right in front of my very own nose...

It takes a lot of stuff to fill a themed tree and unless you have a lot of time to find and collect things or you want to spend a lot of money by buying everything at one time, it takes some creative vision to find some good fillers.  I thought I'd share a few things on my trees that were right in front of my very own nose.

I love little white leather baby shoes and how perfect are they for a white tree?  Simply stuff the insides with some white tissue to give them form, tie the laces in a little bow and hang.

For the silver part of the tree, I went to my vintage silverware collection.  I attached white silk leaves and a vintage white velvet flower to this antique silver soup spoon with a bit of wire.  If you have any silver demitasse spoons that you don't know what to do with and want to use as ornaments, consider drilling a small hole in the handle (a Dremel tool works great for this), insert some wire and hang.

Another vintage find that makes a great ornament is a chandelier crystal.  Over the past couple of years, I've gathered quite a collection and they are now carefully placed so that they can catch some light and throw off their fabulous prisms.

Large dollar store jingle bells are great fillers...just add a bit of string, ribbon or wire and hang...how easy can it get?

Several years ago, I purchased a small box of unfinished wooden ornaments-bird houses, stars, little buckets, birds and hearts.  I gessoed them (of course), then added some glitter or flaked mica (faux snow)...simple and very inexpensive.

Lastly, I searched through Michaels' bridal department for garland...silver and white is easy to find there!  I found some with little crystal drops, another with little pearl flowers and beads and others with crystal beads...a fun and inexpensive way to finish the look.

Do you have a theme going this year?  Has it caused you to start looking around your house for those creative elements that will totally make your tree?  I'd love to hear about what you put on your trees, whether it's a themed tree or not!  It's all about the creativity, right?

Comments

[Jill]

Carol, this is spectacular! Love the little shoe!!!! Your new banner is so pretty! Thanks for playing along! Can't wait to hear about everyone's traditions!

[Sara]

Your trees are lovely. I do like looking elsewhere for decorations. I alternate my "themed" trees because I live in an apartment and can only decorate one tree at a time. One year it will be moons and stars with gold and silver fill in's and the next year it's an all red theme. I usually try to purchase one new ornament a year for whatever tree I am decorating(this year it is the moon and star tree). My daughter and I take a day off our jobs to go shopping and that's when I look for my new ornament for the year. I really enjoy your blog. I've lurked for a long time. Happy Holidays!

[Carole]

Your trees are beautiful! Usually our tree is decorated with a variety of ornaments that we've accumulated over the years, but I do have a smaller tree (I think it's the same shape as your trio of trees). One year I decorated it with some of my husband's fishing lures, and used a fishing camp novelty fabric that I had as a tree skirt. Last year I decorated it with small white candles in clip-on holders, and white ornaments shaped like pine cones. I haven't started decorating this year - thanks for the inspiration!

[karen]

What a lovely tree. Although I truly love themes, our tree is the same each year. My tree is decorated each year with ornaments that have been passed down to me by my mother and those we have collected over the years with our children. The tree is covered in ornaments reflecting nostalgia, the years we lived in Hong Kong and in Canada, and the celebration of when the girls were small.
Blessings, Karen

[Jeanette]

I love seeing your white santas and see one peeking in your banner. It's all very festive!

[Dana Florence]

Carol your trees are beautiful and I love anything vintage so they are right up my alley! My tree is overflowing and I'm thinking next year we may need a second tree to decorate. Maybe then I'll adopt the theme idea. Aunt Darlene has a tradition of bringing the kids (and sometimes me, when I've been good!) ornaments. Last year, because Mackenzie is a swimmer, Darlene brought her beautiful hand blown fish ornaments. Steven is really into animals so he received a black lab ornament with a bobbing head that looks exactly like our dog, Kelsey.

[suzi finer]

arbitor of good taste: carol wingert.

[Lori Hedges]

Carol,
I love your tree. Simply Beautiful. I am DYING TO KNOW . . . where you found the two little while bottle brush trees in your banner?? I live locally and would love to hear you picked them up this year (crossing fingers!) I have been looking for some like that and only found one similar in a HUGE size. I am hoping for a few sizes that are smaller like yours. Did they come with the pearls on them or did you add those? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Lori

[LenaS]

French Country goes well in our house. One yr I used wood carved ornaments made by my Dad. Another year was more like an oriental new year with small paper lantern lights and bells decorated like oriental boys and girls, and kanji. This yr it's all about PEACE...trying to keep my Army Son alive. He's coming home for Christmas! I love your photo of the turkey in the smoker with the pomegranate in the foreground. Great collection of folk art, antiques, etc. you have Carol. Happy Holidays to You and Yours. Will you be teaching at BPS again?

[Tongue in Cheek]

The baby shoes is darling! I love ornaments like that, symbolic and full of meaning.