The Homesteading Cottage: Simple Holiday Touches {Day 2}

Using simple holiday touches that can be easily changed with the season is a no-fuss way of updating your home for the holidays.

As you know I'm a double-duty kinda gal with most things in our home and that includes our holiday decorating. If it's reversible, changeable and multi-purpose it means less stuff. We like to keep the decor neutral so the festive items pop. No more storing tons of plastic boxes and bins that need to be lugged out each year. A little goes a long way.

Notice the photo above. Very neutral with cream pillows and cushions. Simply adding a seasonal throw, a couple of pillows, a pumpkin and sprigs of nature, now the room is prepared for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Ready for Christmas? Simply switch out the throw and pillows with something red and green and replace the sprigs with evergreens and hints of berries.

If the pillows are reversible, it becomes even easier. Katie from Sew Woodsy has a great tutorial using canvas and paint...

Crystal from Stitched by Crystal used fabric and felt to accent her covers...

The great thing about this time of year is that nature gives you most of what you need to decorate. I enjoy pulling elements from outside to embellish simple items. As the season changes, so do the elements. Twigs and greens, leaves and gourds, herbs and berries...bringing the outdoors in instantly warms the home and makes it place of rest.

One perfect example is our berry wreath found on sale for a couple of dollars. On the surface it seems pretty plain and uninteresting, but by adding just a few odds and ends gathered from outside, it becomes something special for fall. At Christmas we replace the grasses and twigs with cedar and pine which means that one little wreath provides a lot of enjoyment for over 4 months. No extra purchases. No extra wreaths to store in those big plastic bins. Less stuff. More enjoyment.

I really love making these wreaths each year because the collection of weeds, grasses, flowers, berries and evergreens is never the same. The walks in the woods to gather the accents has now become a tradition that we look forward to every season.

It's amazing what color and nature can do to change a space. By using simple holiday touches that pull double-duty, you'll be able to easily change out the accents without all the extra work. Keeping it simple allows you to put the focus on what really matters...enjoying your family and friends and embracing the real meaning of your celebrations.

Join us tomorrow for Day 3 of our Having a Simple Handmade Holiday series.

In Gratitude,