White Xmas, Branches, Paperwhites and Baby's Breath

Hello Beautiful People.....

I'm finally finished with the outer work on this house for the seasonnnnnnnnn!!!!  It took longer due to mysterious ailments and funky days, but its done now. I was up early yesterday at 6am to clean up after the paint man who finished painting for me the one section of outer porch that I couldn't do myself, and then more clean up and touch ups, and finishing touches etc. 11 hours of non stop work outside yesterday but feeling good and even humming and singing! It was a great day.......

Now on to my Simple White Christmas.
I don't know what to do with "Christmas" anymore. I used to love it, then I found out there's no such thing as "santa" and that I would have to be ''him'', and when I did, it became a chore and a pressure and expense! Then I began to enjoy it, then it got too commercial and "un-green" so I abandoned it. Then I tiptoed through it, doing it lightly, then a little more, then rejecting it entirely because too many in the world suffer and I simply cannot enjoy a holiday anymore knowing what is going on still to this day, even though I can feel gratitude for what I have, I still suffer about the others. Now I'm back to tiptoeing through it in my own way. Tradition was not created by me, nor its colors nor its ways. Yet I appreciate the Gift of Giving so much I feel I must reinvent Christmas my way.
So.......my Christmas is going to be feminine, natural and light. I wanted a reindeer for some reason, a nice smooth silver one or like the sparkly white regal reindeer I saw in Michaels last year but there were none to be found.
I'm feeling simple white using more natural elements and, again, using what I have.

A post on all the white features can be seen on my other blog White Bohemian Beauty.

I spent $20 this year only in Michaels for some extra baubles and the 2 white wreaths...which I also added spray snow to, or flocked as they say.
John picked up a simple small Xmas tree, a mini one for $18.00 because I hate the waste of living trees now. I added it to a white urn.....looks lovely!
The only other things I did was add some beaded garland to the white chandelier out there with some large glittered pine cones because I happened to have 6 large beautiful white glittery ones with hooks!!! LUV when that happens!!......and now finally I'm in love with that porch chandelier......and 2 simple white wreaths in simplicity and am done with the outside.
I sprayed the mini tree with snow and the effect is great, decorated with simple glittered pine cones from last year and iridescent mini glass baubles.

 Today I will work on the inside, very slowly. I finished the kitchen crystal chandelier which I am IN LOVE with now, and soon will begin to work on the table console.....am halfway there with white branches and some white flowers, but I have a few things yet to do on that table, like add the little white village and my bottle brush trees.
My main decor I wanted for Christmas was amaryllis and paper-white bulbs and branches for this year. 2 years ago I had cut greens along the mantle and 13 pots of red amaryllis around the living room and it was stunning!!.....but this year there were no bulbs to be found! And I used to be able to cut some from outside and bring them in too, but the grasshoppers find them a delicacy and wiped out all the bulbs.....those left are not blooming. Also I wanted white ones this year. I {John} had to purchase an odd bunch on ebay, 321, yes 321 bulbs for $44.00 total. Which meant, I had to do MORE back breaking work of planting alot of them outside in the ground now before any more time goes on, so they will bloom for spring. Out of those 321 bulbs, 27 were paperwhites which I have planted in various containers from thrift stores. I am happy with them, but they are only just beginning to grow a couple of inches. I wanted the house decorated in white branches, bulbs and white flowers, particularly baby's breath which I am very very much in love with right now and want  everywhere...but I have enough for what I really need to do now. Soon the paperwhites will bloom and with the branches and baby's breath and candles everywhere, it will be enchanting.

Here are alot of pictures { Missy Pammie!!! :-) }........ I will do another post when I am finished with the console and have the candles lit.

The outside of the house is mostly pink now. I cannot do the whole thing since it is covered in ficus repens and I love it, am not tearing it off.....but what is mostly visible now is the front and its painted.
My little tree is there. Those huge leafy greens are collard greens and I'm waiting for the eggplants, peppers and kale to grow and take off.


 Pink is a perfect background for all greenery and plants, especially in the sub tropics......

.....hidden behind the lattice, is my window and my Secret Garden.

in Mussenda Square {I name all my garden beds} ..... is a gorgeous pink azalea which matches the house :D

some white/pink bougainvillea coming up again.....it is this time of year when they all bloom, they are only just beginning now, they should all be covered with color! can't wait!!

this one's all white......

 

 love these colors.........lime green never is boring, always makes me smile....

 one of my favorite corners......

The Garden Gate......got a white wreath too, flocked, with simple gold bow and pearl garland.
 






 Angel Wing Begonia by the door.......

the front door, simple flocked wreath with a swag and baby's breath......

showing the pink of the house....

The chandelier I had up was all white and not much more. I was never truly happy with it, but I love it now and I believe I'm leaving the pine cones up there along with the beaded garland.....love!


 

 

The little tree I sprayed with snow and decorated simply with iridescent glass balls and pine cones. I wanted more natural and simple. I added some icicles later since they always look natural.

 I added a few pink baubles but I think it takes a way from the natural look so I'm taking them out.

 

I love the urn its in. It added instance elegance. I left the extra pine cones at the base. I'm loving pine cones!

 Only with flash can you see the "snow"....but its there, it made the dark green a nice soft grey/green....

 

Inside....white and branches.....paperwhites waiting to grow, and baby's breath.....simple and beautiful.

 baby's breath in vases......I'm thinking to add some to the little tree outside  hehehe

 paperwhites in tureen

A steaming cup of Vanilla Cream Masala Chai!

and since you will hear the snap crack and pop of a fireplace on the TV screen, I took a picture of it...LOL....it is a great DVD from Disney..... John bought "Disney's Magical Fireplace" which shows a fireplace and your choice of holiday music or just the sounds of fire......right now I have the fire sounds....it IS a great DVD and I recommend it, the music is nice, not just Disney characters as I had thought......really nice!

of course Tinker Bell does her magic too!

I wanted to do something with the crystal chandelier in the kitchen. I looked around and saw some dried baby's breath sitting in a basket until I knew what to do with it.....I grabbed it, stuck it onto the chandy, and fell in love! Now that's what to do with it! lolol This is how all this ''baby's breath'' passion started.....

 




I got more baby's breath and filled it up, and added icicles......I'm loving it now. The beaded garland was always there but its for the cord mostly.

 

 This is with the dimmer switch on high.....

 




I just picked up some cut free greens from Xmas trees that were not sold, ''snowed'' them and added them to a vase with some white berries for the kitchen table.

The fireplace has logs ready for the only single fire we can have because there is only one really cold day a year in south Florida.....and the ''snow'' my friend insisted we ''needed'' for a log cabin feeling :D:D:D
I keep branches up and candles burning in there all the year round.

 branches with flowers, and candles and baby's breath......I will do this console table over soon......

I added a sweet little bird to the branches, its so natural.

 In my room I have a favorite pedestal bowl with paperwhites.....its all I want to use for my room......

a mini one in milk glass....just 2 bulbs, should be really cute when they grow......

several in mercury glass in the guest/computer room......

another in my room, in a silver bowl, and using rose quartz to hold the paperwhites........
I added 2 white doves to the candle holder, I'm needing white birds, feathers, wings lately!!

I have made a few changes which can also be seen here,.....

Thanks for visiting me. I hope all your holidays are fun and stress free, simple and beautiful. See you next time.


sharing this post with No Minimalist Here

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and with Rooted In Thyme

and with Shabbilicious Friday

and with Coastal Charm: Christmas Home Tour Party

and with FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE