Outdoor Decor part deux

Continuing our little tour of the courtyard reindeer pen.
You can catch the first part here.

As I mentioned yesterday, with my two big boys spending their unsupervised outdoor time in this space, I have to be content with decorating spaces rather than strewing hay over the concrete. For safety reasons EVERYTHING has to be glued in place. (despite gluing it down, Reindeer Maximus is keeping me and my handy dandy glue gun busy...puppies sigh) So small vignettes was the solution I chose. Yesterday I showed you the corner under the japanese maple and the door alcove. Today I want to share the Dollar Store decor solution for tiki torches, and a couple of smaller details.

The tiki torches were time consuming but dirt cheap. The Dollar Store has been full of great Christmas decor items. $11 in supplies did all for displays. That is pretty awesome in my book. I priced similar supplies at Wally World and it would have cost WAY more. I didn't take any pictures along the way, but the concept is the same as building a floral display. I began with a small cube of floral foam, added the pics of red berries (I cut them from the original stem into smaller pieces) and then layered in the fresh greenery. I wouldn't call the process fast, but it was easy and pleasant work. I glued some smaller pieces in to cover visible foam, a few collected pine cones, the Dollar Store pieces of ribbon and the sparkly snowmen on two of them. Secure in the little red feathered friends, add a stick or two and a few wispy branches from some shrubbery and wha la! Done. The biggest thing to keep in mind is balance. They certainly are not perfectly even and they aren't the exact same size from torch to torch, but the variation keeps it interesting. That's what I'm gonna keep telling myself anyway.

I added some fun little puppets that the kids got as stocking stuffers ions ago to my terra cotta pots along with the requisite pine cones and greenery that you see throughout my displays, indoors and out.

I think the fire pit might be my favorite spot though. It really reinforces the idea of this being a place for the reindeer to rest before heading on to their next destination. A special treat will be added on Christmas Eve and the screen removed. For now it stays to keep Max out. 

Dried oranges, apples and hay will have to do until we and our guests add the carrot slice ice ring and fresh fruit slices on Christmas Eve. Cookies for Santa and fruits and veggies for the real workers of the night!

Speaking of our guests...Here is the poem that went out to invite everybody to our little shin dig.

'Twas the night before Christmas

when all through our home,
Everybody was celebrating,
including the garden gnome.

The food was prepared
in the kitchen with care,
In hopes that all who came
would want to share.

The children were invited
to play, laugh and sing,
Silly games and Santa Bingo
all thrown in the ring.

And Grandma in a Christmas sweater
and Tammy in sky high heels,
we all settled in
to enjoy our great meals-

When out in the yard
there arose a great noise,
we sprang from our seats
to see brawling boys.

Away to the door
we huddled en mass,
opened the slider
and wouldn’t let one another pass.

The boys’ clothing
was all mussed and messed.
So much for us all
being properly dressed!

When, what to our wondering eyes should appear,
but a big fat snowflake!
We all gave a cheer!

We returned to the house,
and sat before the fire;
chatting of the day ahead,
listening to the choir.

More flakes than leaves
blew around the yard.
We whistled and prayed,
tired of snow that was hard.

Now Shawn! Now Mike!
Now Cameron! Now B!
On Kaylynn! On Kalei!
On Katie and Haley!

To the top of the mountain,
to the top of the chutes!
Off we go tomorrow
with our mittens and boots!

As with every Christmas of late,
we plan our play,
preparing to ski top to bottom
all day.

So we invite you again,
in twos, threes and mores…
To join us on Christmas Eve
from our family to yours:

And then we shall celebrate
a night of pine and holly,
especially set aside for
family, friends, and jolly.

As we close out the year
and look to a fresh start…
We want you to know
you are in our heart.

Please won’t you come
join in our fun?
Be festive with us
and stay ‘til the night is done.

Christmas Eve is the one night we don't do simple

DIRTY SANTA BINGO
GIFT EXCHANGE
…

NOT-SO-SILENT-NIGHT
FAMILY GAMES
…

BE A SHOW OFF
HORS D’OEUVRE
DINNER BUFFET
Share your favorite
 appetizer & beverage 

But its soooooo much fun! Sharing the night with friends and family is what we all cherish the most!