It's Raining JellyBeans: Better Late than Never or Inspiration for Next Year

Better late than never I am posting a few pictures of my Christmas decorations.

Bookcase

I stuck with the same color scheme I’ve used for a few years because I love it and you just can't go wrong with red and white at Christmas. I always, always throw in a little metallic for sparkle and shine. So, while I love this look something was just off this year.

I love these two Snowmen

It just didn't look as beautiful and luscious as in years past. Why? I'm not really sure, but a few things were off. First, I use Angle Hair to cover the mini-lights on the bookcase and mantle and this year it was a disaster. I've used it for probably 10 years or more in a variety of Christmas themes.

The Mantel

Although it isn't necessary to throw it away after one use, over time it does get mangy. I bought a new bag for this year and I think this was the reason for the mess. It turned out that this new bag was full of short pieces; something I had never seen before. I was impossible to work with because I couldn't pull it out and stretch it to create the airy, ethereal look I was going for. Instead the short pieces pulled apart and some actually fell onto the floor (not good to have spun glass fibers on the floor). The short fibers stuck straight up and didn't do much to cover the mini-lights and strings.

close up of tree

Every year my Christmas tree is my pride and joy. I have collected ornaments since I was literally 3-weeks-old from a variety of people and places. I have carried on that tradition by giving my kids special ornaments each year. This year the tinsel was a nightmare with so much static electricity it stuck to everything but the tree.

It caught on pants as we walked by and boots and shoes as we walked on it. I found it stuck to my furniture and on the carpet upstairs, and even in the sink!
Over the years I have cared for and saved the ornaments by returning them to their original box if possible. If there isn't an appropriately safe box then I protect them by wrapping them in tissue or bubble wrap and carefully packing them in hard cardboard or plastic boxes. I put the ball ornaments in special boxes made to hold them. I’ve never broken an ornament until this year and I more than made up for it. Several broke sometime over the year of storage and I have no idea how since those boxes are really never bothered. I broke two “Normal Rockwell” ornaments I’ve had since high school. I probably broke 10 basic ball ornaments, which itself was sad but what a nightmare worrying about getting every single shard up off the horizontal surfaces involved. I even broke a ball at my mom’s house. I topped this streak off on Sunday by breaking the glass from a huge picture frame on my HEAD as I carried a box to the basement. It hurt like hell and glass went EVERYWHERE. There is nothing worse than worrying about that moment when your child comes to you screaming with a piece of glass sticking out if his/her foot so cleaning just never seems to be enough.

The Mantle: