Holiday Decor with “Snourds” and “Snowkins”…

I know you all saw how saw quickly we were able to pull together our Fall Décor, and we had so much fun with it we honestly didn’t want to change everything for Christmas! But, we love the holidays and part of our traditions during the week or so after Thanksgiving, is to commence “the changing of the gourds”. But before we go into the fun we had decorating the house…my mom created something really “out there” the other afternoon, and we’re so excited to share it with you! She created “Snourds and Snowkins”!

You may be asking yourself…what in the world are “Snourds and Snowkins”? Well, we were lucky enough to have some beautiful and perfectly preserved gourds and pumpkins left from the Fall, and we just weren’t ready to part with them yet. She had picked up some spray snow from the 99 Cent Store and thought; “What if we gave our pumpkins and gourds a little bit of ‘frosting’?” And she was right! They turned out SO cute, and a whole can of the Snow Spray is only $1 and will cover 3-4 gourds or pumpkins depending on the size! It’s so easy to do, and can assist you in developing the perfect winter centerpiece or outdoor décor really fast, and super cheap…yet it turns out just gorgeous. They’re actually really fun to make too. I find they’re best for outdoor pieces, so you’re not letting the “snow” into the house!

The way to create your Snourds and Snowkins:

1. Make sure your leftover gourds and pumpkins are still firm and haven’t gone soft.
2. Set up an area where you can safely spray the snow without making too much of a mess. (We did it outside on our porch.)
3. Lay down some newspaper or tissue on the table or surface you’re going to use

4. Select your gourd, carefully spray the snow around all sides to evenly coat it.

5. When you handle your brand new “Snourd”…be sure to only pick it up by the top of the stem, because the snow is a bit sensitive and can smudge or wipe off really easily.

6. Set carefully into your centerpiece or outside décor, and Snowkins and Snourds suddenly appear.

They’re that simple! When on a budget  this can really stretch your decorating $$$ but at the same time add a bit of design and winter to your look. If you live in a warm climate this is a very affective and simple way to create a Winter Wonderland outdoors. If your home is in a cold climate, these adorable additions will compliment your already snowy Christmas. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…

So, onto the rest of the house!  The great thing is, by using some of 3P event basics, we’ve been able to transition smoothly and beautifully into Christmas around the house.  After I put everything back neatly and safely into our Fall Boxes, we carefully unwrapped and staged our items for our Christmas décor. It was actually really fun to go back and look at our “Fantastic Fall Decorating” series a month ago and see how our favorite areas have changed colorfully into Christmas!

We scoped out our focus points, decided what could stay from our Fall Décor such as permanent pieces, pinecones, and certain candles…and then we went to work using items we had on hand. 3P basic: choose holiday items that are favorites and have stories, these are the pieces you want to share the season with.  Add some fresh additions like evergreen and poinsettias, and your look is finished.

We swapped out some gourds and autumn leaves for pretty Christmas tree branches to create a new portable Christmas candle centerpiece for the kitchen counter, keeping the scented pinecones (and adding a few with scented oil) from Fall that we loved so much. We added a glittery green Christmas Tree ornament for some added dimension and shine. Sometimes we add tea lights to existing candles to keep them in good shape throughout the season, rather than purchasing all new candles.

When we set out to change our centerpiece for the kitchen table, we tried a few different items like gold decorative Christmas trees to add height, but noticed that a bigger candle in the middle provided some better dimension and warmth. We added some potpourri we had stored (and forgotten about…it was a great little find!) and it added a pretty holiday scent to our creation. This display is a piece that coordinates with our home yet still says “holiday” without clashing with permanent home décor. It’s simple to change, doesn’t add clutter, and we don’t have to pack anything away.

Phew, that was a LOT of Holiday décor, and a blast with the Snourds and Snowkins! Stay tuned for our next dash around the house with “Holiday Wreaths and Trees: Weathered and New”! I know getting everything ready for Christmas is a big-time Holiday Happy for me. What about you? Tell us your Holiday Happy in a comment on the blog, or a “like” and comment on our Facebook page and you’ve still got 5 more days to win $100 for Macy’s and $100 for Target for all your Holiday needs! Enter to win today because very comment is another chance to score a shopping spree!