After Handy Hubby unraveled our live tree, this is what it looked like.

A few days later with snow falling and holiday music playing, we took it from pine to Christmas for free.

We’ve always had a green and ivory theme going on with our tree in the past.  This year I wanted to add in some eggplant and lavender.  {Christmas decor doesn’t have to be red and green!} But I didn’t want to spend any money.  I had seen Belinda over at The Happy Home string floating holiday words across her living room with fishing line and decided to give it a try.  {If you haven’t visited her blog before, you must.} I dug out some cardstock in celery, lavender and eggplant.  I folded a piece in half lengthwise and freehanded a few Christmas-y words.

Then I cut the letters out, making sure to leave the fold at the top.

I strung them onto fishing line, glued the insides of the letters together and hung them around the tree for added color and interest.

{In case you’re wondering, I taped the ends of the fishing line to an adjacent mirror frame and the back of our flatscreen.  Fishing line + paper letters = nearly weightless.} Simple, easy and FREE.

Like years of yore, I spiraled a few lengths of ribbon down the tree.  They’re a good way to give not-so-perfect live trees that highly desired triangular shape Mother Nature doesn’t always bestow upon them.  Of course, we have the usual kids’ handmade ornaments, too.  I hung them lower on the tree because the boys enjoy seeing what they’ve made.

So, that’s our Christmas tree this year.  {…sans gifts…I’ll be sharing gift-wrapping ideas soon.} I like to switch things up a little every year when it comes to Christmas decor, but I don’t like putting a ton of money into it.  Because, truth is, I’m probably going to want something different next year.  I also try to make our Christmas decor fit into the light, airy color scheme that we already have in place.  And when possible, I use/make decorations that can outlast the Christmas season…things that aren’t too kitschy to last well into January.  That way we get to enjoy it longer.

Keep checking in this week to see what other holiday decor I’ve put together.  {A lot of my inspiration came from The Happy Home where budget and kid-friendly decor abounds.} My projects include a fun & fresh mantle scape, toilet paper rolls and a 99¢ Goodwill mini-tree. Hmmm…

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Handy Hubby and I packed the boys into his teeny truck cab and picked up our live Christmas tree tonight.  We didn’t have time to start decorating before bedtime so that’s on the list for the weekend. Handy Hubby set it up in the tree stand and untied it.  It made him dizzy.

{Don’t mind the blank picture frame.  It’s getting Christmas-fied this weekend, too.}  Layne read Everett a book {all by himself!} on the couch while Dada got the tree ready.  It was too cute.  For the first time ever, I bought a live pine swag and garland for the front door.  They smell dee-lish.

Before we went shopping, I had visions of a white winter wonderland scene for the front of our house…lots of tiny white lights in the trees and bushes.  Then we got to the store and realized it would have cost well over $200!!!  I wasn’t willing to throw out that kind of money on something I can only use for a few weeks out of the year.  So, the front door is all that I gussied up.  It kind of reminds me of a hippie-ish Santa…the windows as eyes, the pine cones as a nose, the swag as a beard and the garland as messy Santa hair.  Do you see it?  {Handy Hubby said I was looking at it too long.}  I particularly like the swag.  It has real berries in it.

On another Christmas note, I’ve been busy crafting up inexpensive holiday decor to share with you next week.  Can’t wait!  I still have some to do but I’m hoping to crank it all out this weekend…along with the tree.  Aaaah!  My weekend just went from open to busy.  That’s okay though.  At least, I get to spend it with my boys listening to some holiday tunes and maybe drinking a cup of cheer.  What are you doing this weekend? Decorating?  Shopping?  Wrapping?  Maybe just staying inside where it’s warm?  Whatever you do, I hope it involves lots of happiness with those closest to you.

And just to let you know, House*Tweaking will be down over the weekend for technical updates. I’m attempting to back up my database and then install the newest version of my WordPress template.  Wish me luck…I’m not totally comfortable with the whole technical aspect of blogging yet.

Happy weekending!

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking