Tweaks, Adjustments, Modifications and a Change of Direction

I had planned to jump on the dehydrated orange bandwagon this year and add those into my kitchen Christmas decor. Before Thanksgiving, I ordered a garland of dried oranges, expecting them to have a brighter, fresher look than the slices I had dried a couple of years ago. They didn't look much different from my own dried efforts. So, I tucked them away for kitchen decorating later. Granddaughters, Luci and Lydia, were a godsend on the weekend after Thanksgiving and drug our big tree and tubs of ornaments upstairs for me and decorated the tree in the den beautifully. I added the stockings and a few other touches of Christmas after they left and called the den festive enough.

The next week was when I tackled the kitchen decorating. If you are guessing that I don't know where that garland is, you are absolutely correct. So, maybe dried oranges will be a thing for me next year. I always loved the smell of the oranges we sprigged with whole cloves when I was a girl and thought I could add those into the mix but after the creeping crud hit our household, DIY efforts and decorating sort of went out the window. Maybe next year.

I did add some more fresh oranges to our grocery order because Mike has been trying the added vitamin C regimen to see if it will help him move beyond the creeping crud. I have some in the fridge and I added some to the mixing bowls sitting on the left of the Granny Cabinet.

Decorated Granny Cabinet 

I just got the grocery order and this is how the Granny Cabinet surface is decorated right now:

Fighting the Creeping Crud

When I ordered the orange garland, I also ordered a couple of boxes of faux greenery, some red berry picks, and  bundle of cabinet wreaths. My plan was to add springs of the greenery to the orange garland and drape it across the mantel, the vent hood, and on the Granny Cabinet. 

I revised my plan, since I have no idea where I stashed the orange garland. I added little sprigs of the greenery and cabinet wreaths to items already decorating the kitchen and I'm really glad I did. A bowl beside the mixing bowl of oranges is sprigged with greenery and berries and brought the Granny Cabinet into the season. 

I had planned to tie the wreaths onto the backs of my new dining chairs. Then, I noticed that the back of a couple of the dining chairs always seem to have a hooded sweatshirt or a flannel shirt draped across them when Somebody is in the house and I decided that I didn't want to fight that battle. Since the wreaths are so pretty and I love them, I began looking around for other places to use them. I knew I didn't want to put one on the front of each of my kitchen cabinet doors because that would have just been way too much - about 20 upper cabinet doors. Nope. So, I hung one on the Granny cabinet and added a little of the ribbon used last year and my decorating began. I was just a little ahead of time with the plaid ribbon and a Ralph Lauren look last year, I guess. I try to use the same ribbon for a couple or three years and it works well this year, too. 

Decorated Kitchen Mantel

I swagged the preserved boxwood garland across the mantel again this year, tied with the plaid bows. Then, I added another of the cute little faux cedar wreaths in the center below it. A few sprigs of greenery and berries and the tall, slender Santas I painted years ago as a college student and greenery and berries poked into a cream pitcher and the mantel is festive!

Holiday Cheer atop the Fridge

I removed some fall sunflowers from one of the pitchers atop the fridge and added some greenery and berries there as well. When something is working for you, why make changes?

The Kitchen Storage Corner

The storage corner of our kitchen got a little glow up for the season as well. When I stored away the beautiful turkey platter I had displayed at Thanksgiving, I just replaced it with one of my favorite blue and white treasures. 

A Favorite Blue and White Platter

The high-rimmed platter was an inexpensive vintage find I stumbled across one afternoon after Mike and I married. It features a beautiful snow scene and is rimmed with fruits. I usually place it in the center of the lazy Susan on our dining table but this year I decided this was it's home. I love how the under-counter lights sort of seem to spotlight it. Again, added a few sprigs of greenery and berries.

A Crock of Rolling Pins with a Seasonal Touch

The old crock sets on the counter holding our heirloom rolling pins. A couple of them belonged to Mike's grandmothers, one of them was a gift to me by a neighbor and the other is the one my Granny gave me when I set up housekeeping as a young woman. I wanted to add a little silvery look to the area without using glitter or metalics. So, I draped a lamb's ear garland within the rolling pins, added some greenery and berries, and called it decorated. 

Hard-working Kitchen Area

Now, over to the hard-working side of the kitchen. The cooktop and sink live over there and seem to be in constant use, especially during holidays. Above is a quick cell phone snap of that corner dressed up for the season.

Vent Hood Shelf with Seasonal Decor

The dried orange garland didn't make it to the vent hood but I love the look it does have. A few sprigs of greenery and some berries peeking out of the ceramic pitcher I painted more than forty years ago is just right for this year.

A Bright Little Corner

A beautiful cake stand is a perch for some flickering candles, a couple of cabinet wreaths, and some berries. It looks great beside my gifted canisters and my Granny's vintage spice rack. For some reason, years ago I couldn't throw out the old amber vanilla extract bottle and it sets on the rack with some egg timers. Funny that I notice the bottle since this year I am experimenting with making my own vanilla extract for baking and gifting as well!

Season Decor on the China Cabinet

On the opposite side of the kitchen, I tucked away the Easter bunny salt shakers that were still smiling out from a stack of plates in the china cabinet. (Yes, the bunny and egg were still there and nobody had said a word!) The dough bowl is carved from one of the logs that served as a floor joist in my parents old home and I added a beautiful strand of red wooden beads and some greenery to the Chinoiserie balls gifted by my bonus daughter-in-law. 

Dining Table Centerpiece

I washed the scarf that was on the dining table and just returned it to the center of the lazy Susan. I also left the beautiful dish garden there and wound garlands of eucalyptus and lamb's ear around it. I tucked in a couple of hurricanes with flickering candles tied up with some ribbon as well as a couple of antler sheds that Mike found behind the barn. I added the left-over berry sprigs and I think it is naturally beautiful. 

The Kitchen Tree

The little kitchen tree holds all the ornaments collected throughout the years that hold memories of children's crafts, gifts from friends no longer with us, and ropes of red wooden beads. It is over in the corner and has had a rough life. As soon as I got it set up and decorated, I bumped the perch it is set upon while plugging in the lights and knocked it to the floor. I thought I had it stabilized, redecorated it, and gathered up the tubs and empty boxes to return them to the basement storage area. I bumped it with the wagon and it tumbled to the floor once again. With frustration multiplied by two, I stabilized again, redecorated it, and set about my business. Then, while cleaning the floor, I bumped it just this past week and knocked it over a third time. So, it is now taped, wired to the blinds and set askew. The ornaments are flung onto it willy-nilly.  I am reminded of the Christmas morning that Mama threw our cedar Christmas tree out the back door - decorations and all - after it fell on my sister and I playing with Santa's gifts. Daddy came to the house from the milk barn an hour or so later and just grinned. I think he knew better than to say a word. Mike has sort of done the same thing. He came in the back door after one of the tumbles with a big grin on his face and said, "You're not going to let it whip you are you baby?"

I know that every year I tell myself that our Christmas home looks the prettiest ever and each year I am correct. We don't really need picture-perfect or glitzy and fancy. Sometimes reused ribbon and tumbling trees are really what makes the holiday decor the best ever.  Welcome to our kitchen where love abounds, old tales are shared, and you will always find something tasty to munch on when you are hungry.