Christmas foyer

by | Dec 10, 2017 | All Things Home, Decorating, Holiday, Winter | 38 comments

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For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to have a staircase with pretty railings, bannisters, and a newel post.  Specific, I know, but I just have a thing for staircases.  Maybe that came from growing up in small, military apartments…

Well, I finally get to live in a house with an awesome staircase and I was so excited about decorating it for Christmas.

I swagged cedar garland along the rail, using some green twine-covered florist wire to secure it in place.  I also wrapped the garland with the Cozy Knit Garland from Crate & Barrel and added my mini-stocking advent calendar along the top bannister.

The rocking horse got its usual laurel wreath around his neck, too.

Now, as beautiful as this looks, it has been a mess!  The greens have been shedding every day, so I have to keep on it with a hand-held vacuum.  Fun times!  I might be going faux next year.

I’m learning this house is much dryer than our last house in PA, so my fresh greens are drying out much faster, even with Wilt Pruf spray and soaking them in water.

Well, despite the shedding and drying, it looks beautiful and festive, so I’m going to enjoy it this year, knowing it’s up for just a short time.

Before I sign off, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who left a comment to support the Balsam Hill Season of Giving campaign to raise funds for the JDRF.  I had a goal to get 1,000 comments and we got over 1,100!  We maxed out their donation limit and $2,000 will be going to the Minnesota JDRF!!

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    38 Comments

    1. Susan

      Fresh greens in MN just don’t last. Except when they are outside! But it looks beautiful anyway.

    2. Bess

      Marian,
      It looks just like you…simple perfection!
      I look forward to your posts every single day.
      Thank you for the glorious inspiration.
      Bess

    3. Rebecca

      Very Pretty! Merry Christmas from North Carolina!! ?????

    4. Darcy Sexson

      Pretty greenery! I went faux this year….and haven’t looked back. 🙂

    5. Rhonda

      Beautiful garland, I know what a mess it can be, sad because it’s so gorgeous using fresh greenery. I’ve gone to faux now too, still pretty, but without the mess! I’m so happy you exceeded your comments goal, congrats on a great donation to such a worthy cause.

    6. Bernie

      FYI fake sheds too! Just not as much. The only real greenery I have is a wreath from Costco. Hangs on the inside of my kitchen door. It smells wonderful!

    7. deb

      Great news with the donation. You might want to look into preserved cedar garland.

    8. Pamela

      So exciting that you raised the funding for T 1 D and get to go to the celebration! Thank you for all you do to raise awareness, every time I try to comment about it my eyes well up with tears. Juvenile Diabetes changed the path of our family and what a difficult walk it can be. I know between the work your husband does as a pastor, your influence in youth ministries, and your wonderful blog/books you do much to inform the everyday lives of many many people. and still when I see what you are doing for T 1 D I can’t help but think of Esther and that phrase “you were born for such a time as this”. We moved this summer and I, too, have always longed to decorate stair railing at Christmas and am so excited to do it. I grew up in Military housing and South Florida in mostly ranch style homes so I’m having fun with this new architecture although it is a bit daunting/exciting to figure out placement of everything in new ways. God bless you and yours.

    9. Mary in VA

      Lovely staircase greenery, and it was a happy surprise to see the little stockings along the top. Sorry it’s drying out so fast. I’m very excited for the amount raised for JDRF!

    10. Karen L Chaudoin

      Congratulations on the donations!

    11. Cheryl

      We discovered adding a humidifier helped lower the “dryness” keeping fresh greens longer. It also has the added benefit of helping skin to be less dry too. ☺

    12. Linda

      Your garland looks beautiful even if it is drying out on you! I love the smell of real garlands and wreaths but it can be so messy which is why I have gone to the artificial side. 🙂 Glad you reached your goal!!! I truly look forward to your posts.

    13. Joanne E Boulter

      I am in love with your crocheted garland! Wow! Thank s for the inspiration!
      Merry Christmas! Jo

    14. Cheryl Collette-Victor

      Congratulations and very pretty foyer
      I bought two of the knit garlands from Crate & Barrel, I love them
      How many did it take to wrap around your bannister and railing ?

    15. larry

      need goose not rocking horse to me birds are us free

    16. larry

      need goose not rocking horse to me birds are free

    17. Deedra

      Your foyer is absolutely beautiful! And your rocking horse is perfect there. Like everyone else, But love following the decorating of your new home!

    18. Deedra

      Your foyer is absolutely beautiful! And your rocking horse is perfect there. Like everyone else, I love following the decorating of your new home!

    19. Dianne

      It is a comfort to see your home and your natural style each day. Merry Christmas to you and your sweet family. And, I look forward to all of your inspiring ideas in the new year!

    20. Linda Charlton

      Gorgeous as usual. Fresh greens are lovely but not worth the trouble, tho. I am glad you are doing well in MN and Merry Christmas.

    21. JC at the uncommon pearl

      Your foyer is so lovely, and great news to hear about the JDRF!

    22. mary m

      Looks beautiful! So far so good with Wilt Pruf in NH………..

    23. Jan Newton

      Maybe a humidifier that attaches to your HVAC would help. We installed one this year. Can’t believe how much it helps alleviate dry skin, dry nasal passages, etc.

    24. Marlene Stephenson

      I love your staircase and decorations. So glad things turned out so good with the fund raising at Balsam Hill, it was so simple and easy, to be so very important. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New year and a day filled with blessings.

    25. Kathryn

      It seems everyone’s decor is over the top. Except yours. Thank Heavens! I love the simplicity. Keep it up, girlie!! Your decor is truly a breath of fresh air.

    26. Diane RUEBEL

      MMS!!! I agree! Your creative symplicity draws my heart to the true meaning of the season. Thank you.

      Diney on Camano Island

    27. B. Folk

      I have a thing for staircases, too (grew up in a So. CA rancher). Congratulations on surpassing your fundraising goals!

    28. deAnna

      Such a wonderful thing Balsam Hill is doing! It’s going for such a great cause! Love the garland and horse in your entry way too! Fresh, festive and not overly done.

    29. Crystal

      That’s great news that you were able to achieve the max donation! Your foyer looks wonderful, I wondered, in writing on Instagram how your greenery was doing, hadn’t read this post yet. So now I know. I love fresh greens but only use them sparingly, I pretty much went faux darn it. But my back thanks me for not dragging the vac out every day. Happy Holidays!

    30. Norma Rolader

      Beautifully done and thank you for sharing … have you tried to mist the greenery with water on a daily bases? I am so thankful ya’ll have met and beyond your goal, congratulations

    31. Sally Kennedy

      Looks wonderful,wish I would have seen the stocking garland sooner. I have some raggedy grain sacks I could have made one. I always use faux greenery,but about 4 days before Christmas I stick real in here or there,whatever I find in the yard that’s usable,spruce ,boxwood, cedar,euyonmous?Loved from the very beginning,God bless.

    32. MaryLisa Noyes

      My garland is drying out so fast on my lower bannister.. any tips?

    33. Anita

      Your staircase and greenery are beautiful! We are updating our house for resale, and considered doing what a lot of people are doing – changing out our white painted staircase rails for wrought iron. I personally think the white rails look more calming and peaceful than the wrought iron. So after seeing yours are still white, I think we’ll leave ours white.

    34. Nancy

      Dearest Marion,
      Thank you for making your home so beautiful. I know it was not just for me but the way you present it, makes it seem like I’m peeking through your windows.
      I delight at the simple beauty of the goat cart tree, the splendor of the staircase garland.
      You have a gift, a true gift. It’s a blessing. Thank you for all of your effort
      Nancy

    35. Jessica | Petal + Ply

      Bummer on the shedding greens. They look so lovely!!! And how cute are your little grain sack stockings hung across the railing!!

    36. Sue Pagels

      It’s wonderful that the donation was maxed out – a very worthy cause! Merry Christmas – everything looks lovely!

    37. Vicki Sheets

      Beautifully done. I love it.

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    Marian Parsons - Miss Mustard Seed

    I’m Marian, aka Miss Mustard Seed, a wife, mother, paint enthusiast, lover of all things home and an entrepreneur, author, artist, designer, freelance writer & photographer.  READ MORE to learn more about me, my blog and my business…

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