Christmas Home Tour Blog Hop

Hello, and welcome to my home!  I’m so happy you stopped by, whether you’re an old friend, or someone new coming from another of these talented girls’ blogs that I’m joining for this blog hop!

Today I’m sharing a little glimpse into my kitchen.  I don’t share this space often, probably because there are always dishes in the sink, and crumbs all over the place from little children who CONSTANTLY help themselves to the pantry.  (Take note how I strategically cropped out the sink, and photoshopped the stray crumbs I had missed under the tray.  LOL.  Anyway, I like to keep my kitchen area pretty simple, so that it can also stay functional with a family of 6…

I do have a large island, so this oversized tier tray from Antique Farmhouse doesn’t ever get in our way.  And this year It also houses my personal favorite tradition: The Giving Manger.  This tradition took over our old “Elf of the Shelf’ a few years ago now, and I am so happy we made that change when we did.  It is a source of great conversation and learning opportunities for everyone in my family.  And I no longer have to stress about forgetting to move that dang elf around.  LOL.

The pieces of straw fit perfectly in my tiny pitcher, easy for little hands to grab and lay in the manger each time they do an act of service or kindness.  As you can see, we’re just getting started.  I love seeing this little manger fill up, and the hearts of my family shine with each new act of kindness.

Tiered trays can sometimes be tricky to decorate since they have to look good literally from every angle!  I decided to keep it easier on me this year by keeping to the neutral theme of the manger… Gingerbread houses were a find from Hobby Lobby last year, white and wood canisters help tie in my theme, along with some old and new vintage wooden kitchenware.  The final touches were my DIY yarn trees.  They were SO simple to make: Just a couple of paper mache cones wrapped in some super thick yarn I found at Joanns.  I used dowels, and tiny round paper mache boxes filled with pea gravel (for weight) as their trunks.

Of course we ALWAYS have to have a small Hot Cocoa bar.  This gets used daily from everyone in the family.  I was actually lucky to grab a shot where all of my new favorite mugs (from Target) I displayed were clean all at once and back on the counter for the next use.  Haha!

Nothing fancy, just my favorite reversible sign (it says lemonade on the back) from Kirksea Designs,  A large mason jar of hot cocoa, a small jar of mini marshmallows, and of course some tiny candy canes.  It really doesn’t take much to create a cute and functional hot cocoa bar.

Next to my cocoa bar is my favorite Scrabble Letter Board from Twelve Timber   I made the board a little extra festive by making this small wreath out of a large floral spray I had.

I have a small set of shelves on either side of my kitchen sink.  I kept them the same they usually are year around, but added just a few small Gingerbread houses that I made with my little 4 year old.

And that concludes this part of the tour!  I hope you’ll go check out these other lovely ladies, and their gorgeous homes as they share on numerous days this week.  Thanks again for stopping by!

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The Blog Hop Continues:

Monday

Amy Cuter Tudor

Caitlin Lion and Lantern

Desiree  Camelot Art Creations

 

 

Tuesday

Cherie Sweet Rose and Wren

Ellen Ellen Bliss Home

Heather Ever Evolving Home

 

 

 

Wednesday

Cat Sage Hill Cottage

Chloe Celebrate and Decorate

Haley Stately Home Lane