Happy Thanksgiving

My Thanksgiving and Christmas trees have been up since right around Halloween.
I know weird, I always put my trees up early because I just love them.
They stayed like this for awhile just with lights in their urns.

The Thanksgiving tree is decorated with elements from nature.

It's in the man cave.



I used owls, birds, feathers, white pumpkins, and mushrooms.

It coordinates nicely with the dark green velvet Ikea drapes.

A couple of years ago I started a tradition in our home of a Gratitude Tree.
 I made gratitude cards and had any and everyone that comes to my house write what they are thankful for on the back of the card.

Then we hang them on the Thanksgiving tree.  

We read all of them during the Thanksgiving meal.

Thanksgiving 2012

I have so much to be thankful for.

We aren't hosting Thanksgiving this year, my mom is.  

I would love to hear about your Thanksgiving traditions.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Holiday!

Thanks for checking it out.

I'm In The Mood For Gratitiude

Halloween came and went.

My skeletons have been put to rest till next year.

Sleep tight my little friends.

The flock has flown away. 
Come back soon my dearies.

Can it be that Thanksgiving is a little more than three weeks away?
The Thanksgiving Tree is here. 

I don't just put up a Christmas Tree early and call it a "Thanksgiving Tree."
This isn't one of those, not that there is anything wrong with that.  I just like to have some separation between my Thanksgiving decor and my Christmas decor.

Here's what I do.
I start with my urn that I converted into a tree stand way before I ever heard the word "blog." 

When it isn't a tree stand it doubles as an end table.  A little Quikcrete and some PVC pipe and you're done.  I put a painted paper plate with a hole cut in the middle to create a shallow dish.  It can be filled with seasonal decor (I usually have shells in it) and I just put a piece of glass over it to create the end table.

I added pine cones to hide the PVC pipe for the Thanksgiving Tree. 
I placed the urn on a wood palate to add some height and covered it up with a tree skirt.

Kmart special 7' slim Martha Stewart Tree.
 It looks like a Christmas Tree you say, awe but it's not.
 After Thanksgiving it gets a complete makeover.

I like to decorate my tree by going deep. 

Just a personal preference, I don't like seeing the fake tree trunk so I pack the decor all the way back to the stem.

I like elements you find in nature for this tree.

White pumpkins, birds, pears, grape clusters, and Autumn leaves are all part of my Thanksgiving Tree.

Halloween crows are switched out for friendlier fuzzy pine cone owls. 

I forgot I had these little guys on my tree when I painted this owl for my family room.

A new addition this year are a Marshall's find.  White glass owls. 

 I think they'll transition into Christmas nicely.

I like the price, six for $6.95.

Owls, mushrooms, and faux cabbage.

I'm into mushroom decor at the moment, so I added them to the tree.
Weird I know.

Everything else is stuff I already had.

Next I need to make this year's gratitude tags to hang on the tree.  I started a tradition of having everyone that comes to our house write something they are thankful for on the card. 

We hang the cards on the tree and read them during the Thanksgiving meal. 

We are so blessed, it's a way for our family to take the time to remember how lucky we are.

This year I put the tree in the window by the front door. 

The neighbors are probably thinking I've lost my mind putting a tree up the day after Halloween?

Oh well, I like it. 

It gets me in the mood for gratitude!

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions you break out the day after Halloween, or am I the only crazy one?

I would love to hear about them. 

Thank you for checking it out.