.jpg)
Continuing on the theme of trees today. For many years now I have decorated more than one tree in our home. I change up the themes from time to time, but our main tree remains pretty much the same. For the past several years we used a 9-ft. color changing pre-lit tree. I love that tree! But, my abilities to stand on my tiptoes on a ladder and stretch to reach the top foot of it to decorate have deteriorated as I've grown older. I've fallen off the stepstool two years in a row and decided after the 2nd fall that a shorter tree is in my future. We haven't purchased the new tree yet, look for our choice in my December posts.
In the meantime, here are some photos of the main tree in past years. I really loved that tree!
You would think after being on Pinterest for a number of years now that there wouldn't be anything new to see. Well, there is. Each summer I spend time on Pinterest looking for ideas to inspire me or that I can steal, borrow, use in my own decor.
Today I'm showing you three trees that caught my eye. The second tree is more like something I would do, actually something I do. I overload my tree with ornaments. I just love that look. Especially with the lights shining through.
Do you make changes to your decor or do you stick with the tried and true?
Hmm, I've really fallen behind on posting this month. Oh well, I'll offer my standard excuse lately... it's 2020! haha
We normally have our Family Christmas the weekend before Christmas. This allows our kids' families to spend Christmas with the in-laws. Cuts down on lots of stress for them (I hope).
This year, however, our son and his family from KS are flying in on Christmas Eve Day so we're having Family Christmas on Christmas Eve. A first for us.
I'm so blessed that we'll all be together during the holiday season. We're all healthy. Everyone who wants to work has work. Indeed, the only adults who have had to work from home during this time are the ones who work at schools. Everyone else has continued to go to work every day. As I said, so blessed.
Today I'm sharing a photo of our main Christmas tree. It stands in the Family Room. This is the tree we put the presents around. It is 9-feet tall and the lights blink between colored and clear. I love this tree. Unfortunately, it's branches are beginning to break. It's very difficult to decorate with drooping branches. Also, I'm so short that no matter what (unless I bring in an actual ladder) I can't decorate the top foot or so of it from my tallest step stool. Time to downsize. {{sigh}}
You may remember I shared a newly purchased "Birch Tree" earlier this week. It was the 4-ft tall tree. I also bought a 3-ft tall tree. It is in the office on my craft desk. It has a Peanuts theme. I plan to leave it up year around. Several years ago Hallmark ran a Peanuts series that featured a new ornament each month. I bought that, but have never had a good place to display it. It has roamed around the house, never quite at home.
Now they have a home! I place them on the tree along with the few Peanuts ornaments I own and am pleased with the result.
Another tree that I enjoy showcasing each year had serious issues. A few years ago when I unpacked my purple Grammy Tree, the feet of the stand had melted and become deformed while stored in the box in the garage over our hot summer. I really wanted the Grammy Tree to be purple, as it's my favorite color, and managed to get the tree to stand for a two more years. But, I knew it was time to let it go.
Walmart to the rescue. I purchased a silver 3-ft tree for $16. Yes, it's exactly like the silver tree I'm using for the Snow Tree this year.
It's not purple, but it is so sparkly with the lights on.
I'm not sure how a tree can be in working condition when you pack it away after Christmas only to find that it is no longer working when you unpack it the next year. But, it happens. And it happened to me this year. I packed away my white "Snow Tree" only to unpack it this year with none of the lights working. I don't spend a lot of money on trees (except for the Main Tree) so if I can get three to four years out of them I'm satisfied. The problem is that (at least here in the Phoenix area in 2020) the tree inventory at the stores is pretty well depleted at this time.
Fortunately I found a tree at Walmart for $16 that works. Actually, I bought two of them, but I'll save that story for later.
As you enter my home, you're met by a new addition to this year's decor.
Hobby Lobby had these "Birch" trees and I just fell in love with them. I bought this 4-ft. tall tree to put the Hallmark Window Ornaments on. I've been collecting them since 2006 and now have 14 of them. They used to go on our main tree, but I'm enjoying being able to see them all together.
