HOLIDAY GLAMOUR

Since I'm working every day through these last couple weeks of December (except Christmas Day), we're staying in Boston this year rather than visiting family. Between working and last-minute shopping and post office runs, I pulled together some last-minute holiday decorating a couple of days ago, consisting almost entirely of things I already had.

candlesticks, glasses and goblets that I already had (goblets are for the wedding!)

Marimekko wrapping paper from Crate and Barrel

Tree skirt is a Ralph Lauren bedskirt that I found
for $7 at HomeGoods years ago. I painted last
year's urn glossy black to change things up a bit.

Like I said, almost everything I used was from last year's decorations or bits and pieces of glassware and decor I had lying around. The only new piece is the gold garland hanging over the mantel, which I made while watching TV the other night. I couldn't find anyone selling evergreen garland near my apartment, and I've always loved the look of magnolia or bay leaf garlands, so I came up with this easy way to recreate the look in a glamorous gold version. I only needed two materials: gold wrapping paper and thin gold wire. Cost? About $10, and that's only because I bought a ridiculously overpriced $8 roll of wrapping paper. Here are some step-by-step photos, in case you want to recreate something similar next year!

materials: wire and leaves cut from wrapping paper (I made mine
pointed at one end and blunt at the other)

1. poke the wire up through the leaf at one end,
about 1/2 inch from the blunt end

2. poke it back down, close to the blunt end of the leaf

3. pull the leaf you've just attached down the wire,
then begin again with the next leaf, this time at a slightly
different angle

4. continue threading leaves onto the wire,
alternating the angle to create a natural effect



the final product!


Happy holidays and have a lovely weekend!