Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour 2016 {part 3}

It seems like we've just gotten started on our Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour and here we are with our last installment!  Today, we are all sharing an array of seasonal decor across our blog tour.  If you've stopped by from  Love Your Abode I'm especially glad you are here!  There are so many aspects of my Christmas decor I want to share with you today!  Let's start with these gorgeous boxwood wreaths that we were gifted from Silk Plants Direct for being part of this blog hop!

You can read all about it in my post on Monday here.  The wreaths finished out the theme of natural greenery through our home.  You can expect to see them in the future throughout our home.

This tablescape is quite frankly the one I've like the most this season.  I've scheduled a get together with a few of our closest friends just so I can use it!

The beaded place mats were a splurge this fall from...you guessed it Pier 1 Imports!  You are going to see the ALOT on them blog as I have fallen head over heels in love with these!  If you don't have these....you need them!  Trust!!  The galvanized chargers went clearance and those too just had to complete the look.  Those 2 elements will go with just about any style.

A truthful moment, I set the table with everything except a centerpiece.  I walked all over the house, looked in the attic and then I glanced at the coffee table.  The lantern that was on the coffee table now needed to make a guest appearance on the kitchen table!  Seriously ya'll, I love using the same element in various locations throughout the house.  I rarely buy anything that doesn't have a two fold purpose!  I took a few ornaments off the tree and tossed those on the table and it was just as if I had planned it that way!

Let's talk about gift wrap for a minute.  I've mentioned early in our tour that Paper Mart had gifted us our selection of wrapping paper.  Ya'll this paper is amazing!  It is the perfect weight of paper. Their selection is enormous!  As soon as I saw the toile.....ya'll know that was gonna be my must have!

There has never been a toile anything that I didn't adore!  But the green berry foil, gave the toile a good run for her money!  This paper was the easiest to use, as all foils are!

Then I saw the gold and cream dot.  This would be the most versatile of all the gift wrap I was selecting.  This paper I could use all year long, for any occasion!  Remember I'm a multipurpose gal!

When I was selecting my gift wrap and bows, I absolutely took into consideration the colors I was using in my Christmas decor.  I believe it all compliments so very well.

 I sincerely hope that all the homes featured in our blog hop will inspire you as you decorate your home for the holidays!

It has been such a joy to share our home with all of our readers.  Now don't miss what Jenna at Wife In Progress, has in store.  She has such great style I know you will find great inspiration there!

 Linda from The Home I Create

Shelia from Life & Style at 60

Marsha from M. Jones Style

Heather from My Life Well Loved

Meg from Green With Decor

Kate from Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

Jenna from Wife in Progress

Yuni from Love Your Abode

Shelly from Confetti Style

Kellie from Design Asylum

Debbie from Refresh Restyle

This is a sponsored post.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Reindeer Recipe Tour {New Year's Eve Dining Table}

Gosh ya'll I can hardly believe this is our last post of the Reindeer Recipes Tour.  I've had an absolute blast pouring over all the delicous recipes and gorgeous home decor that have been featured the past few weeks.  Well today will not disappoint I promise!  If you've popped over from Totally Tailgates, I'm so glad you've stopped by!  Today I'm sharing my New Year's Eve dining table.

On New Year's Eve we typically stay home.  That doesn't mean we aren't celebrating in high style though! We usually have a few friends over and I aim to impress....and make it not feel like we've stayed in for the night! I adore a glamorous looking NYE table.  This year I selected silver and gold to glam up the dining room.

Our wedding china, Montclair by Lenox is what I always use on this holiday.  It pairs well with almost any color for any ocassion.  The gold mercury glass candlesticks were a clearance purchase from Pier 1 Imports and I've had them absolutely all over the house this season!

For the centerpiece I wanted something totally clean so, I filled one of my crystal bowls with silver and gold party poppers.

The table runner was a find at Target many years ago.  I've complimented the china with silver chargers that you can find anywhere.  On the captains seats I've paired the silver charger with a silver placemat, another great find after the season at Pier 1 last year!

Dotting the tablescape are various silver and mercury glass candle holders.

The pair of silver candle holders stay on the dining table year round but look especially gorgeous on NYE.  The napkins along with the napkin rings are also from Pier 1...ya'll remember I work there and get a fabulous discount that I always pair with a sale!  Our wedding crystal doesn't see much time out of the china cabinet but NYE they get the call!  The crystal is King Edward by Gorham.
With all of that planned out I am  ready to ring in the New Year!  Here's hoping that someone on the blog hop has something delicious I can serve up!  Now on to my dear friend Shelly from Confetti Style.  Shelly always have something that is beyond fabulous to share with her readers.  I'd give anything if she lived next door!!!

Gwynn from Swirls of Flavor

Lisa from Clutter Cafe

Marsha from M. Jones Style

Shelly from Confetti Style

Pat from Life at Lydia's House

Brittany from Brittany's Pantry

Heather from Totally Tailgates

Sharing at
:Savvy Southern Style

A Boxwood Wreath

The simplicity of the boxwood wreath I believe is what makes it so appealing.    I've wanted one for ages and was delighted that as part of our Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour we were all gifted one from Silk Plants Direct.  The first thing that I noticed when I unboxed them was that they didn't shed, that in and of itself is amazing.  They were shipped with great care and were in absolutely perfect condition when I took them out of their boxes.

I knew immediately that I would hang them on the doors in our family room.  I used a removable plastic hanger to hang them.  It was quick and easy!

To finish the wreaths off I used a simple ivory satin ribbon for the bows.  These natural wreaths fit so well in with the other Christmas decor in our home.  The wreaths are so well put together and so perfect I didn't want to add too much as to take away from the beauty of the wreath itself!

The best part of the wreath is that I can use this all year long!  The bow might get a change in the New Year to reflect the many seasons forthcoming.  If you've been pondering a wreath like these, I'd like to encourage you to take a look at Silk Plants Direct as their selection is generous.

This is a sponsored post.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Callaway Gardens Fantasy In Lights

Ever since we moved back to the area  I've wanted to visit Callaway Gardens Fantasy In Lights . Well this was finally the year I did it!  In case you are unfamiliar with Callway Gardens, it is located in Pine Mountain, Georgia about an hour south of Atlanta.  Fantasy in Lights is their Christmas light display and it is truly spectacular.

Purchasing tickets couldn't be easier.  We ordered and printed them online from the comfort of home. There is the option of purchasing them on site as well.  Be sure and visit their website for pricing and nights of operation.  Peak nights cost about $28 for adults and off peak is about $21.

When you arrive at the Gardens there are various activities.  The Christmas Village houses many shops as well as a visit with Santa!

There are several places inside the Gardens that you can have dinner prior to the tour.  If you don't need a full meal there are numerous food vendors selling coffee, hot chocolate along with carnival type foods.  My crew got hot chocolate after the tour.

We walked close to the lake and it was such a lovely sight at sundown.  John, Andrew and Andrew's girlfriend in this photo were heading down to get on the trolley.

John ever the good sport let me snap his pic with these characters!

The time slot we selected to ride the trolley was at 6:30pm.  There are 2 options of seeing the lights, the trolley is the first and of course you can go in your own vehicle.  We opted to go on the trolley but I think if we were ever to do it again we might opt to go in our own car.  Mostly due to how chilly it was but, you might be able to see the lights better in your own car.  We were almost in the back of the trolley and we couldn't see as well as those at the front.  If you opt for the trolley make sure to dress accordingly and bring a blanket!

The lake was stunning as we drove past!

 So many of the photos just didn't turn out, just know it is far better in person than in my photos!
Some of the best spots I couldn't get a good pic of due to my location on the trolley.

The lady in front of us said this was the reason she always takes the tour.  The lights dangled all around and overhead, it was magnificent!

If you have littles I believe this is a trip that they would remember always.  That said there were more of us that were older.  It warmed my heart to hear the squeals of delight from the littles seated around us!

If you have any questions feel free to message me and I'll do my best to answer!  This is a great experience and I do encourage everyone to try to see this at least once!

Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour 2016 {The Breakfast Room and Kitchen}

I'm so delighted to welcome you back to our Merry & Bright Holiday Home Tour.  Today we are sharing a hosts of places in our homes that you won't wanna miss!  If you are coming over from
Chic On A Shoestring Decorating I'm glad you stopped by!  This will always be my absolute fav Christmas pic of our home and I always share it each year.

Come on in, I'd love to show my breakfast table off!

 Forever I have wanted Spode's Christmas Tree pattern.  This year I decided it was the year to get some new Christmas plates! I picked up 6 salad plates at Belk's on Black Friday but, the very next day I found 4 at one of my fav antique places at an amazing price! Score!!!

When I finished working on this tablescape I was so tickled with how it turned out!  I genuinely enjoyed using all the traditional colors of Christmas, with an antique bucket tossed in for good measure!

As we move to to the kitchen, I carried the reds and greens through.

The kids and I drink lots of coffee and hot chocolate so our beverage station gets a real work out!

This little tree is probably my favorite one.  I turn it on as soon as I go to the kitchen every morning and it is the last one I turn off before we head to bed.  It is a simple tree that I just dropped into a wine bucket.

True story, Honey and the boys kept asking when they could dive into the cookies and doughnuts.  They usually stay filled and they aren't good at waiting!

Be sure and come back next Tuesday for our final installment of Merry & Bright!  There is no doubt that Life and Style at 60 has something completely fabulous to share so hop on over!

Linda from The Home I Create

Shelia from Life & Style at 60

Marsha from M. Jones Style

Heather from My Life Well Loved

Meg from Green With Decor

Kate from Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

Jenna from Wife in Progress

Yuni from Love Your Abode

Shelly from Confetti Style

Kellie from Design Asylum

Debbie from Refresh Restyle