Better Homes And Gardens Holiday House

I am so honored and excited to be featured in this year's Better Homes an Gardens Christmas Ideas magazine. What a fun experience to go into a store and find the feature on the stands! I've had a few questions so I thought it would be fun to answer them here for you.

In this post I'm answering all your FAQ's!

I am beyond excited to share with you my Better Homes and Gardens Christmas feature! It still feels surreal even saying it out loud. I remember pouring over Better Homes and Gardens magazine as a teenager, so it is truly an honor to be featured!

FAQ's about the shoot:

I have already received many questions about the shoot and feature, so I thought I would write a post and share some FAQ's and sources for decor that I have been asked about. Here are some of the questions I have had so far:

Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Feature FAQ's:

When were you contacted to be featured? I was contacted by email a few weeks before Christmas and was told the team would be flying to my home the first week in January to shoot my decor and desserts for the feature. I'll never forget opening that email totally thinking it was a hoax! I couldn't believe they wanted to feature me.
Were you nervous when they came? I was SO nervous and hardy slept! My priority was making sure the house was spotless so I spent 2 weeks deep cleaning before they came. The night before the shoot, our fire alarms went off at 2AM! Talk about bad timing to have tired eyes!
How was it being with the crew all day? I felt very nervous about spending the day with two strangers working for a national magazine. But I have to say, Jay and Lacey were absolutely so amazing and made me feel so comfortable and confident! We had the whole day to get to know each other and enjoy exchanging stories. It was really crazy to hear that they knew Chip and Joanna and had worked with them. I had to pinch myself!

How many images did they take and how long was the shoot? They came early in the morning so we could get started setting up before the sun was up. The shoot took until the late afternoon and many images were taken! For this feature they mainly shared my desserts and a few kitchen shots. It is still hard to believe that something I made is in print in one of my very favorite magazines. I feel so honored and excited!

Favorite soft gingerbread cookie recipe HERE

FAQ's for Christmas Decor:

SANTA MUGS: The number one question I get about my Christmas decor is where I found my Santa mugs on my cocoa station. I am so sad to report that they are one of a kind, and I don't have any way to link them for you! They were purchased second-hand and I love them so much! I don't use them because they are hand painted, but they sit on display in my cocoa station each winter. Here are some other options I love!

Christmas Tree: My forever trees are absolutely beautiful and SO full! They come in amazing storage bags so it's easy to store them and keep them nice all year. I love that they don't shed at all! That was one of my top priorities in a flocked tree. I own two of these trees, a 9′ one for my living room and a 7.5′ for my bedroom. You can purchase yours by clicking the links below.

Shop our living room Queen Flocked Tree

Shop our bedroom Prince Flocked Tree

Cedar Garland: I love using cedar garland! Obviously fresh is always so fun, but I also love using greens that don't dry out and can last all season long! Here are a few of my top favorites!

Choosing a theme:

To start, I just want to let you know that I had a very clear vision for the decor and theme that I wanted to create in my home last Christmas. My kids were all so wrapped up in the spirit of the holiday that I wanted to capture it and emulate it in my surroundings. I decided to make my theme "A Childlike Wonder".

I wanted each and every corner of the house to have something special that would draw you in, the way children are drawn in when they watch a shaken snow globe. It was SO much fun! Here are a few photos of our kitchen and living room. I really enjoyed the bright pops of red!

The BEST Christmas trees

I want to let you know that I absolutely LOVE my Christmas tree. Its so full and beautifully frosted. I HIGHLY recommend this company and I own two of their trees! If you are searching for your forever tree, can purchase it here if you are interested!

Click here to shop our favorite tree

2 years ago I also started setting up a tree in my bedroom and I think it adds such a cozy, romantic feel to our room for the holiday season! We love the cozy light in the evening. It's almost like adding a fireplace in your room.

Christmas Candy Shoppe

It was so fun to transform my dining room table into a fun and whimsical table for the kids. The purpose of the centerpiece was to emulate an old-fashioned candy shoppe. I used apothecary jars filled with candies and any fun little details I could find to make the table magical. I loved using vintage colored pink and aqua ornaments to add some sparkle!

A gingerbread kitchen:

Every Christmas my kids beg to make gingerbread. This has been our tradition for so many years. I really wanted to create a kitchen that felt like a little gingerbread bakery. I hope you love these images!