Busy, busy, busy . . .

Too busy to decorate it seems, but it's not Christmas for me until I decorate my banister. I am fortunate to live in an historic home, which I think is wonderful. I, especially love my staircase--I love it even more when it's pimped for the holidays!

As will almost any decorating project, I approach this in layers (Christopher Lowell just had the good sense to get published first!).

Here are the pictures to tell the story.

Okay--I thought to take pictures after I had started.

Here I'm adding the pine garland--very inexpensive garland, but I have two layers of it--at least as far as one can see from the entry.

Then I add about 300 lights.

Here I've added the gilded grapevine garland. Next year--or I may even add it this year--I'm adding real grapevine, as well.

Then I add the ribbon.

Last year, I tried using and inexpensive, wireless ribbon, but this year I splurged on the french-wired, sheer ribbon you see here. The other ribbon shredded as I took it off--thus costing more in the end.

Next are the pine cones. They are tied together with raffia--so they dangle at each end. Sometimes I tie two together--sometimes, three. Then I drape them over the banister. (Probably the easiest part of dismantling it, too!) I bunch several of them around the newel post.

Then I add about 20 - 25 picks of a red berry.

And a bow.

One of these days, I'll add dried hydrangea and other garden accents, but that will have to wait until there are fewer little hands and less traffic up-and-down the staircase--believe me . . .I'm in no hurry. I can't imagine the day when we don't have those bare feet "tip-toeing" down the stairs Christmas morning.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Thanks so much for reading.

~Paige