The Tree Is Up

and it went a little something like this........

Rolls of deco mesh (a.k.a. geo mesh). I usually use them straight off the spool without cutting them but out tree is hard to attach them to so I used strips ranging from 3 ft to 6 ft.

The tree with the mesh only

Next was the wired ribbon which looks a bit like web (a.k.a. fish net)

Close up of the tree with the mesh and ribbon

Mesh & ribbon on the tree with white lights

Mesh and ribbon with the tree in colored lights (you can switch between white and color with the touch of a button on our tree)

Next are ball type ornaments then followed by individual ornaments

It's up! Because it's a beach theme I used a straw beach hat instead of a star and a beach towel instead of a tree skirt - I later rethink them.

Close up showing my Margaret Furlong bisque seashell angels and Swarovski snow flakes. I have a collection of each. 

Close up of some of the beachier ornaments.  

I found, on sale, a star made of driftwood so I replaced the hat. I think when the season is over I will white wash it a bit to look more like that grey faded driftwood and I will add some sparkle to it. It's a bit dark for my taste.

I also changed out the beach towel to a lighter colored one but am still going to look through my fabric stash for something that will pass as sand.

So, that's Christmas tree 2017 for home! Next post I will share the office tree that I decorated.

Office Tree

I did our office tree again this year with the help of my Manager. This photo was taken with office lights out.

My funny coworker Christina pretending to trim the tree.

Tree Is Up - It's For The Birds!

 It's up and decorated with a bird theme. A few balls, snowflakes, a couple squirrels because they remind me of raiding bird feeders, birds, bird houses, bird nests, etc.

So fun to pull out my quilted bird tree skirt that I seldom use but love. 

 First time to use the frosty bird house tree topper. I found it at Cracker Barrel at a Christmas clearance a year or two ago. I have been planning this tree for a few years.

 The squirrel! Also a Cracker Barrel find.

 Tiny little birds nest with eggs. I have a beautiful big one but it didn't photo well.

I bought a couple felted bird houses and a few knitted birds from this collection at a Christmas clearance at Macy's or Dillard's a few years ago. It was a very Scandinavian looking collection. Scandinavian design just screams Christmas to me.

One of my favorite ornaments from a dear friend Tracie. It's a tiny bird feeder, about two inches high, and filled with millet. I've had it a long time which is amazing because it's so small it's almost been thrown out with the tree a couple times.

One of the few touristy souvenirs I have from Alaska but I love it and it's perfect for my bird tree. I've done a bird tree years ago, in Alaska, when we did live trees. I need so many more ornaments with the big artificial trees that I had to collect a few more to do it again.



Armed Forces History Museum & Office Christmas Tree

I went on a guided tour of the Armed Forces History Museum with a lineage society. The museum is located off Ulmerton Rd in Largo FL and I found the narration quite moving. Not only was the museum's founder literally the first person to land on the beach at Normandy, we also had the opportunity to speak to a Korea war veteran who was held as a prisoner of war for 31 months. Very moving and worth visiting if you are I the area. They have cool tanks too :)

I went to breakfast with a couple coworkers today and then two of us put up the Christmas tree in the office. Normally I do it during work hours but it is kind of distracting to others and I get interrupted a lot so doing it while the office was closed was perfect. Here's our finished tree for this year:

Next to Last Photo of Daisey

Our annual in front of the tree shots. I also have a Santa photo I need to scan.

My Birthday and Office Tree

Three short days after Christmas is my birthday. This year we went to Island Way Grill which is where I performed the wedding ceremony of my friend Christmas last 4th of July - a very rainy 4th of July. The food was awesome! I read this restaurant is partially owned by the ex-Buccaneer Mike Allstott.

My mom got the cake from publix and it was yummy with the whipped cream frosting (I am not a buttercream girl) and chocolate pudding filling between layers of yellow sponge cake.

The two photos above were taken on my phone because I forgot my camera. This is my first time of moving a photo from my phone to the internet. Feeling rather tech-ie this evening!

Final photo is the Christmas tree at work. I put it up shortly after Thanksgiving and took it down today. Felt like a Scrooge. It looks much better in person than the photo. It had red lights and then white lights that faded in and out - not flashing or blinking, slow fade. I already had grand ideas for next year so hopefully no one else will volunteer to do it, lol.

Christmas Eve

Eddie

Woody

Daisey

We went to Christmas Eve dinner at the Beachcomber again last night - Marge treats us every year because she can no longer contribute to holiday dinners so this is "her thing". The lobster bisque is yummy.

Last night put together a strata for breakfast/brunch which will be in a couple hours. Dinner will be later. I'm doing this cooking under a boil water alert. A water main broke and it's a difficult one to repair so we will be boiled water for 5 days. The timing!

These are a few shots of the dogs under the tree. Hope you all are having a wonderful day.

Christmas Tree 2010

Christmas Tree Palooza

I made a little shopping trip to Robert's Christmas Store (in Clearwater) today. I got quite a few photos despite that it was super busy. The first five are the tree & light room, and the decorated trees are from the main floor where they have all the other trim-a-tree, collectibles, and other decorations.

The icicle entry into the tree room.

Americana!

Baker's Delight

Ice Cream Lovers

Chick Fil-A

China

Two Chocolate Trees

Coffee Lovers

FARM Tree

France

Germany

Holland

Ireland

Italy

Japan

Mardi Gras

Hunting & Fishing Trees

Peacock

Pirate Tree

Redneck Tree

Safari

Scotland

Southwest

Wine Lover's Tree