Merry Christmas... Until next year!

Christmas is a time to celebrate with family and look forward to the new year. Aside from seeing my family, my favorite part of the holiday season is the beautiful decor; especially the Christmas trees! Here are a few of the trees that I saw on my many family stops this year.

Small Spaces: Loft Beds

Living in a small space? When floor space is limited, it's important to think vertically. Loft beds are a great way to utilize otherwise unused real estate. If you're living in a rental, a relatively inexpensive piece from a furniture store such as IKEA will do the trick. Make it a little more personal by painting the bed frame a fun color and adding coordinating bed linens. If you are a homeowner or intend on staying in your space for a while, it might be worth your while to invest in a built-in loft bed. Incorporate additional storage, a seating area, dining table, or anything else that fits your living needs.

 

Photo: NY Times

Photo: HGTV Remodels

Photo: Houzz

Photo: Miss Walker

Photo: Apartment Therapy

Photo: Inhabitat 

Winter White Centerpieces

When deciding on centerpieces for a winter wedding or event, try all-white arrangements that capture the look and feel of the season. Use multiple white floral varieties in each centerpiece for a more eclectic look, or keep things simple by using one type of white flower. Incorporate small branches or pine cones to complete this wintery look.

Photo: Brideorama

Photo: One Wed

Photo: Martha Stewart Weddings

Photo: Country Living

Colorful Winter Decor

For most of us winter is a bit too cold, a bit too dark, and much too gray. When decorating your home for the winter season consider adding some colorful accents to help lead you happily into Spring. Try incorporating fun, new colors into your holiday decor. Experiment with variations of purple, blue, green, and yellow, for an update on the traditional red and green or blue and white color schemes. Switch out ornaments, stockings, garland, and other accessories to easily add pops of color. Adding colorful throw pillows is another easy way to incorporate color into your home as the seasons change. Little changes can make a big impact!

Photo: Belle Maison

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens

Photo: Southern Living

Fall into Winter Outfit

Like it or not it's getting colder by the day. It's time to break out our winter clothes and embrace the change of seasons. One thing that's helping me with the transition is an amazing new pair of Frye boots. I've been eyeing this particular pair for years now (I'm clearly not an impulse buyer), and I finally took the plunge and made the purchase. After deliberating what to wear them with, I decided that pairing this style of boot with skinny jeans and an over-sized chunky sweater is definitely the way to go. A simple shirt and coat finish off this comfortable outfit. Throw on a small crossbody bag and classic Ray-Bans and you're ready to brave the elements. Who knew that pretty new boots were all that's needed to make winter a little more bearable?

Fall into Winter Outfit by carlyahlman featuring wayfarer sunglasses

Uniqlo wool cardigan
$47 - uniqlo.com

J Crew vintage t shirt
jcrew.com

H M asymmetrical jacket
$79 - hm.com

J Brand skinny jeans
amrag.com

American Apparel cotton socks
americanapparel.net

Frye leather shoes
$320 - gravitypope.com

Cole Haan crossbody handbag
colehaan.com

Ray-Ban wayfarer sunglasses
amazon.com

Winter photography Snow photography Woodland forest Minimalism...
etsy.com

Thanksgiving Tablescape

Those of you who are responsible for hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year are probably hard at work preparing today. Once you have a moment to step away from the kitchen, it's time to focus on setting the table! With a little creativity, you can "wow" guests with a Thanksgiving-themed tablescape. To create a seasonal centerpiece, start with a simple vase and fill it with small pumpkins, gourds, or branches with colored leaves. For a longer table gather the same items in multiple smaller vases and space them out along the center of the table. Stick with fall colors if you opt for a tablecloth and do the same with your placemats and napkins.

Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for reading!

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens

Photo: Country Living

Photo: Martha Stewart

Photo: Thoughtfully Simple

Photo: Whimsy and Wise

Decorate with Ladders

Decorating with ladders is a great way to instantly give your space a vintage feel. If you've got an old ladder lying around then you're in luck. If not, flea markets and garage sales are the best places to find a used ladder with a lot of character.

Lean your newfound decor piece against a wall for an instant shelf. Use it as a place to hang neckalaces, shoes, clothes, or anything else that needs a home. With slightly more effort, a ladder can be hung on a wall and used as a shelf for photos, art, or other slim items (hang it either horizontally or vertically depending on your available wall space). Ladders can also be attached to chain or rope and hung horizontally from the ceiling. Try this in your kitchen as a piece to hold all of your stray pots and pans. Folding ladders are great when used as a freestanding piece of furniture. Place small floral arrangments on each step for a touch of color.

Photo: A Beach Cottage

Photo: Decor Dots

Photo: Driven By Decor

Photo: Shelterness

Photo: You Paid More Than Me

Paper Wedding Centerpieces

What better way to hang onto the memory of your wedding day then to create centerpieces and bouquets made of paper? Believe it or not paper flowers can look just as beautiful as fresh flowers, and the best part is they will never wilt.

Use colored paper to coordinate with your wedding color scheme. Add a bit of sparkle by placing a gem, pearl, or bead in the center of each flower. Go for a more eclectic look by making your flowers with newspaper, patterned paper, or the pages of an old book. Send them home with guests afterwards to re-use as unique home decor that will last far beyond your wedding day!

Photo: Folio Love

Photo: Green Wedding Shoes

Photo: Martha Stewart Weddings

Photo: The Bride's Cafe

Love Your Laundry Room

Bizarrely enough, I kind of like to do laundry. Us laundry-lovers are few and far between though. For those of you who dread laundry day, use these tips to create a laundry space that is functional, organized, and clean. Who knows, it may become a place that you actually want to spend time in.

• Organize laundry supplies on shelves, in cabinets, and in labeled bins.
• Stack your washer and dryer to utilize vertical space.
• Set up an easy-to-use drying rack. Hide a permanent rack with a small curtain, or set up an expandable rack that can easily be put away when not in use.
• If sitting your washer and dryer side by side, create a large folding area on top. Try not to cover it with "stuff", keep it designated for clean clothes only.
• Add a little color here and there to brighten your day.

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens

Photo: Decor Pad

Photo: Elle Decor

Photo: House and Home

Photo: Houzz

Photo: Young House Love

Fall Crafts for the Home

Fall is in full swing and soon enough there will be plenty of chilly weekends that are perfect for staying inside and perfecting your crafting skills (at least that's what I'll be doing!). Start outside by collecting the items that you'll need to create your homemade fall decor. Collect leaves of various shapes and colors, twigs, and holly branches. Pick your favorite leaves out of the bunch and frame them in clear glass frames for instant mantle decor. If you're willing to invest a little more time, paint a leaf and use it as a stamp on plain white paper. Frame it in a simple frame for colorful, one-of-a-kind artwork. Go one step further with your leaves by tracing them onto colored construction paper, and attaching them together to create a wreath. The best part is that the paper leaves won't dry out so you can display your creation year after year! Last but not least, wrap leaves around a wooden letter for a monogram that is perfect for fall. Compliment your new leaf decor with a vase full of twigs and holly branches.

Photo: Better Homes and Gardens

Photo: Martha Stewart

Photo: My Blessed Life

Photo: Sugar Pie Farmhouse

Photo: The Thrifty Abode