Holiday Tips, Another Sneak Peek of My Christmas Tree & Holiday Blog Hop with Olioboard!

Holiday Tips Worth Sharing:

1) Black pipe cleaners are my secret weapon for hanging ornaments, garlands and wreaths,  they are easier on the hands than floral wire and ornaments can't fall off when attached to the tree branch with a twist. They also hide very well among the greenery.  Especially great for attaching the garland to your bannister rail, because it doesn't scratch your paint like wire does.

2) Put black candles in your candleholders, it creates drama and makes a room look stunning! Every room needs a touch of black!  Try it, you'll be hooked!

3) If you don't have many ornaments for your tree, buy ribbon to fill in.  Cut strips of ribbon and tie directly on the branch if you want.  Make sure you get ribbon with wire, so you can scrunch it to make it pretty.  




4) 3M Command hooks can be used to hang anything and easily removed after use. 

5) Every year I buy a few presents for the next year and wrap & tag them prior to packing up my Christmas stuff.  When the boxes come out of the attic, the next year, I immediately have gifts for under the tree!



6) I have learned the hard way but cup hooks and fishing line are my new best friend, when it comes to making sure my tree is secure.  We screw cup hooks into the chair rail on either side of the tree then we wrap fishing line  around the tree triple reinforced and ancor to each cup hook.  

6.  Have broken ornaments?  Don't throw them away, you can attach them to a wreath and hide the broken parts among the branches.  No one will ever know they are broken except you!

via

   

Another sneak peek of my Christmas tree! I promise I'll show you the entire tree once I get presents under it!  It's just something about seeing the entire ensemble that is important to me.  I typically use blue in some fashion during the holidays.  I have never been much of a red person, so I gravitate toward blues and pinks even during the holidays. If all else fails I go metallic!  Silver and gold is aways good to add a little sparkle to any color scheme!  Below is my favorite ornament!  It is an angel sitting on angel hair and entwined in gold threads. This ornament is rather large so it takes a special place on our tree.  I think of it as my son I lost three years ago.  Of course his ornaments from birth through high school are lovingly placed on the tree as well. 





Twenty years ago, I started giving each of my children a Christopher Radko ornament then my mom started giving everyone in the family one, so we have a tree ful of Radkos which I adore.  Our tree has fallen three times over the course of the past several years, so I have a trick to make sure it doesn't happen again.  How do you like the turquoise ribbon?  My kids and hubby want an old fashion tree with multicolored lights and ornaments.  I think next year we are going to have to put up two trees to display all of our ornaments!  Either that or get a bigger house, so we can have one bigger tree! ( Something tells me we will be getting two smaller trees!)

I am almost ready to show you my tree! Hopefully the big reveal will be this weekend!