Monday, December 3, 2012

Deck the Halls Y'all: The Windy City Girl Moves South

To introduce myself as a new blogger for the Queen, I LOVE home decorating and have probably spent hours on Pinterest pinning things that I NEED to have in my futuristic home (along with wedding ideas without a ring on my finger) and have recently had the honor to help do the social media and marketing for the Queen of Hearts. This is a dream. I get to spend days looking at furniture, decorations, and get ideas for my soon to be Southern apartment.

I've returned home to Atlanta a month ago after four years in the fabulous city of Chicago. When Christmas comes there, along with the snow, it is magical. It makes you forget it is even cold. Lights twinkle everywhere and you can sometimes not even decipher what is snow and what is sparkle. Coming to Atlanta and escaping the cold made me wonder what my Christmas experience would be like this year, without the heavy winter coat and Hunter boots. I wonder how it would compare.

While I typically come home to visit my parents in the town I grew up in, I looked forward to family and friends, but didn't take notice of the Southern charm that comes to Christmas as I just left this winter wonderland of the Midwest. As the Queen of Hearts wrapped up their three amazing nights of Holiday Open Houses last month, I was taken aback by all of the adorable trends that you find in the South, and wanted to share my 5 favorite takeaways to incorporate into your home (and in mine!) as we venture into December.

Shut the Front Door and Put a Wreath on it!
As an apartment dweller for four years, we didn't have a front door, other than the one leading into our apartment. We put up the traditional fake pine needle wreath, with it's starched bow, and that was that. Never have I wanted a front door more than when I saw the wreaths at the Queen. From burlap to sweater wreaths, and also one made from coffee filters?! How many doors can I put them on…



Coffee Filter Wreath from KIRT (Marietta)


Sweater Wreaths! (LAG Alpharetta)

Make it Snow Make it Snow Make it Snow
As a native Atlantan, I never really had deal with the snow, and more or less prayed for it so school would be cancelled. I learned quickly in Chicago that gloves aren't an accessory but a necessity, and you will definitely fall if you choose to wear your 4 inch heels out in the snow. How excited I was to see these tutu snow balls and snowball-esque paper lights that make you feel like there is a touch of sparkle and snow in your own home. I would love to hang these from my ceiling for a party, or even over the mantle on some gorgeous ribbon to make it feel like I live in a snow globe in the South.


Lighted snowballs! (AHS at Alpharetta)


Tutu Snowballs! (LAG at Alpharetta) 

Brrrrrlap!
I have never seen so much burlap in my life and never have thought about how cute it would be on anything from pillows to stockings, covering candleholders and jars. I even have learned that pumpkins were burlap wrapped this fall, y'all. How adorable and Southern chic. I'm currently finding items that I need to put burlap bows on…


Bows, pillows and stockings at Under the Garden Gate (TFP at Alpharetta)


Burlap pillows with holiday sayings (SP at Alpharetta)

L-E-T-T-E-R-S to Santa
I'm being serious when I say I may buy an entire alphabet of oversized letters to hoard in a closet for when I want to spell things out. I do have my very own 'J' hung in a frame in my room, but these giant letters are so much fun. It's like a giant scrabble game to decorate with and almost brings a sort of vintage touch to your home if you get different sizes, colors and patterns. P-A-R-T-Y time at my house as these will be placed behind the punchbowl to remind everyone what we are here for.


Vintage metal letters (GWINN at Marietta)


Scrabble letters (LABS at Marietta)


Love the patterns and colors (TPPA at Alpharetta) 

A Different Scene Than Red and Green
It is the year of the color block, I know as I've paired bright yellow dresses with dark green shoes, mismatched my purse to my belt, and even painted my nails a totally different color all together (I have the Crayola of OPI polishes in my possession). This Christmas, try something different. Put magenta and turquoise decorations on your tree with gold balls, use red and grey for a classic combo that still screams Christmas, and make everything sparkle. Just because it's tradition doesn't mean you can't mix it up. If you love the red and green scheme, keep it classy by incorporating awesome patterns like a red chevron throw pillow.


Love the teal reindeer throw pillow! (CAT at Alpharetta)


Gray and Red Classic Combo (VL at Marietta)


Blue, Purple, Green and Pink adorn this wreath at JUNK at Buford 

Have you decorated for the holidays? Hope these gave you some cute ideas for your home, or even your next holiday party! I look forward to sharing my weekly blog posts with the Queen of Hearts fans and followers, to talk about trends I’m seeing in home decorating, ideas I’ve found to help spruce up your home, and what you can find at the fabulous Queen of Hearts!

Happy Holidays!


JJ

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