'Tis the Season!

I have never been a huge fan of Christmas. Well, at least the commercialized version.

But this year, I was really excited to get to decorate our apartment for Christmas. Maybe it was because it’s our first one as a married couple. Maybe it was because it was the first time I actually got to pick out my own decorations and do everything myself. And maybe it was because Pinterest is filled with a ton of amazing ideas. Definitely all of the above.

I still feel like there should be more decorations…but it’s our first Christmas, can’t go all out and buy everything at once! These things are supposed to be accumulated over time, right?

Well, since I had never been a fan of the traditional red and green Christmas colors, I decided I was definitely going to have to change it up. As luck would have it, the vast majority of our decorations are navy, light blue, white, and silver. I know, I know…you’re surprised. But I have to say, Scott was for the color scheme just as much as I was.

Now for some pictures and links.

Scott found this little guy at Walmart, so we had to get him.

Pinterest has a lot of hoilday printables, and I found a couple to match frames that I already had. (The website where I found the Subway Art printable has free printables for almost every holiday. So check those out, too.) In between them is a mini Christmas scrapbook of sorts made out of paper bags. I made that a couple of years ago with my Mahm & Aunt Karri. And there is our first little nativity scene.

 

Free Merry & Bright Printable // Free Christmas Subway Art Printable

And today, because most Christmas printables seem to be in red & green, I decided to make one of my own. I need to buy a frame to put it in, but feel free to download it if it goes with your Christmas decorations.

(Click to enlarge and then "Save As.") It should be 8x10. The background is also transparent, so you could print it on any color of paper you would like.

I found this banner template and tutorial that I really liked (even though it was red & green) so I put it together and along with a red Santa hat Scott picked out, decorated this frame I got a while back from Ikea.

 Free Noel Banner Printable

Now for the two biggest projects. You know I couldn’t have done Christmas decorations without having to sew something.

My Mahm used to always see these ruffled tree skirts on Pinterest. And of course she always teased that I should make her one. I always meant to…but just haven’t gotten around to it. But then I decided that I should have one! :)

As luck would have it, my color scheme wasn’t too popular in the Christmas fabric sections of Joann’s or Hobby Lobby…so I had to go another route. I’m not normally one for glitter and sequins, but those are just about the only things I could find in the right colors. It’s pretty large and took a while, but it’s actually really simple.

And our Christmas tree with the skirt.

 

Ruffled Tree Skirt Tutorial

I then decided that making stocking would be better and maybe cheaper than buying them. Once again, I couldn’t find fabric to match the color scheme very well, but I figured grey was close enough to silver for it to work.

I followed the main “sock” part of the tutorial, but wanted to make a somewhat manly stocking for Scott and prettier ruffles for my own stocking.

I have to warn you, you can’t tell from the picture, but these stockings are HUGE. I didn’t know stocking stuffers were supposed to be as big as iPads and a pair of shoes! I’m telling you, they would fit in these stockings.

 

Free Stocking Tutorial & Pattern

I’ll probably add more, because I like to overdo things, but that’s all for now.
So there you have it. Our first married Christmas and all of the decorations that come along with it.