How could we let the holidays go by without some Decor on a Dime? Deb makes sure your party is both chic and cheap!

Deb's Notes:

Today we are looking at how to give your dining room table a festive holiday look that can fit into everyone's holiday budget!

I started by picking a colour scheme, and my choice for Lisa's was red. But first I looked at what Lisa had, she had great white square dishes and white napkins, so I wanted to use those. To save money, make sure you use what you have at home. It's a good idea to plan all of your holiday decorating around what you have, pick a colour that coordinates with your dishes.

I planted these little trees in very inexpensive square bowls that matched Lisa's existing white dishes. I put some moss around the bottom and then made the little gift tags with red tags (you could just cut red paper) and then bought inexpensive glitter alphabet stickers. A little ribbon to tie it on and you have a cute gift for your guests. I also thought the little gift tag was a cute placecard to tell your guests where they are sitting at the table.

The jingle bell napkin ring was so simple to make. This is just some red ribbon tied around a white dinner napkin, with the bells threaded on another ribbon and tied around the center.

The red placemat was actually a plain inexpensive matchstick placemat that I spray painted bright glossy red.

The final sparkle is the great looking votive holder. These reflective silver ones are from the dollar store. I love the sparkle and they just look amazing with the candle lit it sparkles so nicely giving your table that festive holiday twinkle.

My table centerpiece container is a good find, it's a stainless steel mud pan from the hardware store. They are $14.99 and make a great container for the table. I could find all kinds of uses for this, you can use it as I did for poinsettias or another low flower. You could put sand in the bottom and use it for candles. I love the shape, the size and the sparkle it has.

If your chandelier allows consider hanging a simple elegant ornament with ribbon in your colour scheme.

And while you are hanging things up high, don't forget every house needs some mistletoe. I made this simple mistletoe-look for the doorway. I took a red ornament and covered it with fresh holly, a little hot glue and ribbon and you have a mistletoe-inspired ornament.

On the island I used all the containers that Lisa had. Take out all the vases and containers you can find. Lisa had lots of cylinder vases, perfect for decorating. I added inexpensive silver foil tape to the top, bottom and middle of the vases. This is $4.97 from the hardware store and can give your cylinder vase a more elegant look.

I filled some vases with dollar store red ornaments, a couple with really lush full green pine boughs and branches. So bring the outdoors in, if you have bushes, pinecones, trees or branches in your yard you can cut and bring in, make sure you do. It makes amazing lush filler and fills your house with the Christmas tree scent. I added some faux berries to add a pop of red to these arrangements.

I also used a couple of red buckets with poinsettias, and round clear globe vases with cranberries and white candles. You could spread these out around your house; use it for the front hall, mantles, bathroom vanities etc. Place a little bit of decor in every room around the house.

Last but not least, the great looking garland you see on the front of the table. This real cedar garland comes in a 20' length, and it was just $9.99 at the grocery store. At this price it was easier for me to buy it then make it. I'd also consider using this all around the house; it would be great for the stair banister, the front porch, around your front door, etc.

Enjoy!

Resource List

Cedar Swag Garland
Holly
Poinsettias
Cranberries
Square Bowls
Loblaws
Locations Across Canada
www.loblaws.ca

Ribbon
Gift Tags
Jingle Bells
Alphabet Stickers
Michaels
Locations Across Canada
www.michaels.com

Silver Mud Trowels
Red Spray Paint
Foil Tape
The Home Depot
Locations Across Canada
www.homedepot.ca

Small Trees
Moss
Yang's Fruit & Flower
Toronto, ON
416.413.9195

Bamboo Placemats
Tap Phong
Toronto, ON
416.977.6364

Red Balls
Silver Votives
Red Votives
Dollarama
Locations Across Canada
www.dollarama.com

Vases & buckets
Bowl of Pomegranates
Accent Red Ornaments & Candles
Dinner Plates, cutlery, & wine glasses
Cedar & Pine Clippings
Homeowner's personal items & found in the backyard!

Budget:
Floral & Greenery
$81.77
includes poinsettias, trees, green swag, holly, moss & cranberries
Craft Supplies
$18.17
includes ribbon, jingle bells, stickers & gift tags
Red ornaments
$18.00

Votives
$18.00

Hardware store items
$34.95
includes silver trowels & silver tape
Bowls & Placemats
$28.94
includes bowls for "favours" & spray paint for placemats

GRAND TOTAL
$199.83

Deborah Nelson's clothing provided by Freda's, hairstyling by Sugar n' Spice.