I Love Tea Cups

I Love Tea Cups

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

How to Decorate a Christmas Tree!


Hello everyone,
I know some of you are new followers and I wanted to repost.
HOW TO DECORATE A TREE!
I was planning to decorate my tree this week, but now I'm preparing my
house for 16 guests on Thanksgiving day and spending time with all my granddaughters during the weekend.  I wanted to look back at my tree from
 last year and get some inspiration for decorating my tree this year. Now with
 all the preparations for Thanksgiving I will decorating my tree the week after Thanksgiving.

So without any further explanation this is my blog post from last year.

After 54 years decorating a tree I had an aha moment. I've struggled with decorating our Christmas tree forever. For years we had fresh trees and then in 1990 I bought my first artificial tree. They were so expensive then. We started out with a 7 foot tree with a theme. I gave my old vintage ornaments to my daughter and started to collect angels for the new tree. Over the past 24 years I've purchased other artificial trees which were pre lit, but last year after buying extra strings of lights for years for the old pre lit tree I finally bought a new pre lit Christmas tree. HERE. Last Saturday I opened the Christmas tree box and had the tree standing ready to decorate in 30 minutes. Bingo the lights were on and shining brightly.
 Now for some suggestions on
"How to Decorate the Tree"

Stringing Lights
*100 lights for every foot of tree, use more if your tree is fuller than average. Give the tree more sparkle and use 150 lights per foot.
*Test light strands before stringing. White lights create a bright backdrop and draw attention to ornaments. Mixed colors create a festive tree.
* Create depth by lining tree branches with lights instead of draping them on the tree. Start at the base and work up. Weave lights along larger branches.
Wrapping Garland
My garland dilemma. This was my aha moment: The garland was always the last thing I put on my tree. But this year I followed these simple directions on how to decorate the tree and the Job or Joy went quickly.
*Place garland on the tree after the lights, but before the ornaments.  Start from the top, and work down and around the tree in circles.
*Garland can be strings of tinsel, beads, banners, bells, ribbon or natural materials such as strung popcorn, pinecones or cranberries.
*Let beaded garland droop from branch to branch creating a swag look...I used beads and I love the swag look.
*For a wintery twist, layer glass icicles and faux snow on branches.
Hanging Ornaments
*Hang ornaments at the ends of branches and inside the tree to give it depth.
*In addition to traditional ornaments, cars lanterns, ribbons, frames and bell are also unique decorating ideas. Natural elements such as dried flowers, nests, feathers and pinecones also add an inspired touch.

*Very the sizes and shapes of ornaments as you hang them. Start with the largest-layering them evenly throughout the tree, then continue on with increasingly smaller ornaments.


*Add filler ornaments by placing solid colors and basic shapes at the of the tree and work down in a zig-zag pattern.
*Place the tree topper after all ornaments have been hung. Traditional toppers include stars and angels, but consider unexpected toppers such as a cluster of themed ornaments, a toy, a santa hat or a largest statement piece.



*Drape a tree skirt around the tree stand for a final, finished look.
I have a few more ornaments to hang on the tree. What a joy to have a Christmas tree all decked out the first week of December.
Hope you are making progress with decorating your tree and I hope this tutorial will help you have a joyous time decorating the tree.

TIP: Ornaments aren't just for trees-display them in vessels for a festive moment in any room.
TIP: Spread the holiday cheer by placing an additional tree in the den, family room or kitchen.
Thanks for visiting today
Joyously,
Betty
Linking to:
Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home
The Dedicated House for Make it Pretty Monday 
Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday
A Delightsome Life for A Return to Loveliness
The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 
No Minimalist Here for Show Your Style Thursday
Katherine's Corner for Thursday Favorite Thing 
How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes







Wednesday, November 4, 2015

THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS BLOG HOP #213



Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop #213
Welcome.
Are you ready to party?
I am!!!
My favorite thing this week is my Jar Jewelry. I purchased the Jar Jewelry at
Walmart. The jar are from my garage and the pick I found at Walmart too.
I had the moss and feathers in my stash...

Now it's time to get this party started.

THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS BLOG HOP NO. 213
Welcome to the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop. We invite you to link up and share your favorite post or a post about your favorite things.
We can't wait to see what you share!

Katherine- Katherines Corner || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Nina-Vintage Mama’s Cottage || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Debi- Surroundings by Debi || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Jas- All That’s Jas || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Erika- What Erika Wears || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Betty- My Cozy Corner || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Rina- I Thee Cook || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Rosemary- An Italian in My Kitchen || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’||
Adding your link to this blog hop gives Katherine and her hostesses permission to share your posts and pictures via social media, on pinterest and as features on their blogs.

;

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Autumn Vignettes


Hello everyone,
Life is good today. The weather is cooling off and we are 
expecting some rain in the next few days.
I have my fall mantel dressed for the season. And I wanted 
to share my
 JAR JEWELRY 
The burlap flower is from Walmart and I found the fall foliage the same day.
The mason jars are from my garage and I found some feathers and moss
in my stash. The beautiful plate was a gift from a dear friend.

This brass basket is a keeper. I found the basket at the thrift store 
for $5.00 dollars.  I knew I was going to hang it over the mantel
 as soon as I saw it. 
On the coffee table I have my favorite velvet pumpkins with a 
a floral centerpiece. 
'Pillow Love'
The velvet pumpkins are sitting inside my mom's vintage McCoy pottery bowl.
On the end table I have a little cloche with a little pumpkin.
I love my cloche and I love my new brown sofa...It is a 
wonderful background for taking photos of my vignette
on the coffee table.
The other end table I have a cloche and a my new (old)
Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader.
My Cozy Corner is dressed for Fall. Comfy and Warm.
We are waiting for the first cold night to start a fire in
the fireplace. 
Thank you for visiting and please come by anytime. 
Joyously,
Betty 
Linking to
No Minimalist Here for Show Your Style Thursday
Katherine's Corner for Thursday Favorite Thing 
How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Holiday Cookie Swap♥


Hello everyone,
I love to bake and when I was asked to co-host a Holiday Cookie Swap Linky Party  I was so delighted...
Please link your favorite cookie recipe on the page tab at top of this post.
Now this is the story of my new favorite Holiday cookie.
I was in my favorite store (Walmart) last week and I saw a delicious Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark candy bar.  A beautiful photo of two Peppermint Bark Thumbprint cookies was pictured on the package. I was hooked. I picked up the ingredients and home I went. The recipe was printed on the inside of the Peppermint Bark package with two other delicious recipes I'm thinking about baking for the Holidays. 
Different ways to serve a yummy cookie is--Serve cookies on a crisp white pedestal plate or my favorite way is to serve cookies is with a  hot pot of tea.
Save a few in a covered glass container for guests.
Wrap some cookies in a colorful package to give as a hostess gift or for a guest to take home.

A cookie on a holiday dish. 



I made a holiday dish towel to hang on my oven. I love iron-on transfers...


A mosaic to pin
 

Thank you for visiting and I hope your enjoy the wonderful goodies.
Joyously, 
Betty
Linking to
Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home
The Dedicated House for Make it Pretty Monday 
Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday
A Delightsome Life for A Return to Loveliness
The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 
No Minimalist Here for Show Your Style Thursday
Katherine's Corner for Thursday Favorite Thing 
How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Halloween Tea and Cupcakes


Hello everyone,
Last weekend we attended my husband's 55th high school reunion in the Bay Area...We grew up in Silicon Valley when it wasn't Silicon...It had beautiful fruit orchards and wide open spaces. I'm so grateful to be living the beautiful life where I live today.
This weekend we are celebrating Halloween and I made some Halloween confetti cupcakes and a pot of tea. 
My St. Patrick rose is blooming and couldn't resist bringing in a bouquet for my tea table.
The cupcakes are decorated with orange frosting and black bat sprinkles.
The tea set is CH Fields Haviland Limoges GDA France
Orange sprinkles, black trick or treat cupcake papers and pumpkin picks dress up the confetti cupcakes. 
The beautiful golden color and a hint of green edge the petals of the St. Patrick rose.
A small Halloween pumpkin tea napkin is adding to the festive table.
A mosaic to pin


Thank you for visiting and have a Happy and Safe Halloween Eve.
Joyously,
Betty 
Linking to
Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Katherine's Corner for Thursday Favorite Thing 
No Minimalist Here for Show Your Style Thursday
How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes 
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