Welcome to my very first edition of Christmas in July! I’ve always admired those who took on the challenge, and I thought this year I would count myself among them. I went so far as to take the challenge one step further, and optimize what I either already had on, found in the neighborhood on large trash collection day (we have a separate day for that in our county), or finds that I had picked up previously at the thrift store, or clearance rack finds.

If you enjoy a good haul video, check out what I picked up recently:

Ultimately, I only had to buy one thing, and I’d wager you’d agree it’s an important item: the focal tapestry.

I knew I wanted a Christmas theme different then what I would typically do during the usual season. And as a Floridian who’s never really done any Christmas décor along the tropical vibe, I figured this was a great time to play with that concept. And so began my colorful, under the sea Christmas in July with a merry and bright flair!

The tapestry I found was PERFECT. It was the right size for high impact and matched a lot of the items I already had, so I didn’t mind spending a few bucks on that if it brought the look together. Totally worth it!

Another draw to this theme was the fact I could use my hot pink tinsel Christmas tree, need I say more?

This tree is has a gorgeous glow day or night!

It was a perfect pop of color to break up the more blue and purple tones in the tapestry. Plus I new my ornament collection I had picked up over the years from Hobby Lobby, part of their “merry and bright” collection, would be flawless addition. A bonus: I get the effect of a decorated Christmas tree, but because it’s a pencil tree, I don’t have to do AS much decorating or lose as much space in my dining room. Super win!

You can see how the whole look came together in this video:

The tabletop décor was a fun exercise because I had a few pieces that I had either just recently found in the trash (those cubism blue water glasses) or things like the fish plates and colorful tea light holders that I had picked up on the cheap years ago and hadn’t found the right project for them. So that’s a feeling to finally get to use them after just admiring them from the shelf for so long.

I also got to reuse some placemats that I had marbled with acrylic paint ages ago. That original tutorial is below if you want to see how to make some for yourself. I would suggest doing your pouring on clear acrylic versus the flat canvas like what I did, which should prevent warping. Plus you get the bonus of being double sided.

Have you seen the cylinders in this centerpiece? They are covered with rainbow fish scale sequin trim I had picked up from a Hobby Lobby clearance rack a month or two ago. A few glue dots and some easy rotary wheel cutting and boom! Easy but impactful. When it’s darker out and all the candles are lit up, they dazzle in the candlelight.

Here’s my quick video of how I made them:

The possibilities are endless here, you can make any sort of ribbon work I bet, and all you need is a set of cylinders that fit your table. I suggest getting some from the dollar tree to start your collection if you don’t have any. Ideally having 2-3 sizes helps add interest to the look, but start where you can.

You can never go wrong with sequins and candlelight!

Do you celebrate Christmas in July? I think it may be a new tradition in our house! I’m planning a semi formal meal to enjoy at the table later this month. I think it will be a nice break in the year and will be something to look forward to in the years to come. Getting the opportunity to try out new themes I may not normally do during the main holiday season is also fun.