Peppermint Kissmas: Staircase

I am so proud of my staircase - talk about a DREAM come true!  And that was before it was even decorated!!  At Christmastime, it really has a chance to shine!

Focus on the staircase -  not the toys and clothes for Goodwill - ha!

Uugh - let me just tell you - It used to be such an eyesore!  And it is the first thing you see when you walk through the front door!  Even Speed, who could be happy living in just about anything (he's an outdoor, not an indoor guy) agreed that it needed to GO!!  So in 2007 we had it totally redone.  It was so awful, we didn't even take a picture of it before we got started, but if I find one, I will be sure to update you!  Anyhoo, with help of my dear friend Billy at Wann Construction, we closed in the treads, replaced the risers, built a wall below to create a closet underneath and installed the most bee-u-tee-ful wrought iron balusters!!

Needless to say, it's become one of my FAVORITE places to overembellish decorate for Christmas!

I used the same basic techniques on the staircase as I did on the mantle (including the arcade twinkle lights)and swiped some zip ties (LOVE those things!) from Speed's garage to secure it to the balusters, just below the banister, which keeps the handrail itself free of garland and available for use by all the little hands in my house.  Just thread it through the greenery from the back and pull it tight - magic!!

Unlike the mantle, gravity is working against you on the staircase.  So, I did secure my ornaments in various, non-permanent ways, including wiring ornament clusters to toothpicks (works just like a floral pick and you probably already have those around your house) before inserting into the greenery and in some cases, simply removing the ornament cap at the top and threading a needle from the garland into the hole at top.  Worked like a charm!  We're three weeks in and Snacks hasn't managed to pull the whole thing down yet!!

It's also a beautiful backdrop for our nativity set, that greets our guests each year on the entry table.  After all, Jesus is the reason for the season!

Merry Christmas y'all!