Decorating the Tree Year Round

I have decided this is the year! I bet you are thinking I mean for some type of New Year's Resolution...well, not necessarily - it's more of a challenge for me and a WHY NOT already?? 

Every post-Christmas, I struggle with taking down all the decorations that we have enjoyed for the season and the house "feels so empty". I hate that feeling. I do try to decorate seasonally but Christmas is by far the finale/ big finish decorating moment of the year. Especially the trees...I LOVE the Christmas trees - I love ornaments and ribbons and sparkly balls and picks, and yes - treeskirts! And I love the peaceful nostalgic feeling of the soft glow of those lights at night that say "all is well with the world".

I used to "sort of" joke that I was just going to keep up my tree year-round and just decorate it for every season.  It WOULD be easier than putting it away...also - then I wouldn't have to struggle to put it up every year. Also, that spot in my front entry-way does feel like it was literally built for a big holiday tree - it was meant to live there year-round!

Haha. 

LOL. 

Right...?

Well...why not? Who says I can't? And why do I care if they do, right? 

So this is the year - it's NOT COMING DOWN! 

She's NUTS!...I hear the whispering, it's okay, I say, a lot of things are nuts lately - this is one way I am choosing to cope with it. I am going to do what brings me JOY. 

I know I will have to take it apart a few times and shake it outside to DUST but that's still better than putting it away - AND who am I to take away the destiny of my tree that was born to live in my front entry-way? Not me!

Call me crazy (it won't be the first time, I assure you), but I am guessing there are possibly SOME of you that may even be on board with me and this nutso plan, and will follow my journey, then together we can decide if it was worth it - pros and cons - and was it worth it?! I am excited to find out!

Loves,

Julie

#studiojuliesnow #sjscreations #sjsholidaytrees #lovethisjourneyforme

P.S. I actually have two 12-ft trees at Christmas - I am only keeping one up for the whole year - the family room one is coming down.  For now...

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ORNAMENT BALL WREATH

I remember when I first saw this Wreath - it was one of the first things I ever pinned. Well, I knew I would make it someday because I had a set of unbreakable ornament balls that I had been ready to throw out for a few years (you know those things you pull out every Christmas and are tired of looking at but can't quite get rid of?) These were those balls.


I found this tutorial on You Tube and I was psyched! I found a sturdy hanger and untwisted the top part to get started!

I did try to do a pattern because I wanted more purple balls to show (I am in love with this color right now) but it was of no use because they just kept spinning around wherever they wanted to go.

I had to make sure all the balls still had their tops to hook the hanger through. Some I glue-gunned on.

When it was full - I really could fit no more and I had hardly any left - it was like it was meant to be - I hooked the ends together and tightened it.

You couldn't see through it too bad but I wanted security for those ball tops so I glue-gunned some more (harder to do when the balls are already strung).

I wanted to fill in any gaps and because all my balls were the same size, I felt like it needed more contrast somehow. So I pulled out the 'ole wire-edged ribbon bin and started winding pieces of 2"-3" wide gold ribbon throughout the balls, randomly.

With more gold ribbon, I fashioned a bow at the top and glued it in place also. More prettiness.

I then glue-gunned the ribbon to the balls to everything would just stay where I put it. (Do you ever wish there was a craft spray like hairspray that just "fixes" things in place where you put them?)

So...what do you do with the leftover ornaments that had no tops on them? Into the sleigh for the kids to play with.

This is where I actually hung the wreath - on the back door that we do not use because it is "broken". (We had a windstorm and the screen flew backwards farther than it was supposed to go and screwed up the whole door frame - sounds like a future "fix-it" post, eh?)

The door looked lovely all season long - and it was fun to see it from the backyard too!

Have you made your version of this wreath yet?


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