Still need some great Christmas decorating ideas? We’ve got several hacks that will reuse, repurpose, and incorporate sustainable materials and methods — all while looking fabulous!

Not to sound like a total Scrooge or anything, but it’s probably important to know that according to the EPA, “the volume of household waste in the United States increases 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day – about 1 million extra tons.” That means it’s up to us to reduce the amount of waste we produce this year.

But don’t worry, it’s a lot easier than you think. Not only does the EPA have some seriously good ideas on how to accomplish this, but we have the scoop on sustainable decorating ideas that will help when excessive waste is at its peak. Fortunately, when it comes to decorating ideas, you don’t have to skimp on the festive touches around your home — all it really requires is a little bit of creativity and some elbow grease to accomplish these DIY ideas. Don’t believe us? See for yourself!

Tree Ideas

If you want to avoid chopping down a healthy tree this year, and opt out of buying better, yet still full of harmful chemicals, fake trees, then choose a hip DIY version.

1. Chalkboard Tree

Have a chalkboard wall in your house? Need an excuse to have one? Well, your Christmas wish came early this year, because we can’t recommend this sketched tree and vintage light accompaniment enough. The possibilities for this are endless, and doesn’t have to stop at Christmas. Thanks to A Goode House for the inspiration.

2. Repurposed Ladder

Pull out that old wooden ladder and get to decorating. Use vines, lights, pine cones, burlap, and even some ornaments to recreate this rustic, shabby chic “tree” a la Funky Junk Interiors. The best part is that when it’s not lighting up your life, you can still keep the ladder around for its intended use.

3. Scrap Wood Tree

Who knew trees made from scrap wood could be so stunning? Simple, yet impactful, these Christmas trees use leftover wood to mimic the real thing. Although lacking in the green and bushy department, it’s still very warm, inviting, and seriously festive. Plus, it can be used year after year. Check out A Beautiful Mess for the blog’s Christmas tree DIY.

Garland Ideas

Deck your halls with strands of beautiful handmade garland. Ranging from natural fruit and spices to glistening rounds of leftover gift bags from Christmas past, then you’ll adore these ideas.

4. Food Garland

Cooking Channel TV has some super cool ideas for food-based garlands that can be composted, munched on, or repurposed when you’re through. The contrast of the popcorn and black licorice strand looks very modern and hip, the orange slices appear very fresh and lively, while the cinnamon stick and cranberry pairing lends a traditional Christmas touch. It’s hard to pick a favorite, so we’ll let you be the judge!

5. Pine Cone Garland

Pine cone garland is beautiful, rustic, and practically free! Hop on over to Bob Vila for instructions on how to make some of your own. From how to prep them (cleaning and baking) to how to hang them, they’ve got you covered. Make it as full or as sparse as you’d like and get creative — a dusting of gold leaf would add a festive touch.

6. Upcycled Garland

Use the tutorial at Paper Daisy Design if you want to sew your garland, otherwise just glue them together, plain sides touching over a piece of string, twine, or thread. She uses store bought paper, but you can easily use old book pages, leftover holographic gift bags, or wrapping paper scraps.

Gift Wrap Ideas

The gifts under your tree can add a lot of pizazz to your overall Christmas decor aura. Whether you choose fabric or paper, there’s an option for each, with some embellishment tips to boot.

7. Cloth and Fabric

Use the furoshiki method that originated in Japan and you’ll be able to use things like cloth dish towels, bandanas, upcycled fabric scraps, and even old sweaters (like the beautiful gray cable knit seen over at Boxwood Clippings) to bundle up your gifts.

8. Natural Embellishments

Green clippings, twigs, pine cones, twine, and burlap make for beautiful decorating ideas. Gather your embellishments from your own back yard and take a moment to relax while you’re out there. Absorb all of the great examples and load up your inspo arsenal over at 79 Ideas and My Cozy Retreat.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our sustainable, and sometimes unconventional, Christmas decorating ideas! Let us know which ones you liked the best on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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The post 8 Christmas Decorating Ideas You Can Whip Up Before the Big Day appeared first on EcoSalon.

The Thanksgiving table is full of memories. Whether they’re emotional, laughter-filled, or a little bit of both, it’s a time for family and friends to come together and take a moment to count their blessings (no, not discuss politics, Uncle Robert) – without also driving the hostess to drink.

I’ll be the first to admit, the holidays stress me out. It’s hard enough when I have to cook for vegetarians while satisfying meat eaters, clean the house from top to bottom, and stop myself from drinking wine before noon. Throw in making the place look festive before guests arrive, and you may as well lock me up and throw away the key.

But, rather than succumb to plasticy store-bought embellishments, I am challenging you (and me) to try out one of these easy Thanksgiving table decor ideas.

Before you tell me to take a hike, just hear me out – not only are these quick and easy, they’re also affordable, and are either inspired by nature, or call for things that are easily accessible.

Consider whether you want a casual party atmosphere, something fit for a modern family, or a rustic fall look filled with organic elements. Once you’ve done that, think about your budget and how much time you have to spend. Most of these picks are cheap (or free), and can be whipped up in just a few minutes. Besides, maybe your family will focus more on the impressive decorations, rather than their grievances. 

Take a look, and if you still want to murder me after suggesting a DIY during the holidays, then I officially give you a free pass on decorating this year.

1. Pumpkin Bowl

Pumpkins don’t have to go away once Halloween is over. Continue using these good-looking gourds to decorate your space for Thanksgiving, too. This pumpkin-turned-drink-holder DIY is perfect for the buffet table, and transforms the edible into something useful after you’ve harvested the seeds.

Plus, according to the Today Show, it only takes ten minutes to complete this easy project from start to finish. We like the look better without a plastic bucket placed inside. And if you’re not having a dry Thanksgiving (I mean, who can get through a family gathering without a stiff one?), then use this for chilling sparkling wine, or putting a pumpkin flavored ale on ice.  

2. Vine and Twine

Sometimes less is more when it comes to holiday decor, and this simple, yet beautiful, DIY from HGTV proves exactly that. When you’ve set the Thanksgiving table this year, consider collecting a few small strands of clipped backyard vines, or bunch of branches, and bundle them together with a piece of twine.

Place this greenery on top of each place setting, similar to the image shown. If you have time, include a little note on a piece of rustic paper and attach it to the twine with a hole punch. Let each guest know why you’re thankful for their attendance, or simply include their name to act as a place card.  

3. Krafty Table

By using one hundred percent recycled kraft paper as your tablecloth, you’ll reap several advantages. Not only is it better for the environment, but you can re-recycle this paper when you’re done, have a super easy clean-up after dinner, and you can incorporate this artsy and whimsical Thanksgiving table decor idea.

According to Country Living, all you need to do is cut your paper to the desired length, pencil sketch the design first, and then go over it with a paint marker. Use some greenery down the center, offer the kiddos at the children’s table their own crayons, and you will have spectacular adult table, along with an activity to keep the little ones happy.

4. Log Centerpiece

If you own a drill, or a small, handheld saw, then this should be a quick and easy DIY for your fall table. If you want to go the candle route, then we’d suggest checking out this tutorial from Jenna Burger Design. You simply buy the drill bit that will allow your candles to fit and start making some holes. Rather than slip a bare candle in there, though, make room for a thin votive holder, that way you can easily remove and replace when the candle is finished.

For the flower centerpiece, we took inspiration from the Sweet Peach Blog. Use fall florals from the local farmers market and arrange inside the log after carving out a vessel, or find one that already has all the holes you need. If you can, try and fit a low-lying container inside with a bit of water to keep your centerpiece fresher longer.

5. Fruit and Flowers

Thistlewood Farms provided inspiration for this natural and organic looking centerpiece. With a few hollowed out pumpkins filled with seasonal flowers (she uses hydrangeas), a few strategically placed pears, and a smattering of greenery, this is a simple and beautiful tablescape that anyone can make. Throw in a handful of walnuts in the shell or pinecones for even more rustic beauty and interest. For additional ideas using similar materials, check out this great example from HGTV.

What did you think of these Thanksgiving table decor ideas? Pretty easy, huh? Let us know your thoughts on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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The post 5 Easy Ways to Decorate Your Thanksgiving Table (Without Losing Your Mind) appeared first on EcoSalon.

The countdown to the holidays has begun, so why not take a few moments to spruce up your home with a few simple Christmas crafts. Heck, you might even find that channeling your inner Martha for a few hours is a great way to relieve stress, especially after a bottle glass of wine or two. Just be careful with those scissors!

Ornaments 

When done well, hand crafted ornaments can really be so sweet and beautiful. We have a few ideas listed for you below, but if you’re wondering how to elevate them one step further, consider dedicating your tree décor to a single theme. Choose a color scheme, stick with just a few different ornament shapes and sizes, and use white lights for the best neutral backdrop.

1. Snowy Ornaments – For this simple project you’ll need ornaments (the shapes and sizes are up to you), Mod Podge or watered down Elmer’s glue, Epsom salt, and colored paint (optional). For a colored version (think light blue or pink) first coat the ornament in paint. After it’s dry, coat with glue, and then while the glue is still wet sprinkle the ornament with Epsom salt. For a “clear” or all white version, skip the colored paint. Check out this helpful tutorial here.

2. Kate Spade Inspired Ornaments – Start with solid white balls (or the solid color of your choice), then grab some painter’s tape, circular notebook paper reinforcement stickers, and gold spray paint. Try creating her signature stripes, polka dots, and color blocking. Finish these with a piece of black and white striped ribbon for an added touch of sophistication. Check out the tutorial here.

3. Filled Glass Ornaments – You can stuff these babies with so many things, the possibilities are endless. Here are some filling ideas to help get you started: whole coffee beans, burlap, glitter, rhinestones, treasured photos, confetti, ribbons, lace, buttons, and so much more.

Garland

Mantel and tree garland is almost as much fun to make as it is to admire. With a few materials (some you may even have lying around the house) you can have some festive and unique garland in a snap. Some of these Christmas crafts are so cute that you may want to leave them up year round.

4. Salt Dough Garland – This simple garland will have you seeing stars this Christmas. After completing the recipe for salt dough, cut out several tiny stars and glue them to your wire, twine, or ribbon for décor that’s both adorable and reusable. Find the tutorial here.

5. Pom Pom Garland – Pom poms garland is slightly more traditional, but still has the potential to provide a modern touch. The tutorial for making it can be found here, but it’s essentially just a bag of pom poms, twine, and a needle for stringing. Multicolored strands are great, but black and white, or even strings of monochrome puffs, like solid black, white, or red, whatever matches your color scheme the best, would look great too.

6. Pine Cone Garland – Again, super simple, yet very impactful. Start with a really long piece of jute or yarn to tie around each pine cone until you reach the end – just make sure you leave enough room on the ends to hang it properly. Check out the tutorial here.

Wrapping Paper

This is a great opportunity to personalize your gifts while letting your creativity fly! Personally, I find that the wrapping on the outside of a gift is almost just as important as what’s inside. Pretty packaging heightens anticipation, shows that you give a hoot, and can even contain a keepsake or something functional.

7. Paper Feather Gift Wrap Décor – Customize your Christmas gifts with beautiful gold or silver tipped paper feathers. Choose patterned paper, solid paper, or even glitter paper and use the tutorial here that comes complete with instructions and free downloadable patterns to help you get started.

8. “Chalk Board” Gift Wrap – These adorably stylized presents only need two things for the full effect – extra adornments are optional. With a roll of black craft paper and white paint markers you’ll have a grouping of unique and personalized packages. Check out this post for inspiration.

9. Brown Paper Gift Wrap – This neutral earth-toned paper is the perfect backdrop for a variety of handmade designs, and rather than buy a roll you can recycle those grocery store paper bags for wrapping smaller gifts. Here are a few paper decorating ideas to get you started: burlap, jute, striped or colorful ribbon would look great against the brown. Apply patterns, like chevron or polka dots, directly to the wrap with paint pens and markers. Adhere a doily to the package for a pretty extra layer, and try berries and sprigs of evergreen for simple, yet impactful, adornments.

With a few simple Christmas crafts in your arsenal, you should be well on your way to a cheerful holiday season. Is there any nostalgic décor (even if others consider it gaudy) that you just have to use each year? Let us know on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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Image of Gifts and Twine via Shutterstock

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Here’s a bit of melody and merriness to soak in.

First, set the tone with this tune. Play this song and relish the nostalgic classic masked in fresh whimsy. Later you can absorb the entire list of melodies from this play list (endless gratitude to Jason Hudson!).

Second, get a drink of festive spirits. Peppermint candy canes make a great last minute infused vodka:

Peppermint Infused Vodka

Add six peppermint candy canes to one pint of vodka.

Let stand at least three hours (the longer, the better).

Enjoy this colorful liquid on the rocks or with hot chocolate.

Third, take pleasure in the simple winter wonderland of these lovely vignettes of calm texture from Walther & Co.

And finally, if you still need a little dose ‘day of’ inspiration, here are 485 pages of red and white festive bliss from What Katie Ate (click here for an introduction to What Katie Ate). Or you can peruse the special Holiday Issue of Lonny (as you know, we love Lonny).

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