Let me guess . . . you want your holiday decorations to be super cute this year, and you have tons of extra money to help you accomplish that. No?

Well call me Santa Claus, because I have four DIY holiday decor ideas that are not time consuming and are truly inexpensive (i.e. they won’t leave you scratching your head at your craft store receipt that states you spent more on supplies than if you would have just purchased a finished product . . . thanks Pinterest!). Also, I’ve completed all four of these pieces; I wouldn’t suggest a craft that I haven’t tried myself; I’m no Grinch. Merry Decorating!

Snow Terrariums

I am obsessed with snow terrariums, so obsessed I’m trying to figure out a way that I can incorporate them into my decor year round. I’ll keep you posted on that, but for now let’s focus on your mini winter wonderlands. These terrariums are bright, versatile, and, most important, can reflect your specific holiday style (traditional, country, elegant, eclectic . . . the possibilities are endless). Another bonus is these are very kid friendly — the little ones can help, and they make great holiday additions to their rooms.

Supplies:

• Glass jars, vases, cloches . . . essentially whatever glass container you have on hand.
• Bag of fake snow (easy find at your local craft store).
• Christmas ornaments, bottlebrush trees, fairy lights . . . again, the possibilities are endless.

Process:

Fill your chosen glass container with the fake snow and plop your tchotchke on top. If you’re using fairy lights, be sure to immerse them in the snow first. It couldn’t be simpler!

Fresh and Faux Arrangements

I’m a huge fan of mixing natural elements into my decor and Christmas is no exception. This year I’m mainly using rosemary, branches from our Fraser fir tree, and eucalupytus. Another thing I’m a fan of is mixing fresh and faux in floral arrangements. It’s cheaper (because you can recycle your faux stems), and I’ve found it to be much more malleable.

Process:

The supplies are pretty self explanatory (vase, H20, and your stems). This process is also blissfully simple. Fill your vase with water, trim your fresh stems by at least an inch, and arrange however you like. Floral arrangements with elements as rustic as these actually look better when they’re not perfectly arranged, so don’t go crazy over symmetry or balance. If it looks pretty to you, that’s all that matters — it’s your house after all!

Simple Centerpieces

Bear with me here. I know you’re thinking, “Simple? Shouldn’t my centerpiece be a showstopper at my holiday dinner?” Don’t get me wrong, I love dramatic centerpieces. They catch the eye and are one of the best places to display your favorite items (since they’re usually out of reach from those little toddler hands), but they’re actually a conversation stopper. A tall/bushy/large in general centerpiece can quite literally cut off conversation between your guests. Decor should enhance life, not hinder it.  

Supplies:

• Long, skinny planter, box or re-purposed drawer.
• Candles (votive, pillar, or tea lights in trays will all work, but I suggest staying away from jarred).
• Bottlebrush trees or small faux trees.
• Fresh, dried, or faux garland, rosemary, and/or boxwood.

Process:

Place your candles first and work around them (especially if you plan on actually lighting them, which is definitely not required). Again, don’t strive for perfection. This is a relaxed, natural arrangement and should compliment your place settings, not overwhelm them. If you have extra supplies, match the elements of your centerpiece to your place settings by adding a sprig of rosemary or boxwood to the center of your plate or personalize individual bottle brush trees with name tags and send them home with your guests as party favors.

Frame Alternative 

The word-art trend is huge in general, but especially during the holiday season. It’s a great way to incorporate your favorite scriptures or lyrics into your decor and skipping the traditional frame is a perfect way to mix things up and keep your home unique. This is, by far, the most complicated project I’m presenting today, but it’s still very easy and can be completed by any novice DIY’er.

Supplies:

• Free, high quality printable (easily found on Pinterest or peruse Etsy for low cost, downloadable prints. I purchased one for only $4).
• Twine or sturdy ribbon.
• Thin boards (two of them, found at any hardware store).
• Screws and washers.

Process:

Print your art (I suggest using your local print shop instead of your home printer) and lay out your supplies. Your boards should be at least an inch longer than your print.

Stack your boards and pre-drill holes into the ends where your screws will eventually go (we don’t want your boards to splinter later).

Place your print on one board, centering between your pre-drilled holes and place a strip of thin cardboard on top of the the print. This will help hold things in place later (make sure the place holder is skinny enough to hide under the boards).

Take one last look to make sure everything is centered, place a looped ends of your twine or ribbon over the holes, and place the other board on top of the place holders. Last, screw your boards together at the two ends (using your washers) as tightly as you can. Hang and you’re done!

*If you have a larger, thicker print I would suggest framing out the bottom as well. Just buy twice the amount of boards, screws, and washers, and fuse the bottom boards together just as you did the top.

How are you decorating for the holidays this year?