BRANCHING OUT

Well, I've been a little nutty preparing for the holidays, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that overwhelming sense of, "where the heck has this year gone and what the hell am I gonna do for the holidays??" feeling. So, my apologies for not amusing you with my daily design blah (well, my fervent hope, of course, is that I amuse or educate you in some way). So, here we are. Two weeks away from Thanksgiving, the middle of my favorite time of year and I'm feeling as disorganized as George Bush in the Oval office! As you've read in past posts, I've been collecting little tricks and treats for the last several months...something I love to do long before the holiday season, so I save money and, most importantly, get it off my list when it comes to crunch time. Napkins and tablecloths were purchased months ago at Bed Bath & Beyond (don't fret if you haven't done it yet..there are still great deals to be found). In recent weeks I've collected lovely plates and accessories at discount chains like Marshalls and TJ Maxx (I'm actually a little TJ Maxx'd out, to be honest), I found great stocking stuffers AND stockings at places like Lands End and Plow & Hearth (log on and click on "sale" to find fun treats like slippers, winter caps, etc. at discounted rates) I've even bought a few pre-lit Christmas trees on walmart.com with their new site-to-store feature where, for no charge, the item (only available online) is sent directly to a store where you can pick it up typically in 2-3 days. So now that I've got all of those details out of the way, it's time to focus on the fun stuff. How will I make that tablecloth and new vases from the Crate and Barrel outlet shine on my dining room table? Where will I put the trees and what decorations will I use? One gem I found this season were pre-lit twig snowflakes and stars at www.potterybarn.com. Unfortunately, the snowflakes have been sold out online for weeks, but here's a little secret; Come up with the same look, yet less commercial, by using items found in your own backyard. While I picked up half a dozen snowflakes (to hang at different levels over my table, in windows, etc.)the world outside is a retail heaven waiting to be discovered. Take, for example, fallen branches from the maple tree in our front yard; grab a string of Christmas lights (I prefer white) and weave away! I use fishing wire to hang the branch in a corner in our living room, over a vanity in a small bath or anywhere that needs a little holiday spruce-up. The great thing about these designs is you can put them up now and leave them up all season because, just like the holiday tree, they're evergreen!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Fifteen minutes
COST: String of white lights at any store: $1.99-$7.99
STRESS LEVEL: Fa La La la La, La Low budget: LOW