It definitely looks like Christmas in my Tower! I have been slowly making my Christmas decor/theme for at least five years now, this is the first time that it has all been out on display together and complete. I couldn’t wait to share it with y’all! Grab some cocoa and have a seat because every piece has a tale or a bit of family history behind it. Welcome to my Tower or during this time of year, my Nutcracker Suite!

Don’t worry, were not digging into every ornament! We’d be here all day. But I did want to start with my tree as it kicks off the color scheme. I chose to go with Navy, Gold and White over five years ago when I made the stockings and tree skirt. Keeping that theme I wanted to bring it up into the tree with the flowers. The navy poinsettias are dipped in gold and give that traditional winter flower touch. The magnolias on the other hand are my absolute favorite flower! They are a frosted version for the tree, but it’s only fitting that this Southern girl have the flower of the South on her tree! I believe trees are always a work in progress, that’s why people get ornaments every year right? On my wish list is an Angel for the top, I’m just being a bit picky about finding the perfect one.

By the way I LOVE this sweater!! It’s been my go-to anytime I don’t see my little puppy sister. She’ll snag it in 2 seconds! It’s currently sold out, but Main Street Dresser has been adding some adorable other winter sweaters!

This tree skirt y’all… Every panel has a different Nutcracker embroidered on it. I designed the skirt pattern, the nutcrackers, everything! It took me so long to do because I was making everything up as I went and trying to figure out just what it was that I wanted along the way. I managed to finish it in early October, so just in time for Christmas this year! The Nutcrackers are kind of a hint that you will learn about as you keep reading and definitely part of my Christmas theme.

For the most part my stockings were made out of the same fabric as my tree skirt. There is just one noticeable difference, the pop of red inside! Y’all know by now that I love hiding things in plain sight, and you may have noticed that this is pretty much the only red in all of my Christmas decor! The inside of the stockings are actually made out of my late Grandmother’s old tree skirt! While the red is really not me, it was a great way to keep part of her Christmas decor and traditions alive within mine.

If you’ve been around since the beginning with Katie K Designs you might recognize this pillow! 😉 Of course I keep my old designs around!

Time to spill a bit about the Nutcrackers. While you can only see 6 in this picture above, I actually have over 40 Nutcrackers. Yes, you read that number correctly. No, I have not bought a single one and it doesn’t even include the ornaments. This is the first year since 2011 that I’ve had them all out at once, so I actually didn’t know how many I had until I unpacked them. I might only keep them out on a rotating basis for future Christmas’s as I had to get REALLY creative on where to put my army.

When I was little and in dance, I used to ask my parents for a traditional Nutcracker for Christmas. I loved the ballet, dreamed of being in it and had always wanted one of my own. Eventually, LONG after I wasn’t a dancer my parents started buying me a Nutcracker every year for Christmas. However, they refused to get a traditional one! Others noticed my collection over the years and started gifting me Nutcrackers as well. My collection has even inspired other’s to start their own little army’s. When I was in high school one of my cousins (a carpenter) even built me a display wall in my room to accommodate them. So, they were up all year round until I moved in 2011. I could literally do an entire post on all the Nutcrackers. I tried to limit them, but they’re here.

My bench pillow is new this year and you may notice has recently moved to my couch as my bench is now gone. I’ve created every pattern for the pillow myself, and this one is definitely one of my favorites! In the quilting world, Nativity scenes are actually a rare pattern. So, when my Mamaw saw this being made in my sewing room she scooped up the pattern for it so fast! I literally have Nutcrackers everywhere, I wanted to make sure I had Jesus somewhere around here y’all! Especially since I didn’t have room to put out my Nativity sets this year.

Notice the frosty quilt on the edge of the couch? It’s one of my favorites! It has a really soft minky back. I call it my snow day quilt and I’m currently making a Rudolph one to match it. I’m a big fan of the classics!

Uh oh! It’s a sneak peak at my dining room! You might notice there’s um… chairs! Ignore those for now…. This tree has been my Zoom background for a couple of weeks now at work! Since this is where I take all my Zoom meetings, I gotta keep it seasonal! I also love how neutral this tree is.

I have been laughing when I see plates just like this Santa one on social media lately. Y’all I grew up with this thing! As soon as I moved out my Mom handed it to me, thrilled to get it out of the house! Now they’re “in again”, HAHA!!! Should I get her one for Christmas?!? I’ve actually always loved the Santa plate and the navy one I have on my coffee table that was my Grandmothers.

Filled with chocolate about the stairs is the advent calendar! Noticing the same fabrics yet? The back of this one is actually Nutcrackers!

…If you’re wondering if I can possibly reach that from below, the answer is no! I gotta work for my chocolate. Or, just reach down from above.

My entryway just makes me laugh, it’s like this is where all the pops of color went to! The pink wreath I made back in 2012 for my Hometown’s Holiday Light Parade. I made an entire pink float that year for Katie K Designs! It’s held up pretty well over the years. The tree quilt I designed back in college. I’m still always designing quilt patterns. I’m working on finishing my little patch of the outside this week.

There ya go! A bit of my Christmas tales shared from my Tower. Have a blessed week y’all!