Recently I watched the premier episode of a show on Netflix called “Holiday Home Makeover with Mister Christmas.” The premise of the show is that this amazing designer, Benjamin Bradley, decorates a featured family’s home for Christmas and his work is amazing and gorgeous and… not really attainable for a person like me who is actually trying to pare back my belongings. I would need a storage unit to keep my Christmas decor between seasons if I took a page out of Mister Christmas’s book! However, one thing Bradley does that seems completely doable is adding some holiday art.
Probably a lot of you have been swapping out your artwork seasonally all along, but this was a revelation to me. I’m pretty much a holiday decor minimalist but it would be easy to store holiday prints most of the year, then swap them into frames I already have around the house in late November. Alternatively, I might even get a few more frames from IKEA as long as storage space doesn’t become an issue. (My favorite IKEA frames are LOMVIKEN with custom mats ordered online from Matboard & More.)
I found these printables after going down a LOT of rabbit holes one afternoon when I was trying to find a landscape photograph to go in my master bedroom. Before I knew it, I’d saved at least a dozen wintry, Christmasy printables on Pinterest. Now I have to make some decisions and assess my frame situation so I can buy! Here are the prints I’m deciding between:
Cozy Christmas 20-print set from KikiAndKim, $10.50
In this set I’d print the buck, the “Christmas tree” of citrus slices, pine, cloves and cookies and the print with the super cozy the hot chocolate mugs, wrapped presents and ornaments. I like how they’re displayed unmatted on Etsy with a frame like this one from IKEA.
Vintage Santa Sleigh Print from 88Prints, $4.20
I think this print would look great printed as large as I can afford to frame it, probably in a wooden frame like they show in in this photo on Etsy. Perhaps this one from IKEA.
Winter Forest Print from CaitlynMariePrints, $5.00
This snowy little A-frame cabin in the woods epitomizes hygge! And it’s a winter scene, not Christmas, so I could leave it up for several months.
Pine Trees Triptych by FineArtPrintBoutique, $6.57
This set of three prints could go big or small, I think. This 3-pack of frames from Michael’s comes in three sizes.
For printing 8.5×11 or larger, I’m going to try VistaPrint poster options in premium matte paper. This article has suggestions for other ways to print your artwork, including finding local shops that can print with higher quality inks and papers.
Related links: A Thought Exercise That Might Ease Your Holiday Stress
What I’m reading: Hello, Molly! A Memoir by Molly Shannon.
What my 15-year old daughter and I just requested from the library because of nostalgia for her childhood (and a love of miniatures): The Mouse Mansion by Karina Schaapman.