Southern Lady Christmas Celebrations 2015

The holidays are upon us, and for me that signals that it’s time to decorate! I love Thanksgiving and want to fully enjoy it with my family, but I’m so incredibly giddy the day after. Not because of shopping on Black Friday, but because of pulling out my boxes and boxes of ornaments and decorative accents. While others are standing in line at the department stores in the wee hours of the morning, I’ll be having my tea and toast and thinking through my strategic plan. For years I had a themed tree with white lights and ever-changing hues. But after my kids began bringing home such precious trinkets of love, I wanted to find a way to incorporate these pieces. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t have a stunning…

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FULL & FRESH Welcome your holiday guests with a beautiful live wreath. Accent a simple wreath form of cedar clippings with magnolia leaves and blossoms, as well as assorted floral sprigs, to create the perfect greeting. RUSTIC ELEGANCE Popcorn garland, cotton blossoms, and ornaments in natural tones meld beautifully with metallic accent pieces like nutcrackers. Make your gifts part of the décor by choosing two or three complementary colors for the wrapping paper and ribbons. CLASSIC TOUCH Sentimental baubles in bright colors take center stage when paired with pearl and gold balls. Repeat these hues along the mantel to enhance the space. Fresh garland perfectly completes the jovial ambiance. GILDED GLAM Get creative with tree toppers such as oversize pinecones for a charming addition that plays beautifully with a monochromatic theme of metallic ornaments.…

CHEERFUL TRIMMINGS Hang a new kind of garland this year! Start by punching small circles out of cards, and then fold the circles in half. Use five folded circles to make each sphere, putting spray glue on the back flaps of the circles to hold them together. Then, punch holes in the spheres, and run string through them to make a garland. PERFECT PRESENTS Jazz up your holiday packages with wrapping paper and treasured cards from years past. Simply cut up your old Christmas cards to give your gift wrap extra pop. You can use the cut-up cards to make festive gift tags as well. JOYFUL DÉCOR For a quick-and-easy holiday decorating project, these cute coasters fit the bill. Find small ceramic tiles at your local home improvement store, and then cut cards to fit…

Festive Florals A lush arrangement sets the tone for a beautiful table. Our centerpiece includes roses, freesia, dianthus, hypericum berries, and ming fern. Seasonal Details Mix Christmas china with year-round chargers to keep things simple. Make place cards by writing names on red gift tags with a gold pen, and then tie the tags to sprigs of hypericum berries. MERRY AMBIANCE Everyone will get in the holiday spirit with this cottage table setting. Place green glassware alongside traditional clear glass to add interest, and use vintage flatware for a rustic touch. To complete the look, flank the centerpiece with a mix of antique brass candlesticks. SWEET TOUCHES Fold red linen napkins in the shape of a tree, and add gold star stickers to the tops for the perfect detail. A roaring fire and mugs of hot cocoa…

Just 10 years ago, Staci Ann Lowry was a stay-at-home mom with two small children, looking for a way to bring in a little extra money for Christmas shopping. She pieced together a few Christmas ornaments and listed them on eBay. “It was only a few weeks before I was selling every one I listed, and I couldn’t seem to list them fast enough,” Staci Ann says. “It was very exciting to share a craft I’d always loved with so many others, and to make a part-time job out of it while I was home with my kids.” Her love of crafting ornaments began with countless trips to the craft store as a young child with her mother. “While she waited in line at the fabric counter, I would wander through…