Tinsel Town

 Aluminum Christmas Trees

Now that Thanksgiving is behind me, I’ve moved right into Christmas-mode and have already started unwrapping my boxes of ornaments! This year, the big debate has been whether to get the classic Evergreen, or mix it up a bit with a retro-style aluminum tree? I have to admit, I used to think that any kind of fake tree (Christmas or otherwise) was tacky…but after flipping through this month’s Martha Stewart Magazine, I was amazed at how en vogue these vintage decorations have become! Oh Martha….if only we all had your touch. Inspired (but a bit deflated from my lack of creativity next to Martha’s) I began researching , and found that there are hundreds of amazingly chic options for decorating this faux-fir. Now that I'm a convert...I'll be purchasing this year's tree courtesy of Ebay, which has a plethora of nostalgic options! Here are a few of my favorite decorations for my new holiday look:

The Art of Spending Wisely

An article in today’s Boston Globe discussing the pathetic state of the economy got us thinking: With our finances in the dump…is it really better to save or spend for overall moral? Globe Lifestyle editor Chris Muther discussed two schools of thought from opposing sides of the spectrum. The first was a group of people suffering from “Frugal Fatigue”- a fictional condition affecting those who...up until this point have spent wisely, only to become so sick of living on a shoe-string budget that they’ve essentially said f#@k it to financial responsibility and treated themselves with a frivolous luxury. The opposition being the ever-popular “Recessionistas” - those who relish the thought of scoring a deal or saving a buck without sacrificing their quality of life. Which side to choose?? Our humble opinion is why choose when you can be both!

Take your home for example. We’re all familiar with the phrase “Your Home is Your Sanctuary”…but creating that sanctuary can be pricey, so when every dollar counts…SPEND WISELY. The trick is to spend on pieces that you’ll always need, like a durable couch and save on stylish accessories that can always be updated with every increasing paycheck. A perfect example is the living room pictured above featured on ElleDecor.com. Although to-die-for, it without doubt cost a pretty penny, but if the bohemian vibe does it for you (as much as it did for us!) there’s no reason it can’t be recreated according to your budget. Save for a few months if that's what it takes and get the necessities: a couch, coffee table and rug. Once the basics are in place, you can start accessorizing…just be patient and research, research, research! It’s unbelievable what amazing products you can find with a little online scouring. No need to fret that you’ve blown your whole budget on the big stuff and can’t afford those fabulous Madeline Weinreib pillows, because now that you're armed with your new knowledge, you'd know that online organic retailer Fabricadbra (pictured below) offers a huge variety of pillows that will give you nearly the exact same look for literally a fraction of the price! The bonus: They’re affordable enough that you can buy a few and switch them out as your taste changes. Take a look for yourself!