Hoping to see CIJ holiday decor without glitter an... - Page 8

RazorSharp · ‎02-20-2016

@sunshine45 wrote:
the christmas in july edition of THE INSIDER is up online. there are lots of sneak peeks on new items and returning favorites.

It's weird, sometimes I get an email with the Insider, and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I get one in the mail, and sometimes I don't. I've received neither this time!

DiAnne · ‎09-22-2010

I am looking forward to see what is offered. I have been paring down and working toward a red and white theme with fresh greens. Last year I purchased some VPH napkin rings in red and I would like another set of those. I have a boatload of red poinsettias that I have purchased to scatter around the house. I would like to find some more of those. Checked Michaels last year and they were full of glitter so I passed.

Susan Louise · ‎03-14-2010

Hello All,

As for glitter decor, as long as I love the piece it doesn't matter if it has gliiter or not...

As for decor in general, I had to literally stay away from the home/decor forums to help me stop buying! LOL

All of a sudden one day I said to myself...enough is enough! I had been going to other forums....infrequently though...like D&Co, Community Chat once in awhile, etc., and did not even view a thread in the home or holiday forums til this evening.

I have also been very busy with gardening and other chores/projects.

I don't know if the following info that I share will help anyone cut back on their purchasing, but maybe at the very least to help focus on getting just the pieces of decor they actually love. Sounds simple, but it does take some focusing to put into action.

At the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015, I had done a massive amount of purging and gave it to charity. I shared that info on the forums too because I honestly could not see myself buying anymore decor at the time...*blushes*

Well, as most of ya'll know, I was probably one of the biggest purchasers of Fall/Holiday decor last year...going way overboard.

In all the previous years I found myself giving away about 50-75% of what I bought just the year before to charity. It was a double edged sword...glad to help the charities, however I wanted to break the insanity of buying pieces that were 'one and done'...either due to poor quality of the battery life in lighted pieces, the quality over time was not as good as originally thought it was, I really liked the piece/s but didn't 'love' them, or my taste has inevitably changed. An example of that is that I got away from gingerbread/candy cane themes and have completely immersed myself in a mainly wildlife/log cabin/rustic/woodland theme...with various birds, owls, polar bears, arctic foxes, reindeer, etc...

This last year, although I bought ALOT, there was finally a change of sorts. I made sure all the pieces I bought were those that would be actually used for many years because each of them I 'love'...and so does DH.

I know in my heart that this year I have no plans on buying even one piece of decor for these reasons...

If I even think of buying 1 piece of decor, something has to go and I have purged everything except pieces I LOVE...so nothing is going! LOL

Last year I stuck to my guns at least in at least that respect.

I have a couple of wreaths for Fall and a few for the Holidays. I am so satisfied/happy/love them that there are no other wreaths that could 'top' them. As an example, the two wreaths I used last Fall are the two I see myself using every year for several years. One of them is the VPH Welcome Friends wreath I have used for 3-4 yrs in our livingroom and already and see myself using it/not tiring of it for many years to come. Same goes for the Finley Hill Wreath with matching candle rings I got last year at Grandinroad (thanks to a poster here). DH and I are thrilled with it...excellent quality and can't imagine a wreath that would please us more. It will be going back up in our kitchen for many years!

I wish this post wasn't getting so 'winded', but I guess some points are hard to explain unless one has gone through a certain aspect...finding a stopping point. I truely believe I have reached it.

I believe it's when you are satisfied with what you have. It sounds too simple, maybe even cliche', but it's true.

More examples...I am 'satisfied' with all the pedestals I have...all are VPH's...all the MG...either set of 3 or the square set of 2...don't have a need/desire for one more set...

Thrilled with all the bird ornaments from the past 2 yrs, have all the Luminara lanterns and candles I could ever want, an extended family of owls, hurricanes, MG spheres...

Then there are the 2 wonderful VPH cloches...one each of the church and Dickens carolers...

All the B/O trees I got last year...nothing could top them...great sets from Amazon (@Lucymo and I bought) and 2 Dennis Basso MG tree sets!

Finials...IMO...the best ever are VPH's H205277...I got them in all the colors but blue and the red & champagne are fabulous! The batteries lasted a long time...think I only changed them out once or twice the entire holiday season...they are acrylic, so no breakage if they tip over. I got the majority of them at the 'as is' price too...getting 2 sets of each!

After I got all those sets, I got rid of every single one of my other finials because nothing could top them IMO...

Also VPH's mosaic trees with the remote...just awesome and we use them all yr round!

Then there are all the great VPH bottle brush trees (both green & champagne)...

And the fantastic faux jingle bell cedar trees I got at P1...

So, there is not one more tree of any size or shape that could be an improvement from what we already have...

UNLESS it does a jig and throws out dollar bills (timer option isn't a requirement)......we don't need another tree of any size/shape/design

Blah, Blah, Blah...anyway...

My point is, this last round of purging at the beginning of this year, I have saved nothing of our decor that I/we don't love...

No 'maybe'...or I 'might' use decor...absolutely none! That is a first!!!

I even see myself decorating for the holidays with the exact same set up as last year...seriously!

One of my favorite vignettes from last year is the one with the polar bears...

I don't even see myself buying any more dinnerware sets. Last year I bought 2 sets and we have been using them all yr round even though they are only meant for Fall or Winter.

The Asheville set from P1 and the Alpine Toile from Pottery Barn...both are TDF!!! We even have been using the mugs from both sets constantly too...

Again, I'm just finally satisfied with everything. I don't even have a pressing need yearning or desire to stroll through Hobby Lobby or Home Goods.

Hopefully my sharing will help some folks have a different view of the decor they currently have, or on how they will be making future purchases... cut back/be very choosy...if any at all.

I will be watching VPH shows and enjoy reading all of what everyone here gets to add to their home

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

@Susan Louise

I completely understand where you have arrived in your process of holiday/home decor.

I'm there with you.

This last season, I had a really hard time finding anything at HL that I could even consider buying, while the year before, I bought cart loads.

I'm anticipating having that same reaction to Q this year.

I have purged some of my Christmas, but not nearly enough, because so much of what I had before my big buying binge a couple of years ago, is very long time (some generations), sentimental stuff, and I struggle with parting with it. So it is packed in a closet, and will remain there until the time is right to deal with it (and that may not be until my son gets his own place and can take what he wants for his home.

Meanwhile, the vignettes and displays I created with a mix of old and new over the last two years was packed up differently after the last season.

I have a number of storage ottomans and antique trunks that are located in the rooms that I decorate (mostly family room, living room, and dining/kitchen area). I stored virtually all the decor from each room IN that room, in those storage areas.

This year, as I go to decorate, there should be minimal stair climbing and carrying. I will simply open up the trunk/ottoman, remove the items, clear the tables and surfaces and place the 'regular' decor into them, then put the Christmas decor up right there in the room in which it was stored.

I spent a lot of time during last year's tear down to accomplish this, and I'm hoping it goes as simply as I intend it to. Then, the pack away after the holiday should be just as easy.

I'm sure I may have to tweak things here and there, and I'm wondering if over the course of several years or more, I will still be happy with the choices I've made for each grouping. If not, my older things are still here, and I can revamp what I feel I need/want to.

I haven't sworn off the buying quite yet, but based on last year and my lack of excitement with buying other places, I think this will be the year that I find Q to be less desirable.

Still excited to watch, and participate here, but expecting to be less than thrilled with the offerings, simply because I, too, am really happy with the things I've created the last couple of years. And I do have to say, the outgo of money for things that one is already totally overwhelmed with, is beginning to get to my more practical side.

lucymo · ‎12-13-2010

@Susan Louise wrote:
Hello All,

As for glitter decor, as long as I love the piece it doesn't matter if it has gliiter or not...

As for decor in general, I had to literally stay away from the home/decor forums to help me stop buying! LOL
All of a sudden one day I said to myself...enough is enough! I had been going to other forums....infrequently though...like D&Co, Community Chat once in awhile, etc., and did not even view a thread in the home or holiday forums til this evening.
I have also been very busy with gardening and other chores/projects.

I don't know if the following info that I share will help anyone cut back on their purchasing, but maybe at the very least to help focus on getting just the pieces of decor they actually love. Sounds simple, but it does take some focusing to put into action.

At the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015, I had done a massive amount of purging and gave it to charity. I shared that info on the forums too because I honestly could not see myself buying anymore decor at the time...*blushes*

Well, as most of ya'll know, I was probably one of the biggest purchasers of Fall/Holiday decor last year...going way overboard.

In all the previous years I found myself giving away about 50-75% of what I bought just the year before to charity. It was a double edged sword...glad to help the charities, however I wanted to break the insanity of buying pieces that were 'one and done'...either due to poor quality of the battery life in lighted pieces, the quality over time was not as good as originally thought it was, I really liked the piece/s but didn't 'love' them, or my taste has inevitably changed. An example of that is that I got away from gingerbread/candy cane themes and have completely immersed myself in a mainly wildlife/log cabin/rustic/woodland theme...with various birds, owls, polar bears, arctic foxes, reindeer, etc...

This last year, although I bought ALOT, there was finally a change of sorts. I made sure all the pieces I bought were those that would be actually used for many years because each of them I 'love'...and so does DH.

I know in my heart that this year I have no plans on buying even one piece of decor for these reasons...

If I even think of buying 1 piece of decor, something has to go and I have purged everything except pieces I LOVE...so nothing is going! LOL
Last year I stuck to my guns at least in at least that respect.

I have a couple of wreaths for Fall and a few for the Holidays. I am so satisfied/happy/love them that there are no other wreaths that could 'top' them. As an example, the two wreaths I used last Fall are the two I see myself using every year for several years. One of them is the VPH Welcome Friends wreath I have used for 3-4 yrs in our livingroom and already and see myself using it/not tiring of it for many years to come. Same goes for the Finley Hill Wreath with matching candle rings I got last year at Grandinroad (thanks to a poster here). DH and I are thrilled with it...excellent quality and can't imagine a wreath that would please us more. It will be going back up in our kitchen for many years!

I wish this post wasn't getting so 'winded', but I guess some points are hard to explain unless one has gone through a certain aspect...finding a stopping point. I truely believe I have reached it.

I believe it's when you are satisfied with what you have. It sounds too simple, maybe even cliche', but it's true.

More examples...I am 'satisfied' with all the pedestals I have...all are VPH's...all the MG...either set of 3 or the square set of 2...don't have a need/desire for one more set...
Thrilled with all the bird ornaments from the past 2 yrs, have all the Luminara lanterns and candles I could ever want, an extended family of owls, hurricanes, MG spheres...
Then there are the 2 wonderful VPH cloches...one each of the church and Dickens carolers...
All the B/O trees I got last year...nothing could top them...great sets from Amazon (@Lucymo and I bought) and 2 Dennis Basso MG tree sets!

Finials...IMO...the best ever are VPH's H205277...I got them in all the colors but blue and the red & champagne are fabulous! The batteries lasted a long time...think I only changed them out once or twice the entire holiday season...they are acrylic, so no breakage if they tip over. I got the majority of them at the 'as is' price too...getting 2 sets of each!

After I got all those sets, I got rid of every single one of my other finials because nothing could top them IMO...

Also VPH's mosaic trees with the remote...just awesome and we use them all yr round!

Then there are all the great VPH bottle brush trees (both green & champagne)...

And the fantastic faux jingle bell cedar trees I got at P1...

So, there is not one more tree of any size or shape that could be an improvement from what we already have...

UNLESS it does a jig and throws out dollar bills (timer option isn't a requirement)......we don't need another tree of any size/shape/design

Blah, Blah, Blah...anyway...
My point is, this last round of purging at the beginning of this year, I have saved nothing of our decor that I/we don't love...
No 'maybe'...or I 'might' use decor...absolutely none! That is a first!!!

I even see myself decorating for the holidays with the exact same set up as last year...seriously!
One of my favorite vignettes from last year is the one with the polar bears...

I don't even see myself buying any more dinnerware sets. Last year I bought 2 sets and we have been using them all yr round even though they are only meant for Fall or Winter.
The Asheville set from P1 and the Alpine Toile from Pottery Barn...both are TDF!!! We even have been using the mugs from both sets constantly too...

Again, I'm just finally satisfied with everything. I don't even have a pressing need yearning or desire to stroll through Hobby Lobby or Home Goods.
Hopefully my sharing will help some folks have a different view of the decor they currently have, or on how they will be making future purchases... cut back/be very choosy...if any at all.

I will be watching VPH shows and enjoy reading all of what everyone here gets to add to their home

@Susan Louise I think I've got more compliments on the Polar Bears than anything else. They just set off a winter scene even after the holidays are over. I do love the trees we got at Amazon and Dennis Basso too. I see the DB trees are still available in several colors but I don't need anymore trees.
I enjoyed reading your pep talk about stopping buying more decor than we need. Most of us need to go by the 'in with the new, out with the old' slogan. I'm leaning toward greens, candles, lanterns along with some more elegant pieces that I have for this year's decorations. I just want to watch and enjoy without ordering a lot of pieces and then trying to decide what to do with them when decorating time comes. I also donated all of Gingerbread collection and most of the glittered smaller decor pieces that I had.

Good to see you back here as it does seem like a lot of regulars haven't been around for quite some time.

Susan Louise · ‎03-14-2010

@lucymo Hi Lucymo

I hope I didn't come across as raining on anyone's parade. I still LOVE decorating and seeing new decor and decorating ideas. I am also looking forward to other posters sharing their decorating again this year...hoping more folks will be able to share!

The polar bears are really nice...and much better than I expected when I saw them in person. However, I admit, it wasn't 'love at 1st sight'...hehehe. I remember my initial thoughts about the polar bears when I 1st saw them during Jill's preview presentations. I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to have decor that reminded me of the winter Coke commercials. Then when Jill had a full presentation, my mind changed right waay and I could see how well it would fit into/with the snowy owls and arctic foxes we already had...LOL

I agree with you about having more elegant pieces. It's still a shame that LR won't be around for anymore of her shows. I wonder if maybe Alberti might fill in a needed gap for that type of decor. I know VPH had taken over some of LR pieces...like the MG birds and some of the picks.

I still miss Linda Dano too...sigh.

I am so glad you are still here...you truly feel like a friend to me and are so fun to chat/post with...*Hugs*

lucymo · ‎12-13-2010

@Susan Louise wrote:

@lucymo Hi Lucymo
I hope I didn't come across as raining on anyone's parade. I still LOVE decorating and seeing new decor and decorating ideas. I am also looking forward to other posters sharing their decorating again this year...hoping more folks will be able to share!

The polar bears are really nice...and much better than I expected when I saw them in person. However, I admit, it wasn't 'love at 1st sight'...hehehe. I remember my initial thoughts about the polar bears when I 1st saw them during Jill's preview presentations. I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to have decor that reminded me of the winter Coke commercials. Then when Jill had a full presentation, my mind changed right waay and I could see how well it would fit into/with the snowy owls and arctic foxes we already had...LOL

I agree with you about having more elegant pieces. It's still a shame that LR won't be around for anymore of her shows. I wonder if maybe Alberti might fill in a needed gap for that type of decor. I know VPH had taken over some of LR pieces...like the MG birds and some of the picks.
I still miss Linda Dano too...sigh.

I am so glad you are still here...you truly feel like a friend to me and are so fun to chat/post with...*Hugs*

@Susan Louise Nope, you didn't rain on anyone's parade, just speaking the truth. lol

A lot of people have asked, actually begged, that Alberti do some Christmas decor shows. We will see if the Q listened to us.

Thank you and I have really missed you, sent out a page to you one time but I guess you were not checking the home forum at that time. We have had some fun times on here and exchanged lots of tips and information between MO and NE. I'm so glad you're back here again.

We sure had fun when we all visited you last year. I also wonder where @rosehill is and how she's doing. She may be working on a new larger broom for the annual trip. I think there will be a much larger group this year. I do hope @Mominohio can stay awake this year. She may need to be picked up first.

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

@lucymo wrote:
@Susan Louise wrote:

@lucymo Hi Lucymo
I hope I didn't come across as raining on anyone's parade. I still LOVE decorating and seeing new decor and decorating ideas. I am also looking forward to other posters sharing their decorating again this year...hoping more folks will be able to share!

The polar bears are really nice...and much better than I expected when I saw them in person. However, I admit, it wasn't 'love at 1st sight'...hehehe. I remember my initial thoughts about the polar bears when I 1st saw them during Jill's preview presentations. I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to have decor that reminded me of the winter Coke commercials. Then when Jill had a full presentation, my mind changed right waay and I could see how well it would fit into/with the snowy owls and arctic foxes we already had...LOL

I agree with you about having more elegant pieces. It's still a shame that LR won't be around for anymore of her shows. I wonder if maybe Alberti might fill in a needed gap for that type of decor. I know VPH had taken over some of LR pieces...like the MG birds and some of the picks.
I still miss Linda Dano too...sigh.

I am so glad you are still here...you truly feel like a friend to me and are so fun to chat/post with...*Hugs*
@Susan Louise Nope, you didn't rain on anyone's parade, just speaking the truth. lol
A lot of people have asked, actually begged, that Alberti do some Christmas decor shows. We will see if the Q listened to us.

Thank you and I have really missed you, sent out a page to you one time but I guess you were not checking the home forum at that time. We have had some fun times on here and exchanged lots of tips and information between MO and NE. I'm so glad you're back here again.

We sure had fun when we all visited you last year. I also wonder where @rosehill is and how she's doing. She may be working on a new larger broom for the annual trip. I think there will be a much larger group this year. I do hope @Mominohio can stay awake this year. She may need to be picked up first.

Got some bad news @lucymo, even if I get picked up first, I tend to fall asleep in the car by the time someone has backed out of the driveway! I don't expect to do much better on a broom. Except maybe the fresh air will keep me awake.

Don't care where I'm at in the line up, just don't forget to put me on the list to stop by and get picked up! I'm not missing the fun this year!

lucymo · ‎12-13-2010

@Mominohio You'd better just come on down to my house ahead of time so I can make sure you'll be traveling with us.

You can tell it's almost CIJ as we're all wound up and ready to have fun. It's like a get together for long time friends since we all gather here and have so much fun together.

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

@lucymo wrote:
@Mominohio You'd better just come on down to my house ahead of time so I can make sure you'll be traveling with us.

You can tell it's almost CIJ as we're all wound up and ready to have fun. It's like a get together for long time friends since we all gather here and have so much fun together.

@lucymo

I'm gassing up the car right now and throwing together a suitcase. I text you when I hit the road! LOL