love the snowflakes! What a great idea and a fun family project. Merry Christmas to you and yours! ox

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  42. You home looks like a place I could call home! Love it!

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  43. I adore the snowflakes! They are fabulous! I am ready to get the scissors out now. The ornament wreath is lovely too!
    Thanks for the tour-
    Marie @ Lemondrop ViNtAge

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  44. Stopping by from Nester Home Tour... Thank you for opening your home to us! I absolutely love those snowflakes!!!

    Click here for MY Christmas open house

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  45. I LOVE your mantle, the wings on it are so pretty and unique.

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  46. Love the paper snowflakes garland.. We hang individual ones on the windows but never made a garland. It looks lovely.. I think I'll try it :-)

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  47. Lovely decorations. I love the white crosses standing together and the snowflake garland. Merry Christmas.
    LIsa

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  48. I am in love with the snowflake garland!!! Thanks for a GREAT idea for my home next year!

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  49. Can't wait until my kids are old enough to do one of those snowflake garlands!

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  50. I really love everything. Beautiful home. Thank you for sharing it with us.

    Ruth

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  51. I love your decorations especially the ones from dollar store so your kids could decorate. That is such a neat idea and a way to involve them in decorating. Makes me wish I had a small child again LOL.

    Love the colored snowflakes too. They are very pretty.

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  52. Love that the kids have a tree and you have a tree. And the little brown packages are adorable!

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  53. Great ideas! Love the snowflakes! :o) Will be stealing some for future christmases!

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  54. What a great Mom you are. The kids get their own tree. I know, I know my Mom did it to us too and we were just as thrilled. Her's was always red. We liked multi colored. Your tree and wreath are beautiful.
    ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

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  55. I was meant to find your blog! I SOOOO want to make an ornament wreath! I'm coming back tomorrow to find out how, ok? Love the crosses on your mantle too, will you come decorate my mantle? I have no ideas. Thanks!

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  56. Everything is just beautiful, you have a lovely home. Love your trees and angel wing mantle. Both nativities are precious.
    Merry Christmas!

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  57. Everything looks absolutely gorgeous! Your mantle is PERFECT!

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  58. hello! stopped over on the xmas tour! love your home and decor! really love the snowflakes, and the photo of the kids decorating, ahem, "their" tree... we do that here, too. ;)
    i'll be back thursday... what fun! :)

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  59. Those snowflakes are such a great idea....I need to try that out in my house. My oldest son would love it...the youngest son would probably end up in the ER. :) Great job and lovely home! Merry Christmas!

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  60. Beautiful home! Love the mantle :) Merry Christmas!

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  61. Love your Eddie Ross ornament wreath. Thanks for the lovely tour.

    xo,
    cristin

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  62. love your Chrismtas village. There are now a line of hot wheels around my Christmas village. I guess it makes sense the people who live in the village have to have some sort of transportation.

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  63. Your house is beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

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  64. Oh wow! Your home looks amazing! The colored snowflakes made me smile. I think I'll have my kids make me some tomorrow :) Merry Christmas!!

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  65. Beautiful home! I adore how you give the boys their space ~ like the tree and nativity. And my dear, "your" tree is plain LOVELY! And about those DARN Steelers.... what do I say? Where were they last Thurs? Hubby's bummed that we are headed to a game that probably won't mean as much as it could. Oh well, it will be WONDERFUL to have a little get away without the kids :) ~And before I forget, so glad you noticed your lovely frame! I've had lots of compliments since getting it.

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  66. Love your fairyland! Merry Christmas!

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  67. Love the paper snowflakes, thanks for sharing your beautiful home.

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  68. Love, love, love your paper snow blizzard... something fun to create on a cold day!

    Thanks for sharing!

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  69. wow - I just love your house - I don't know where to begin!!! The nativity looks gorgeous and the village looks snuggly; the dog looks interested in what's going on!!! I am inspired to do more at my place if I can - but it looks like that will be next year rather than this!

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  70. Your house is beautiful! Thanks for sharing all your great ideas.

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  71. Oh my gosh! Thanks so much for sharing that among your collectibles you also display many a Dollar Tree decoration. It makes my frugal heart sing!

    And I adore how you put the sheet over the lights...what an effect.

    :)

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  72. What a lovely home you have! I especially love how you involve your children in your decorating...great stuff! I plan to try the snowflake decorating. My third grader is very into making snowflakes right now, so he will love it. Thanks for sharing your home...and your great ideas! Also...glad to hear you're a Merry Christmas kind of girl...a woman after my own heart!

    Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to you...

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  73. I love the snowflake arch! I must try that! Found you at the Nester's Home Tour. If you want to see my tour you can see it here: http://beautyinallthings.wordpress.com/tag/christmas-2009/

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  74. Such lovely decorating and so creative! The mantle is gorgeous! Like the white snowflakes and the colored ones. My favorite is the picture of the decorating of the family tree. Thanks for sharing the fun!

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  75. Love love love the snowflakes in the doorway! *Smiling* Smiling's my favorite! ;)

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  76. love the tree and the wreath and the sweet pic of your boys decorating the tree! The snowflake idea is fabo, too!

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  78. I'm in the market for a nice Christmas wreath. You actually made that colorful wreath? Amazing!
    All the decorations are just beautiful! Thank you for the tour!

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  79. I so understand the "my" tree thing. I am just now letting my grandchildren touch the ornaments. My children were never allowed!! Age helps!! :) Love the wreath made from ornaments. Is hot glue involved??? Beautiful snowflakes too! I'm not good with scizzors! Merry Christmas!

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  80. Love the Christmas Spirit & decorations in your home. You are welcome to stop by my blog to view my home.
    Happy Holidays & Many Blessings
    Campbelljane

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