Hi everyone. If you are new here welcome. I am so happy to be joining Amy & Christy from 11 Magnolia Lane, and Jenny from the Evolution of Style once again for their wonderful Christmas Tour. I know how much work something like this is to put together so a big hand for these ladies. Today I am going to show you how to decorate your front porch naturally for Christmas.
We recently downsized from our former 5,000 sq ft home to this cute 2,000+ Spanish Revival (which was formerly one of our rentals). We live on the Central Coast of California where the weather is very temperate. Most of our plants make it through the winter so decorating with anything that relates to snow or ice looks kind of foolish here. I placed a Trader Joe’s wreath on the two gates that enter our courtyard and added some caramel and white vintage milliners ribbon.
As you can see the bougainvillea is still in full bloom so I wanted to incorporate plant matter that would coordinate with that.
I chose satsuma mandarins (from the grocery), chestnuts, and a variety of foraged greens.
The pots on the porch still had the beautiful chartreuse and brown potato vines hanging on so I didn’t want to pitch them. I added foraged magnolia, greens, and big sugar pine cones to fill them out.
On the door, I added a simple wreath from Trader Joe’s which I embellished with the mandarins, foraged greens, and brazil nuts. I took my glue gun and glued all of the elements in place. Wherever the wreath appeared a little space, I added a few greens. It is important to select greens with different textures and colors for a nice overall product.
This is a simple project anyone can pull off.
Here is what the wreath looked like. Here is my pile of foraged greens, magnolia, and olive.
The table in the courtyard still has some plants that were hanging on as well, some ivy and a few random sprigs. I added white poinsettias from Home Depot, some lemons, and more of the foraged greens around their bases to fill the pot up.
For those of you new here. You might enjoy reading about our backyard makeover here. The entire back area is gravel for easy upkeep. I have to be honest I didn’t have time to fully decorate my backyard. My granddaughter was here for three days and we were gone Thanksgiving.
I did add two more of the white poinsettias to the old zinc trough on the table. It too still has some ivy and a few plants including the bronze potato vine you see trailing down the ends.
I filled in with sugar pines, hedge apples and foraged greens. The zinc trough looks good with almost anything. The two olive standards have been here since we moved.
On the small table, I added a little cypress standard from Trader Joe’s.
Well, that’s How to Decorate Your Porch Naturally for Christmas. I will be back on Thursday for my full Christmas Home Tour. Now pop over and visit my friend Lisa from Shine Your Light next. I know she will have her porch decorated beautifully.
SHINE YOUR LIGHT BLOG
Don’t forget to stop by and visit the entire tour this week. You can click on any of the links below for more inspiration!
Monday, November 29th (Front Porch/Outdoor Spaces) Southern Hospitality | A Blissful Nest | Most Lovely Things | Cindy Hattersley Design | Shine Your Light Tuesday, November 30th (Entries/Dining Rooms) 11 Magnolia Lane | Sincerely Marie Designs | The Pink Clutch Blog | Summer Adams | Home by Heidi | Classic Casual Home Wednesday, December 1st (Living Rooms/Dens) Sincerely Marie Designs | 11 Magnolia Lane | Sincerely Sara D | This is Our Bliss | Thrifty Decor Chick | Dimples and Tangles Thursday, December 2nd (Kitchens/Laundry Rooms/Misc.) Evolution of Style | Sincerely Marie Designs | A Stroll Thru Life | Pink Peppermint Design | Setting for Four | Citrine Living Friday, December 3rd (Master Bedroom/Kid’s Rooms) Quarters One | Just a Girl | Postcards from the Ridge | Decor Adventures | A Stroll Thru Life | County Road 407
Liana says
Your center piece at the patio table it’s got to be the favorite thing I saw this year . I love how you played the colors and textures , genius !!!
Cindy Hattersley says
Thank you so much Liana you are the best!!
Katie Clooney says
Ooooooh Cindy… absolutely beautiful Your wreath and arrangements belong on the cover of a magazine. You need to send your link to Trader Joe’s. I love your home so much. Have a wonderful week.
Cindy Hattersley says
Hi Katie
Thank you so much! I so appreciate it!
Juliet says
Cindy … your new home base is charming. All the more so with your natural Christmas decor. Inquiring minds want to know … how did you get your table planters to work around the umbrellas? I’ve been wondering ever since the birthday luncheon … and my friends who saw the photos asked the same thing. What’s the secret … it’s fabulous! Do tell! xo
Cindy Hattersley says
Hi Juliet
My husband drilled a hole through the planter and placed a “sleeve” out of plastic pipe for the umbrella to go through.
Kelly Ke says
Love it all! Looks very natural and not glitzy! I’m going that direction this year too!
Cindy Hattersley says
Hi Kelly
I am not much for glitz but I do appreciate it in other’s homes. Have fun decorating!
Christy @ 11 Magnolia Lane says
This is absolutely stunning, Cindy! First of all, I love the new house and am going to snoop around your blog to see if I can find a home tour of the inside. Second, you always do such a beautiful job of working with plants and natural elements. It’s truly a feast for the eyes. Thanks for joining us again on the tour and Merry (early) Christmas!
Cindy Hattersley says
Hi Christy
I am honored that you all allow me to participate every year. Thank you so much for the kind words. I so appreciate it!
Karen B. says
Cindy,
I always appreciate your natural approach to decorating. Nature’s bounty is lovely. I hope you’re enjoying your 1st Christmas in the rental that you’ve made so welcoming and wonderful. Enjoy the season.
xo,
Karen B.
Cindy Hattersley says
Thank you so much Karen you are the best!!
holly says
Oh my, how pretty all of it is! I love the zhuzhing of the Trader Joe’s wreath. They are such a bargain but always need help. Just how did you get the mandarins and nuts to hold with a glue gun?
Cindy Hattersley says
Hi Holly
A lot of glue. I glue them individually and to each other!
Katherine says
Hi Cindy,
Everything you touch turns to total magic, you are so gifted in the creative department. Thank you
for sharing your creativity.
Cindy Hattersley says
Hi Katherine
Your comments are always so kind. Thank you so much for always bing so supportive.
Dinner party guru says
Love ALL of these ideas and I love your new pied-Ã -terre! Happiest of Christmas holidays to you and yours.
Amanda
Cindy Hattersley says
Hi Amanda
Thank you so much we are loving this place.
Wren says
All of it has your special, creative touch! I’ve often been tempted to “forage” also but how do you get away with that? I don’t want to make an enemy by taking clippings from someone’s yard. There are many magnolia trees around my neighborhood and I’m tempted. I did get some evergreen last year from a street lining a soccer field that I took some snips from.
Cindy Hattersley says
Hi Wren
Find out what day the gardeners come. They will be glad to share!
Laura says
Lovely! The standard in the pot makes me want to go to Trader Joe’s right now! But, how did you secure the pinecones in the entryway containers? Wire? Glue? Many thanks!
Cindy Hattersley says
Hi Laura
If you use thick tie wire you can anchor them with that.
Sue M says
Love the look of nature throughout the year but especially at Christmas…the way you added your own touches to the wreaths and table centerpiece got me thinking how I too can achieve the look for my home…
Cindy Hattersley says
Hi Sue
That’s exactly what I hope to do, give you ideas you can copy or improve upon in your own home.
Marcia Rayne says
Very inspiring! May have search our yard for some branches and berries! And maybe a trip to Home Depot! Thank you ! Love it!
Cindy Hattersley says
Hi Marcia
Thank you so much and good luck foraging!
Lisa says
Cindy you always make everything so beautiful. Love what you did with your wreath, and how you incorporated what was still in your pots with some more elements to make it a little more Christmasy. Your new home is so pretty with the arched entry and bougainvillea!!! I absolutely love it and hope you are enjoying living there!
Cindy Hattersley says
Hi Lisa
Thank you so much. Loved joining you on the tour. You are one of my favorite bloggers! Your front porch with the pooch to die for! I hope you are well.
amy says
Absolutely gorgeous! Your florals and natural touches are always so inspiring. Your home looks straight out of a movie! Thank you for joining our tour 🙂 XO,
Amy
blogfixer says
Hi Amy you are so sweet. Thank you so much for always including me
Lori Mascarenas says
Beautiful! Living here in central California I often decorate with natural greens as well… the poinsettias are a favorite of mine and do well until the first frost, then it’s “bye bye” unless I’ve thought ahead and dragged them indoors.
How on earth do you get a fresh mandarin to stay on that wreath with a glue gun??
blogfixer says
Hi Lori Lots of gle and blue them to each other as well!! At my former home , I had the same problem with poinsettias. It is warmer at night here snd they are covered. The jury is out
Gray says
Your front porch is just gorgeous! I love that you still have bougainvillea blooming and the potato vine! I can no longer have potato vine – i love the black one – the deer LOVE it. :/ And the poinsettia outside is so wonderful! How cool.
blogfixer says
Hi Gray I have heard they love it !!
Elizabeth@pineconesandacorns says
Cindy, your containers, porch and courtyard look beautiful! I just spent a weekend making a pinecone garland for my front porch. That thing was a labor of love and took two days and more pinecones than I can count. I also foraged and made containers for the front porch as well. Thank you for sharing all of these fabulous ladies, I am off to check them out.
Susan Kelley says
I did that once. That was enough! it is truly a labor of love,plus finding and saving all the pine cones throughout the year. Hope you save and use it for a long time. I can’t remember what ever happened to ours!
blogfixer says
Oh my goodness Eliz I made a pinecone wreath years ago and I remember how long that took. You are amazing.
Jenny says
Beautiful Cindy! I love your front porch pots, and wish our weather could accommodate them! It looks like you have a beautiful outdoor spot for holiday entertaining – thanks for joining in on the tour again this year!
blogfixer says
Hi Jenny thank you so much for including me. I so appreciate it