6 Holiday Memories from 2011 | #2 Decorating Our Home (on a budget) + Christmas Mail

This was the first Christmas (since we've been in our home) that I've really decorated for the holidays. Last Christmas I was due on December 26th, and the year before we had just moved into our house. So I decided to just have fun with it and decorate!

Every year at Thanksgiving at Kyle's parents' home, the girls do a Christmas craft. This year, we made wreaths out of greenery that we cut from some pine trees outside their home. What a revelation this was for me! I had no idea you could just cut your own greenery from pine trees outside to make wreaths like what you would buy in the store! Since we have a few coniferous trees in our own yard, I had fun putting greenery all around my house- in bowls of fruit, in mason jars in the bathrooms, and even hung a few bundles here and there. The house smelled like Christmas and it was pretty much free decorating!

Also, I found a fun wreath idea via Martha Stewart, here. The mini wreaths were only $2.50, and I hung them with 3M's removeable hooks. I think I will leave them up through January (read ribbon trick, below)

I noticed that Pottery Barn has been using quite a bit of burlap and natural materials lately in both their holiday decor (and non-holiday). Well that works well for me because that stuff is CHEAP! I used strips of it around my tree in place of ribbon (they were sold out of the burlap ribbon stuff), a bunch of it under my tree as a tree skirt, even as a table runner on our dining room table. Check out burlap if you want to decorate on a budget!

After I saw this fun picture (first one) I know I had found the perfect spot for all of our holiday cards! Clothes pins...I even had some in our storage room! I just love sending and receiving Christmas cards. It's fun to see everyone's kids and all of the beautiful families (and gorgeous family pictures). Besides, who doesn't love getting personal mail for once?

 And how could this post be complete without sharing our family's cards? The photos were taken by my friend and amazing photographer Annie Torrini. It was interesting to be on the other side of the camera for a change! I seriously, seriously over-analyzed what we should wear (since I'm usually the one giving others advice about this you could say I felt a little extra pressure), and somehow ended up putting together some outfits completely with clothing we already had in our closets! In case you are wondering, I'm a big fan of various solid colors (any color family works) with lots of texture (or layers or accessories) for families. See how we coordinate, but don't match? :)

I really enjoyed doing some greeting card design this year, I guess you could say it's a new hobby of mine. I'm just starting to get into more graphic design - I'm learning as I go! I find myself dreaming of logo ideas for businesses, noticing typography just about everywhere, and collecting fun ideas for card design just about everywhere (see our card, below and the scalloped-edge card, above).

Oh, before I go I wanted to share an amazing secret that I just discovered. Have you ever noticed those perfectly-cut v-shaped ribbons, like the one below? I very well might be the last person on earth to learn this, but it's totally revolutionized my gift wrapping abilities! :)

Well, that concludes our second holiday memory #2! Stay tuned for more!