...because home doesn't happen overnight.

Sometimes it only takes a few shiny decor items to make a space sparkle for the holidays.  The effect is subtle and easy.

Metallic handprints on velvet stockings, a crystal snowflake reflecting into a mirror, sparkling berry branches in a pot and some glitter garland draped along the stair rail dress up our living room. {There are those elusive stockings!}

I always like to throw in a few shiny bells and balls.  The vintage silver bells in the kitchen window are from Handy Hubby’s childhood collection.  {See more on our mantle here.}  A rippled mercury globe bedazzles the living room coffee table.  These quick and easy additions are great ways to take a room from ho-hum to ho-ho-ho-holiday.  {Sorry.  Couldn’t help myself.}  And they look even better at night under soft, ambient lighting.  How do you make your home glow for the season? White string lights?  Mesmerizing snow globes?  Sugar cookie scented candles?  I’ve been burning my favorite buttercream scented candle every evening for the last week.  Yummy.  Handy Hubby is always disappointed to learn that I’m not actually baking anything.

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

I can’t take any credit for today’s Christmas decor project.  I totally stole the idea from Belinda over at The Happy Home.  What was the idea?  Well, basically I saved up a bunch of toilet paper tubes {and a few paper towel ones too} and created a wintry hanging centerpiece.

Pretty clever idea, huh?  You can get the full tutorial here.  Here’s a picture story of me making mine. {I used leftover paint from our powder room to make the gray ones and on-hand gloss white paint for the white ones.  Instead of a peg or toothpick, I just put 2 fingers into the tube to rotate it.}

Originally, I hung the glittery chandy above our kitchen island with masking tape.

But our ceilings are textured matte plaster and the bigger tubes {the paper towel tubes} fell down after a few days.  The smaller ones were fine but I decided to move them all together.  I tied them to our dining chandy.

I think next year I’ll stick to just the toilet paper tubes {the smaller ones} and hang a whole bunch above the island for bigger impact.  But, for now, I’m mesmerized by these shiny beauties.  They reflect the light and glisten so beautifully.  Oh, and did I mention I made them for FREE? That’s right, I didn’t spend a dime.

I hope you’re getting a few ideas for inexpensive Christmas decor here on H*T this week.  If anything, you should know by now to check out The Happy Home and to hang a bunch of stuff around your house with fishing line.  {Handy Hubby got clotheslined the other night by our floating Christmas tree words when he went to unplug the lights.  Hehe.} I still have a few more Christmas-y posts to share with you {like where the heck are the stockings?!} so check back soon!

FYI – See what else I’ve done with salvaged toilet paper tubes here.

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking