About Me

I have spent many years designing and creating Christmas Trees and displays. I would like to share with you what I have learned, and you are welcome to share you suggestions and ideas also. I hope you enjoy reading these blogs and hope they have helped you add enjoyment to your decorating endeavors. In an effort to make these posts as informative as possible, as I come across photos and information that would be best used in these posts, you may see them change from time to time. Please be patient, as this is always a work in progress. Thank you:-) Follow me on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holidayknights/

Friday, June 29, 2012

Unique Displays for Christmas

This first display is a display for snow babies. Not everyone wants to put them into a tree. For this type of a display just get an unfished book shelf. Paint it a dark blue. Lay snow across the bottom and place your snow babies where ever you want them. If you want some highter in the back, just place the box they came in under the snow and they are istantly lifted as if you used a riser. Pain tiny snow flakes or hot glue some snow flake ornaments as if they are falling out of the sky and your all set. Really cute display.






This next display is using old tree trunks as risers and tables off the floor to put your collectables on. It looks great with a tree next to it, and an old wooden door with Santa on the other side waiting to be let in. This display was for Dean Griff collectables. Figurines and ornaments both. This has a very out doorsy look. 










 
 





Creating a Special tree just for you!



These next two trees that you will see are unique in their own way. The first tree was made special for a client who came and asked me to decorate her tree. She happened to spot a ribbon we were selling that matched the fabric of her furniture. I thought surely she was mistaken but when I went to her home...sure enough it was a perfect match. She had some ornaments of her own and she bought some additional from the shop. Of course we used the matching ribbon. The colors in her tree are blue, burgundy, gold and a touch of green.

 When you look at the curtains behind the tree, you notice the curtains were a perfect match also. She used a variety of large and small ornaments which gave her tree depth. The tree is a Blue Spruce 8 foot wide tree. This is a one of a kind tree for a wonderful one of a kind lady.


    

This next tree is a special kind of tree also. I have done many trees similar, but none of them ever come out the same. This type of tree is special for each home and person who does their trees this way. The ribbon is double sided. One side has gold lame' and the other side is like christmas scenes with ribbons, bears, and toys. Many items could be purchased from the store and used such as drums, dolls, bears, and assorted other items. What makes each tree different are the assortment of ornament that most keep as keepsakes over the years. This is the perfect kind of tree to hang anything on from pewter ornaments to picture frame ornaments. The tree holds them all...this is what makes each tree unique. I did this tree is my home when my child was young. I took clear glass balls that had an opening in one side. I filled each open ball with a Beanie Baby toy. I hung older not played with toys all over the tree. Tie the tree together with a matching ribbon, and add your favorite ornaments and your all set.


Using the color Blue in Christmas Trees


As I look over the many trees I have decorated, some of the trees that stand out the most are the trees with the color blue in them. Not a pale blue, but a rich dark blue. Blue and gold trees make a statement. BOLD! The color blue is considered a cool color, but if you mix it with gold or burgundy it warms right up.  Here  is a link to more trees with blue.


Egyptian blue 

 Furniture with blue
This tree has a distinctly warm look. I used dark blue ball ornaments as well as dark blue ribbon with gold stitching through it. The Ornaments were all gold and the Santas on the tree were off white with gold trim. This tree will stand out in the evening with just the twinkle of Christmas lights and during the day with the lights off. A dark blue bow adorns the top of this tree.



Although this tree has blue in it, it looks cooler because the complimenting colors are silver and white.The color silver is a cool color so mixing blue and silver together is a great combination when you are looking for a cool look. The outstanding ornaments on this tree are the hand painted balls. The painting is all on the inside of the ball. These are beautiful additions to any tree. An angel was used for the tree topper. There are cool white snow flakes all over the tree helping to give a cool look. 








More Easter

Easter is a special time of year. It's a celebration of Spring. Here is an Easter display featuring a running water fountain. The local greenhouse graciously gave us a water fountain on loan. I put a plaque up so people would know where it came from and they sold out twice! Again, in this picture, note that I laid brick down and used moss and fake dandelions between the bricks. I arranged a variety of Easter trees behind the water fountain. Overhead I pulled apart grapevine wreaths and used more moss hanging down. It had the feel of deep south state. This picture was taken with an instant camera so the quality isn't as good (sorry).

This next picture is of a Christmas tree, but because of the look and coloring, could be used for Easter and Spring. The ornaments are moss houses. There is a lot of silk flowers, pine cones, moss and ribbons in the tree. If you look on the wall left of the tree you will see an 8 foot long flower garland. I made that garland and that's what you see on the tree. The flower garland had so many flowers and berry sprays mixed in it retailed for about $100 per garland. You can use any colors you like. It's held together using floral tape. For the garland on the tree I wove in an extra string of light. This tree was fun, but a lot of work.


Thursday, June 28, 2012

Decorating for Easter: Not to different from Christmas

Well, it isn't Christmas anymore. It's June, and 98 degrees outside. But I'm writing about Easter. Easter is a great holiday to decorate for. In this picture I use two kinds of trees. One is a white Christmas tree and the other is called a twig tree. Make sure to use lights with white cords when decorating for Easter.



I like to use novelty lights in the trees also. When decorating the trees, you can follow the same directions as for the Christmas trees. I use ribbons with more pastel colors. All the easter egg ornaments that are made for outside can be hung on the trees inside. I put Easter baskets right into the tree. If you can't find Easter figurines to put in the tree looks for some plush easter animals that are sold around Easter time and put those in the tree. Under the tree for a skirt just put a soft colored material in pink, yellow, blue or any other pastel color. For any Eastery affect, lay some Easter grass on top and throw some decorated eggs under the tree. I have used paper ribbons in trees for some usual affects. The other thing I like to use if silk flowers and moss. In some of the next photos, you will see where I actually laid brick and used flowers and moss for an outdoor look. Just lay plastic on the floor to keep you carpet from getting ruined.


If you want the trees to be different heights, just use a box with material on top to make them higher. Another way to add height is to use a prop. The next photos shows what I did one year to make an unual display. I used an old fashioned sleigh. I wrapped material around the bottom so the bottom wouldn't show. Then I took old wagon wheels and hooked them on to the sleigh and made it look like a wagon. Place the trees on top and decorate all around the wagon