Thursday 19 December 2013

Decorating for Christmas – part 2

Last week I wrote a post about making Christmas decoration, here comes the second part. For me, the Christmas period is mainly about bringing light into the house, as during these weeks in December, daylight is in short supply and decorating with light is good for the soul and lifts the spirit. But why stop with having decorative lights indoors when you can have them outdoors too?

I have an old Christmas garland I no longer use, the electric light that was on it had stopped working and the garland is a bit tatty and frayed. I bought this tall vase and some outdoor battery operated lights and wrapped the lights around the garland.

The vase is meant for battery lights and has this hole in the bottom for the battery compartment to come out of – obviously not a suitable vase for flowers in water – but I soon found out when receiving the battery lights that what they called ‘outdoor’ lights didn’t look very waterproof. I decided to hide the box inside the vase instead, hoping it would be better protected against the unavoidable rain showers.

And here is the garland, half of it tucked into the vase, half draped around the vase.

And in the dark you can better appreciate the lights.

It is decorated with cones and silk flowers....

....and gold apples and ribbons.

The battery lights came as a set of two so my Garrya Elliptica 'James Roof' in the container next to my front door got a set of lights too.

Looking magical in the dark, almost like a little Christmas tree....

....although next to the flowering fuchsias it’s not exactly the right Christmassy look I guess!

So let’s move inside so I can show you my Christmas tree. For many years I didn’t have any as my living room is so small that there is actually no floor space left for a tree. In this little niche I usually have a large vase with dried flowers, they have been parked upstairs in the bedroom for a few weeks and I managed to squeeze in this little tree in its place.

Sadly not a real tree, I haven’t had that since I lived in Norway, the real trees you get here in London starts to drop their needles after a few days so I can’t really see any point in buying one. This little artificial tree is fine for just me.

I have decorated it in gold, I have always wanted a Christmas tree in just golden decoration and decided to do that this year.

So no homemade tree decorations, paper garlands and Norwegian flags as I used to have....

....just the tree, lights and golden decoration.

This post is a scheduled post, I am in hospital again for yet another operation and won’t be able to reply to your comments for a few days. I will be back here as soon as I can, until then, take care.

38 comments:

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    1. Thanks Sue, I am home again, all is well.

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  2. Love your tree with its golden decorations. It fits in so well with the colour theme of the room.
    I hope that the hospital stay was a short one and that you will be feeling much better in time for Christmas.

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    1. Thanks, I need to take it easy for a while to recover but Christmas here is a fairly low-key thing so I am not going to do much at all, just relax.

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  3. Merry Cristmas, Helene! Larry

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  4. You take care, Helene! And your lights are so pretty! We have a small artificial tree as well, but always gather few branches off the real one for the lovely smell...

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    1. Thanks Aga, I miss the smell of a real Christmas tree, I haven’t had one since I lived in Norway, but the ones they sell here in London really isn’t worth buying.

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  5. I love the lights and the tree. Best wishes for the operation.

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    1. Thanks Lyn, I am back home now and recovering, all gone well.

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  6. Beautiful decoration. I love the entrance.

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    1. Thanks, I haven’t tested the battery lights after coming home from hospital, I hope they still work – there was some ferocious weather when I was away with lots of rain so I hope the lights survived that!

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  7. The tree looks great in that niche! Your outdoor decorations are as well very beautiful. Hope the operation went well!

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    1. Thanks Janneke, I am fine, just a bit of pain still but it will get better over the next week and I can rest and take it easy as I did most things I need to do for Christmas before I went to hospital.

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  8. Your decorations look very festive and you have the perfect alcove for your little tree. I hope the operation goes well and wish you a speedy recovery.

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    1. Thanks, I don’t know why I haven’t thought about having a tree in that alcove before, but when I saw this little tree online I thought it would be perfect size and it turned out to be.

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  9. So pretty! I love your outdoor lights in the vase, they look so beautiful glowing in the dark. I brought in some Christmas (Regal) Lilies today, their perfume is filling the room and making it feel very Christmassy! I haven't done a tree this year but the lilies are all I need.
    Wishing you a quick recovery, I hope your cat looks after you well :)

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    1. Oh how I would love to have my Lilium regale in flower right now - so fun you can call them Christmas lilies! My cat has been home alone, he always is whenever I have to go to hospital and I have a cat flap so he can go in and out as he wants to. I think it is better for him being here at home than being sent off to a cattery. My son has been here every day to set out food, but the cat knows I have been away for long time so since I came home he hasn’t left me at all, just sleeping next to me and following me around all the time :-)

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  10. Very festive! I hope your operation goes smoothly and that you have a quick recovery! And I hope you have a merry Christmas!

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    1. Thanks Indie, I am home and OK, wishing you a Merry Christmas too!

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  11. Oh, my dear, hope you are better now! It's sadly to be in hospital in Christmas and I wish you are back soon at home. Your tree looks very elegantly think I have to decorate in gold my tree as well.
    Merry Christmas, Helene!

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    1. Thanks Nadezda, I wasn’t very happy about having an operation this close to Christmas but I have been waiting a long time for this and when they called me and offered me this date I said yes, or else I would have had to wait until February. I will be OK, just have to take it easy and rest for a while. Merry Christmas to you too!

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  12. Hope you're OK Helene. Beautiful decorations....I've got that fuzzy warm feeling. Merry Christmas xxxx

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    1. I am much better Jane, good to be home in my own bed! Merry Christmas to you too!

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  13. Dear Helene
    Wishing you a speedy recovery and a happy healthy 2014! Your home - both indoors and out - is decorated beautifully. Merry Christmas!

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    1. Thanks for your well wishes Astrid, and Merry Christmas to you too!

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  14. Oh my goodness, how festive! You are so creative with your decorations, Helene. I especially enjoyed your instructions and the final view of the lights-in-the-vase project. It's lovely!

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    1. Thank you Beth, I enjoy decorating for Christmas, it’s always sad in January when all the lights are packed away for another year :-)

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  15. Hi Helene
    A lightful post :o). You know what? The shortest day is over and now it is only getting better *hurra*. Can't wait that the days are getting longer again.
    You've got a really lovely xmas decoration.
    Have a merry Christmas!

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    1. Thanks Alex, I haven’t been out in my garden for a whole week because I have been in hospital and it was a dreadful weather a couple of days before I went in – I can’t wait to see if my spring bulbs have reached any further in this time. I wish they would hurry up, I can’t wait for spring to come either –Merry Christmas!

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  16. Hi Helene, your Christmas decoration looks wonderful. I love especially the vase with the garland and Christmas lights that you plaeced outside. Pure magic! Glad to read that your surgery went well. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas. Take lots of rest and good care of yourself!
    Christina

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    1. Thank you Christina, and wishing you and your family a great Christmas too!

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  17. I have to read all your posts as I missed so many. Now that the short winter vacation is starting, I will try to do then. In the mean time, I hope you have a Very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful Happy New Year :-)

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    1. Thanks, and welcome back to my blog :-)
      Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

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  18. It's an amazing idea to put the lights in the vase! Sounds easy but looks gorgeous!! Your decorations are all nice, you're so talented! Hope you will get well, soon.
    Wishing you a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

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    1. Thanks for your well wishes Keity, and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year too!

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  19. Hi Helene,

    Wishing you and your family a magical Christmas filled with love and laughter. Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year. Thank you for your friendship. Your tree decorated in gold is just stunning!

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    1. Thank you for your kind words and well wishes, wishing you and your family a great Christmas and a happy New Year!

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