Post-Christmas Decorating Wrap Up
My plan was to keep going with the Christmas decorating… To not rest until you all were weeping in a corner because my house was so much more Christmas-y than yours.
But I ran out of care.
So you are getting the photos I uploaded but did not use, jumbled into me answering random questions and telling you I love you.
Overall, I think I did a pretty good job with the blog-required Christmas extravaganza. (I base this on the possibility that if you do not celebrate Christmas, you may have been converted by the sheer volume of my holiday decor.)
But there are still things I did not show you. And stuff I started, and did not finish… Maybe I will pick it back up next year, or maybe I will just light it on fire.
Some of the topics I did not get around to are:
- A side-by-side comparison of new glass glitter to somewhat-tarnished glass glitter. (I hope you can survive until next Christmas without knowing this important information.)
- How the sled turned out… Initially, I just threw some mercury glass ornaments in it until inspiration struck. (typing the phrase “inspiration struck,” in relation to a repurposed-sled-as-tabletop-vignette and involving mercury glass ornaments must be the MOST blogger-thing I have ever written. Part of me is ashamed, and wants to delete it, but I also feel that I should be forced to reflect.)
- Christmas tree hair, which I did not see until it was too late, but will definitely be happening next year.
- My mini-tree stand collection. (Technically, that is not actually a tree stand. It was probably the base to a coat rack or something.)
Also, I started making a mini-tree skirt out of the leftover duck cloth from the bow debacle. (Because what Pinterest REALLY needs is another tutorial for a tree skirt.)
But then I abandoned it in one of my piles and Elvis started sleeping on it… So it looks like what I really made was a holiday cat bed.
Plus, it was so ruffle-y that I just wanted to WEAR it… So for sure, next year Pinterest will be astounded by my 3-in-1 tutorial for a tree skirt/cat bed/holiday apron.
Now, questions:
The decorative (?) hole-in-the-wall/door-to-the-cat-powder-room (6th photo) is courtesy of the previous owner. It goes into the basement stairwell and is one of his many “creative” projects that did not in any way address any of the house’s actual issues and might be considered a bad idea. Similar to the marble dog bath in the basement.
Paul wanted to get rid of it… And I agreed that would be the “right” decision. However, as discussed, I love anything that is “special” for Elvis. Even if it is stupid.
I meant to decorate it with a tiny evergreen swag over the top and the battery-powered lights from the Halloween chandelier… I did not get around to it, but it is on the list for next year.
The source for the tufted ottoman and paint colors are here.
Now is the part where I tell you I love you:
I love you.
I hope your holidays were warm and full of family. And if the holidays were hard for you, I hope you survived with some shred of sanity.
I wish you the very best close to this year. Unless like me, you hate New Year’s.
I hate all endings anyway and I particularly hate that we celebrate the year being over.
I was not finished with this year.
I understand that theoretically it is important for society’s infrastructure to categorize time as a measurable quantity… But whoever invented the concept of years was an overachieving lunatic. Who can get anything done in 365 days? Not me.
I am still working on 2009.
The only redemption for New Year’s Eve is the requirement for wearing glitter/sparkle/clothing of questionable taste.
This year I will be exceeding my usual quota of obnoxiousness by testing out this glitter-stick-on-tattoo lipstick… The instructions say to not eat or drink anything while you are wearing it, so I will report back on how the intravenous-champagne goes. (This is why my blog is so much more important than other people’s blogs – who else is doing this kind of hard-hitting research?)
Of course, it is also possible that I will bail at the last minute. The odds of me actually leaving the house are about 50-50. Because:
A – I hate New Year’s.
B – why take a shower and leave your house if you do not HAVE to?
C – why would I spend New Year’s Eve without Elvis?
December 30, 2013 @ 9:55 am
Honestly if I looked that good in a Christmas tree skirt/ cat bed/ holiday apron, I’d wear it non-stop! Actually our Christmas tree skirt is made of left-over fabric from my plaid taffeta wedding skirt … which fit 10 lb ago. I can’t wait till next year when you start blogging about Christmas decorations in August (why wait until after Halloween?). You could combine them … “Hallomas” or “Christween” or “HallowChrismasween” .. .stop me please!
December 30, 2013 @ 10:35 am
I figured it went without saying that I’d be wearing the cat skirt AT ALL TIMES.
PS- you cannot reference a plaid taffeta wedding skirt and not provide more info…what year/season?
December 30, 2013 @ 4:20 pm
Wedding took place 29 years ago December 1. Which I figured allowed me to lean the theme towards Christmas. We rented a building from the Parks Dept and hid the coke machines behind evergreen trees. I wore the above mentioned plaid taffeta long skirt with a lace blouse and a cast on my left arm. Yup, nothing like a honeymoon in Maui with a cast on your arm….
December 31, 2013 @ 10:02 am
love this.
My parents were married on New Year’s Day… I do not know why my father did not save his red, ruffled 70s tuxedo-shirt for me.
December 30, 2013 @ 10:00 am
“I ran out of care.” Another of your brilliant explanations, worded perfectly. First, enthusiasm, unbounded energy to work on my fantastic idea, then flagging energy, leading finally to running out of care. Repeat process over and over….and over. Some of us never learn. The train is coming but we get on the tracks anyway. You have earned a break.
December 30, 2013 @ 10:36 am
I tie myself to the tracks… it’s more exciting that way.
xoxo
December 30, 2013 @ 3:31 pm
‘I ran out of care’ MUST be shared with the world — I’ll buy the first t-shirt to wear to my ‘old people’s’ exercise class — perfect!!!!
esp. if it’s made kinda like the Christmas tree skirt/cat-bed/apron — get busy — we demand it!
January 19, 2014 @ 12:45 pm
Or that time there was a giant ornate mirror on the tracks FOR FREE, but you had to move it yourself…
December 30, 2013 @ 10:55 am
I agree. “I ran out of care” is brilliant. Victoria, we should put this on T-shirts. Bumper stickers. BILLBOARDS! 🙂 I really do love it.
December 30, 2013 @ 11:15 am
Good idea. Victoria could patent that sentence, license us, and we could sell the shirts for her.
I not only love VE, I love her fans. Clever people. You are all part of my tribe.
December 30, 2013 @ 10:03 am
You are just too too GORGOUS!
December 30, 2013 @ 10:37 am
you are my favorite.
December 30, 2013 @ 10:04 am
As always, loved reading your blog. Enjoy New Years however you decide to spend it!
December 30, 2013 @ 10:38 am
xoxo happy new year!!
December 30, 2013 @ 10:12 am
Speaking of the sparkle department, today I bought a can of spray sparkle, silver of course, for sparkling up your clothes. My black winter coat got the first hit and it is fab. H & M, I am going back to your store to stock up for the year.
December 30, 2013 @ 10:27 am
RUNNING to google.
December 30, 2013 @ 11:12 am
Need more info on that product. Definitely. This is just the way I get into trouble. What is H an M?
December 30, 2013 @ 10:20 am
As usual you have condensed all that is right and Wrong with “the way things are done” into an amusing, amazing, succinct blogsplanation? All your good wishes for” we your loyal subjects” right back atcha covered in sparkles.
December 30, 2013 @ 10:24 am
I just put a leg lamp in my bay window and called it a day. You DEFINITELY won Christmas. I’m spending NYE in my pajamas. That’s not to say I won’t go out. I will just be wearing pajamas if I do.
December 30, 2013 @ 10:53 am
We are pajama wearers for New Year’s. I had not noticed the decorative hole in the wall before. What a unique aspect to that room. 🙂
December 30, 2013 @ 10:56 am
Unfortunately, I often run out of care before I ever begin the project but not soon enough to keep me from pulling the paypally trigger. 😉
December 30, 2013 @ 10:58 am
“I am still working on 2009”
Amen sista, amen.
December 30, 2013 @ 11:00 am
Victoria, I love you too! I not only appreciate, but respect your sense of humor and sarcasm! I wish I lived by you so we could drink lattes, use glue guns and dream about how we could dress our pets as D List celeberties…wish I could stay home for NYE too!
December 30, 2013 @ 11:03 am
I love you too! And please keep up the grueling schedule of hard-hitting research. In the name of science of course. 2009? Pfft. I’m still working on 2005. And your blog is THE BEST BLOG IN THE UNIVERSE. True story.
December 30, 2013 @ 11:06 am
Oh Victoria. Your blog was my most fun discovery of 2013. Can’t wait to see where 2014 takes you, Paul, Elvis and the house.
December 30, 2013 @ 11:18 am
“I’m still working on 2009.”
You all made it to 2000??? Great, I’m still partying like it was 1999!
We were bad and didnt put up a tree this year, but the house was decorated with lights…lots of lights……I do mean LOTS of lights.
Happy New Year.
Alice in Virginia
December 30, 2013 @ 11:50 am
I absolutely love, love, love (did I say LOVE) your blog. Reminds me so much of me . . things I start and don’t finish, but go onto something else. I have all these creations in my head; but no time to finish them. I have started keeping a diary of what I want to make when I have the extra time.. I did, however, finish up my brass and glass prism kid’s tree (with all the ornaments my three babies made during their school years) that I started last year. . . It can’t be almost 2014 yet- I am not finished with my Christmas decorating for 2013. I found decorations I forgot I had . . I have enough to decorate ten houses (or more) and I keep buying and buying and buying. . . . and bought more yesterday at the antique store. Hubby just shakes his head at me and goes on . . .
December 30, 2013 @ 11:51 am
Oh, and your snowflakes are just FABULOUS! Those are on my list to do next year as well!
Happy New Year !!!
December 30, 2013 @ 12:34 pm
“I was not finished with this year” has to be the ultimate VEB statement ever, and I would pay real money for an imprinted high quality turtle neck tee to wear every single NYE. I would need it to be high quality and turtle necked because I live in NE Scotland and it’s always cold here on NYE.
December 30, 2013 @ 1:23 pm
Dear Victoria, My remarks will not be as humorous as those made by all of your loyal and
humbled servants. However, I want you to know that I love you too
much to allow you to
keep working yourself into a lunatic frenzie. Please understand I am contacting your mom so I can use my worthless degree in Clinical Psychology to educate her on the multiple ways she is enabling you. Yes, she loves you, too. I would contact Paul, and provide him with similiar information, but he will just laugh at me, and excuse himself to make a snack he doesn’t actually need. Food? How could he turn his back when our QUEEN WITH UNLIMITED TALENTS needed his help? Lastly, your truly loving brothers will be lectured on how their distressing remarks have have had a such a negative impact on you that you have lost your mind-not the correct wording – you have lost sleep and many precious hours relaying to us how you are haunted by events that are many decades away. Sweet V.E.B, I will stand guard at the entrance of your hospital room and threaten to take away their walkers if they do anything less than honor you. Be comforted by the knowledge that they will get down on their knees to beg for your forgiveness for all of the un-warrented distress they have caused you.
Dear Queen, please stay home on NYE, and rest. You gave your all to prove to the world and everyone who follows you to Pinterest.
Thanks so much for all you do to make my world a happier place.
I would be interested in hearing the reactions from your family when they got the full reveal of your beautiful Christmas decor. I’m sure they were in awe of how a single person was able to transform objects and create the beautful, warm and magical Christmas home in the entire universe.
December 30, 2013 @ 1:46 pm
Humor is not everything. Actually, this was humorous, but also wise, and supportive. Again I say…..love V’s followers. And we likely all need the services of a Clinical Psychologist. I would be afraid to have my head examined. Very afraid. Too much crazy in there. If you took that out, I’m not sure what would be left to fill the space.
December 30, 2013 @ 1:55 pm
“I ‘m not sure what would be left.”
I know, I know………glass glitter!
Alice in Virginia
December 30, 2013 @ 2:49 pm
Exactly. And plenty of ideas for next doomed project.
December 31, 2013 @ 10:27 am
“I will stand guard at the entrance of your hospital room and threaten to take away their walkers…”
I actually startled Elvis by hooting out loud.
xoxo
December 30, 2013 @ 1:25 pm
So glad I found your blog in 2013, I have found several that I like. Yours I LOVE. I have read lots of your post to my husband to prove to him there ARE other people like me out there. Now I don’t feel so alone.
December 30, 2013 @ 1:31 pm
Christmas is already coming down at my house. When it has been up since Thanksgiving, the day after Christmas is not soon enough! My idea of NYE is a football game, liquor, and planing my flowers, garden, and what I am going to change in my house next!