Deck Your Halls! (or AT LEAST your front porches!)

Every year, I ask my friend, Sheri Ely, to come over to zshuzsh up my urns for the holidays---Halloween, Thanksgiving, and (MOST IMPORTANTLY) for Christmas!  This year she outdid herself...if she does say so herself!  Ha!  I love what she creates--always a little bit different, but original in its design for just your personality.  

I had already shopped and bought a few of the items that would be going into my urns, but we still needed a few more things.  We got the fresh greenery boughs, small white twigs, and fresh winter berry at Rolling Ridge Nursery in downtown Webster Groves.  The lighted twigs I bought at 7 Gray...and the gold snowflakes at Hobby Lobby.  

My wreath we created a few years back--hot glue is an amazing thing!  Since this photo was taken, I have added a few more ornaments...

I changed out the pillows on the rockers...added a bowl of pine cones...wreaths with coordinating ribbon bows on the windows hung by jingle bell hangers...and, of course, the softest, and warmest blankets on the rockers!

I bought this antique sled a few years ago at an antique store and zshuzshed it with another coordinating ribbon, and a bough of greenery...easy and a bit unexpected.  If you haven't noticed, I don't like using the same ribbon on everything...I like different...it adds interest.

I've been asked by a number of friends this year where I got my very TALL and curly white branches.  This makes me so happy because they were able to see them from street when they were driving by---just what I wanted---IMPACT!

Well, the answer is that I sort of created them.  Again, I bought them a few months ago at an antique store in a bundle---only $12 for all of them.  I loved the height and the crazy twists and turns of the curly willow branches---they just needed a little zshuzsh!  

Here is my cute little elf that helped me create the look I wanted...he looks thrilled, doesn't he?

All it took was high gloss lacquer spray paint in white and a bag of white glitter.  It took about 20 minutes from start to finish in my front yard.  Sheri was creating her masterpieces on my front porch, as I painted these.  They were the finishing touch---and I LOVE them!  I will definitely keep them to use next year...just don't tell my husband.  Seriously.

I didn't forget my back gate...I added the burlap and red button bow...TADA!

Sheri, created these, as well, in about 20 minutes.  There at two window boxes that flank my back door.  Most of the greenery was left over and we got the holly springs from my front yard bushes.  Voila!



Sheri doesn't just create for me...she has helped a number of friends with the front of their houses.

Take a look...

Giant Nutcrackers greet you at my friend, Jo's, house--again, love the unexpected!

Sheri arranged fresh greenery, oversized red and gold ornaments, lighted twigs, fresh magnolia leaves and winter berry into four pots flanking the door!  Love the hand painted polka dotted smaller pot and the larger in urn coordinate with its polka dotted bows!

She added fresh pine boughs to her light post and used the same lime green and red and white polka dotted ribbon for that extra little zshuzsh!

My friend, Rhea, likes to decorate a bit more simply...with silver, lime green, and purples!  Sheri totally is able to see what she wants and creates this more modern feel with ease.

Her window boxes are lighted to show off the fresh greenery, tall silver twigs, white snowflakes, and shiny purple and silver ornaments--gorgeous at night!

And, finally, here is Sheri's house!  This year she added the four wreaths to her windows that are hung by simple red ribbon.

Her antique stone urns hold lighted twigs, red twigs and berries, fresh greenery, and some rustic twig balls.  Instead of a wreath on her front door, she has a red basket with fresh greenery, pine cones, and a tassel of giant jingle bells that ring when she opens her door--so cute!

Her window boxes are not forgotten...holding more fresh greenery, red twigs, silver ball ornaments, snowflakes, and huge pinecones. I love the detail of the Cardinal birds in her wreaths...

Want the outside of your house to be decked out?  Contact me and I'll get you in touch with Sheri Ely...it is worth the money!  She's only $25 an hour... 

You'll love it (and her), I promise!

Happy Holidays!