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hey there! I'm monica 

I pride myself on making amazing style and design accessible for everyone, regardless of location, budget, or ability! My design philosophy is rooted in authenticity + attainability - If I can do it, you can too! My work has been featured in countless publications, but I take the most pride in homeowners that have been personally inspired by my DIY ideas and have tried something in their own homes!

learn more about ME + MY BIZ

Welcome to the 2014 Holiday HouseWalk!

 Holiday House Walk 2 SM TEXT

 First off,  I want to give a “Hi There!” to all my new readers who have come by way of Top This Top That.

Top this top that house 22

I hope you’ve been enjoying Jennifer Rizzo’s holiday house walk this week. If you missed what I did last year check it out here. My kids are still neighborhood rockstars because of our Grinch door!

DIY-Grinch-Door-001-620x439

I need to make a few disclaimers before I start my Christmas home tour…

I’m filming for a new DIY TV show on Friday and we’re shooting at my house.  That would be fine, but… I got word that I have to give a 5 room home tour during the shoot and it has to be non-Christmas. So…that means I had to put up my Christmas decor on Tuesday night, photograph on Wednesday morning, edit photos, take all the decor down, and then re-style my house for Friday morning.  I kind of hit a wall and decided I just can’t do it all (what?! Did she just say that?!?) So, I’m doing a modified version of Christmas decorating for this tour. It’s more like sneak peeks…  I’m also sharing some of the holiday decor I did for the thrift store and boutique I’ve been working on the past two months.

Okay, that’s all my disclaimers.  Let’s proceed with the mini tour!

This is the faux mantle display I created at The Freedom Boutique.  I literally had a budget of “please don’t spend any money if you don’t have to” for the store, so I recycled a ton of old projects and materials!

Holiday House Walk 2 SM

The reindeer silhouette wrapping paper is from last year.  I mounted it with command strips.  I love wrapping paper and it’s millions of uses!

The reindeer silhouette canvas is two years old from my Christmas episode on The Nate Berkus Show, but it got a facelift… I painted the canvas navy.  It was originally red for the show.

Again, since my budget was ZERO, I used 3 thrift store wooden bowls that were donated and hung them as art.

The mantle was made from one pallet and a piece of scrap wood from a salvage shop.  I know the pallet train has left the station, but for a girl on a budget, they were a lifesaver for the retail spaces!

Two items that were generously donated by Balsam Hill are the stockings and the felt bell garland.  I told them how the stores are for a non-profit organization that fights human trafficking and they were more than happy to show their support.

Pallet Mantle WM

Over by the checkout counter, I used scrap 1×2 wood and made a lightweight ladder to hang from the ceiling.  I added some donated lights and it was the perfect ambient lighting.

Ladder light Fixture

The ladder hangs in front of the faux brick wall I created and accented with faux wreaths from IKEA.  I used scrap fabric from my foyer chair and tied it up.

Below it, I used another freebie from the salvage shop- a metal rack of sorts and hung some primary colored ornaments.  I loved the challenge of using whatever I had for free and making it work!

Holiday House Walk 2014 SM

I’ll be sharing a whole lot more about the retail spaces soon, but here’s a tiny peek of one of the dressing rooms.

If you’d like to learn more about Worthwhile Wear and their efforts to fight human trafficking, click HERE

Boutique Makeover 1 SM

Now for some sneak peeks of the Mangin house decor… which is currently all packed up in my basement again.  Ugh!

I found the most incredible little vintage garland at… you guess it, the thrift store, and decided to take the kids’ playroom mantle and decor to a classically vintage direction.  I’ll be sharing about the stockings and fun custom, faux vintage pieces I got, later next week once TV filming madness is over!

Vintage Christmas SM WM

I love this garland so much! It’s quirky and adorable, and fun!!

If you missed the free gift tag printables and wrapping ideas I shared this week, you can check them out here!

Little Tree SM

My green piano  and wood shim art always looks kinda ready for Christmas, but one simple present as an accessory and it sealed the deal.  I’m also in love with the idea of using friendship bracelet ribbon this year!

Bright Painted Piano Christmas SM WM

Gift Wrap Ideas Bright SMALL Watermark TEXT

Now this is where my sincere condolences are due…

Check out this adorable reindeer faux wooden taxidermy ornament (wow, that’s quite a description…)

I have a whole “herd” of them and some other incredible nordic inspired ornaments that will be painted and placed on my tree after the shoot.  I got them all from Michaels.

reindeer ornament SM WM

In my kitchen, I don’t usually do too much, but I added a gold, vinyl swiss cross onto my chalkboard backsplash and then just used my chalk pens to add some Christmassy nonsense.  Simple, cheap, and fun!

Swiss Cross Backsplash SM

I don’t usually share the “family tree” here on the blog (we have a kids’ tree, Mommy’s blog tree, and a family room tree), but since it’s the only tree we’d decorated and because it’s freakin’ massive, I’m sharing it with you today…

Family Christmas Tree SM WM

Please notice the scale of the tree compared with the couch (it’s not a small couch).  We have 9ft ceilings and we had to cut off at least 3 feet.  It covered 1/3 of the fireplace and TV before I trimmed it, and it’s so insanely crooked, that we had to bolt it onto the wall in the studs.  True Story.  It’s kind of a hot mess, but the type that’s such a hot mess that it’s awesome and makes us laugh every time we see it.

Well guys, thanks for being understanding about my mini tour and I promise I’ll give you ALL the details on the new show just as soon as I can.  I think right now my contracts read something like, they can take all my money, my children, and possibly my puppies if I spill the beans… so I’m gonna play it safe and keep it to sneak peeks on Instagram while we’re shooting (my IG is @EastCoastCreative)

Now it’s time to head your cute little butt right over to my pal Jenna’s house- you SO will not be disappointed.  Jenna is amazing and guys, she’s a real interior designer, she doesn’t just pretend like I do! HA! Her style is impeccable!   Enjoy the tour and have an awesome day!

Next stop on the tour is SAS Interiors

SAS interiors stop 24

Jennifer Rizzo 2014 housewalk button  250 x 250

The comments +

  1. Laura says:

    Love you store mantel set up – super pretty! Good luck with the show and I love your massive tree bolted to the studs!

  2. WOW! So many awesome ideas. I love the who faux mantle.

  3. Awesome, such fun and festive ideas! Thanks for sharing.

  4. What super fun and festive ideas. I laughed about your family tree. We had a similar tree one year that practically needed a crane to set up.

  5. Sharon says:

    Love the reindeer!!

  6. Thank you so much for being apart of the holiday house walk! I LOVE that deer wallpaper!!!

  7. Jamie says:

    Love all your details and I’m dying over that fireplace you made! Shared on my FB page.
    Hugs, Jamie

  8. […] Then onto East Coast Creative! […]

  9. oh my gosh how amazing is your front door.. too cute!!!
    ~Lisa

  10. Dagmar Obert says:

    Thanks much. You have a sort of grown up Land of Nod aspect to your decorating. Love that you don’t say “no” to much. Great way to stretch the mind! Thanks for the display of Balsam Hill trim and stockings. Looked great!

    • Monica says:

      I’d never thought of it that way… Grown Up Land of Nod… Hmm… I kinda LOVE it!! Thanks so much for visiting!! -Monica

  11. […] are in for a real treat at the next stop on the tour, East Coast Creative.  To start at the beginning of the tour go […]

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