Outdoor Christmas Decor and Front Staircase~

It has been non-stop Christmas decorating around here!  I am happy to say that the front staircase and the outdoor decorations are done!!  Of course, every other weekend it has been an unseasonably warm 70 degrees...well, not today!  It was cold and windy!!  Happens every year.  I really think someone with a really bad sense of humor throws a switch the Friday night after Thanksgiving because they know all us Southerners will be out in force decorating our homes for the impending holiday season!  By the time we were done, I couldn't feel my fingers and toes!!

The staircase first.  We are really going for a more natural feel/look this year.  I am over the plastic and faux!  Although, I did use faux greens as real just doesn't last long enough.

Large pinecones along with burlap ribbon bows set the stage for this year!  I ordered a box of these big babies a couple years ago from Washington state.  I love them!  Hubby says he wants to see the trees they came from because they have to be pretty impressive.  These babies are HUGE! (about a foot long each)

The burlap ribbon came from Pottery Barn.  I made the bows myself.  I fringed the ends of each, very easy to do...just pull a few horizontal strands out.

You can see that we swag our garland.  The garland is lit with white lights as well.  It is soooo pretty at night.  You can catch a glimpse of one of our photo walls upstairs in this picture.  It is a series we had done when our oldest  was a senior.  The cheerleader versus the volleyball player!!  For one picture we actually had the girls "switch" uniforms!  We also have the injury series...this was the year our oldest blew out her foot tumbling and our youngest had shoulder surgery.  The photographer captured our year of injuries in a really funny way!

There are two of these...one on each french door leading into our study.

Front door with lighted garland and wreath.  Our daughters were both competitive figure skaters at one point. The skates were our oldest daughter's first pair.

Each window on our house is adorned with a wreath like this one.

View of the front porch.  The porch is adorned with lighted garland around the doorway, a wreath, wreaths on the windows, lighted topiaries, lanterns, as well as lighted snowflakes.

Overall view of the front.

I am still working on the interior decor.  The vintage tree is up in the living room, the staircase done, and  the elves have officially made their debut (pictures to come).  During the course of next week, the dining room table will be set, the family room decor put in place and the "big" tree chosen and decorated. 

Did I mention, shopping, baking, shopping some more...  I am hosting my bunco group on the 21st, so I am really ready to get things done this year so I can sit back and enjoy the festivities!