Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas tree....

 Today I am joining Honey at 2805 for a Christmas tree blog party and Debra's Common Ground for a Vintage Christmas Inspiration blog party. I have two trees to share with you today and a few tips on how to make your Christmas trees even more fabulous than they already are.

This is the tree in my Family Room. I have an old wooden trunk I use to put it in. This year I wrapped it in a big burlap ribbon with a bow. Sometimes I have a hard time photographing the tree so you can really see the ornaments with the lights on so here is a pic with the lights off...

A large percentage of the ornaments are handmade.

 I like it to have a warm fuzzy feeling ...

 So I use ornaments that have that "days gone by" feel. I also have small frames that I use to put pics of all the dogs we've had (and have) on the tree. They are not "ornaments" per say, but just small frames with an easel back  that I stick on the branches. (Having an artificial tree really is a plus in this case.)

 I like to make sure there are plenty of lights deep inside the tree as well as on the outside.

It really makes the tree glow nicely.

 I made these two ornaments with mine and my hubby's initials...

 Another handmade ornament. If you missed the pics of the other ornaments you can find that post here . And if you missed the post where I did my pipe cleaner ornament tutorial you can find that post here.

 In addition to handmade ornaments I also use alot of the glass balls that you can get at Michael's or Hobby Lobby. They are inexpensive, and really help to fill in the tree. Rather than hanging them one by one from ornament hooks, I group 3 of them on a pipe cleaner and wire them to the top of the branches.

 I love drippy things. (You will see a lot of this on this tour.) Nothing sparkles as much as crystals and glass on a tree. These are hanging down from almost every branch.

 I also like to hang unusual items in the tree. It makes it much more interesting and love hearing visitors say things like.. "Hey! There are dishes in your tree!!"

 This is the tree in the Living room. I try every year to get away with only doing one tree now, but my hubby is spoiled! He loves the decorations so much he's not happy if both trees aren't up!!

To create the "snow" I took quilt batting and rolled the edges under. Then I sprayed it with spray glue and sprinkled diamond dust all over it. Then I just laid the pieces on the branches.

 This tree has a bird theme. It is covered with as many glass icicles as I can put on it. They really sparkle at night.

 This tree also has handmade ornaments on it, although I still need to make a lot more. I just add to it every year, because eventually I run out of steam!

 I found some wonderful twinkle light at Ace Hardware a couple of years ago, so this tree just shimmers!!!

 Again, I put things in the tree that are not necessarily "ornaments" In this case there several birdhouses wired into the tree.

 I made a nest out of grapevine, shredded music sheets, cheesecloth, and tinsel. Then I painted and speckled some cardboard eggs.

I hope you enjoyed a peak at my trees. Here are the tips I learned from a great teacher while working at his design studio/store during the holidays.

1. Make sure there are plenty of lights inside the tree as well as outside. It will really make a difference to the finished look.

2. Place ornaments deep inside the tree too. Most trees have open space where you can see inside. By placing ornaments within the center of the tree you will give it a lot more depth.

3. Vary the size of your ornaments. Don't be afraid to put big things in there, especially if you use an artificial tree. If your tree is real, just secure them well and place them closer to the center for more support. Trees can look kind of one dimensional if all the ornaments are close to the same size.

4. Use "unusual" ornaments in your tree. Books, picture frames, watering cans.. anything that goes with the theme or look you are trying to create.

Don't use the string that comes attached to most ornaments. Instead snip it off and use wire or a pipe cleaner to attach the ornament as close to the branch as possible. If you can't see the hanger it looks so much nicer.

5. If you have a pre-lit tree and one or more of the strands goes out, it's not a lost cause. More often than not, this can be fixed. Ace Hardware and Lowe's (and maybe even Home Depot) has a tool just for that. It look like a ray gun, and the ones I've always seen are red. You simply take out one of the bulbs on the bad string of lights and place the zapper into the socket. Click it a couple of times and PRESTO the lights will work again. It has saved me from pulling my hair out more than a few times!!

Well that's it! That's all I've got. I hope you enjoyed the tour and took away something useful to you. Be sure to hop over to 2805  and Debra's Common Ground to see the rest of the beautiful Christmas Trees and Vintage Christmas Inspiration!!