The Big Christmas Tree Roundup

Time for the second half of my Festival of Trees photos: the trees!

We go to the Festival every year for inspiration, and once again it didn't disappoint:

Book tree! And check out the paper angel made with sheet music - potential DIY?

I'm really liking this color-blocking trend:

... even if I'm not so sure of those colors.

 So we can always have Paris:

 "Fabulous, Harry, I love the feathers."

I'm almost afraid to admit this Rain Forest tree was my favorite, because it looks terrible in my pictures:

It was all glittery coppers and emerald greens, though, with butterflies, iguanas, and tree frog ornaments. Here, this close-up will give you a better idea:

 Pretty, right? (It was, I promise!)

 I also majorly crushed on this "Letters to Santa" tree, with its rolls of parchment for garland:

I'm all about book paper ornaments and garland this year, so everything with writing on it is catching my eye. 

Ok, ready to see the weirdest tree ever?

 It was rotating, and it was double-sided, and it took me WAY too long to figure out the theme. (Can you guess? The back side was decorated with mops, brooms and woodland creatures.)

   The side shot is especially bizarre:

 

(Every single child reached out and petted the skirt. EVERY ONE.)

Although the baubles in the skirt were lovely:

 

 Did you guess yet?
It's Cinderella.
I think the turban is what threw me.

As always I'm fascinated by the different tree toppers:

Remember when we just put a little star or angel on top? Now we need bows and spriggies and branches and feather sprays and whatnot. (Not complaining, mind you. I love me some spriggies.)

Although sometimes these toppers DO get a little ridiculous:

It's like Wilson (the soccer volleyball from Castaway) got a glitzy makeover. (Right?)

This one's kinda like an upside down feather duster:

I love the idea of using a colorful lantern on top, though:

And this one's a bit much, but still kinda fun:

(I have no explanation for the bottles. Pretty colors, though.)

This next tree is seriously gorgeous - and according to the sign was made with mostly recycled materials:

The spikey sea urchins were toothpicks in Styrofoam balls, and the coral was plastic strips. SO. COOL. (I love the glowing fish on top, too!)

How 'bout hiding the Grinch in your tree?

Or putting all your action figures to work?

Or your favorite dolls?

I've discovered it is SO much easier to hang your garland this way, vs the traditional horizontal swags:

SO MUCH EASIER, seriously. And it looks awesome, too.


Not a tree, but this was the coolest table setup there:

 

Those tall vases were topped with a long mirror shelf, and the mirror faced down, which gave it that amazing optical illusion.

Remember how I said I'm loving burlap this year? Well, check this beauty out:

SO PRETTY. 

Cream and bronze and burlap. Dreamy goodness.


Couple of mini-tree cuties:

That crown topper is an awesome idea... but it needs more spriggies. ;)


Here's another crown - plus a giant scepter:

 
I feel like this should have looked better.

(LOVE the idea of making a crown with ice sprigs, though. So many DIY possibilities!)


Here's another tree that looked super gorgeous in person but falls flat on film:


(No, not the purple people eater. I don't know what's going on back there.)

Oh! Which reminds me:


DON'T DO THIS.
(You know something's gone wrong when your Christmas tree is giving you the finger.)

Sorry, sorry. Here, I'll make it all better with glittery peacock feathers:

I am so tempted to get out the glue and colored glitter and make some of those ornaments. Spaaaaarkly.

And finally, ART:

I can dig it.

Hope you enjoyed our virtual visit together, guys! There are a few more I didn't post here, so if you'd like to see the rest just head over to my Flickr gallery.

Happy decorating!