Christmas Tree 2011

As I sat here listening to the first drops of rain of the evening, which are forecast to turn into the first snow of the season (I'm not counting the freak Halloween storm because I wasn't here for it!), it occurs to me that I'd better share my tree soon or I'll miss my chance entirely! 

 It took me awhile to figure this tree out, and I don't feel I've quite made it all the way yet. No proper topper, you see...

But that sweet little owl holds the place quite nicely!

 I'd just like something to glow a bit behind him... I was going for a sort of enchanted forest, rustic glam sort of thing this year. Which was a new one for me even though I've been lovin' that look for awhile!

I started out with a shot at flocking the tree. (Lightly, since I couldn't find real flocking and only had canned snow!)

Outside, in the full sun, I thought it looked horrible! So paste-y! Not shimmery and enchanting at all, despite a liberal application of glitter. 

But then I got it inside and with the lights on it was a whole different thing! I loved it! Of course I wasn't about to pull everything back off, haul the tree back outside and finish the flocking, so I have a half -flocked tree this year! (I think I might go whole-hog next year, we'll see how hard the clean-up is after removal!)

At first I also thought I wanted a pink and green tree:

But that was looking a little too Arsenic and Old Lace, and not in a good way... or at least not in a way I was feeling. So I pulled off the pink ribbon, added some shimmery burlap trim and DIY pine-cone and twine garland instead.



 A healthy dose of cute little critters to finish:

Adorable stag from JCPenney.

Glimmering mushroom from Crate and Barrel.

Absolutely adorable reindeer from Crate and Barrel. (really hoping to get back and get more of these!)

And voila! A Christmas tree! So far.... : )

Check back to see the mantel in continuous progress as well!