blah to TADA!: Christmas Ornaments

Hello Lovelies! Have you started decorating for the holidays?

This is what our Christmas tree looks like. It's a fresh Fraser Fir tree, meticulously and ceremoniously chosen at a plant nursery in our neighborhood. Once we find "the one", we load it up on top of the car, bring it home, and set it up in a tree stand filled with water. My husband cuts away the netting and we take a whiff of the intoxicating scent of fresh pine. Then we string on the lights and hang the ornaments!

Our colors are white and silver, reminiscent of newly fallen snow on Christmas morning -- very calm yet festive. When we eventually get tired of this scheme, we can easily add another set of ornaments in a new color like red or gold. But for now, it will remain white and silver.

The ornaments were purchased in department stores, dollar stores and craft markets. Some were gifts, some were handmade. But over the years, we've made it a point to pick up an ornament when we travel. I love the thought of ornaments, no matter how inexpensive, of having a story to tell.

This week, I'll share with you the ornaments I recently found, starting with this:

It's a sand dollar. By adding a piece of twine, it can be hung on the tree...TADA! I'm not sure if this is a real sand dollar or just a replica. It's delicate and looks very real.

It's a souvenir from a day at the beach, specifically from The Sand House in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. {I really hope the store wasn't damaged by Hurricane Sandy!}