A Tour of Our Decorated Christmas Trees
December 18, 2013
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We have a total of four trees in the house – technically. The fourth is a small one I put in our bedroom, with intentions of decorating with DIY ornaments every year.
I always run out of time. So we just use it as a pretty nightlight. :)
The other three are decorated though. The biggie is the 12 footer in our living room.
But first things first -- I’ve had quite a few of you ask how week keep our cats out of the trees.
Well…
We don’t. :) It’s something I’ve long since given up on. They don’t chew on anything, they just like being in there and playing with the ornaments.
You may notice that the bottom of each of our trees is sparsely decorated and that’s not because I have a toddler who takes them off, but three cats instead.
I gave up on trying to put them all back on about 25 ornaments ago. I’ll be finding them till next summer.
When I took those pics of our kitten in the tree I scooted him out and started taking pictures again…only to see the tree still moving. I then found another cat SLEEPING in the bows of the tree. Seriously. Sleeping.
Anyway, no good advice here. :) (Although a reader mentioned a thing you can get at the pet store that shoots a puff of air out and deters them from going under the tree – may have to try that.)
Let’s talk about the pretty stuff now!
I’ve always used gold and red on this tree but wanted to try something a little different this year.
I’ve been thinking of trying a more “natural” look – but with a 12 foot tree there’s no way I’ll be able change it all out all in one year.
So I started by adding a new color this year to see if I liked it – brown:
My sis was all, “Ewww. Brown??” And I was all, “Trust.”
Honestly I wasn’t sure how it would look either. I got a container of brown bulbs at Hobby Lobby for 40 percent off and then used a few larger sparkly ones I’ve had for years.
I stood back after we added some and actually quite loved it. It adds a kind of deepness to the tree – it’s hard to explain. It’s actually really pretty:
While at Hob Lob I also picked up a few packages of that tulle stuff – it’s sparkly and it comes in really wide nine foot sections.
But I’ve always cut
them up so they go further:
That way I get three nine foot sections out of each one instead of one. They are still really full and fluffy.
OK, funny story about this monster tree. We got it a few years ago at Lowe’s – they still have it, it’s just more expensive now. I really do love the tree, it’s great quality and easy to assemble.
Soooo, we got a 12-footer because my husband wanted to. The man could care less about everything else I do in this house, but he wanted a huge tree. HE LOVES IT. I love it too but I feel like I’m risking my life to decorate the top.
So a couple years ago we’re putting it together and accidentally put the second from the bottom section of the tree on the stand first, and it still looked great. It just wasn’t quite as tall and full at the bottom.
And when I say not as tall, I’m talking a foot shorter. But he really wanted the whole thing up so we fixed it, even though you seriously couldn’t even even tell!
Fast forward to this year – my sister is helping me put the tree up since he was out of town and we did the same thing again – using the wrong bottom piece (I need to label these things) and I was kind of over it so I said let’s leave it. It’s still beautiful and tall and he won’t even notice.
Husband gets home a couple days later, looks at the tree, goes on with his business, then later we’re heading to dinner and out of nowhere he says, “Why is the tree smaller this year?”
HOW? Then my stepdaughter came over a few days later, looks at the tree and asks, “Why does the tree look smaller this year?”
People. It’s still almost 12 feet tall. They both noticed. I just couldn’t believe they both noticed. I can’t tell to save my life. Hilarious! The man and daughter love the tall tree!
You’ll notice my furry friend nemesis in this shot:
Like I said. I do love the tree, really I do. It’s huge, and it’s spectacular:
We always put the “kid” tree upstairs – we have a lot of his/family ornaments on the big one too, but this tree is just dedicated to pure fun.
We get a
Hallmark ornament every year in July the fall:
That last one is my favorite – we found it this year and it’s PERFECT, since we went to Disney this year (the first trip for both my son and I).
The castle is my favorite part of the park and it lights up and the fireworks go off on the ornament. It’s wonderful. :)
I’ve had a real tree every year of my life up until we got the beast a few years ago. There’s pros and cons to each one, real and fake, but overall I do like the fake for ease of use.
But goodness, I missed the real tree smell. So we decided to do a (small) real one for the kiddo’s tree every year from now on.
We always go with a Frasier Fir, my absolute favorite:
Since it’s smaller I’m hoping the mess won’t be too bad. We’ll see about that. :)
Finally, I purchased a green flocked tree for our newly finished basement last year:
I fill it with white, blue and green ornaments and I LOVE it.
I’m super happy with it – the flock doesn’t fall off like crazy and it’s just a beautiful tree overall.
I got it from WalMart and I noticed they had them again earlier this year. I say it’s my favorite but they’re all my favorites, depending on my mood. :)
jealous right here. I wish my kitten only sat in my tree-instead, she chews and bites the branches and pulls out all the greens. super frustrating! your trees look so pretty.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting, Sarah! Love your trees! Can't wait to visit the links :)
ReplyDeleteYour tree is so gorgeous, Sarah! I can't even imagine trying to decorate a 12 foot tree but you've done it very successfully! Thanks for hosting the party :)
ReplyDeleteYour trees are beautiful Sarah!! Thanks so much for hosting!!
ReplyDeleteThat is one awesome tree! Thanks so much for hosting the party, and have a wonderful Christmas! Dee :)
ReplyDeleteThat "beast" of a tree is absolutely stunning!!! Thanks for hosting your party again!! I hope you and your family have a great Christmas, especially with that new grandbaby!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for hosting again this year! I love this party and your tree is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy you hosted again this year. This is always a favorite of mine and I find so much inspiration from all the link ups.
ReplyDeleteYour home is lovely! That flocked tree is my favorite. So pretty!
Love this party, Sarah! Your trees are gorgeous! And I can commiserate with you on the cat-in-the-tree issue...maybe it's their way of feeling the Christmas spirit, ha! =)
ReplyDeleteYour trees are beautiful and I love the idea of getting one smaller real tree. Maybe next year! Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteKaren
I love that you put a tree just out in the middle of the floor like that. We have 14 foot ceilings in our foyer and I'd love to just stick a big tree right in the middle of it!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for hosting such a fabulous party...can't wait to go through and see all of the beautiful Christmas decor! Your tree is lovely, and I love that you threw in pics of your cat in the tree...mine does the same thing. Merry Christmas!!!
ReplyDeleteYour trees are all beautiful! I LOVE the 12 foot tree! It looks amazing! But it would be a bit of a chore to decorate each year. Love the photos with your cats...they are adorable!
ReplyDeleteLove all your trees Sarah, can't pick a favorite! Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteLove your trees! I think the large tree is my favourite - and your cats are so cute! Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful trees, Sarah! Merry Christmas!!
ReplyDeleteI have brown ornaments on our tree, too!! It does give it a more natural/rustic vibe in my opinion, and since we live in the country that's perfect!! Your trees are beautiful, makes me want to put up another (would be #3) :) Merry Christmas to you and your family!!
ReplyDeleteLOVE the 12 foot tree and all of the meaningful ornaments...beautiful!
ReplyDelete~Sarah
Thank you for hosting this party! Wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas!!
ReplyDeleteYour trees are beautiful! I love a big tree! My cat won't stay out of the trees either. :) Thanks for hosting this fun party! Can't wait to visit other links! :)
ReplyDeleteLinking up- and you have silly kitties!! Our cats would never dream of sleeping in the tree, however they feel that the tree is their own personal water bowl. They will move all the presents out of the way just to drink from the stand. And they also attempt to consume all the needles- which is gross (because they eventually come back out in other places around the house). We have weird cats.
ReplyDeleteLove your trees! I love brown ornaments. They can be very old world/traditional. The kids tree is adorable. Thanks for hosting a great party!
ReplyDeleteThe brown was a great addition Sarah. It's so rich and luxe, It really adds a lot of depth to the tree. Sort of like lowlights in your hair, ya know? I love the frosty flocked tree as well and the "fur" skirt. Yum! Revolving favorites. Makes sense to me!!
ReplyDeleteWishing you are very merry holiday!! Shannon
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOOPS! Just wanted to say thanks for the great party Sarah! I am crushing on your flocked tree - greens and blues are my favorite. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
DeleteOooh, I'd love to see your beautiful beast in person! :) It's truly incedible, Sarah and the brown gives it a rich metallic bronze look. My husband wouldn't notice if it was 5' shorter - serious! I always love white flocked trees, too! Enjoy them all, thank you for the party, and Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteYour trees are beautiful. Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteAll your trees are so pretty! It must be fun to decorate that many trees. Thanks so much for hosting!
ReplyDeleteKC
I love your Christmas trees, Sarah! The "monster" is especially gorgeous! I like your idea of a fresh and fake tree. Our tree looks very similar from year to year, because it is always filled with all our ornaments from over the years. As we make more memories (and get more ornaments), I am quickly filling up our little tree. I'm pretty sure we'll be investing in a larger one for next year...just about every strand of lights has had issues on our current tree. Anyway, thanks so much for hosting. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeletelove your giant tree! I was just about to say that all our ceiling are too low for anything like that....and then I remembered the vaulting ceiling in the sunroom that I'm sitting in right now. Hmm....you may have just inspired next year's tree! Thanks so much for the party :)
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, thanks for hosting the party! Your trees are beautiful, and I personally love the added "decoration" your kitties give. I remember reading that you had trouble with your big tree falling over one year, so I thought I would share our solution with you. Years ago, my dad bolted the tree stand to a 2' x 3' piece of particle board so the tree wouldn't topple when our cats climbed it. The tree skirt covers it, the kitties climb, and not one tree has ever fallen!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for hosting this party each year...the hometour parties are nice but this type of party to me says "Christmas!"
ReplyDeleteLove all your trees and especially the kid's tree with that Disney ornament...I think you inspired me to get my mom's tree from the basement and put it up here in my office. Merry Christmas♥
Thank you so much for the great party! Your Christmas home is gorgeous! Love the trees! Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteLeslie
House on the Way
That cat cracks me up!! Thanks for another great party!! You rock my world!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the party! Loving your flocked tree and I want that Disney ornament!
ReplyDeleteYour trees are so pretty, and what cute ornaments on the kids tree. Thanks for the party! laurie
ReplyDeleteWow, your trees are gorgeous! And to have FOUR! I have yet to put up my ONE Christmas tree, ha ha. That's this weekend's project.
ReplyDeletexo
Daniela
Put A Bird On It
http://iputabirdonit.blogspot.com
Thank you for your party! FUN! I love the brown! I love the fur tree skirt! I would want to use that year round! :) Julia
ReplyDeleteThanks for the party! LOVE what you did. And I, too, have three cats, but only one is obsessed with it (another is mildly interested in drinking the water, after the first pulls everything out to lap up piney water). Our toddler's even quite good at keeping his mitts off the thing. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great party! This is my first Christmas as a new blogger, and I am loving all the inspiration out there and the link parties...so thank you :)
ReplyDeleteLove the trees! Where did you get your trees? My problem is that my cat sits in them and breaks the hinges. He's broken 3 trees. Maybe my trees are too cheap?
ReplyDeleteAmber the tall one was from Lowe's and the flocked one is from Walmart. :)
DeleteFun... fun... FUN!
ReplyDeleteThanks SO much for hosting the party.... and you have some FABULOUS trees!
I especially love the flocked on in the basement. Gorgeous!
Have a Merry Christmas!
Joanne
Your tree is a beast! I looked at your last year's tree and this year and I can't tell that it's shorter either. We have a big fat fake one, ours is 9 1/2 feet - I'll be linking up in a few. Thanks for hosting the link session! Have a merry Christmas. Victoria
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting the party, I love looking at all the trees and decor. Have a great week. :-)
ReplyDeleteI had to buy two of the air canisters to keep my kitty out of the tree. I didn't mind at first but he ended up getting tangled in the wires and it scared me that he could get hurt. Now, he won't go near the tree with the canisters (I tuck them near gifts so he can see them but people can't). :-) They really do work. I use them for other things too (like when I set my Thanksgiving table and Skippy was determined to chew on the centerpiece). I don't even have to turn the cans on any more - they are more "decoys" now.
ReplyDeleteOur kitten Lucy (my husband calls her Lucifer) drags the tree skirt into the kitchen at least 4 times a week. We tied the tree to the wall because I am afraid she will knock it over. I put some ornaments on the bottom of the tree that have bells on them and they seem to scare her and she runs away.
ReplyDeleteHA!! Our little guy pulls whole blankets out of rooms...I don't know how he does it. We came home from our last vacation and it looked like the house had been ransacked. They are crazy!
DeleteYour trees are spectacular - the 12-footer is indeed grand! Your basement flocked tree is my fave. Thank you for hosting; I love seeing all the different trees/decorations. Perfect way to enjoy the evening :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! We must be lucky. Of the 4 cats we have had, none of them have gotten into the Christmas tree. One used to chew on the bottom branches (always a fake tree). I was worried a few years ago with 2 kittens, but they were fine, better than toddlers. LOL!
ReplyDeleteI love everything about your house, especially all decked out for Christmas! That is all. :) Merry Christmas Sarah!
ReplyDeleteLove your home all tear long! But at Christmas, it's like magic. Thanks for the link up. It is so fun to see all the creativity!!
ReplyDeleteOOps!! Year long-not tear :)
DeleteLove the picture of the cats in the tree. Brought back memories of our cat bringing the whole tree down in the middle of the night when I was a child. :)
ReplyDeleteI only have one of four kitties that "enjoys" the tree. She's been pretty good, but has brought two of my little owl ornaments and placed them on the bed at night. Funny to see in the morning. Thanks for hosting a fun party. I'm new to blogging and it was fun to join!
ReplyDeleteOh what gorgeous trees!! I had a 12-footer once and miss having the tall ceilings I did then. Lovely! Thanks for hosting!!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog always. Enjoyed your comment about intending to put up the small tree in your bedroom but use as a nightlight. I put up several trees, too, but always feel like I need to add that they come in different forms and sizes. lol. Merry Christmas to you!
ReplyDeletex Dana
Instead of cats, I have a dog who is very "interested" in the tree. So far she hasn't wrecked it but she did chew up one of the little presents my son bought for his brother... anyway, thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteCheers! - Shelley
I think we have the same Walmart tree! I got mine this year and love it - and have gotten so many compliments on it! I'm late to the party, but better late than never! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
ReplyDeleteMy cats are all about the tree too - my 20 pound Maine Coons. Oh, yes. I basically just make sure that all of my ornaments are things that won't hurt them if they knock them down or whatnot. lol Cat safe trees!
ReplyDeleteOh Sarah, I am sure that you are hearing more cat stories than you care to. But...here goes....
ReplyDeleteA few years ago I had a Christmas tree entirely decorated with crystal icicles and glass balls...it was stunning. One day I came home from being away and discovered our gold and white "Sylvester" sitting on one of the branches with his face peering out at me. You can imagine my panic. I was afraid of the impending disaster. But, instead, my 12 lb. long-haired cat just backed out toward the trunk and lightly stepped down. He actually did that a few more times in various spots and then ceased the practice to my relief. [sigh]
We too have three cats...the one in the story was a year old when we rescued him. One of our other cats, a tiny tabby would pull miniature lights from their sockets. That was awful. She did it for several years. Trying to find the empty socket was a real challenge. Our other cat is perfect and fits her name Lily to a 't' or should I say 'L"? ;)
Wishing you a blessed and JOYous CHRISTmas!!
~Diane
Ha! Diane, would you believe our little gold kitty was about nine feet up in the tree the other night? I about died and then he carefully scaled down the side to about five feet up and then jumped. I swear he has 99 lives. Loved reading this! :)
DeleteMerry Christmas TDC!
ReplyDeleteWe have seen so many pretty inspirations for Christmas this year. What about a funny story about keeping it real? I linked up @ 381--hope you can check it out. Maybe you can relate?
Holly
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ReplyDelete