Decorating Outside

Since Scott and I got married, I can't remember ever decorating outside for Christmas.  (Jump in with your inaugural blog comment, hon, if I'm exaggerating on that one.)  As seems the pattern for me, I got inspired because we're hosting a Christmas party here this year.  Can't have everyone pulling up to an unfestive house, right?

I wouldn't put it past me, but I wasn't intentionally being cute and wonky with this picture.  I can't figure out how to use my tripod for vertical shots.  The camera just leeeeaaaans.

A few months ago when I was searching for a simple globe light to go over our front porch, I found this image.  Gah!  So pretty.  These Moonlight Globe Lights are touted as being popular in the upscale hotels of Dubai.  I believe it 'cause only a sultan could afford them.  

I figured I could imitate the look with some globe shades and strings of Christmas lights.  And I figured I was the cleverest person ever for thinking of this.  Nope.  I shopped online for different size globes, but I couldn't find small ones for less than about $4 each, and the big 2' globes cost $150.  Not Dubai prices but still not in the realm of reason.  So I took a chance and headed out to our Habitat ReStore and started digging through dusty, unmarked boxes left abandoned by contractors.  (That sounded melodramatic, didn't it?)

I so wish I'd had someone to yip and do an end zone dance with me when I finally opened a box and saw these guys... and at that price. 

 They're glass, which isn't ideal for a yard known to have roving ninjas in the afternoons, but I kept them just along the walk by the front door.  Plus they're only 6" so I couldn't pull off the look the way they did in that inspiration photo.  I'll just have to keep my eye out for some larger ones when I'm thrifting throughout the year and hope to find some to add to the collection for next Christmas.

Oh, and I'll also have to figure out how to make it snow a lot here because they're extra purdy on snow.

Found this while we were wrapping the birch trees in lights.  No idea who put it there, but it makes me happy.

Back with inside pics next week; we're going to the lot to get our tree tomorrow.  Happy Weekend!