Christmas Lights Advice

Is it March already?

Flowers are blooming, Spring is definitely in the air so it must be time for St Patrick’s day – and it is!!

Since I’m three quarters Irish on my Father’s side of the family I feel like I have to get into the St Paddy’s day spirit around this house. It looks like Ireland is celebrating the holiday as well.

Shorth and sweet history of St Patrick

St Patrick ministered (most think) in the middle of the 5th century. Born in Roman Britain he was captured at 16 and lived in slavery as a shepherd in Ireland until he escaped and returned home. He says that his faith grew in captivity – he prayed daily and made his escape when he was told by God that it was time to go home and his ship was waiting. It was and he did.

After he was ordained as a Bishop, he returned to the Emerald Isle to baptize thousands of Irish people. We don’t know much about the details of St Patrick’s life but he is a venerated figure in the history of Christianity and Catholicism.

St Patricks day has evolved over the years to a celebration of all things Irish and green. Where the tradition of punching a classmate if they weren’t wearing green came from… I don’t know but I wonder if kids do that any more??

Itinerary for March 17, 2010

We’ll be eating green frosted cupcakes tomorrow, wearing green and watching the Quiet Man – the perfect movie and a March tradition around this house. I wonder if you can make popcorn green?

Decorating for St Patrick’s Day with Christmas Lights

We’ll also be switching out our light bulbs around our front yard flower beds to be green (good thing we live in a tolerant neighborhood without covenants regarding having some sort of Christmas lighting out all year!!)

We’ll also be outlining a couple of doors and windows inside the house with green mini lights to make the family party more festive for just a few dollars more.

However you celebrate it, bring out your inner Irish, have some green food and light some green lights to celebrate the Holiday and Spring!!

Top O’ the Mornin’ to You,

Shellie O’Gardner
Lights for St Patrick’s Day

Mini lights have so many uses beyond the Christmas tree. Holidays are the time everyone decorates with lights, but why not break out of tradition a little and use mini lights throughout the year?

Easy Top 10 Ways to Use Mini Lights

1. Decorate Christmas Trees – yes, we know this is a favorite and there’s good reason for that. Mini lights are ideal for mixing and matching the colors on your Christmas tree. New themes to consider: purple mini lights with silver ornaments, blue mini lights with blue/white ornaments, or any other color scheme that appeals to you this year.
2. Wreaths – decorate wreaths not only for Christmas, but also for year round decorating appeal. Use red or pink mini lights for Valentine’s Day, green mini lights for St. Patrick’s Day, etc. Our clear mini lights or frost mini lights are perfect for year round decorating in the home or business.
3. Outdoors – take the mini lights outside! String lights around your patio, deck, and patio umbrella during the summer months for family get-togethers. By all means, decorate with lights during the holidays, but then leave some up following the holiday celebrations. Mini frost lights or any other color that cheers you will look great on your porch, trees, bushes, or outlining your gazebo in the back yard.
4. Birthday Celebrations – what better way to bring sparkle and fun to a birthday party? For younger children, opt for mini lights that compliment their favorite character – blue or red for super-heroes, pink for princesses, etc. Spruce up the party with pink, purple, or teal mini lights for your teenage daughter’s party.
5. Holiday Displays – light up the night in every color by decorating your holiday displays with mini lights. Reindeer come to life outlined with white mini lights. Santa will be jolly outfitted in his traditional red and white colors. The sleigh will simply sparkle with white mini lights. The Nativity crèche outlined with gold or yellow mini lights will have a “heavenly” appearance. The oversized wreath on the side of the garage will be stunning at night when outfitted with mini lights.
6. Gardens/Walkways/Water Features – gardens are a magical place in the evening hours when subtly lit with mini lights. Create the magic by adorning your trellises, arbors, and topiaries with mini lights. Outline walkways or paths through the garden. Water features are especially beautiful when the lights reflect off the water.
7. Halloween – bring together all the creepy, eerie effects of this October holiday with our green, purple, orange, and red mini lights.
8. Dances – transform the inside of your gymnasium, ballroom, or barn with strings and strings of mini lights along the ceiling, outlining doorways, and more.
9. Home – mini lights on the fireplace, in the bathroom, a bedroom, artificial trees, above kitchen cabinets, in dining room hutches, bookshelves, or as garland strung above a large window.
10. Weddings – mini lights everywhere! White mini lights along the ceiling, wrapped around tulle, and anywhere that you want sparkle.

Don’t forget – mini lights just aren’t for Christmas any more!!

Happy Holidays,

Shellie Gardner
Mini Lights

It’s that time of year again! Doesn’t it feel as though you’ve blinked and it’s once again time to haul out the strings of lights, the pretty Christmas bulbs and ornaments, and the holiday displays?

Perhaps you are tired of your traditional Christmas décor or would simply like to try your hand at decorating a few more rooms of the house.

Here are 23 suggestions for sprucing up your holiday décor this year – I hope it gets your Holiday creativity going!!

1. Wreaths are a traditional decoration for Christmas, but the style of wreaths available today for the holidays are anything but traditional. Pinecones, pine boughs, and grapevines are all excellent foundations for Christmas wreaths. Decorate your wreath with birds, poinsettia blooms, berries, mini Christmas ornaments or bulbs and lights. Battery-operated Christmas lights are ideal for hanging wreaths in any area of the home and avoiding unsightly electrical cords trailing down the wall. Are you really creative? Create a Christmas wreath from past holiday-themed neckties, linen napkins, or even mismatched Christmas ornaments and ribbon for a look that is uniquely yours.

2. What is Christmas decorating without a Christmas tree? Most homes feature at the very least a large tree in a central location of the home, such as the living room, dining room, or den. In addition, consider adding smaller Christmas trees in different areas of the house to bring cheer to every room. Older children would love to have a small tree in their room to enjoy throughout the holiday months. Christmas lights come in every size, shape, and color imaginable today, so get creative and have fun when choosing the lights for your tree this year.

3. Outdoor Christmas displays are fun to create and they’re enjoyed by not only your neighbors, but by the people who purposely go searching for holiday displays on a cold winter evening. Simple displays such as a Nativity scene and a few angels are always a lovely addition to your holiday decorating plan. Want to go all out? Create a winter wonderland in your front yard complete with Santa’s sleigh, reindeer, snowmen, and snowflakes. Decorate your home, trees, and shrubs too using net lights, rope lights, icicle lights, C7 and C9 lights to add holiday cheer to the outside of your home.

Here are some other great ideas for decorating your home for Christmas.

4. Pine cones – fantastic nestled in pine boughs on windowsills, in bay windows, or lining the fireplace mantel

5. Holly berries/bittersweet – windowsills, nestled in the grapevine tree or wreath, on the mantel or around the base of a large pillar candle in the middle of the holiday table

6. Mistletoe – every doorway, of course!

7. Christmas quilts – pull out your beautiful Christmas quilts and place them in a basket beside the fireplace, over the back of your rocking chair, on table tops, and other prominent places in the house

8. Christmas table runners, tablecloths, napkins – wonderful for decorating the holiday table, small foyer tables, bedside tables, buffets, hutches, and sideboards

9. Christmas centerpieces – dining room, buffet, entertainment center, den

10. Lights of every kind, shape, size, and color – wreaths, centerpieces, doorways, holiday trees, windows, child’s bedroom, fireplace mantel, Nativity scene, and anywhere else that seems to strike your fancy (don’t forget the garage and garden shed!)

11. Garland – strung around the banister, doorways, and tops of large windows
Bows – on the Christmas tree, along the fence, on the front door, or the garage door to name a few options

12. Candles – on the fireplace mantel, the dining room sideboard, master bedroom, den, in each window, and in the foyer

13. Homemade ornaments

14. Christmas cards

15. Popcorn strings/cranberry strings

16. Ribbons with sleigh bells attached and adorning the banister

17. Christmas wrapping paper – cover your every day artwork with Christmas wrap for instant holiday cheer in any room

18. Nativity scene – support a worthy cause and consider purchasing your nativity set from Poland from the Elim Christian Center – this cottage industry is changing the lives of impoverished women – we have our own full set in our home.

19. Advent wreath and calendar

20. Grapevine trees with twinkle lights – on the porch, in a sunroom, in the 4-season porch, large bathrooms, or in a bedroom

21. Holiday villages – if you haven’t started to collect a holiday village set, consider purchasing a few pieces in a set each year and watch it grow.

22. Trains and train tracks – surround the Christmas tree or put it around the perimeter of a room for visual interest.

23. Decorate your front porch, patio, balcony or deck with lights, garland, and red bows
Lighted Christmas signs

Christmas is a wonderful time of year, filled with family, friends, and delicious goodies. Holiday decorating can be a fun activity for the entire family when you think outside the traditional ways you’ve decorated in years past.

Merry Christmas,
Shellie Gardner
Christmas Lights

I was visiting with a friend today and I made a passing reference to net lights (what a shocker!). She made a little face and complained that net lights were just a little too “uniform” for her. See, in her neighborhood all the hedges are nice and striaght and every Christmas everyone installs their net lights and there are rows after rows of perfect hedges.

Seems my friend is a bit of a rebel. As part of the same conversation, I mentioned pink mini lights and pink C9 lights and the idea that she could have a completely pink house this Christmas made her eyes light up with anticipation. (We were conspiring that she and her daughter could surprise her husband and son with their all pink decor!!)

Well, I had a small solution to her net light concern. Net lights are just the best way to decorate a hedge, hands down. Especially in clear mini lights. Each bulb is laid out in a precise grid and the set takes approximately 30 seconds to install.

If you find all that order disconcerting then try the following: Instead of just one set of net lights, buy two. Throw the first set over the hedge then throw the second set offset by a couple of inches over top of it. The gridlike pattern will be minimized and you’ll have 300 mini lights in a some odd 24 square foot area.

I could see her eyes light up at the prospect of having all the convenience of net lights with the massive over the top look that she always spends hours and hours on ever November. Her words: “I like to wrap and wrap and wrap each branch of the hedge”.

I’m starting to wonder how the hedge manages to withstand all that Christmas lights affection.

If you decide that net lights are not the way to go because you want to do your entire house in purple, pink, teal or yellow (net lights are commonly only manufactured in traditional Christmas colors – red, blue, green, and clear) then here are a couple of tips to help you adorn your shrubs:

1. Since Christmas lights can only be run 3 sets to a single run before you have to use another extension cord, consider choosing the longest strands that you can get your hands on without going overboard. Consider 4 inch spacing since that is the most common and easily accessible distance between mini lights available on a set. For large tree trunks, you might look at 6 inch spacing. I like the sets that have 100 mini lights per string with 4 inch spacing because they give you 33 feet to work with.

2. Make sure your hedges are all trimmed up so that you don’t have pokey branches messing up all your hard work. This advice is strictly for folks in the deep South who don’t experience much winter. Or for our South American readers

3. Roll the lights up like balls of yarn before you begin installation. The principles here are the same as they are for yarn. The sets will stay better organized and you will be less likely to knock a bulb out – which will begin your search for the open socket when half the set refuses to light.

4. Consider installing the lights at night so you can see all your empty spaces and correct as you go.
(Be safe – don’t do this if you live in the hood like my neighborhood used to be 10 years ago. Use your good judgement.)

5. Use a modified figure 8 to install the lights on your greenery. The figure 8 pattern will help disguise irregularities and make holes less likely. Just bob and weave…

Most of all, have fun. Some folks like neat and tidy nets, other like the cacophony of chaos. Pick an all one color theme or go crazy with multi or mix it up – it’s all good and fun at Christmas time.

Best Regards,
Shellie Gardner
Christmas Lights

Isn’t August the best time to have a party before the fall routine sets in? The thought of barbeque brisket and lemonade makes my mouth water.

In that spirit here is my favorite brisket recipe (from my good friend Joni!)

Joni’s BBQ Brisket

5-6lb beef brisket
1pkg Lipton onion soup mix
1/4 bottle liquid smoke
Hickory smoke BBQ sauce
Garlic salt
Onion salt
Accent or savory salt
Celery Salt
Pepper

Lay the brisket out on two long pieces of aluminum foil positioned like a cross.
Sprinkle over the meat equal amounts of garlic salt, onion salt, Accent or savory salt, celery salt and pepper. Sprinkle dry soup and liquid smoke over meat. Wrap tightly in the aluminum foil (using the two pieces ensures that as much of the liquid stays in with the meat as possible). Place in roaster or on deep cookie sheet with sides. Bake 11 hours at 225. Pour off juice and reserve. Open foil and cool meat slightly. When able to handle the meat, slice thickly with electric knife. Use 1/2 juice (separated from fat) and 1/2 hickory smoke BBQ sauce mixed, and pour over and between slices of meat. Rewrap tightly in foil. Bake at 350 for another hour (or finish off in a crock pot).

I like to fresh squeeze lemons, add their tangy juice to water and add more sugar than may be healthy for me. It’s also nice to serve lemonade in a clear pitcher with ice and lemon slices.

I love it – kicking back with friends on the porch after a hearty meal – don’t forget the coleslaw and beans Oh! And savory corn on the cob – buttered with herbs and baked in foil if you aren’t barbeque-ing.

Just a few strings of mini lights hanging above the back deck – making the feel of the evening mellow while we kick up our feet is just the thing.

Hope you have a great party very soon. Invite a few friends over and when they ask what to bring suggest margaritas….

Best regards and stay cool,

Shellie
Christmas Lights

As we get closer to New Year’s Eve, why not take the time to look at how easy it is to use Christmas lights to decorate for your big party. Now is even a great time to take advantage of those after Christmas sales then store the lights away for use next year.

See my entire article on Decorating for New Year’s Eve with Lights for more ideas!

And Happy New Year! I’ll be posting on taking down and storing Christmas lights within the next couple of days.

Shellie
Clear Mini Lights

It’s great how LED Christmas lights come in all sorts of different shapes and colors. Large jobs – outlining walkways and yards – call for larger C7 and C9 style bulbs. Smaller jobs – lighting garland, wreaths, centerpieces, Christmas trees!! — let you choose between a huge array of smaller LED shapes.

I have been recently playing with wide angle LED Christmas lights and I like the way the small flat LED covers can be hidden into greenery and the angle of light diffusion seems to be very even – a nice pinpoint of light.

In the picture above, I’ve “hidden” some of the pure white lights in some sheer silver organza. I’m thinking of using this as a table edge for an upcoming party – or stuffing this into a glass brick for some Christmas decorations (fake present glass brick project!!).

I like the razzberry, strawberry and mini ice shapes of led mini lights for decorating – they all look good in a ton of applications – especially during the Holidays. But having access to the simple neutral lines of these particular light sets – I think I’m going to have fun experimenting with them!!

Shellie Gardner
Christmas Lights

You can smell it in the air and see it in every store – Christmas is just around the corner. Christmas stockings hanging in a row on the mantle is a favorite sight in many homes (I know it is in ours!). Get a jumpstart on thinking about what sort of stocking you might hang and what to fill it with – make that list early and save money picking up little items here and there. See Christmas Stockings for my full article.

Merry Christmas (and Happy Halloween!)

Shellie Gardner
Copyright 2008

I just finished my article on Christmas Lights for Camping. We had quite a bit of fun spending the evening putting lights up on our pop up camper. What a great time of year to be camping in TX.

This article features photographs of both incandescent and LED Christmas lights.

Best regards,
Shellie Gardner
Copyright 2008

Christmas wreaths have been making a comeback and trying to decide between real or artificial wreaths can be difficult. There are a number of advantages and disadvantages to either of the two options. The choice ends up being one of personal preference. Here are some of the advantages to real and artificial wreaths.

Real Christmas Wreaths

Smell absolutely wonderful. They are bright green, inviting, and warm and have a delightful texture to them. You can decorate them any way you like with mini lights, ribbons, bows or even tree decorations. You can feel the life within a Christmas wreath made of evergreens.

They are also easy to make though they do take a bit more work to make then artificial wreaths. The biggest downside is that because they are alive they are not reusable. You can create a new one each year following the same design or a different one but they will have to be replaced every year. The good news is if you use a live Christmas tree you have plenty of material to build your wreath.

Artificial Christmas Wreaths

Artificial wreaths are quick, easy, come in a large variety of styles, pre-made with decorations, multiple colors, and sizes. They are made of a variety of materials including plastic and cloth. There are some advantages to these. They fit with absolutely any décor because you can find one that works with your decorating theme. They can be reused year after year because they are not alive. They also usually do not lose their needles the way that live Christmas wreaths can.

They do wear out after a while and the plastic becomes fragile and easily starts to lose its shape so it can look limp. They also have a tendency to look artificial unless you take the time to fine dense well made wreaths. You’ll need to be sure to shape and fluff them if you go this route. Since you don’t get that wondeful evergreen smell with artificial wreaths and good Yankee Christmas candle may be in order!

Artificial Christmas wreaths like real or natural Christmas wreaths can be outfitted with lights but you need to consider the temperature of the lights and the material being used. LED lights and mini lights work great in this instance since they tend to remain cooler.

Both of these types of wreathes have their advantages and disadvantages. The choice of which one works for you is entirely up to you and the preferences you have. You can make either one as a craft or purchase them at the stores or on the internet (great if you happen to need a wreath in June).

Live evergreen wreaths are usually only available during the holiday season. However, if you wish to create your own you can use any evergreen that is available in your area. Artificial wreaths are usually available all year round at local craft stores. You can purchase these without any decorations and add your own, this is also typical of live wreaths however you can purchase both of these completely assembled with lights and directions.

So real or unreal – the decision still come to rest on your taste and your project. Hopefully you won’t lose too much sleep making that choice (or better yet do both!)

Merry Christmas (ok, it’s July but all this wreath talk is putting me in the Holiday spirit!)
Shellie Gardner
Christmas Lights
Copyright 2007

Tags: christmaswreaths, artificial vs real christmas wreaths, decorating for Christmas