I did a quick house tour a week (or has it been TWO?) ago, with every intention of going back in a little more detail in each room. I showed you the dining room here, and a few random spots in the house here, but I still want to show you my kitchen and living room, and finally my TREE. I love my tree, so I'm saving the best for last.
So, here's the kitchen, and hopefully if you check back later tonight you can get the living room tour. :-)
I like to decorate the island, but there's always so much going on in the kitchen, that it ends up getting in the way. I've learned over the last few years to keep it simple here. So, this is all I have sitting on the island this year, and it can be quickly removed and replaced.
Our kitchen has a wonderfully HUGE eat-in area that will actually fit a bigger table than the one in the dining room. This is great, but I almost had a conniption fit trying to decorate it this year. We use this table everyday for everything, so just like the island, I have to keep it simple or else it gets in the way.
I probably put 20 different things down the middle of this table. Finally, I took it all off except the pine cones and candles. Three weeks in, I'm thinking even the pine cones need to go and we'll just keep the candles and the runner. We have our first round of dinner guests tomorrow, so we'll see what makes it to the finish line.
I couldn't find a runner long enough for the table, so last year I bought a couple of yards of different plaid flannel and made this one. I LOVE it. It's warm and cozy.
Here's a close up of my Santa and snowman collections on the hutch-thingy that sits on the wall behind the table. This is really the best place in the house for any type of holiday display. If I don't decorate anywhere else, I typically put something on these shelves.
Finally, the little kitchen tree. I put handmade and "rustic" ornaments on this tree. When I was a kid, we would make decorated sugar cookies to go on the Christmas tree. I did the same thing a few times with my daughter, but the last few years, we've added some new traditions, so something had to give. We've compromised, and bought the slice and bake cookies for this tree. I kinda like it this way - and it's SOOO MUCH EASIER! :-)
Speaking of cookies... I've got a few more batches to finish! I hope to see you a little later for the final tour of the living room.
