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~Welcome to my Tips to Country Decor~

I LOVE COUNTRY. I love to decorate my house inside and out Country. I've been collecting Country Stuff or Decor for a long time.  I have found going to Flea Markets, Garage Sales, Thrift Stores are a great avenue to purchace cheap country decor such as weathered wreaths, assorted baskets, craft items, rusty stuff, pots, old boots, containers for plants and so much more.   I have found too by taking a good look around the crawl space or attic, there are Country Treasures to be found.  I sometimes take hike in hills and look for dead tree branches, big pine cones. Below are some tips that I have used to decorate inside and outside my house at holiday time or everyday look.  Have Fun....... and if there any tips you would like to share, please do and I will post it on saying it came from you.........Smiles.........BEV

~Fall Season~

~Christmas~

Basket-fill with Indian corn and little pumpkins and place on Kitchen table or outside in or corner, or on a table.  Make sure you put that raffia bow on the basket.

Bundles of Corn Stalks can be placed in a foyer or in the corner of the house outside.  Maybe hot glue some Sunflower Silk Flowers to the corn stalks.  I always bundle in 3's or sometimes in 5's.  Odd numbers looks better.

Pumpkins-buy 3 assorted sizes and place them beside the corn stalks.  Add some colourful leaves and pincones and place them around the pumpkins and corn stalks and there you have a simple outside fall display. For halloween, carve the pumpkins, then add a tea light inside.

Bundle of Wheat-instead of Corn Stalks, use a big bundle of wheat.  Secure with a rubber band, wrap a little raffia around, make a simple bow, then glue a few Silk Sunflower Flowers to the raffia bow.  Again throw some colourful leaves around the wheat, add a pumpkin along side and there you have a great display.

For the table gutt out a fairly size pumpkin, place inside the pumpkin a container with water, add some sunflowers or flowers you have around the house.  Don't throw away the lid, lay it against the pumpkin. Another idea carve out a big pumpkin and put a small piller candle inside and lay 3 or 5 little tiny pumpkins around the big pumpkin but just gutt the tiny pumpkins enough to add tiny tea lights.

For the door I use a 12 in. grapevine wreath, twine some ivy and raffia together around the wreath.  Secure it with a little hot glue.  Add some fall silk flowers halfway around, then in the centre of the flowers, put a Big raffia bow.

Tip: Sometimes raffia can be hard to work with, just wet the raffia first.

Big,Basket-fill with greenery first, such as fir branches or cedar, then add pinecones, berries or rosehips and Shiney Balls then last thing add small tiny lights in and around the pinecones and balls.  Put basket outside in a corner or inside in a entrance.  To finish it off add a gorgeous ribbon bow or a raffia bow.

A different idea for the table is using clear pillar vases, 3 different sizes.  Fill the pillars with a variety of dry peas and beans, layering them then topping with a another tea light.  Choose colours that have an autumn feel to them.  Wrap individual vases or all 3 together with a raffia bow.  If you don't have 3 vases use a clear decorative glass bowl, fill and layer your peas and beans, then just add more tea lights.

For the door I use real branches of fir, cedar, and twigs and berries.  Make it quite full, looks better, using the long branches for the middle then gradually adding short one to the sides. The shape you want is a triangle shape with the point, pointing down. Make sure to make a loop with the wire in the back.  Glue in or wire in fairly big pinecones and 3 Christmas picks.  Then on top add a huge fancy red ribbon bow.

Big Twigs or Branches-I use Big twigs for the outside but you could use this idea inside in a corner or entrance way for the inside as well.  All you do is just post the big branch or branches in your summer clay pots.  I use 2 or more branches for each of my 2 clay pots.  Put white little mini lights all around the branches and when its time to turn the lights on watch the magic happen.

The Upside Down Tomato Cage Trick-This is so easy and looks great too.  All you do is tie the ends of the tomato cage together with wire.  Turn in around so the pointy end is up.  Set the tomato cage on top of your clay summer pot, twine lights around the cage and thats it.  Could layer cedar or fir brances all around the cage by using wire, add shiney balls then lights, or add only tinsel around the cage then add lights.  All are great.

If your lucky to have a fireplace, place small branches of fir or cedar all along the mantle.  Add christmas picks, pinecones, twine in lights, finishing with 2 bows at each end.  Very simple and looks great too.

For the table I've used Christmas Wreath that I've made or you could purchace a wreath already done.  There pretty resemble in price but I always add more greenery and picks to it.  Lay the wreath on the table with lights twined in and in the center use a big pillar candle or Hurricane lamp with a candle inside.  For a runner I've used a long strip of burlap thats touching the floor. One at a time grab each end of the burlap, with an elastic, make a small pony tail, and place a gorgeous bow where the elastic is.  I use a hunter green bow accented with gold to match the hunter green tablecloth that goes underneath the burlap runner.  Looks very rich.

~Spring & Summer~

This summer for my door all I did was use a raggedy looking fairly big grapevine wreath and just loosely wrapped a long ivy garland around the wreath.  So simple and looks great too.

Also outside I have a big log in the corner by my house.  On top of the log I have a birdhouse. To pizazze it up, just twine again ivy around the log and mix it around the birdhouse too.  Added some silk flowers in the birdhouse hole and on the base of the log.  That's it and looks pretty good too.

For the garden I have used an old, old, chair where I put a pot of flowers on the seat.  Get you old boots that your husband doesn't use anymore and put some flowers in the boots and place the boots by the front door or in your garden somewhere. Remember the old wagon that you used to play with, well get it out and use the wagon for a beautiful flower display. Also if you have an very old bicycle with the big metal fendors and rust everywhere, and a has one of those old wire basketsin front of the bike is a Super display for flowers.  All you do is add some sheet moss around the basket, then add your soil and flowers....You could also make another basket in the back by the back seat.  Just use chicken wire, line it again with moss, then your soil and flowers.  With the kick stand, you can place your Treasure of Flowers anywhere.  Looks so beautiful.

This year I planted the big sunflowers in the front of my house, and by my mailbox I planted the mini version of the sunflower and it looks real country.  In my backyard I planted a wild seed mix along my fence. Very happy with the results.

I believe accessories play a big part in country decor. Purchasing a few good items is a great start to Country Living.  Below are some tips and ideas for the livingroom and kitchen.

~Accessories~

~Kitchen~

Purchase a fairly nice country shelf with little pegs to hand dry flowers.  On my shelf I have a small collection of teapots.  In with the teapots I have candles, salt and pepper shakers and to finish it off I placed a dollie that lays across the length of the shelf and hangs over the edge about 2 inches.  Also I hang my dry flowers on the pegs. A shelf is a great place to show off your collections; another  eg. a nice set of nice plates.

If you have space between your cupboards and ceiling, is a super place to put some of your country decor.  Examples platers, cookbooks, old canisters, fancy tins, bundles of dry flowers, gooses, crockpots, baskets, coffee grinders, country signs, just about anything except the kitchen sink LOL.

~Livingroom~

Of course wreaths and garlands, country signs here and there.  Try to make a spice wreath for your kitchen.  Its easy just takes some time drying your fruit slices in the oven at low temp. about 200 with the door opened, add some cin. sticks, chile peppers thats been air dried, vanrish the fruit slices when cool, then just hot glue here and there on a grapevine wreath.  Make a nice raffia bow and thats it. It doesn't have to be perfect because the country look is primitive anyway so its OK.

In the livingroom, corners is a great place to put some of your country decor such as tall bunch Curly Willow.  I Love the look of Curly Willow.  The branches are very easily broken so be careful how you handle them.  Add a big milk tin with a pot of flowers on top beside the Curly Willow.  On one side of the milk tin maybe put a wicker basket filled with popouri or cute Teddy or books or old Doll.  Another idea for the corner, use an old ladder thats only 3 feet tall. Put plants on each of the steps.  Looks great. Last idea for the corner is an old chair; add a country pillow with a teddy bear, or old doll beside it.  If you don't have a pillow add an old hat or drap an afgan over the chair.

For a side table, use an old trunk or stack 2 or 3 old suitcases.  Put on a nice dollie with an old  picture of your great grandfather or mother and along side maybe place a candle or a cracked tea cup flower display.  I always work in 3's.  It just looks better.

For the walls, why not dedicate one wall just for your family. In my den, I have one wall dedicated to my family.  With a little bit of work, spacing them right you'll have something real special. Lots of great memories unfold right in front of you.  When your about to start on this project, first lay pictures on the floor then you will have a better idea which picture goes where.

Why not stencil.  In my livingroom, I have a small wall. I picked a country scence of course.  3 birdhouses, trelis with roses twining in, and basket of grapes.  Looks pretty good for someone who has never stenciled before.  Try it, you will be surprised how easy and fun it really is. My visitors always comments on my art. LOL.

Great idea to make a simple swag is grab a bunch of twigs at various sizes.  First grab the longest ones, then the second longest then the smallest.  Twine with wire then hot glue to secure it, then add a raffia or add a fancier bow that matches your livingroom and thats it.

Thank-you for visiting and I hope I have given you few ideas. I have lots more to share so come back soon.  Maybe next time I will have some pictures of my little Country Home.  And again if you have any tips you would like to share, loved to hear from you so email me and I will gladly post your tips up.......Smiles....and Happy Decorating Everyone and God Bless Too.........BEV

~Song Playing is Guantana~

Christian

Treasure Map