A staple for holiday decorating–ribbon!  Affordable and practical, it never ceases to amaze me how a single strand of ribbon can transform the simplest thing into a delight!  Whether you are traditional, contemporary, romantic or something in between, there is a ribbon out there for you! Choose your favorites and have at it!  Once you get started I promise you it will be hard to quit!  My latest color infatuation in my home is green–ribbon allows me to transform my colors without blowing my budget on all new decorations.  So, I guess you could say that ribbon is a pretty remarkable item!  Here, green, grey and silver strands twisted from stocking to stocking add a striking punch of color to an otherwise serene mantelpiece.  Tiny trees standing tall on a dessert stand bring a touch of color to the top and silver initial tags add a glittery touch.  Such simplicity but such an impact!

The same green ribbon tied around a slipcovered chair successfully pulls the color in to an adjacent room and the bird ornament with a bountiful ribbon tail looks so festive perched upon an urn filled with vintage tinsel.  The simple bow attached to a lamp gives an ordinary item some holiday flare!  So what are you waiting for?  Go get some ribbon and let the festivities begin!

Even though I previously mentioned that Halloween is not all about craft paper and google eyes–if you have kids it is a staple in holiday decorating.  This is such a fun time for getting crafty no matter your age!  Why not spruce up your children’s creative space with super simple Halloween containers to hold their supplies.  It doesn’t need to be fancy to make the space dressed up for the season.  Here, cute trick-or-treat buckets hold pens, scissors and glue but you could also use little cauldrons or any containers adorned in Halloween colors.  When you are decorating with kids it is all about the fun of transforming a little space into something special and the ability to do so.  By finding projects that are easy to do they will enjoy the excitement and sense of accomplishment that decorating can bring!  Here are couple more simple ideas for kids and adults alike… Creating a paper banner is an easy project that looks as cute as it is simple.  Placed around the house wherever you prefer is a great way to highlight the holiday without re-arranging your entire space!  And if crafting is just not your thing or takes too much time, you can simply purchase die cut shapes at most craft stores.  These cardboard mice from Martha Stewart Crafts at Michaels have been around awhile but they are still adorable set in the corners of these frames leading up a stairway.  Easy and quick for a pleasing Halloween display.  So whether you are 3, 13 or 33 and counting…you can always find simple ways to make your spaces special for the holiday!

If there is one area of decorating in my house that always stumps me it is my fireplace mantle!  I have learned over time that the best way to tackle it is to just go for it–especially at Halloween.  Halloween decorating never has to be perfect–in fact, the less perfect it is, the better the outcome!  This holds true with the mantle–no pulling  your hair out–just gather some of your favorite holiday items and start playing.  I came across this frame that just so happened to be ideal for my holiday mantle!  It was lucky that the photo was in such good condition but even far from perfect would be proper for Halloween.   A couple of empty frames or mirrors stacked crookedly would also be just as fitting!  So, a spooky photo flanked by some candlesticks, gourds, crows and presto!–a bewitching display!  (That didn’t break the bank–added bonus!)  Halloween is a perfect opportunity to experiment with your decor.  Always make use of the thrift shops for this season–you never know what kind of crazy items you might find!  One person’s trash could complete your ultimate display…