ANTIQUE DECORATIVE PLATE

Country Living Merry & Bright: 301 Festive Ideas for Celebrating Christmas

Turn every nook and cranny of the house into a sparkling holiday wonderland! Country Living has created a delightful volume filled with hundreds of ideas for creating Christmas beauty everywhere—and it begins with the moment the first boxes of cherished ornaments come out. Every page is breathtaking, with unique color schemes that vary from the traditional red and green; fabulous tree-toppers; and exceptional ornaments, from paper dolls to leather baby shoes. Wreaths and garlands bedeck bed frames, doorknobs, and even hang from chandeliers. There are mantelpiece and tabletop displays with a contingent of Santa figurines, dazzling table and buffet settings, recipes such as chocolate snowflakes, and even some simple crafts—including a silvery cone of jingle bells embellished with a beautifully tied bow.

This was taken with my old back-up camera tonight in Prescott, Arizona. The courthouse in the town center square is completely decorated for Christmas. This scene is from the gazebo on the lawn. For this year, someone had the idea to put panels up around it and decorate the interior as a snow globe. The lights twinkle, flickering, so the illusion is very good. My camera did not capture all the other images tonight, so this is all I've got but the experience was delightful. Hopefully I can come back here in a week or so with my better cameras and try it again. I was amazed that this old Point and Shoot camera with only 1.3 mpx and no "night mode" could capture this much color and detail. Fun time and @guyscoop, I cultivated my garden tonight...

It couldn't be a worse day for taking pictures, but you get the idea. I'll take another pic after I've done my seasonal decorating (time to lose the gourds, I think). Yes I know it only goes to 23. I'll tack the last one on tomorrow.

Why buy ordinary decorations, gift wraps and cards when you can handmake something truly special and personal at a fraction of the cost? Have a wonderfully magical Christmas creating more than 60 unique items that are as fun to produce as they are beautiful to look at. Grouped by completion time, all the projects take only a minimum of effort and equipment and many of the materials come from nature: leaves, fir cones, shells, and seed heads for festive trimming. One-hour wonders include sensationally simple tree decorations, glamorous giftbags, and vibrant stamped and painted gift wrap. Try decorated abalone shells and beaded velvet frames and boxes for a two-hour transformation, and feel that "three-hour thrill" crafting old-fashioned Christmas stockings and candlepots. And, don't forget morning makeovers, evening escapades, same-day sensations, and a host of ingenious ideas that will delight everyone who sees them!

Everybody's extra busy at Christmas time, and no matter how determined we may be to craft and decorate for the holidays, we can't always afford to set aside big blocks of time to do it. This gorgeous volume relieves the pressure by grouping its many lovely projects into time segments. For instance, you can dash off some pretty ornaments, wrapping, or last-minute gifts in only an hour, or whip up some greeting cards or gift boxes in two hours. Three hours at the craft table can yield great-looking stockings and packaging. With a morning or evening to spare, you can create a lush mantel garland, tiny silk velvet purses and sachets, rosebud and pinecone topiaries, or painted glassware. And if you're lucky enough to have a whole day, try bejeweled-velvet or embossed-metal tree baubles and painted or silk-covered hatboxes. A final chapter showcases ideas for eye-catching tablescapes. The directions are thorough and the photographs excellent. Since the book is British, however, American readers may occasionally have to substitute some materials and they will not be helped by the UK-only suppliers directory. But nearly all materials should be readily available, and this minor drawback shouldn't stop anyone from enjoying these wonderful projects. And, being British, the book includes several Christmas "crackers," those delightful little pop-open tubes filled with little surprises. --Amy Handy