Decorate Your Stairway For Christmas

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! And decorating for the holidays can be a pleasure in itself. Your house can be alive with the holiday spirit without putting a huge dent in your time and budget.

It is helpful to simplify things. The tips offered here are fun and easy to do-you don't need to be a professional interior decorator to have a lovely holiday house!

Decorate

If you have a staircase or railing in your home or on the porch, it is easy to make it festive. Start by choosing fir garland. You can use real or fake, and there are upsides to both choices: the real thing has that Christmas tree pine smell that delights our senses, while the fake garland can be reused year after year, and doesn't pose a fire hazard.

Decorate Your Stairway For Christmas

Once your garland is hung at even gently curved intervals from the stair railing, you can add your own personal touch. Use the following suggestions to get your creative holiday juices flowing.

You may choose to string cranberries or popcorn as in the olden days. Or you can paint the edges of pine cones white to suggest snow (or leave them natural). Now add these winsome lovelies to your greenery by fastening with bright ribbons in white, green, red, blue, gold, or silver.

If an outlet is handy, string indoor/outdoor Christmas lights to your garland. Make sure they are cool-burning, and do not leave unattended when lit.

If your staircase or railing is long enough, you may want to hang Christmas wreaths at even intervals.

If you have a landing at the bottom or middle of your staircase, group poinsettias or small potted pine trees in a corner or two. Decorate with ornaments, ribbons, and bows. Or you can fill decorative baskets or containers with fragranced potpourri for an interesting display.

Experiment to see what works for you. Once your staircase or railing is pleasing to your eye, you know you are finished!

Decorate Your Stairway For Christmas

Lisa Herbik is the author of Decorate Your Stairway For Christmas. Find affordable, easy to install wall murals for beautiful rooms even after the holidays at http://www.ArtisticHomeowner.com

Designer Christmas Trees - Decorative Painting Ideas For Your Trees For the Holidays

Latest trend in Christmas trees this year is color. Massively bright, iridescent and neon colored trees. It is amazing that the once green and stately Christmas tree is now changed into something new and interesting. If you are hip now is the time of the custom Christmas tree.

You do not have to go out and purchase one of these amazing new trees, you can paint one yourself! Remember you can paint virtually anything. This is one of those "anything's" that you can paint. The best way to do this is with spray paint...any color your heart desires.

Decorative

Some of the trees in the show rooms are neon green, with very modern ornaments. Of course we do not want to forget hot pink, light pink and iridescent pink. Powder blue is big, with blue lights and white ornaments. Iridescent white with white lights and white ornaments, that's heavenly. I saw a fluorescent orange tree with blue ornaments (go Denver Broncos).

Designer Christmas Trees - Decorative Painting Ideas For Your Trees For the Holidays

You see you can theme any tree. The selection of ornaments is so massive you can use any theme you can imagine. There are ornaments with feathers of all colors and shapes, fishing theme, camping theme, any sports theme.

And you can get your spray paint out and paint that old tree you have had for the last 10 years any color that you want and have a very hip and exciting new tree for the holidays. Spray paint comes in over 100 different colors; I found great prices at your large chain stores. This can be a fun event for the entire family.

It will take a few cans of spray paint but the end result will be worth it, and brand new tree under .00 now that's a deal. The tree I sprayed was only three feet and pretty easy to handle, if you get one much bigger you will have a few more issues but nothing you cannot do. I started with the tree upside down and painted that first then I stood it up and painted it from that direction.

Word of caution put on a mask the fumes can be over powering. Purchase the handle that they have at the store this will save you finger with so much spraying. Always my advice is practice; find something that you can test your color on to see if that is the color that will make you happy. You can even use outdoor greenery to test on...you might even spray some for other places in the house. The biggest thing is to have fun, it is a little wacky but an new twist on Christmas.

Designer Christmas Trees - Decorative Painting Ideas For Your Trees For the Holidays

For more helpful tips and complete directions for many Interior Design Projects check out this amazing 300 page full colored instructional training on virtually any design project. It also has great bonus material, please follow me to [http://www.ThePaintColorIdeas.com]

Christmas Centerpieces - Decorative Pieces That You Can Make Yourself

Christmas is one of the most eagerly awaiting occasions for one and all. This is the time when the creative juices of the people begin working overtime to ensure their homes are the best decorated during the celebrations.

People are willing to spend a lot of money on purchasing Christmas centerpieces that play a very crucial role. What they fail to realize is that with a little bit of creativity and time on hand, you can create your own Christmas centerpieces that are sure to garner attention. Flowers and candles can be used to create some of the most fascinating centerpieces that can adorn the dining table.

Decorative

Let us take a look at two beautiful Christmas centerpieces that you can make at home with minimal investment.

Christmas Centerpieces - Decorative Pieces That You Can Make Yourself

Idea #1: Poinsettia centerpiece

This is one of the many Christmas centerpieces that can be created in a very short span of time. There are four materials that you will need to have handy. You will need poinsettias that are low growing if you want fresh plants for your centerpiece or you can opt for artificial plants. You will also need a cache pot or a decorative bowl. The third requirement is Styrofoam or floral foam. And the final thing you will need handy is a little greenery, fresh or artificial.

The next step is getting them all together to form one of the beautiful Christmas centerpieces to adorn your table. Place the Styrofoam or floral foam in the cache pot. Place the cache pot in the decorative bowl such that the pot is not visible outside. Now place the artificial plants or poinsettias into the pot firmly so it does not fall off. Finally, at the base of the decorative bowl, make a trail of greenery. Now, your centerpiece is ready to be placed on the table.

Idea #2: Candlestick centerpiece

Christmas is the best time to bring your best candleholders from the cupboard. Polish the holders well till they begin to gleam. Purchase candles, either scented or non-scented ones, on various lively hues. Try finding the dripless candles so the wax does not fall and spoil the decoration. Also, get some craft wires or thin satin ribbons or French ribbons. First of all, wrap the craft wire around the candle holders. Then, use the ribbons and tie bows around them. Now, place the colorful candles securely in the holders and arrange them on either the coffee table or holiday table.

These are just two of the innumerable Christmas centerpieces that can be made at home. You can also use willow tree ornaments to come up with some centerpieces that can compliment your Christmas tree. Unleash your imagination and use simple things to come up with beautiful artifacts to adorn your house.

Christmas Centerpieces - Decorative Pieces That You Can Make Yourself

Enjoy Christmas everyday with Joan Northruple at her website, Willow-Tree-Ornaments.com, where you can see German Christmas Ornaments [http://willow-tree-ornaments.com/german-christmas-ornaments] and Babys First Christmas Ornaments [http://willow-tree-ornaments.com/babys-first-christmas-ornaments].

Make Christmas Tree Napkins, Name Tags, And Ornaments Whether You Sew Or Not!

They Are Quick, Easy And Fun Gifts For Young And Old To Make For Family And Friends.

The trick is in the folding to make the napkin look like a Christmas Tree.

Decorative

Let the kids cut some out of paper and decorate their own.

Make Christmas Tree Napkins, Name Tags, And Ornaments Whether You Sew Or Not!

Use them as name tags, decorations, Christmas Tree ornaments and napkins, of course.

Napkins can be either single or double layer of fabric. They can be any size you want them to be. The example I am using here is a 14-1/2"

Use some pretty Christmas prints or some unusual decorative fabrics.

One year, I used a lacey fabric and rolled the edges with a gold metallic thread. Then, I hung them on my tree. It really looked pretty.

You really don't have to sew these napkins if you don't want to. You can use decorative edge craft scissors to cut the fabric and not finish it with sewing at all.

You can even use paper napkins if you like. Have fun with this idea.

Less than a yard of 45" wide fabric makes 6 napkins single layer or 3 double layer.
1-5/8 yards makes a dozen single layer napkins.

Preshrink all fabrics.

I also like to spray starch my fabric before I cut and serge or satin stitch the edges of my napkins.

Cut Napkins into 14-1/2" circles.

To make a paper pattern, draw a circle 14-1/2" in diameter.

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Here is how to make a compass to draw your pattern.

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Tie a string or ribbon to a pencil.

Measure the string back from the pencil 7-1/4".

Put a pin in the string/ribbon at that point.
(7-1/4" is the radius or 1/2 of the diameter of the 14-1/2" circle.)

This is your compass to help you draw your circle.

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Here is how to draw your pattern.

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Place some tracing paper down and put the pin in the center.

Now, extending the string, and using the pencil, draw a circle out all around the pin 7-/4"away.
This creates a 14-1/2" circle for your napkin pattern.

Label it and keep it for future napkins.

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Single Layer Napkins

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Serge finish with the right side up on your serger.

I like to use the rolled edge finish on most of my napkins. It depends on the fabric.

Feed the circle of fabric to the knife slowly letting the knife shave off a little of the fabric.

Slightly overlap the beginning stitches about 2 inches.

Seal the end with "Fray Check". Let dry. Trim off the thread tails.

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Double Layer Napkins

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Place 2 circles wrong sides together.

Make sure one circle's straight grain matches the other circle's bias grain.

This will minimize flared edges.

You can also apply slight differential feed to eliminate flared edges.

Or you might want to baste the two layers together to help hold them while you finish the edges.
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Serge Finish Edges With A Serger

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A rolled edge works well on light to medium weight single layer napkins.

A rolled edge may not work on the double layer fabrics or heavier fabrics. Test it first.

Try using a narrow satin balanced stitch instead.

Note: If you get the "Pokies", try wrapping the napkin bias edges in Solvy (a water soluble stabilizer) and then serge. Wash the Solvy away when finished.

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Conventional Machine Satin Stitch Finish

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If you don't have a serger, you can use your conventional sewing machine.

Finish the edges with a satin stitch sewing in from the edge using a stabilizer such as water soluble Solvy.

You may want to spray starch the napkins again before stitching. It might help.

You can apply "Fray Check" to the outside of the stitching when you are finished to seal the edges.

Let it dry and then trim off any excess fabric.

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Fold and press the napkin into a Christmas Tree Shape.

Here are the folding instructions.

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1. Fold the napkin in half and press well. We will call this fold the center fold.

2. Fold again into quarters and press lightly. This is a temporary crease that we will use as a guide to establish the fold we actually want.

3. Open back up to the 1/2 fold again and measure 1-1/4" above the temporary quarter foldline.

4. Fold the napkin "back" along the 1-1/4" new line (the one above the quarter fold) and press well. We will call this fold, Fold A.

5. Now you have a fold at the top, (Fold A) and the lower part of the center fold to your right.

6. The upper part of the center fold that you just turned down, we will call Fold B.

7. Take the top Fold A and bring it over to meet the center fold edge to your right and press in place.

8. Now bring the upper portion of the original center fold (Fold B) over on top of Fold A and to the lower portion of the center fold edge and press again.

Voila! There you have a Christmas Tree.

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Decorate your trees

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Add a bow, jingle bell, decorative Christmas button or whatever at the top of the tree if desired.

Embroider each family member's name on his/her napkin.

Use decorative stitches, paint or decorate your tree napkins any way you like.

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More Ideas For Smaller Trees

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Consider making smaller circles into trees, add a ribbon loop at the top and use them to decorate packages or to hang on your Christmas Tree as ornaments.

Use up lots of that stash! It is easy!

Or, how about letting the kids cut some circles from paper napkins and have them decorate their trees with crayons, stickers like stars, glitter glue, etc.

They could give them to family members, classmates, teachers, etc., use them on packages, hang them on the big tree, or use them as place cards at the dining table.

Be creative. You are the designer. Have fun making your Christmas Tree napkins!

It just makes sense!

Happy Holidays!

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© 2005 Marian Lewis - All Rights Reserved

1st Step To Sewing Success

Make Christmas Tree Napkins, Name Tags, And Ornaments Whether You Sew Or Not!

Marian Lewis is a sewing instructor and the creator of an amazing new fitting method for hard-to-fit sewing folks.

In her ebook, "Common Sense Fitting Method For Hard-To-Fit Sewing Folks Who Want Great Fitting Skirts And Pants", find out step-by-step WHAT you really need, WHERE you really need it and HOW to apply that to a commercial sewing pattern.

For more information, go to: => http://www.1ststeptosewingsuccess.com/fitting.html

Marian is also the author of other eBooks related to sewing including, "Sew A Tee Pee And Accessories For Your Tribe Of Kids" where she teaches basic sewing techniques while you have fun doing it!

To learn more, go to: => http://www.1ststeptosewingsuccess.com/sewing.html

To discover sewing and fitting secrets to achieve sewing success, follow the link: => http://www.1ststeptosewingsuccess.com