Christmas Decorations: A Steampunk Tree

I have been tinkering for awhile now with a master bedroom renovation. The concept is Jules Verne's dream bedroom - a blend of masculine Victorian, industrial, vintage travel, and fantasy. I'll be sharing more on my changes later.

Anyway, since our son begged for a larger Christmas tree last year, my beloved twig-tree moved into the master bedroom this year.

The tree is a 3' tall German twig-tree. I placed it atop a set of stacked suitcases, so it would be a prominent decoration in the room. Winding 'round the tree, is a homemade paper-chain made from antique book pages, edged with a bit of copper German glass glitter.

The tree-topper is a homemade paper top hat - complete with hatpin, made by stringing glass pearls & goldstone beads onto straight pins.

The paper mache globe ornaments were given to me by my mother last year. They had been sitting with her decorations unused, and when she heard about this tree she insisted that we HAD to take them. I think they go perfectly!

I found a set of five metal keys at Michaels for $1 apiece last summer, and couldn't come up with a  place to display them until the tree went up. They add just a bit of metallic shine.

My one splurge last year was a set of three brass clock-hand snowflakes! At $18 for the set, they were well worth it.

I wanted hot air balloons, and found  tutorials using solder, glass-blowing, and  incandescent lightbulbs. Opting for a simpler approach, I printed out silhouette images, and glued them to create 3-d ornaments.

I found a pair of earthtone blown glass mushrooms on sale after Christmas last year... and at $.20 apiece I certainly can't complain about the price!

I also found a few post-season ornaments last year... a pair of bookish owlss!



The only other decoration is a pretty embroidered pillow from the thrift store. I'm not usually one for throw pillows, but this one had such a pretty handmade look that I had to bring it home. It looks SO pretty against the matelasse duvet! It doesn't quite fit the steampunk look, but it looks as if it was made to rest on the mid-Victorian era bed.

It's taking me forever to get my decorations up this year, but slowly everything is coming together.

Christmas Decorations: Sweet Surprises

I just have to share... because this TOTALLY made my day! My UPS man showed up this afternoon, but we hadn't ordered anything recently. When we opened it up, I found a lovely snowman ornament from one of my dear sweet friends. It ABSOLUTELY made my day, and I immediately popped him onto my antique sewing machine next to another snowman-friend so they could keep each other company.

What a wonderful unexpected surprise - and what a sweet couple these two make together, sitting where I can see them from the entire living area.









A few of my other smaller decorations are now tucked about the place as well. In my kitchen niche, I've tucked my reproduction snowman bubble light, and our Bing Crosby album. 

Across the top of my crafting shelves, I've arranged a vintage shawl under a variety of pretty white candleholders. 
It's a simple display, but it offsets my red and white feather tree so nicely.


I have felt SO spoiled this  past week with all these amazing surprises!