We’re in the final countdown to Christmas! If you’re wanting to take your holiday decor up a notch or two, today’s post will show you how to give your garlands and wreaths a quick makeover. Not only are these greenery upgrades affordable, they’re perfect for transitioning your Christmas decorations into New Year’s Eve decor. By starting with basic holiday greenery (from the green to the frosted), you can have a designer look in no time. Feel free to choose faux greenery so you can reuse your decor next year! Keep reading for all of the hassle-free DIY details…

*Photos and styling by Kate Simmons

Gold Star Garland

This first holiday greenery upgrade gives a nod to Scandinavian style. There’s something so whimsical about gold stars. When they’re wooden, the result is an earthy, modern look that beautifully complements the greenery of your choice!

Start with wooden craft stars. I ordered these from JOANN for a mere $4.99 a bag:

Paint your stars gold, or leave them untouched for a rustic look. Keep in mind that even painting them a “fancy” color like gold doesn’t strip them of their simplicity and charm, especially if you leave the edges unfinished:

Display your stars by tucking them into your holiday garland. If you don’t have a garland, rest assured there are some very affordable options out there (many of them pre-lit)! A dab of hot glue will secure the stars in place if need be. Avoid gluing them to wires or lights if your garland features lighting.

Metallic Ornament Wreath

This next greenery upgrade idea involves metallic ball ornaments in various sizes. You can go with the budget-friendly ornaments you’ll find at most craft stores in boxed sets, or you can opt for more ornate selections. The choice is yours! Bonus points if you incorporate a range of hues (from silver to rose gold). In fact, it’s precisely this variety in tone that creates an upscale monochromatic look.

As you can see from the image below, metallic ornaments bring flocked greenery to life. Note how ornaments in rose gold, silver and pearl enhance a lovely artificial pine wreath from CB2:

It’s that easy! Simply secure the ball ornaments to the wreath (we tied ours with string), and you’re set.

Will you be taking your holiday greenery to new heights this year? You don’t have to break the bank to get a high-end look. The magic is in the details! Happy Holidays!

You're reading 2 Easy Ways to Dress Up Holiday Greenery, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

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If you love to entertain but your wallet is thin after loads of Christmas shopping, today’s post is for you. A festive holiday party doesn’t have to be an expensive one! A few key ingredients can create a joyful atmosphere, an abundant party table, and a warm, welcoming vibe. Keep reading for no-hassle entertaining strategies that won’t drain your energy or your pocketbook! A holiday party on a budget is well within your reach.

*Photos and styling by Kate Simmons

Cocktail Creations

A signature cocktail can elevate your party to new heights. Festive beverages don’t have to be expensive. For one thing, when guests ask what they can contribute to the celebration, don’t hesitate to suggest a bottle of wine or bubbly. Not to mention, an easy winter sangria (as featured in this post) or champagne cocktail can be mixed before the party so guests can serve themselves.

As a bonus, affordable garnishes such as rosemary and pink peppercorns add instant holiday flair to your beverage while creating interesting flavor. For a non-alcoholic festive option, try a mocktail that uses ginger beer as the base, or have some flavored sparkling water on hand.

No-Fuss Food

One entertaining rule that’s respectful of your budget and your time: make something, buy something. When it comes to baking or cooking, stick with recipes that you can prepare with confidence. Do you have a winning cookie recipe that’s easy to whip up? How about a go-to appetizer such as oven-roasted tomatoes with balsamic vinaigrette, thyme and sea salt? Do what comes naturally (within your comfort zone) and purchase the rest. A holiday cheese board filled with store-bought items is the epitome of no-fuss festivity!

When it comes to dessert, there’s no rule that says you have to bake. If you do use the oven to create a favorite sweet snack, try supplementing it with truffles you pick up from your favorite bakery or market. Not to mention, guests who want to contribute to the menu can easily stop by a bakery and purchase some cookies or other sweets! There’s no rule that says party desserts have to be complicated.

To end the night on a sweet note, wrapped truffles make delicious, affordable party favors for guests to grab on their way out the door:

Joyful Gifting

If your holiday party will also serve as a gift exchange, there’s no need to break the bank. If time is on your side, put a little bit of extra effort into the wrapping. A beautifully packaged present will instantly feel special, even if an inexpensive gift is a necessity. Wrapping supplies such as velvet ribbon, yarn and embroidery thread (for tassel making) don’t cost much, and the payoff is large! Visit our post on DIY gift wrap ideas for all the details.

Don’t forget to add a festive touch to kids’ gifts! Ornaments make great gift toppers (or gifts themselves)! The candy-stripe tree below is a fabulous find from Crate & Barrel. Plus, purchasing ornaments close to Christmas means lots of great sale prices!

We at Decoist wish you and yours the most festive of Holidays! Thanks for reading!

You're reading How to Throw a Holiday Party on a Budget, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

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Whether you’re looking to add a luxe touch to your gift wrapping this holiday or you’re on a tight budget, rest assured that today’s DIY project is both chic and affordable! With a few simple ingredients in vibrant hues, you can create professional-looking packages that dress up any gift you bring to the table. Keep reading for tips and tricks that will help you create your own DIY holiday gift wrap:

*Photos and styling by Kate Simmons

Supplies

While the supplies featured in the photos may look pricey (especially when you take into account all of the different colors involved), rest assured that there are budget-friendly ways to stock up! For example, the beautiful velvet ribbon you see below can be found on Amazon for just under $12. For the whole bundle of 30 colors!!

Here are the supplies that are helpful to have on hand:

• gift wrap in festive tones, such as silver and red
• kraft paper for a neutral wrapping paper option
• velvet ribbon
• yarn
• embroidery floss (for tassel making)
• gift tags
• tape
• scissors

If you’re needing to label your packages, consider having colorful gift tags at the ready. They’re an easy way to add a vivid pop of color, and they’re also affordable. You can purchase them from retailers such as The Container Store, or you can make your own by cutting them from paper.

Special Touches

Now that you have the supplies you need, here are a few easy ways to combine them and create whimsical, holiday-fabulous packaging! For starters, wrap your packages. Don’t obsess over making them look perfect. The embellishments you’ll be adding will serve as the real focal points.

Then let the fun begin! Try wrapping the velvet ribbon several times around small packages, securing it at the back. That way, all you see are bright bands of color on top of each package. Not only is this an easy way to get an upscale look, it beats having to fuss with a bow and making sure the velvety side of the ribbon shows at all times.

Two more go-to flourishes that are on-trend: POM POMS AND TASSELS!

Pom poms are the perfect gift topper! An abundance of  pom pom tutorials awaits you, including this one from Handimania. You can make them tight and trimmed, or a bit more relaxed, as shown above. For tassel making tips, keep reading! The photos below can also be found in our recent tassel shower curtain tutorial.

TO MAKE YOUR OWN TASSELS:

Step 1: Wrap the yarn around your hand so it loops until it has reached the thickness of your choice. Sixteen to twenty wraps around the hand is a good place to start.

Step 2: Tie a piece of string at the top of the looped bands so they are held together (shown above). This step ensures that your tassel stays tidy. The loose strings that remain at the top will be used later in the project, so don’t snip them!

 

Step 3: Take another piece of string and tie it about a third of the way down from the top, creating a “neck” for your tassel.

 

Step 4: Trim the ends of your tassel for a clean look.

While the photos above show a thicker yarn, a petite and professional-looking tassel can be achieved with embroidery floss, shown with the tassels below. For a nice touch, try creating the neck of your tassel with a contrasting color of embroidery floss! When you put it all together, you have a menagerie of ribbon, tassel and pom pom magic!

Happy Holidays to your and yours from all of us at Decoist!

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Today we’re rounding up a collection of beautifully photographed holiday DIY projects that will serve as design inspiration for the most festive season of the year…and provide you with plenty of crafty endeavors to enjoy! There’s nothing like an inviting home filled with special touches. A warm fire and twinkling lights are icing on the cake! Keep reading for a roundup of projects that will spread joy and give design lovers plenty to talk about. From DIY advent calendars to DIY cocktails, there’s a little something for everyone! [below: holiday style from A Beautiful Mess]

For the Tree…

Let’s start with the centerpiece of many a holiday home: the tree! Bring on the ornaments. The House That Lars Built’s paper take on Swedish Christmas ornaments is nothing short of stunning. Plus, paper is an affordable option for those looking for a tree makeover on a budget. Check out all the DIY details here.

Also from The House That Lars Built is this applique tree skirt hack, which creatively integrates reasonably priced appliques and patches from Amazon Prime. How’s this for a finished product that’s a true knockout?:

For those who love a detailed DIY description, A Beautiful Mess takes the guesswork out of this reversible tree skirt with plenty of great tips. The result: double the fun, so you can change your tree skirt style as needed!

Deck the Door (and the Walls)

Who says the tree is the only star of the holiday show? Wall hangings and wreaths can take your festive decor up several notches. In one of our own Decoist tutorials, we show you how store-bought metallic greenery can be bunched together with ribbon for a monochromatic statement that is classic yet perfectly on trend:

Our very own metallic holiday garland is modern and fun! As a bonus, it can also double as New Year’s decor. A classic silver and gold palette and a string of rectangles (created with ribbon, crepe paper or craft paper) give this garland its shine:

Speaking of garlands, Francois et Moi takes the mystery out of crafting the perfect dried orange garland, proving that sometimes nature’s bounty is the best DIY supply of all!

This holiday wreath (another one of our own) couldn’t be easier to create. Eucalyptus, faux berries and satin ribbon embellish a grapevine wreath. You can make this project as ornate or minimalist as your heart desires:

If you’re not jazzed about advent calendars with tiny pockets, this mini house option from Sugar & Cloth is right up your alley! After all, each house acts as a box that can hold treats for the whole family. Plus, what an amazing decorative touch for the wall! Move over, holiday village…

Tabletop Style

From the wall to the tabletop, why not make it all about the mini trees?! This faux flower bottle brush tree project from Sugar & Cloth is a creative take on colorful holiday decor. Plus, all you need are bottle brush trees and faux flowers, plus some faux snow if you want a dusting of holiday style!

Don’t forget to bring the DIY magic home for your little ones! A Beautiful Mess founder Elsie Larson did just that when she invited her daughter to paint the wooden tree shown in the grouping below, then added stars to the mix. Swoon! Check out the details (and product links) halfway through this post.

Easy Gift Wrap Ideas

‘Tis the season to give. Even better if the gifts are beautifully wrapped! We’re loving this holiday greenery gift topper idea, especially since the greenery is made from paper. Astrobright paper, to be exact. Resourcefulness at its best:

Here’s one of our own tutorials, which shows just how easy it is to use everyday items (such as extra paper and markers/paint pens) to create your own gift wrap! Check out all of the Decoist details here.

For an easy gift tag idea, use confetti to spruce up the corner of the tag. Instant glitz! A few easy steps and you’re done. Check out the entire Decoist tutorial for more details.

Cocktails, Anyone?

So technically cocktails don’t fall into the DIY category, but you do make them yourself! Plus, if you love to entertain, you can get really creative with these, sharing your love of design with your guests. It’s hard to imagine a more clever use of Christmas ornaments than the cocktail idea below. Hats off to Sugar & Cloth for this amazing beverage concept!

This Fizzy Spiked Pear Punch from The Sweetest Occasion is undeniably festive, and with only a handful of ingredients, you can bring this beautiful cocktail to your holiday table. Bonus points if you include the gold straws!

Cheers to a creative holiday season filled with DIY design!

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