Christmas at Home - 2018

tidings of comfort & joy...

The days are short and the air is brisk. Undeniably, the season of winter is closing in and the magical feeling of Christmas is upon us. In our home (and the home of so many), Christmas is an annual reminder of traditions and a celebration of all that is good in this world. Decorating our homes and spaces with lights and greenery instantly changes the emotional connection to any space. 

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It's Pretty Much Black & White

muted inspiration this holiday season

The traditional 'red and green' colors of Christmas were all I knew as a child. Bright colored lights and bold decor was the holiday standard in not only my home, but mostly every home I visited. As I grew older I was drawn to the simplicity of the season. Wreaths on a front door, twigs in a basket, galvanized pots with small frasier fir trees and nothing else. In a season of hustle and bustle, the black and white palette of Christmas is not only beautiful, it's comforting. 

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Holiday Home Tour ~ 2017

` Tidings of Comfort and Joy `

Well friends, I guess I can officially wish all of you a very 'Happy Holiday' season! It's always crazy to me how quickly it sneaks up and yet - here it is. Ready or not, it's that time of year again. A time that quite frankly can be overly stressful, commercial, materialistic and rushed. As I grow older I truly try and focus on spending time with family and finding the spirit and magic that the season brings. The past few days have been spent decorating, making hot cocoa, blasting Pandora Classical Christmas, and not combing my hair or putting on makeup. Yup - truths!

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Home for the Holidays 2016

My cozy and simple holiday decor

The days are short, dark and cold in the great Northeast, but our home is filled with lights, warmth and joy. Accents of red and white are in abundance and a woodland theme with Fraser Fir branches are found throughout our home. 

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Autumn-Inspired Tablescape

A simple & elegant table setup for my favorite season of the year!

Fall is truly a magical time of year in upstate New York. I love to drive along the country roads of Washington County with no real destination, just soaking in the beautiful foliage and antiquing in my favorite little village of Greenwich. Apple picking, mums, pumpkins, cider and leaves of golden hues covering the ground...it's no wonder I use the word "magical" to describe how I feel about this time of year.

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Holiday Home Tour ~ 2015

decorating for the joy of it

As the hustle and bustle of the holiday season turns up, and the stresses of it all seems to take over, I find that simply glancing around my home brings about feelings of comfort and joy. After all, isn't that what holiday decor should be? A gentle reminder to celebrate and relish in the moments of peace and happiness within your own home. This is why I take the time and put love in all the little details around our home.

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Tree Farm Tradition

The Official Start to our holiday 

Each year we drive 45 minutes out of the way to a special little tree farm (well, it's actually quite large) called Bob's Trees in Galway, NY. I think this is our 10th year doing so and it's always fun. We lucked out with a 58 degree day in Upstate NY - which is unheard of this time of year. Our traditional photos of getting the tree involve strong winds, snow blowing everywhere and all of us bundled to the point of being unrecognizable. But not this year ---- and it was perfect!

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Tartan | Inspiration

Dreaming in plaid

When I think classic, quintessential holiday design, I think Tartan. Found in various shades, patterns and uses, it is a simple way to add elegance and depth to your holiday decor. I've saved you the time and have gone ahead and scoured Pinterest for my favorite looks and designs. 

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Simple Valentine's DIY Wall Art

Creating simple holiday wall art in minutes!

I'm often the worst when it comes to decorating for a small holiday like Valentine's Day. It is such a short-lived event that it sneaks up on me and I'm always ill-prepared when it comes to decorating the house. 

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Christmas Tour 2014

My Humble Holiday Home...

The Unique Nest has been quiet these past few weeks and will probably remain that way throughout the Christmas season. Because for me, Christmas is about family, faith, reflection, and did I mention family? 

As much as I love to look at magazines, websites and blogs filled with beautifully decorated homes, perfect Christmas trees and gorgeous tablescapes - the reality at my home is much different. Nothing is perfect - none of the decor really matches, and most of what I have was hand made by one of my children. While I'd be lying to say this doesn't slightly drive me and my OCD a little crazy, it's exactly what makes Christmas so special.

It's taken some time for me to realize that it's not about the glitz and the glam, but about displaying memories and heirlooms that make Christmas so special! So here is a look at my not so perfect, but festive home for the holidays...

{OUTDOOR DECOR}

My simple entrance to our home...

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Thanksgiving Inspiration from Pinterest

Seeking out holiday inspiration on Pinterest is just too much fun isn't it? The amount of clever, crafty and inspirational ideas out there is simply incredible! Like you, I turn to Pinterest to seek out inspiration for my holiday decor when I'm feeling like I need a brain boost (which is exactly how I feel right now).

While I'll start my Christmas decorating over the next couple weeks, I'm fixated on the gorgeous, understated elegance of Thanksgiving. So I put together some of my favorite Thanksgiving pins from Pinterest to share with you today...

CLICK HERE TO VISIT MY THANKSGIVING INSPIRATION BOARD

What's inspiring you this Thanksgiving? What look are you going for? I would love to read your comments and see your boards on Pinterest! Share below in the comment section and let's inspire one another....have a great day! xoxo Laura

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Sheet Music Holiday Wreath

"Jazzing" up your holiday decor with a fun DIY project!

Have you started thinking about your holiday decor yet?

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Halloween Details in My Home

Halloween for many is an annoying day where pesky little kids come running around and terrorizing the neighborhood in search of more refined sugar than any human being should ever consume. For others, it's the holiday of all holidays --- and this is the case with my crazy family, ever since I can imagine. We aren't, and never have been, into all the Halloween gore. But we certainly love us some Practical Magic, Hocus Pocus, The Halloween that Almost Wasn't, Mr. Boogedy (and the list goes on). We are the adults that are probably more excited about Halloween then the kids (cue Michael Jackson's "Thriller"). 

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Spooky Halloween :: Thistle & Poppy Frames

BOO! Are you crazy over Halloween? Want to switch up your decor a bit and have fun? Then check out what I've done with these amazing frames by Thistle & Poppy {with a little help from Michael's Craft Store and Martha Stewart}.

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Holiday Cards on Display

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is receiving cards from my friends and family in the mail. I love to see how children have grown and keep in the loop with what people have done throughout the year. In a world of social media and digital photography, there is something special about receiving an actual print these days. For years I have taped the cards and photos I've received on a door, entry way or even a staircase. But if you're looking for a fun and different way to display these cards I have an idea for you...

*Thanks to my dear friend Cathleen Drago for the great idea!

 

- Festive holiday ribbon of your choice (20+ feet)

- Mini craft clothes pins (I found mine at Joann Fabric)

- Depending on where you decide to display your cards (kitchen cabinets, cupboards, etc.) the amount of ribbon you'll need will differ - for my cupboard I used about 20 feet of ribbon.

- A stapler

- Holiday cards

Tie your ribbon around the door you are using for your display, and fasten ribbon together on the back side of the door using a stapler (cut excess ribbon).

I used two staples in the center where the ribbon meets, but I also added tape to the top and bottom to keep the ribbon from moving at all...

Use your clothes pins to fasten your cards to the ribbon. I alternated cards going down the ribbon...

That's it! You're done and you have a fun new way to display your holiday cards!

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It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

I love the holidays! Baking and eating and eating some more (did I mention the food yet?)...it's a great time of year to share a glass of wine with friends and family and bake up some of your finest treats. It's also a time to impress others with your holiday decor and creative displays of holiday cheer.

Here are a couple of simple and cheap ideas for sprucing up your holiday display!

Here I used white pine roping from our local grocery store ($9.99) and a pine wreath (also $9.99) - hung with burlap ribbon - to spruce up the front entrance to our home. The antique metal tins came out of our shed (one was my grandfathers and the other is an old milk cooler I scored at the annual Washington County Antique Fair). In the metal tins are two faux trees that came with lights for the bargain deal of $40 at Big Lots. I used firewood to add both weight and character to the tins in hopes of creating that winter feel.

Make your holiday decor stand out with this simple red stripe
Burlap Ribbon (bought mine at AC Moore for under $5)

Pecan Pie (Country Living Magazine)

This pecan pie was simple to make and DEE-licious! Ingredients were as follows:

1 Perfect Pie Crust

1 cup(s) Pecan Halves

2 tablespoon(s) Butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon(s) Kosher Salt

1 cup(s) Sugar

1 cup(s) Dark Corn Syrup

1 tablespoon(s) Dark Rum

1 teaspoon(s) Vanilla Extract

3 large Eggs, lightly beaten

 Whipped Cream, optional

For more information on this recipe visit this link to Country Living's website...Bon appetite!

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