Selecting a Christmas Tree Charlotte NC

Selecting A Fresh Christmas Tree in North Carolina

SELECTING A FRESH CHRISTMAS TREE IN THE CAROLINAS! 

Every year my family and I travel for a long weekend to the North Carolina mountains, we create a lifetime of cherished memories looking for the "perfect" Christmas tree. LOL...note the word "perfect", there is a story behind our tree search every year. To pass the time as we look for our trees, each member of our family plays a game as to which one will find the perfect Christmas trees for our holiday and how long will it take them. To make your best memorable tree experience, Tonia Mosteller of Innovative Holiday Decorating of Charlotte, NC offers this advice to help you and your's select the perfect Christmas tree and have a hassle free holiday.

My husband is 6'4, so he is our tree marker for now (I'm sure by this time next year, our son will be our new tree marker in the family, he is outgrowing all of us). When selecting our Christmas tree, I'm of course a big-tree kind of gal, and my husband is the practical thinking one. My way of thinking from a distance...."No that tree can't be more than 8' tall." LOL...right? Until we approach the tree and my wonderful husband stands beside it. Guess which one of us was wrong. ;)

My niece, nephew, and son letting me capturing some cute photos of them at the Christmas Tree farm in Spruce Pine, NC.

Our four legged son...Riley having a ball in the North Carolina mountains, helping us look for our Christmas tree!

Our family tradition to Boone, Blowing Rock, Valle Crucis, Banner Elk, and Spruce Pine, NC is such a blessing to us all. Our kids look forward to this eventevery year and so do we. We love to cook and bake our Thanksgiving meals while staying in the mountains for a long weekend. The girls go out shopping in Blowing Rock, and Boone, NC, while the boys go off on their adventures. Brian, Carissa and their kids found the "perfect" Christmas tree!

Amps and Mimi found their "perfect" tree at the farm in North Carolina. Can we say $10? Yes...that's right their Christmas tree only cost them $10 and it was 12'! Now, that's affordable holiday decorating!

Well, guess which family won our traditional Christmas tree game? We did...lol, only because we had gone up the weekend before with friends, and then went back to the mountains for our Thanksgiving weekend with our family. Shhh.... ;)

Here are 4 holiday decorating tips we want to share from our family to yours.

Holiday Decorating Tip 1: Know your tree size! Calculate your maximum tree size, measure the height of your ceiling and then subtract 1'. This will allow ample room for a topper, such as a star. If you plan on having a larger tree topper, then give yourself at least 2'. Keep in mind the size of the room that the Christmas tree will be placed in: the smaller the room, the skinnier the tree should be--unless of course there's very little furniture. Then a full tree is actually a welcome addition.

Holiday Decorating Tip 2: Check for freshness while you are at your favorite tree farm. One of our favorite tree farms to visit is located in Spruce Pine, NC we've been going there for 24+ years! Don't wait until you get home to decide if your tree is fresh, nothing kills that Christmas and holiday spirit quite like a tree with no needles. Run your fingers down a branch before you select it. All needles should stay intact, and your hand should smell like a delightful evergreen. Gentle shaking should also result in very little needle drop. If not, keep walking and looking until you find that perfect Christmas tree.

Take note, if you are buying a tree from a local lot in your hometown, even with diligent care, cut trees only last around an average of 10 days. Sometimes, you get lucky and a tree will last longer. A lot that offers trees harvested within days of delivery is the way to go if you can't travel to a tree farm and cut your own Christmas tree. Remember...high prices don't always guarantee freshness, and rock-bottom tags often yield very bad results and headaches for you later.

Holiday Decorating Tip 3: Once we are home from our weekend in the North Carolina mountains, my husband immediately will recut the trunk on an angle about 1" above the butt end to aid in water absorption. Make sure to get your Christmas tree in warm bucket of water within an hour of cutting, or the pores will seal or all your hard work and time will be gone. We always soak our tree in a bucket of water outside overnight, plus before our tree comes into the house, we spray it down with a hose to help hydrate the needles and get any critters (spiders) out. ;) 

Holiday Decorating Tip 4: Time to string the Christmas lights and decorate the tree! My favorite thing to do with my family! Don't forget to grab your camera and take pictures!

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from our home

in Charlotte, NC to your home!

Christmas and Holiday Decorations Charlotte NC

Holiday Decorating Tinsel Christmas Bear and Sleigh Ornaments

 Holiday Decorating 

Girls Craft Day! 

Photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Living.

Last year I was searching for some rustic Christmas ornaments that I could make as a craft and add to my rustic Christmas holiday decor and tree. I found these adorable bears from Martha Stewart Living! After viewing her website, I called my girlfriend Christina and told her about these cute bears, "That we must add them to our rustic Christmas trees and holiday decor." I immediately got on the internet and ordered our bears from Lindahl Woodcrafts. Less than a week, these cute wooden bear ornaments made it to our front door. Hassle free, fast shipping, and great customer service! Thanks, Lindahl Woodcrafts! 

So we gathered our holiday shopping list and took off to our local stores in Charlotte, NC, Michaels and Hobby Lobby to get our supplies. I must say...I adore Martha Stewart's line of Tinsel glitters, they are absolutely beautiful! Since I was a busy girl, decorating homes for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday last year, our bears and girls craft day got pushed aside until recently. We know it's September, but Christina and I knew if we didn't do it now, my holiday schedule would not allow us to do it over the next 3 months. After all the spirit of Christmas should remain in your heart all year long. At least it does in mine, I'm like a little kid when I comes to the holidays...my heart and soul radiant's with Christmas cheer and I LOVE to decorate for the holidays and seasons! 

Photo courtesy of Panera Bread.

So my friend Christina and I decided to have a Holiday Girls Craft Day. We watched the Charlotte weather and the perfect day was coming...a cool, and rainy Tuesday! We made some holiday goodies, turned on some holiday music (LOL), and rented a chic flick to watch after our craft day. While working on our bears, we decided let's head back to Michael's and get some more holiday Christmas ornaments! We found some adorable wooden sleighs for 49 cents and grabbed Martha Stewart's "red"tinsel glittered. Tip...if the product isn't on sale at Michaels don't forget to print or use your smartphone for the 40% off Michaels coupon! Heading back to the house, we stopped by Panera Bread's and got their yummy Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte...it was heavenly!!! 

"We had a fabulous day playing with our holiday Christmas crafts,laughing, eating, drinking our Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte, listening to the holiday music (that still makes us giggle) and watching our girlie chic flick to end our day. Great memories!"

Below is the complete "How To" list on how you can make these Christmas Glittered Bears for your tree and holiday decor! 

Give your Christmas tree and holiday decor an extra sparkle with these critter glittered bears from Martha Stewart Living and Lindahl Woodcrafts! When your Christmas lights capture these adorable ornaments, your decorations will be beautiful glistering on the tree! You can even hang them on a garland or fish light with ribbon in a window and the natural sunlight will make them sparkle too! :)

How-To Glittered Bear and Sleigh Christmas Ornaments

Tools & Materials:

Craft brush
White glue
Wooden bears
Glittering tray
Tinsel glitter
Skewer or toothpick
Plastic squeeze bottle with fine tip
Ornament hooks

Glittered Bear Christmas and Sleigh Ornaments How-To
Using a paintbrush, apply white glue to one side of wooden bear.
Place bear in glittering tray, glue side up, and shake tinsel glitter on to glue until completely covered. Let dry, about 15-20 minutes.

Once dry, shake off excess glitter and repeat glittering process on other side of bear.
Once both sides of bear are glittered and dry, wipe along the edge to remove any excess glitter. Use a skewer or toothpick to clean in tighter areas, if needed.
Using a plastic squeeze bottle fitted with a fine tip, apply glue along the edges of the bear, working in sections, gluing and glittering as you go.

Once glue is completely dry, attach ornament hook to bear and hang on yourChristmas tree or holiday decor! 

Our finished Tinsel Christmas Bears and Sleighs Ornaments: 

Gather a friend or friends and make it a Holiday Girls Craft Day!

Happy Seasonal & Holiday Decorating!

Holiday Decorating and Decorators Charlotte NC

It's the time of year that we start getting our homes ready for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday, and making our holiday shopping list. Then we start wondering what should I do to get my home ready for these two amazing holidays?! Plus, decorate my home for the most wonderful time of year...FALL! 

Thanks to Southern Living, they share with us some great photo inspirations and ideas that will get you moving in the right direction this holiday season! Check out below these great inspirations, and if you need more ideas be sure to check them out on http://www.southernliving.com/. 

Fall Foliage Arrangement
The key to arranging leaves is to group them by size and color as you would flowers. Fiery red maple makes a beautiful focal point when countered with the feathery foliage of dawn redwood laden with globes of gray-green fruit on the fringes.

Pumpkin Topiary

Vertical displays make a big statement at the front door. Tucking in cool-weather edibles such as ornamental flowering cabbages, kale, and bay leaves adds a distinctive twist. To create topiaries, sandwich bay wreaths between pumpkins stacked in concrete urns, and top with a small pumpkin.

Rustic Centerpiece

Naturally shed antlers lend a new twist to table decor. Pile them up with different-colored pumpkins, pine cones, and loose nuts and bring the outdoors in.

Use Color for Impact

A neutral backdrop of white linens and dishes puts the focus on punches of orange and green.

Candlelight Dinner

Complete your tablescape by adding candles in fun lanterns that complement your color palatte. Mix in simple canning jars for a more casual affair.

Don't Neglect Your Outdoor Space
A cascading display down the stairs allows you to use bigger ones that have more presence and are visible from the road. Position them on their sides or stack them on planters for an original look.

Holiday Decorators Charlotte NC

Tis the season to be thinking about holiday and  Christmas lighting and decorating in the Charlotte, NC and greater metro areas, including upper SC.   Halloween will be here very soon, then comes Thanksgiving, and Christmas decorating. We love the holidays and our Holiday Decorating Professionals reflect our love for the holidays by adding warmth, style, creativity, and festive decorating in your homes or corporate holiday events. Let the experts of Innovative Holiday Decorating of Charlotte, NC take the hassle and stress from you this year by decorating your home, business, or special event this holiday season. 

Don't have time to be wrapped up in Christmas or lights this year?  Give us a call! 

That's what we are here for! We want you to enjoy your holidays with your family and friends creating a lifetime of wonderful memories. Plus, with us decorating for you, this gives you lot's of extra time to be shopping for those special Christmas presents, baking, and visiting others in our communities to spread some holiday cheer. 

Our team schedules holiday and Christmas installs from November 1st to December 20th! Our company will shop for decorations or lease decorations; we install, decorate, and take-down your holiday and Christmas decorations. We offer custom affordable holiday and Christmas decorating, event and seasonal decorating. 

Our holiday decorating services can create a simple or elaborate display whether it‘s for your home or a corporate business event function. It can be a stress reliever to enlist the services of a Holiday Christmas Lighting Interior/Exterior Decorator. We can add Christmas lights, create and decorate all kinds of Christmas Trees to; traditional trees, rustic trees, contemporary or modern trees and whimsical trees. Why? Because our Holiday Decorating Professionals utilizes our decorating skills and our creative minds by adding a new twist to your holiday decorations!

Call or email us today to schedule your free Holiday - Christmas - Event consultation and let us take the hassle out of your holidays! 

Tonia Mosteller
Professional Holiday-Event-Seasonal Decorator
Charlotte, NC and Greater Metro Area, including upper SC
704-651-8878
tonia.ihdecorating@gmail.com

Charlotte NC Holiday and Christmas Decorator

Founder and owner Tonia Mosteller of Innovative Interiors –Holiday Decorating shares with us the passion she has for decorating homes and businesses for the holiday season and Christmas.

 "Holiday decorating is a passion and great love of mine. Since I was 5 years old; my mom would find me snuggled up in my bed with paper and color pencils; drawing family rooms with Christmas trees, garlands, and stockings hung from a crackling fireplace, and of course milk & cookies for Santa. Grew up with wonderful holiday memories and traditions that I will always cherish. And now many of those traditions I share with my own family, plus my husband and I have created some wonderful new traditions that we share with our families.  Because of the passion and love for decorating, the smiles I bring to others when they see their holiday decorations transform...it's truly warms my heart and soul. Those moments are priceless for me. I cherish the relationships I build with each of my clients, and it's a blessing to decorate their homes or business for the holidays."

"Specials thanks to all of our holiday clients! Thank you for your continued business. We are forever grateful for each of you.  We appreciate allowing us to be creative and decorate your rooms and trees!"  

Happy Holidays from our home to yours! 

Tonia Mosteller
Holiday - Event Decorator Charlotte NC 
704-651-8878

Holiday and Seasonal Decorating Charlotte NC

Holiday Seasonal Decorating

Getting our homes ready for the change of season 
from summer to fall and Thanksgiving holiday.

Girls Craft Day # 2

Well after having so much fun on our first "Girls Craft Day" making our holiday tinsel bear and sleigh Christmas ornaments we just had to make it another fun day hanging out making Autumn (Fall) seasonal wreaths and eating delicious food!

We planned another day to Michaels and Hobby Lobby, gathered our shopping list and away we went. The decorations/crafts we purchased were: grapevine wreath, twig wreath, wire, fall autumn leaves, owl, initial letter, faux pumpkin, green ivy, and leafy fall sprigs.

As a holiday-seasonal - event decorator of Charlotte, NC I had a ball creating these wreaths for my friends and teaching them some "decorating tricks on making wreaths".  Missing one picture of a wreath, waiting on my friend to send it to me and I will post it soon. :)

Boo-hoo....do you see Mr. Owl? 

Our Autumn Breakfast menu for our GCD (Girls Craft Day)

Nothing states Autumn (Fall) like a warm, delightful, smell so yummy, 

homemade loaf of pumpkin bread! Yum!

We forgot to take pics of the pumpkin bread, because we were too busy eating it! After smelling the delicious aroma in the kitchen, we couldn't wait to taste everything! Photo and recipe courtesy of Steaming Gourmet. 

Here is the pumpkin bread recipe we found on Steaming Gourmet! 

It had 5 stars and we give it 5 stars too! 

Ultimate Pumpkin Bread 

Author: Amy Wilson
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 20 mins
Serves: 14

A fabulous pumpkin bread and the best you’ll ever taste.

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, really soft, half melted really
3 large eggs
1 16 oz can of pure pumpkin
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Method

Preheat oven to 350˚F and spray two medium loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the wire whisk attached, dump in the sugar. Take the butter and put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, so that it is half melted. Dump it into the sugar. Add the eggs. Cream these three ingredients together on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until fluffy. Add the pumpkin and combine well.

In three batches, add the dry ingredients and mix gently until each batch is just incorporated. Scrape the sides between each batch.

Pour half of the batter into a one of the prepared pans. Fold the pecans into the remaining batter and then pour it into the other prepared pan. Bake side-by-side for about one hour or until an inserted knife comes out clean the top is golden.
Notes

Yields 2 loaves.

Holiday Breakfast Quiche to die for! 

This is a recipe I got many years ago from my sweet friend Julie, 

it's an old recipe from her mother. 

I call it "Holiday Breakfast Quiche", because of the colors from the peppers 

that gives it a colorful and festive holiday appearance. 

Holiday Breakfast Quiche Shopping List and Recipe

• (1) Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage 
• (1) 9" fold out Pillsbury Crust Pie Shell
• (1 1/2) cups Grated Swiss Cheese (note...use a good quality cheese, makes all the difference)
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Green Pepper
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Red Pepper
• 2 tablespoons Chopped Onion
• 4 Eggs (slightly beaten and set aside)
• 1 cup of Heavy Whipping Cream

Preheat Oven to 375, bake 40 to 45 mins (depends on oven)

Crumble sausage as you allow it to cook and brown until it is done. Drain and immediately add in Swiss cheese, mix it together. Then add all the ingredients listed above, including eggs and mix together. Follow directions on pie shell box and place pie shell in your quiche dish. Note....within 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover quiche lightly with tinfoil to prevent it  browning too much on top and the edge of crust. 

Enjoy, the Holiday Breakfast Quiche it's divine!!!

Of course no breakfast is complete without a cup of hot Pumpkin Spice coffee! We bought our Pumpkin creamer at Bi-lo, and added some cinnamon and 

homemade whip cream on top as the garnish! It was fabulous! 

Wishing you all a fabulous "fall", may you make some harvest memories this year with your family and friends! 

Tonia Mosteller

704-651-8878

Holiday - Event - Seasonal Decorator

Charlotte, NC

Please visit my website for information about our services: 

Innovative Holiday Decorating. Thank you.  

Happy Autumn Decorating! 

Holiday and Christmas Decorators Charltote NC

Charlotte NC Holiday - Event - Seasonal Decorators

As fall has moved in so do the holidays, and they are approaching us fast! Peggy Johnson of Redesign + More and Tonia Mosteller of Innovative Holiday-Event Decorating in Charlotte, NC are here to tell you to start planning for your holidays in North and South Carolina! Stores have been decorating for the holidays since July...yes, we said, JULY! This means, decorations are going to move fast too! If you are finding it difficult to plan for your holiday event, dress up your homes for the fall season and Thanksgiving holiday or need help adding some festive cheer to your home or business…then you need to meet the decorators of Charlotte, NC and schedule a free holiday/seasonal/event consultation this holiday season! 

Not only can these delightful ladies and their teams dress up your home or business on the interior, they can also add some sparkle with the exterior and outdoors by adding some Christmas lighting and holiday decor. Their companies provide residential and commercial services to all of Charlotte, NC and the metro area, including upper SC. 

Meet the holiday-event-seasonal decorators of North Carolina and Upper South Carolina. Now, keep in mind these ladies also do Real Estate Home Staging and Interior Room Redesign/Design. They are filled with passion about their work and it shows to the attention detail they give to homes and businesses throughout the holidays and all year long. 

Tonia Mosteller

Innovative Interiors & 

Holiday-Seasonal-Event Decorating

Charlotte, NC 

704-651-8878

Tonia writes: I love Christmas, it's been my favorite holiday since I was a very young girl. Creating memories with family and friends, it's priceless. Decorating homes and businesses for the holidays, events, and the seasons are a true passion of mine. I believe beautiful spaces can be achieved through creativity, even on a small budget. I am thankful for the gifts God has given me, because I can share them with others. Creating memories for a lifetime.

Peggy Johnson       

Redesign + More

Holiday-Event-Seasonal Decorating

Charlotte, NC 

704.880.7901                                   

Peggy writes: During the holiday season sharing your home with family and friends is a wonderful way to bring in the holiday season. Holiday, event, and seasonal decorating allows me to bring out my creative side. It allows me to create beautiful, festive homes and offices. I get very excited about the holiday season. Simple love decorating for the holidays and seasons! My philosophy is to give each of our clients a special experience during the holidays.

The holidays are a wonderful time of year and we all enjoy having our homes decorated for the Christmas holiday season. However we don’t always have the time or the energy that’s needed to create an inviting & festive atmosphere.

We can decorate using themes, keep it traditional, add in a little whimsical and incorporate your special holiday decorations. Services available to residential and commercial clients for interior and exterior holiday decorating - seasonal decorating - event decorating & Christmas outdoor lighting installations.

Our holiday - event - seasonal decorating services can create a simple or elaborate display whether it‘s for your home or a corporate business event function.

Our team of professionals will create a customized holiday decorating plan that will enhance the unique features of your home or business. We can use your existing holiday decorations or purchase new decorations. Schedule your free holiday or event decorating consultation today!

Let our team of Interior and Exterior Holiday Decorators take the hassle out of holiday decorating so you can relax and enjoy the holidays.

Holiday - Event - Seasonal Decorating Companies in Charlotte, NC.

• Home & Corporate Business Holiday Decorating Services

• Custom Holiday Decorating Plan

• Holiday Home Staging

• Decorated Wreaths

• Decorated Garlands / Swags

• Decorated Staircases

• Decorated Christmas Trees

• Fireplace Mantels

• Front Entrances

• Holiday Displays

• Holiday Centerpieces

• Holiday Shopping

• Holiday Gift Wrapping

• Holiday Event Decorating

• Outdoor Exterior Holiday Decorating  Christmas Lights

• Affordable Budget Holiday Decorating

• Holiday Photography Prop Decorating

Holiday - Event- Seasonal Interior and Exterior 

Residential and Commercial Decorators - Charlotte NC

Adding festive holiday decorations and outdoor Christmas 
lights to your home or office!

Happy Holidays from our homes to yours!