Advent Calendar + decorating with old familiar things

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I started thinking about decorating for the holidays with planning this year's advent calendar.  I decided to stick with things I have around the house, my recent thrift and flea finds and my usual color palette of natural, black, white and silver with touches of green.  The first thing I did was paint a 4' x 4' piece of 1/4" plywood with chalkboard paint.  Then I emptied my candy jars, washed and filled them with holiday treats.  I used my black and white ticking stripe pillows from Juxtaposition to wrap around little trees I found at a local nursery for $5 each.  The entire project including the supplies for the chalkboard were less than $50 and it's a whole new look from last year. (You can see last year's advent calendar here).

I used lunch bags and twine and filled 24 bags with little presents for Madeline and Patrick...12 each.

I can never have too much candle light...especially when the days are shorter.  I found all my old jars that were large enough to hold a votive, wrapped twine around the top to give it a little something...my favorite jars are the ones that have writing in the glass like the Bonne Maman jam jar and the De Cecco one.  The candy jars are filled with things from Trader Joe's.  I wish I had not sampled the waffle cookies with chocolate and peppermint...I can't stop thinking about them.

I searched my cabinets for anything silver, gold, black and white and a little green.  The little match holder is also from Juxtaposition and it is a reclaimed apothecary bottle that has been scored on the bottom so that you can strike a match. 

I filled silver Revere bowls with pine cones and silver balls tied with black ribbons.  My favorite bowl is one that my husband won in a ski race.  I remember seeing it shortly after we met on a shelf in his book case...Salt Lake Area Corporate Ski Challenge Series, February 4, 1984, 3rd Place was engraved on the bowl.  I said, "You are such a good skier, I would think you would have come in first."  And yet he still married me...I know....

So are you decking the halls?  Are you using old or new or a combination of both?  Enjoy the season!
 
Linking with:  Mod Vintage Life

I just noticed that this post is featured here today: blog.holamama....Thank you! And at ABCDdesign today-- Thank you Amy!  and here:  Momjeanz.  and The Corson Cottage.
  Thank you Paula  at Two Ellie!