Plaid and Cotton Farmhouse Style Christmas Tree

Happy Monday!  I’ve been so excited to share my farmhouse style cotton and plaid Christmas tree with you! You probably caught a glimpse of it in my Christmas mantel post but today, let’s show you some closer pictures and talk about some of the details.

So I knew going into Christmas decorating that I wanted to use a tartan plaid as sort of my “theme” this year mixed with lots of flocked greenery, reds, and natural elements. But the first part of November that theme changed just a bit to include cotton!  I had actually thought about incorporating cotton into the tree but even the cheapest stems you can find at Hobby Lobby or Michaels are $3-4 each and buying 10 or more of those for the tree gets too expensive.  BUT then I happened to come across a deal post by my friend Aubrey/Clearance Hunter on Instagram that Magnolia was having a huge clearance sale.  I clicked over to check just to see if maybe there was something I could afford and was shocked when I saw cotton stems in 2 different sizes for $0.35 and $0.45 each!!  I promptly ordered about 20 of them and even with shipping costs + tax I was still only paying about $0.60 each.   So hence my cotton + plaid farmhouse tree was born this year!

From a distance, the cotton just sort of looks like snow and pinecones and it just fits so well on a flocked tree.  By the way, my flocked tree is the same one I have used for the last 3-4 years.  I got it on clearance after Christmas at Walmart for around $60 one year.  They still carry this same tree although it comes flocked a little heavier (plus mine has lost a little over the years) and the price has gone up $20.  But I think it is a very affordable option for a flocked tree and other than lights going out over the years (which seems to happen with any pre-lit tree), I have been very pleased with it!  If I can find this same 7.5 foot flocked tree for 75% off after Christmas this year, I will be buying a second one to add to our dining room or bedroom next year.    Walmart also has an unlit 6 foot flocked tree for $35 which is just gorgeous too if you could do something a bit smaller.

I reused many things I had – white painted wood snowflakes and some natural ones too, white balls, red berry stems, these cute little wood signs from Kirkland’s a few years back (although I think they have still this year), white mesh ribbon I already had and then added some tartan plaid ribbon I got at Joann’s.

The only other new thing I added to the tree this year were just a few of these mini tobacco baskets from Hobby Lobby  – I just fell in love with them and of course, they fit my farmhouse theme perfectly this year.  They are in the ornament section and most stores are already sold out or almost sold out so knew finding them after Christmas would probably not happen.  I love big unique ornaments like this too because they could be used other places too – tucked in a tiered tray as decor, propped on a shelf, tucked into or hung in the middle of a wreath.  I have a feeling they will be used someplace in my home every Christmas even if they don’t make it on the tree.

I love the way the tree looks even when the lights are off – it’s almost a totally different look!  Snowy with touches of red and browns and berries and cotton!

I also hopped on the tree collar/basket bandwagon this year.  I had been wanting to try that look for the last 2 years and had been searching thrift stores for a big enough basket but just hadn’t found one.    When Christmas decor went 50% off at Hobby Lobby first of November I used a bit of my yard sale shopping money and grabbed this gray washed wicker tree collar.  I really, really do love the look of it plus it makes it so much easier to sweep the floor and keep everything neat and clean around the tree. A tree skirt seemed to always slide around on my wood floor and then have dust and fuzz and dirt all trapped around the edge making it hard to keep clean.  Plus when I finally get presents wrapped there will be lots more room to add them under the tree this year!   I also was able to set the tree stand up on a couple pieces of wood to make it a bit higher which I loved.  Our living room ceilings are so high, we really could do a larger tree (this one is 7.5 feet), but not sure I want to invest in or tackle decorating a larger tree.

So there’s my farmhouse inspired cotton and plaid tree this year!  Maybe a bit unconventional but I really do love it and I honestly think it works well.  There are no rules when it comes to decorating – it’s all about using things you enjoy and creating a look you love!

Do you use something unconventional on your tree?  I’d love to know!  What’s your theme or decorating style on your tree this year?