Welcome to my home, friends!
I’m a part of Jennifer Rizzo’s Holiday House Walk!
You can start the tour every day with this button which will highlight the daily homes on display each day.
Click to see Jen’s own home HERE for #1.
If you’re new here, I’m Donna and am a true blue junkaholic. My passion is surrounding myself with old relics and putting them in special places in my home.
Here’s a few samples of the kind of work I like to do.
You will find many of today’s projects in tutorial form under ‘unique projects’.
So, come on in and let me show you around!
~ Front Entry ~
Galvanized goods grouped together with fresh greens and a dollar store scarf are certain to convince guests that this home isn’t to be taken too seriously.
Mini pears, tiny apples and fresh cranberries embedded in faux snow added subtle natural life to this little entry vignette.
I’ve been told this is a pizza pan and the fluted variety is from Germany.
Thank-you thrift store for two of my favorite junk glam accessories.
I took a walk down the road after a windstorm and picked up all the fresh greens.
A little spray snow softened up the tones and added brightness to the darker fireplace.
And yes… the mantel is indeed junk filled.
The bucket and kettle below the mantel are this year’s stockings.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I found a metal ornament with bling. How perfectly cool…
A little jam jar holds the white mini lights inside the lantern.
Fresh apples provide the perfect natural accessory.
The poinsettias added a beautiful natural touch of the perfect red.
(tutorial on the fireplace is avail – snow ‘tutorial’ coming soon)
~ Stepladder tree ~
The making of the stepladder tree is HERE
A whimsical stepladder outdoor themed tree was the result of desiring an all natural Christmas feel.
A faux Christmas tree was literally stuffed inside a step ladder. Oh what a day THAT was. But what a perfect place to mount the birdhouse star.
Garland is ripped sheets, ribbon and rope, tied up if they needed to be joined.
Yep, that’s a plumb line contraption. Isn’t it the perfect shape?
The blue fingers were worth it.
Lots of galvanized touches this year. Perfect with fresh strung cranberries.
The sleigh with firewood is the tree skirt. Other logs under the tree are hiding the stand.
~ Livingroom ~
The big bushy beautiful white poinsettia does more than just look pretty.
(tutorial on window screens avail)
It’s hiding stereo speakers. Perfect! May they never die…
The sawhorse is a quirky way to hang a magazine and store a throw blanket.
Simple and clean.
( disclaimer: it’s said that poinsettias are not poisonous for animals these days.
I’ll be watching closely regardless – any threat and they’ll be removed. Thanks for the emails!)
~ Main bath ~
Small bathrooms are best left unobstructed, so anything seasonal was positioned in spaces where they won’t clutter the space.
Just enough.
(tutorial on tree and window shutter avail)
Except the Charlie Brown tree now resides in the window.
I moved the pretty poinsettia to the…
~ Stairway ~
This one’s all about the twig garland I created for FOLK magazine, Nov/Dec issue.
(twig garland tutorial HERE)
Real greens are a breeze to replace when needed.
Added twigs offer abit more rustic interest.
The cranberries will be replaced with fresh when they arrive in stores again.
Here’s how I submitted the project to FOLK in the summer.
Why were cranberries available then?!? No idea!
Fresh greens, lights, and pop bottles. Yeah, it’s a little crazy.
The bottles appeared to illuminate from the mini lights. It was a pretty neat effect and chimed in well with the stairs.
(tutorial on crate stairs avail)
~ Kitchen window garland ~
(tutorial on window garland and Farmer’s Market sign is avail)
Simple whites chime in with the sign. This one couldn’t have been easier.
~ Master bedroom window ~
(tutorial on bedroom is avail)
Clean, natural, out of the way. And oh so easy to clean up.
It’s my hope this tour has convinced you that all it takes is a little creativity to create a home you can adore for little cost.
Here’s wishing you a very junk filled Merry Christmas and wonderful holiday season with loved ones!
Most of today’s reveals are in tutorial form in Unique Projects. Click to see!
You can visit my 2010 home tour HERE.
Visit #3 – Morning T HERE!
















TOO COOL! Not unusual for you – too cool should be your middle name! Love it.
Donna, your photos always leave me with my chin on the floor. Thanks so much for sharing!!!!! Your home is beautiful!!!
I would love to know where you get your bound burlap ribbon. The 3-4 inch kind that is. I found some but it doesnt have an edge so it ravels tons! Any help would be appreciated!
Love your home too!
I love it all! Donna, you inspired my home’s decor this Christmas. A little of you and a little of me. I just posted my finished results on my blog. http://restyledjunk.com/2011/12/06/country-christmas-decorating/ Mine’s a little more country, with Santas and snowmen, but you pushed me out of my tired box. Thanks!
Christmas tree ladder=BEST.IDEA.EVER!! Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures.
Gorgeousness everywhere! I love all the natural greenery.
You are a breath of fresh air!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE how you decorate and see outside the box!!! It’s always soo fun to visit here!!
Thank you!!
I just had a vision of your son growing up and marrying someone who has no creativity at all and buys a fake cheap tree and puts on some plastic red balls on it! lol!!! Ok, will you do me a favor? Will you do me a favor and go take a peek at my blog real quick. I recently noticed something odd and have no idea what it is and how to get rid of it. If you click on this link and go to my comments there are a whole bunch of “links to the post” that are in a foreign language, I have no idea how they got there I didn’t put them there. Any help you can give I would really appreciate it!
http://ms-smartie-pants.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-space-is-finally-ready-for-some.html
You have a gift……a gift to make junk beautiful. Thanks for your inspiration!
You are the coolest person EVER!!! I love the birdhouse on the ladder, it’s my favorite. What kind of hardwood flooring do you have, it is beautiful?
WOW! Amazing! The tree in the step ladder is truly inspired, very cool!!! Everything is just beautiful!
oh my goodness, I have to keep going back and forth through all the beautiful photos and ideas! your home looks so cozy and inviting and I love all the little touches of nature and your personal projects!! thanks for showing us around, truly inspiring!!
Allow me to pay you the highest possible compliment. Until I read your story, I would have believed you were a junker living in a Texas farmhouse! Your style would totally fit ‘down here in the heart of Texas’!! Just goes to show you that country charm knows no boundaries! So glad I found your site. Blog on Girlfriend!!
Charlotte from Texas
Hi Donna,
What a winter wonderful home for Christmas…Love the snow covered mantel!! And of course the Christmas ladder tree…Truly one of a kind! What fun you must have had decorating it! Love your foyer too with the dresser & Christmas decor…
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
All the Best,
Christine
Ok….the way your mind works completely boggle me, girlie! lol! Where in the world do you come up with those creative ideas…??? lol! Clothespins holding ornaments on the tree, a Christmas tree stuffed INSIDE a ladder, scarves and flour as decor….???? YOU ARE AMAZING!! I adore what you did with the “snow” on the hearth and floor. It truly looks like you just shook yourself off in front of the fire.
Truly a delight for my eyes, Donna, and such a FUN place to visit! Hugs!
xoxo laurie
Donna, I am so glad I went before you! You totally blew me away. I LOOOOVE your tree and just the way you use things in a whole new way amazes me! So beautiful!!!!! Thank you so much for being a part of the tour!
Donna…Thank you!! If you could see what others see through your eyes……then you would know just how special you are! Beauty & Bliss! Like all the others above, the step ladder tree is brilliant and breathtaking! Merry Christmas =D
Oh, Donna, I’m swooning. Honestly. . . this is a magazine-worthy spread, for sure. And I’m sorry, but I just can’t think of your things as “junk.” Once things find their way into your home, they become objets d’art, I believe. Then you work your magic with your camera and the outcome really IS art! Beautiful!!
Oh my goodness, what an interesting and whimsical home. Everything is one of a kind. Yet it all goes together so well.
Love the coca cola crate and that lantern on the mantle. It really is spectacular. Well done!
Donna!!! My gosh!!! This is so incredible! I, too, am a junkaholic. You have the best knack for decorating with junk!!!! I am inspired! Love the 7-UP and Pepsi bottles hanging from your swag!
oh my gosh! i love it all! that ladder tree! i love that it’s all so winter-y!
I am in love!!! I am a fellow junker and re-purposer, you do it so very well. I am now a permanent fan, so glad I found you
~ Judy
Um………OK……..WOW!!!!! I’ll take 2! And your stairs! *drool*
my ♥ is pitter-pattering.
Absolutely amazing!!
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……..|░░░|☆ merry _(♥)_
…..@|░░░|¸.¤“˜¨christmas.
.¨˜“¤|░░ഐ¤ª@“˜¨¨
…¨˜“გª¤.¸::¸.¤ª☆“˜¨¨happy new year.
…¤¸*¸.¤ª“˜@¨¨¨***2012****.
*♥*.
Absolutely beautiful!
Happy Holidays!
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……..|░░░|☆ merry _(♥)_
…..@|░░░|¸.¤“˜¨christmas.
.¨˜“¤|░░ഐ¤ª@“˜¨¨
…¨˜“გª¤.¸::¸.¤ª☆“˜¨¨happy new year.
…¤¸*¸.¤ª“˜@¨¨¨***2012****.
*♥*.
Oh my goodness, that stepladder tree is amazing!!
stopping in from Nester’s!
Step ladder tree?! What the what?! I looked at it, started to scroll down and my brain caught up with what it was seeing and…oh my goodness. Amazing. Seriously.
There was so much great stuff to look at. Your decorations are great, but I’ll be coming back to read about those stairs!
Great Home Tour find!!
I LOVE the bottles on the railing! FAB use of various materials!
It looks so beautiful, Donna!! SO cozy, inviting…perfect. Merry Christmas to you!
shaunna
your home looks beautiful- i love all the natural touches, and that mantle!
Donna – I love your blog, I love your home, I love your creative brain!! Thanks for the tour – I truly enjoyed it!
I featured you today in my Friday I’m In Love favorites!
http://socialsalutations.blogspot.com/2011/12/friday-im-in-lovewith-peeping.html
Merry Christmas!!
xoxo
– Jenn @ Social Salutations
Where do you come up with the ladders?? I LOVE them!
Diane
I just made it up in my head.
Thank-you!
oh my gosh – looking through all these pictures makes me want to start collecting my holiday decorations now! i could have commented on EVERY photo, i love everything you did here. thank you for sharing such awesome inspiration!
You are freaking brilliant! Love your sense of style! Met you at Bella Rustica and you have a beautiful personality too!
Ohhhh my god…ur amazing and a bundle of talent…!! I just loved each & every piece out there…Thanx for sharing these incredible ideas with us. Even i’m a junkaholic but after visiting ur blog i think I’m not even a percent of what u r…!! really nice…:)