HOME TOUR

The iconic and classic feel of a Christmas tree. For many it is the crown of the holiday decor and rightfully so because there’s an endless number of ways to decorate a Christmas tree. You’ll see some lovely ones on this Thursday’s blog hop. From classic red to ocean hues, Hallmark ornaments to homemade creations. You guys I am looooving this post! I thought it would be fun, as we head into the holiday season, to look back on the Christmas trees through the years. And it’s making me both simultaneously sentimental and humbled by the blessings.  It was such a joy to go through these past years, beautiful photography by Ruth Eileen Photography and to watch my littles get bigger, our home change and be reminded of so much joy.

CHRISTMAS 2016

This was before Finding Lovely the blog even existed. Ruthie was photographing for Style Me Pretty Living and passed along the photos. This was the boldest Christmas we’ve had color-wise with cranberry/teal colors. You can see the full tour here, including our old kitchen and a teeny tiny baby Kai.

CHRISTMAS 2017

I loved the soft blue tones of this tree and it was a full 180 degrees from the previous year. It had a very Scandinavian feel with the homemade wood bead snowflakes and mercury ball garland. I’m sitting here thinking, “where the heck did that garland go?” I haven’t seen it for a few years. And the hunt begins. This year was interesting though. We were in the middle of the big renovation on the back of the house so our dining room was a makeshift kitchen, the entry had a washer and dryer and I painted the temporary plywood wall in the family room grey to match the walls. All this to eek out some semblance of normal. From these pictures you can’t even tell construction was happening mere inches away. You can see more pictures here on the Lovely Whites and Blues Christmas home tour.

CHRISTMAS 2018

This was the first year following the big remodel so instead of living through a construction zone we got to decorate the new kitchen. Earthy corals and dusty blues ruled the year. And I was very pregnant with little Aubrey and the nesting instinct was strong. You can see more sweet pictures here on this Christmas Around the Home tour.

CHRISTMAS 2019

This was a sweet year. Aubrey’s first Christmas. I loved the big Balsam Hill tree. I also adored the white paper flower garland on this one. You can see the full Christmas Home Tour here.

Even the playroom tree got a sweet little touch last year with some homemade, DIY Toilet Paper Roll Ornaments. We plan on continuing to make a few each year until we’ve got a zoo of homemade crafted joy. This is an easy way to let the littles flex their creative minds.

CHRISTMAS 2020

For the past 4 years we’ve done artificial trees (which I love) but I don’t know, I was feeling something different. Something simple and natural. Less fluff, less perfectly coiffed branches. Perhaps it’s been this year. This odd, all-out-of-sorts year. It’s like I needed to climb a mountain, scream from the top and grab some of that and bring it back indoors with me.

So just a few days ago we took two cars and drove around the wilds of New Hampshire, into the White Mountain National Park to cut down some trees. Totally legally by the way with tree permits from the forest service. I miss the Silvertips you could so easily get in California. We usually fly one in to be honest. Those only grow in the Sierra Nevadas so this is the closest I could find this side of the Rockies.

Everyone but Aubrey was a fan (she doesn’t like car rides). We had multiple households making it fun while the hunt for nature’s lovely was just very needed. And look at these pretty little trees!? Don’t they just make you want to slow it a bit down and breathe? Our alpine trees. I filled the 9 ft center tree with vintage mercury glass ornaments and beige/sage greens tones. Lots of sparkle offset with the other two more simply decorated.

Matt propped them up in my vintage crocks with some wood contraption he built in the garage. Large rocks would have probably worked too, which was my suggestion by the way. But he had a better idea and they stand perfectly straight. More pictures coming soon of our home all decked out. I’m easing you all in since this is early for me. It’s probably my favorite yet. Make sure you to check out my friend’s trees below.