A SIMPLE RUSTIC CABIN CHRISTMAS, USING NATURAL ELEMENTS AND THE THINGS I LOVE!
Can you believe Christmas is almost here? It seems like this year will be over in a blink of the eye. It’s not been the best for me this year with my Mom passing and Grama Red breaking her back but I know I’ve also had a lot of blessings that I shouldn’t over look.
It all had me thinking about what I really wanted our Christmas cabin to feel like. I knew I didn’t want to drag out all the glitz and glam when it came to decorating so I decided to go with simple and rustic and only use the things I truly love and make things easy on myself.
My kids are grown so no one cares about decorating around my home. Even when they boys were young they couldn’t care or less about it. That’s boys I suppose so it’s always something I’ve done myself.
I do have to say they complain about the tree I pick every year though. I like the ugliest tree in the forest and they tell me it’s always ugly but they don’t care to go along and pick out one they like so they have to live with what I get. I think it’s just a game they play with me now…… complaining no matter what it looks like.
This year I went to the basement, dug out my Christmas totes and picked pinecones, greenery, anything galvanized, and black and white things to decorate with. Then back upstairs I went. In less than 2 hours I’d decorated the main level of our home.
I just plopped things here and there, stood back gave it a quick look and moved on to another area. I wasn’t focused on making it magazine worthy this year. I just wanted to please myself and make the place feel lived in.
I’m also priding myself on not purchasing a thing to decorate with. It’s really amazing how many looks I can get out of reusing and moving what I have around. The best part was I didn’t even purchase a new throw pillow; I didn’t even have the desire to buy one or go looking for them. Must be my intervention is working, lol.
I have to tell you about my Christmas tree experience. I’ve had my eye on several volunteer pine trees we have growing in the field between our two homes all summer long. I’ve watched them grow with some so close together I know they need thinned out or they’ll be crowed out and grow funny. Keeping a mental inventory of which ones needed to be cut I headed out saw in hand to tackle the job.
I asked hubby if he wanted to go along (because I’m always good for a laugh, something is bound to go wrong when I’m operating tools) but he said I could handle it all on my own.
I put on my warm clothes and boots and trudged through the snow to find that tree I’d been eyeing. Why is it the tree I always want is the one farthest from the cabin? Anyway I found the tree, knelt down, and started sawing away only to find out cutting a tree down by hand was hard work. Those heavy warm clothes I’d put on suddenly needed to go: I was getting hotter by the minute.
After sawing partway through the tree I decided to take a little break by sitting in the snow and looking to see if hubby was watching me through the window or if he was recording me and I was quickly going to go viral on You Tube. He was nowhere in sight so I was safe.
After my little rest I went back to sawing until the job was done. Luckily there was snow and I decided to use the driveway as the easiest path to drag the tree back to the cabin. Darn that tree was heavy, so heavy that I had to make several more stops to rest. I’m quite embarrassed to admit I was huffing and puffing dragging that tree up the drive.
I finally made it home where hubby was waiting to help me drag it up on the porch and put it into it’s base before we made the mess of pulling it into the house. One good thing about buying a tree from a lot is it comes bagged making it much easier to get into the house. Instead I had a big batch of snow and pine needles to clean up.
Gosh I’m tired all over again just recounting the tale. After putting the stand in my old galvanized washtub I decided to give the tree an old fashioned look but adding nothing but two strands of old school white lights.
I’m sure enjoying the simplicity of all the decorating this year and one of my favorite things is to get up at 5am, plug in the tree, and just sit and enjoy it. It’s my favorite part of my day.
Did you happen to spy that bare twig tree snow globe on my table? I’ve had it for years and it’s a favorite piece of mine. I’ve never found another like it or even one similar to it. There’s something about it that’s just magical to me.
There’s no name or maker on the bottom so I’m at a loss of where to even find one again. I get so many comments on it with friends wanting one just like it. I’ve even done a google image search but no luck finding another one. Maybe it’s a one of a kind!
Thanks for stopping by today and taking the time to read my long winded, heavy photo post. I have a few more Christmas posts to share with you then I’ll be on to my laundry room makeover.
Merry Christmas!
So beautiful and Festive!
Thank you for taking the tour today Louise.
Beautiful and inviting. As to your Christmas tree challenge, I just read that as we grow older, our capillaries diminish and so less oxygen moves through our body. They also recreate themselves, so think of all the good you did for yourself. Thanks for the post!
Jan, I’m cracking up at your comment. I’ll have to remember that next time I’m huffing and puffing.
Your cabin looks amazing – just enough to be decorated for the holiday, but not so much that it looks out of place or that you will have to work so hard to take down. I think the rustic look is perfect for your home – it is a cabin after all – and has its own particular brand of “glam.”
As far as no one appreciating or caring about your decorating – you need a daughter-in-law or two so that the odds are evened up somewhat. I know of which I speak ….
Pat my oldest son is engaged and as soon as they get their new home done they’ll get married. She did help me decorate last year so you’re right that may help even the score.
What a great story, Dawn, as you described the finding, cutting and dragging your Christmas tree home! By decorating with less this year and not buying more, but using what you have gave you a peaceful and comforting feeling. You have a lifetime of wonderful memories of you Mother to share with your family.
Laura I’m so glad I did Christmas this way. I think I needed to know it’s not about the decor but about time spent with family. I miss my mom terribly right now 🙁
I love and agree with all that you said/wrote.
Merry Christmas ?
Aw thank you Nana and thanks for taking the time to read my long winded post.
Dawn it must be in the air as I didn’t bring all my trimmings out either. I did very simple decorating this year. My granddaughter had her first baby girl on December 5th, Shayleigh Rose. So now I have a great grand baby. I love your cabin the way you decorated very simple. I like just lights on your tree so simple and beautiful. Have a very Blessed Christmas a wonderful New Year.
Jonita, What a wonderful Christmas gift for you this year, a Granddaughter! Love her adorable name too. Merry Christmas!
I love the simple elegance of nature! It fits so well into the cabin style. I immediately noticed the bare branch snow globe–it is a beauty. I would love to have one and am now on a mission to see if I can find it! Wishing you a joyous holiday!
Diane, if you find a snow globe like it I want more too so please let me know if you find one. I’ve been looking for several years now for something similar.
Merry Christmas Dawn!
Your Christmas cabin is warm and inviting with all the little trees and I love the snow globe too:).
Missing your mom during this time is hard and I hope Grammy is feeling alot better. Blessings, Kathleen in Az
Kathleen, I had no idea I owned all those little trees until I started decorating. It was like a clown car, they just kept coming out of the tote. LOL. Gram is doing great and she’s ready to hit the streets again and go visiting for Christmas, she is one amazing lady that’s for sure.
Merry Christmas Dawn. Love your décor. I was curious about your snow globe, so I did a search on Amazon for winter snow globes. There was one or two similar to yours, but the one I liked best was one with a bundled up person dragging a tree back home with their dog. It reminded me of your story. 🙂
Rita, so glad you remembered my crazy tree story. If you have a minute and can find it again will you pop back by and leave me the Amazon link?
It all looks so lovely, Dawn! I know this is a really difficult time for so many, but just simplifying things in life is the best attitude to take right now. No one needs the extra stress and we all need to really concentrate more on what this holiday is really about. Merry Christmas!
Susan, I agree the holiday is not about decorating. Merry Christmas to you also 🙂
It’s so beautiful Dawn, love how you have styled your home and I love the black and white that you used!
I know how you are feeling about your mom, every year I decorate for mine she loved to decorate and loved Christmas! Now I’m going thur it again with my only sister Judy she has heart disease, cancer and now pneumonia! I don’t have very much Christmas spirit and I too haven’t bought anything new just used what I had!
Merry Christmas and your boys sound like mine:)
PS I love your white lamps!
Rondell, I’m so sorry to hear about your sister 🙁 I bet you’re feeling awful lonely about now. I’ll be praying for Judy and I hope you’ll still be able to enjoy your Christmas just a little bit. {hugs}
I love your rustic decor this year.
My favorite is the vignette you created on the cabinet below your television.
Thanks Carol it sure made it easier not worrying about making the perfect home this year. I’m enjoying the simpler look.
I love that little table with the hairpin legs!!
Kim, I found that at a local thrift shop for $5. It was stuck in a corner covered with dust, but I spied it and had to have it. I thought it was quite the bargain!
Hi Dawn! I love reading your blog because we, too, live in a log home. There are not many log home blogs out there. Your pictures are always so beautiful and this prompts me to ask you…how do you get such bright pictures? Mine always have such yellow undertones because of the log walls, floors, and ceilings. I’d really like to learn how to get better pictures inside my home. -Debbie
Debbie I know I’d love to find more log home blogs, if you run across any you’ll have point me towards them. I struggle with the yellow photos too. I normally set my camera to over expose the photo, it lets more light into the lens and makes the pic brighter. Then I’ll adjust the white balance in Lightroom if things look to yellow or orange. Having a good camera is part of it.