Five Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

If we're being honest, I wouldn't even have a Christmas tree if I didn't have kids. But I do have kids and I'm not the Scrooge so I happily put up a tree every year. I know many-a-people that are pretty obsessive over their tree and that's cool and all but I'm not. At all. I've always let my kids decorate it with me, it's a tradition I remember doing as a kid; my dad would put up the tree, then my mom and us kids would decorate it, then dad would add the star at the end. Same thing happens in our house, except this year our star wouldn't light and we've yet to get another one so we're starless at the moment. And when the big kids were younger they'd make ornaments and this year Avery made a bunch so our tree is a little handmade hodge podge of sentimental decor. And I love it. I remember our tree being the same as a kid and it'd take so long to decorate our tree because I would stop and look at every single ornament as we hung it up and we'd reminisce on the story behind it. Those ornaments we made in school with our photo on it? Oh man, those had us rolling from laughter about ten years later. Perfectly curled bangs and stone washed jeans! Hello 1990s!

So while my tree isn't themed and the ornaments aren't perfectly placed it doesn't mean I don't like looking at trees that are. And whether you also love just looking or if you are in the I'm obsessed about my Christmas tree camp and want to take some notes, I've rounded up five trees that I think are super cute and that I hope you enjoy.

The first is from By Stephanie Lynn. I just discovered her site the other day and I fell down a Christmas-tree-of-past-years rabbit hole! They're beautiful! But be warned, you may spend a good 30 minutes clicking through different posts on her site because her stuff is just so pleasing to look at. This red tree she did has me like, "yes, please!"

ByStephanieLynn.com

And the black and white buffalo check tree she did last is gorgeous! I feel like every room needs a little black in it when decorating so I'm just drawn to this tree. 

bystephanielynn.com

I also love white decor so this tree by The Tomkat Studio won me over immediately:

thetomkatstudio.com

This next one from Shanty 2 Chic has more of a country/rustic vibe. And while it wouldn't be something I'd do to my own tree I think it's still pretty cute and I could see someone that loves the rustic look finding inspiration from this tree. 

Shanty-2-Chic.com

This last tree from Little Inspiration is super unique and simple. I could see it going in a play room in a fun color and even letting the kids help create it.

Littleinspiration.com

Now tell me, what's your Christmas tree M.O.? Are you like me and super laid back about it or are you color coordinated and need it to be Pinterest worthy? Or perhaps you're somewhere in the middle...lemme hear it! 

Frames, Frames on the Wall

Okay, I think I've finally come up with an arrangement I like when it comes to my once big, blank living room wall. Here it is lookin' all BLAH!

I struggled for a while on just what to do with it. I put up a few pictures and left them there, hoping to gain more inspiration. Well, months went by aaaaand no dice. So I was virtually flipping through a magazine one day when BAM it hit me. A woman had turned a wall in her kitchen into a huge gallery wall. I was diggin' it but I will admit that I was slightly nervous to actually do it myself.

I spent a few good weeks going back and forth on whether or not to do my own version of a wall gallery in the living room. I had stacks and stacks of frames just sitting in my closet because our current abode is much smaller than our previous home so I currently have less rooms, therefore less walls, to decorate, hence the stack of unused frames. One evening I finally thought 'screw it.' And I got to hangin'. I thought it would take me an hour or two to tackle the whole wall. Wrong. It took me three evenings. I did it during the week so I started a few hours after getting home from work and then I'd wonder off and do other things around the house. What can I say, I'm easily distracted, folks.

Here it is after the first evening:

It was like a big puzzle. And call me crazy but I had no plan. I just looked at all my frames and tried to piece them together in my head.

Here's after day two:

You may notice I spread some things out a bit because the left side was looking a bit cramped after the first evening. Three days and a gajillion nails later and I have this awesome wall of awesomeness:

I didn't get home in time to shoot this with the sun out so this photo is a bit darker than the others. But oh well, you just get to see the evening ambiance that is la casa de Rumbarger.

I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, I'm well aware that my decorating style is eclectic and unique and bit daring but what can I say, I'm a rule-breaker, even in decorating apparently. Wait...are there even rules in decorating? There aren't for me, at least. When I first moved out of my parents' house and started making my house a home back when I was a 17 year old mommy, I leaned toward the traditional decorating styles. And I think the reason I did that was not so much because I truly liked that style, but because I thought that's what adults did. And I wanted to be an adult, a good adult, a responsible adult. Granted, I was 17 and a new mom but I was trying, in every way, to be mature and grown up and I thought safe and stuffy decorating rules would help portray me in a mature light. I've since learned that decorating is all about being you. Just because you like certain decor doesn't make you and more or less of a responsible adult. Just because you have a ceramic giraffe on your bookcase or a bright yellow tray on your ottoman it doesn't make you any less of an adult, it simply makes you an adult that loves a pop of color here and there and a stud of a giraffe. And it's my house, so if it makes me happy I'm determined to find a home for it in my casa. And if the traditional look is for you and makes you happy and reflects who you are then go for that too.

I've already made a few changed to the contents of a few frames after taking these photos. And I plan to stain and distress the 'R' that's in the middle of the wall...I'll get there someday. And then I'll post updated pics when it's all said and done.

In the meantime, I absolutely love the result of my gallery wall. It reminds me of a library for some reason.

I don't know if it's the floor to ceiling look that I love or if it's simply the fact that I have so many sentimental items up there for display but whatever it is, I'm in love.

I can't be the only one that embraces quirkiness, tell me it isn't so.

Xo,
Lorri