Weekend Inspiration: Tips for Transitioning Fall and Thanksgiving to Christmas

Contemplating the Age Old Question...

When to decorate for Christmas; or more plainly... when do you start decorating for Christmas even when you love Thanksgiving and don't want to let that go. Well, I've learned some tips and ideas for making the transition starting to bring out Christmas things but still enjoy the look and feel of Thanksgiving and late fall.

Autumn Transitions Home Tour

Hello Everyone, and welcome to our

 Autumn Transition Home Tour 

I'm so excited to be joining this wonderful group of creative and talented gals who love Fall and enjoy decorating for the Seasons. We're going to be sharing our ideas and inspiration on welcoming the beauty of Autumn into our homes and decor. If you're coming from Our Southern Home, then welcome and I hope you'll stay with the Tour by visiting Decor to Adore a bit later. You'll find the complete list at the end of the post. A big thankyou to Amber of Follow the Yellow Brick Home for putting this fun tour together.

This time of year blogland is filled with posts about transitioning our decor from Late Summer into Early Fall. Our individual methods may be similar, but each person has their own unique style and ideas to make this a fun and easy change-over. The fact that bringing out the Autumn decor is one of my favorite things to look forward to, makes this a special time to savor and enjoy for me. Since I'm in the beginning stages of packing for our move this Fall, I'm sharing several photos that show how I have taken Summer to Fall in easy steps.

Topiary, Two Ways to Transition to Fall

August used to be my least favorite month of the year... well, OK, maybe it's still my least favorite month but that's only because I'm not a fan of the heat that August usually brings with it. We're having a week or two here in SW Missouri that feels like the middle of September, in the low 80's and some rain, and that is a wonderful reprieve. We've had summers that we had no rain whatsoever and the temps were over 100 for days. But in the last few years since blogging, I've realized that August can be one of my favorite months...

LED Woodsy Tree and Transitioning from Fall to Christmas

So yesterday, the first thing I saw on my bloglist was a sponsored group of bloggers with Christmas Trees. Please don't get me wrong, I understand all about advertising and sponsored posts, and being out front for the seasonal rush for products, sharing ideas and offers. And it's nothing personal, these are a great group of bloggers.  But golly, I'm not ready to have anything Christmas shoved at me just yet. I like to eeeaaaase in to Christmas. I don't like to go "Cold Turkey" and leave out Thanksgiving.

Just a Little Christmas on the Sideboard

Since I'm not hosting Thanksgiving Dinner this year, I caved to the pressure of starting my Christmas decorating early. (and I'm so glad I did) I think most of us have realized that to get to enjoy the Christmas Holiday Season it was going to require us to start before Thanksgiving. There...I admitted it. I just cannot get everything done that I want to do when it's only going to last a few weeks. I still have out my Turkey Platters and a few velvet pumpkins, but they are having to share the limelight with a more Christmas-y vibe.

Here are a few pics from the Hallway Sideboard. I'm not finished, but this is how I'm starting. Some Red Striped Grain Sack Ribbon on my Holly Topiaries with a little blinged out silver for good measure.

Now, since I hadn't had a chance to share Thanksgiving Sideboard with you, Here it is...these are for those photo archives I've been talking about. Each year I look back to see what I've done the year before.

I really love my big vintage window and Pier 1 Scrolly Chalkboard 

as a backdrop for my seasonal displays. It always makes things "pop".

Here's my preserved Boxwood Wreath, simply decorated for Thanksgiving.

I'm working now on changing it out for Christmas.

Say "Hello Handsome" to My Big Boy Tom Turkey 

that I painted white several years ago.

He's Large and in Charge!

I've enjoyed using this black wagon for the last few months of Fall,

but on to something new for the Christmas Season.

I know we're all super busy, but I'll still be doing the Be Inspired Party, just starting on Wednesday instead of Thursday morning. I'm not sure when I'll get the party linky up, but come by if you have a minute and join in, We're gearing up for Christmas! Christmas and Thanksgiving posts both are welcome!!

And for some Shopping fun,

 check out The Marketplace HERE.

The link party is up all week.

Enjoy your week with Family and Friends,

Love you all,

I have so much to be Thankful for,

xoxo

Joining in on these great parties:

DIY It's a Party

From My Front Porch to Yours

The Scoop

Rooted in Thyme

French Country Cottage

Daily Cup at Mrs. Olson's

Shabby Art Boutique

Today's Sponsor

Love Squared Designs

Vintage Inspiration Friday #11 Late Fall Sunroom

Hey Everyone!

Time for

 Vintage Inspiration Friday.

This time of the year it's about balancing my enthusiasm for

Christmas

and my not wanting to jump the gun,

if you know what I mean.

I want to enjoy the season I'm in without

running headlong into winter and the Holidays.

So I try to transition little by little.

Still wanting to celebrate Thanksgiving

and enjoying my turkeys,

but honestly being "done" with the leaves and orange.

(gosh, did I just say that?)

That's the good thing about Missouri,

we have seasons here.

The only one I tire of is summer...

hate the heat.

So what I like to do this time of year is trade out the leaves

with holly and evergreens;

real and faux.

That way, once Thanksgiving is over

 I don't have as much to do to make it

 "Christmas".

One of my girls is enjoying her perch

surveying her domain.

I love this old lantern light fixture.

It always just says "Christmas" to me.

I have a lot of old and family quilts

that I change out frequently.

This one has seen better days,

but I bought it about 25 years ago when we lived in Marietta, Ga.

I always enjoy using it.

"Flying Geese".

Love my Faribo and Pendleton brown plaid blankets.

Here's my other girl.

They're inside kitties,

but they LOVE to dream.

This old squirrel is a bank...

now he's what I call really "Chippy"!!

old screen door?, yah, I'll use it!

(Hey, Theresa, love the sweet little teapot!)

The light was so bright with the photos that the view was washed out,

so here's the view from the sunroom.

please disregard all:

electrical cords

dead plant material

dust

dirt

cobwebs

dirty windows

cat hair

dead bugs?

old carpet

crummy 80's spotlights

(notice that I didn't apoligize for the rust or peeling paint!)

Thanks for sitting thru another "sunroom" post.

Hope you'll join in the party,

ANY Vintage Inspiration works!

And the winner of the give away this month

is my wonderful friend Sue from

 Just Practicing Random Acts of Kindness!

today I'm also linking in with Cindy at

My Romantic Home for

Show and Tell Friday

and Feathered Nest Friday at

French Country Cottage

love you all,

Debra

p.s. Check out the November give away on the sidebar.

Re-do, almost done...

Nothing like a deadline to flat out make you move, to get something accomplished. Our St. Louis kids came in yesterday evening at 6:00 and it was literally 5:59 that I finished vacuuming my new light and bright dining room. Bigger project than I like to admit. I cleaned and rearranged and that was as much work as the paint and papering. But I'm happy with the results.

When we moved here 7 years ago we bought new dining room furniture. It's no secret this was not my choice. I don't like all the scrolly fancy schmancy big dark wood. My husband did and he chose it. I prefer a more frenchy style, and if I had my way and unlimited budget we'd have something else. But...I let him have the final say. Now after seven years as our tastes have changed, he likes the white distressed look himself. Anyway... I knew I needed a lighter look and feel to the room, so if furniture won't change at least the walls could.

So the lighter paint and wallpaper has gone a long way to making me happier. If you remember I had a sage-green paint and paper up, pretty but too dark for my taste now.

                 

         

                             

        

Oh, and after 2 loads on the delicate cycle (thank you Lezlee) and some paring down, my china cabinet is back together; sticking with my white china and just a few odds and ends.

                

And I traded out my antique Belgian tapestry table runner for a new favorite antique linen one.

 

I will change out the chair covers for a linen look, when I find the right material, and find some white or brown transferware plates for my plateholders under the sconces, but at least for now I don't feel like it is a cave.

I can't say enough for Benjamin Moore paint. It is expensive, but never a drip or run on the roller, doesn't splatter and the coverage is really great. And thanks to Heather and Denise from Bella Dreams, who gave me a hint on "Shieldz" tinted wallpaper primer. That way I just wallpapered over the existing paper and saved me tons of time and mess.

                                                  

                                  

Didn't want you to think I had lost it, and that I would have to spend my weekend in the fetal position. OK, I'm off to start enjoying the holiday weekend. Hope yours is a great one! Be safe.

love ya,

Debra

p.s. Now that life is back to "semi-normal" I hope to catch up with you all. Please don't think I'm a bad friend if I haven't made it by lately. You all really brighten my day and I love and read each comment as you can tell from this last post. You guys are a real joy to me, so please know that I care about each of you.

linking to Decor Mamma at Finding Fabulous

The DIY Club