This weekend I fell head over heels in love….
….with Elvis Presley.
Seriously, y’all.
He is the bomb diggity.
Somehow I missed the whole Elvis thing growing up and by the time I arrived on the scene the original Elvis was a distant memory replaced by impersonators in white sequin suits with sky-high, greasy, pompadour hair-dos and tinted sunglasses jumping out of airplanes and always saying, “Thank you. Thank you very much.”
Can you understand why I wasn’t impressed?
And then this weekend my mother gave me his Christmas album.
You know. The one with songs that I thought Scotty McCreery sang.
Like: “It’s Christmas time….pretty baby.
And the snow is fallin’ on the ground.
It’s Christmas time….pretty baby
Santa Claus is back in town.”
I think I rolled my eyes when she gave it to me.
Well…just between us….I rolled them inside my head and smiled on the outside and said thank you.
And I planned on tossing the CD into the “maybe I’ll listen to you one day if you’re lucky” drawer. But on the drive home all we had to listen to was harp music or vintage country or a professional book reading….
…or Elvis.
Elvis won.
And as I put the CD in the player and pressed play and the first lines of Blue Christmas rolled out….
…I understood.
It was clear.
I understood why people tattooed his picture on their forearms.
I understood the hysteria and hype and the legend.
And all of a sudden the lines of unending fans at Graceland celebrating birthday after birthday….
….made perfect sense.
I mean….his voice. That amazing, wonderful, incredible voice.
It was so unique and rich and one-of-a-kind with soul dripping off every note. The kind of voice where you could listen to the CD five times in a row and it still wasn’t enough.
It was true vintage Elvis at his finest.
And I right there and then on Highway 40 in Arkansas….
….I melted.
Now my heart will always belong to a pair of sparkling brown eyes….but Elvis…if you’re listening…..
…I can’t help falling in love with you. 🙂
Long live the king!
PS The beautiful blue Christmas room was brought to you courtesy of the incredible Online Fabric Store as part of their incredible Cyber Monday promotion.
Featuring:
* 20% off Premier Prints Fabric
*15% off burlap
*25% off ready-made decorative throw pillows
*Free shipping within contiguous US
*$20 store credit on orders of $100 or more
* $100 gift card giveaway on the blog
disclosure: I was compensated for this post….but I truly love Online Fabric Store and all opinions on beautiful blue fabric and Elvis are completely and utterly my own.
I’m so excited that 12 Days of Christmas is here AGAIN! This is our third year in a row and I cannot wait for you to see all the Christmas projects, decorations, handmade gift ideas, recipes and stories.
I’m joining some of my favorite people in the world. 🙂
You can click on the links to see what they’ve created for Christmas!
25 Colorful & Crafty Christmas Printables
Shanty-2-Chic
Front Door Decorating
I so love Elvis. I cut my teeth on his music. Our Christmas tradition while decorating the tree every year was to listen to his Christmas album. I actually just wrote about it if you're ever bored. https://stillplayinghouse.com/2014/11/25/christmas-past-present/ I absolutely love this room, BTW!
For the past 7 years I always have a blue Christmas, ie. I love to decorate my white (fake) Christmas tree with icicle blue ornaments and my Christmas table features Currier & Ives blue dishes. This is a new tradition I began once my children were grown and on their own because of course during their younger years we always went out and cut down our tree and decorated with the special ornaments which Santa brought the kids each year and which now are in their possession and decorating their own trees.
Oh My Gosh!! I am so not ready!! I know I won't make the deadline -- perhaps New Years!. Yes! I'll have Christmas for New Years. And I just want you to know I was in the Elvis era and I really didn't care that much for him but I sat through 3 showings of Blue Hawaii. I loved that show. In fact, I just watched it for the 100 + time recently. He did have a unique voice.
Love love love!!!! So beautiful!!! Where did you find the adorable tree on your coffee table?!?!?
Kay, I bought it at a clearance sale years ago. It's made from birch bark. Have a Merry Christmas! karianne
Hi Karianne, I love all the pops of blue throughout. It doesn't have to be red and green to be festive. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. Enjoy your day, Lisa
My husband and I were able to see Elvis at a dinner show in Vegas back in 1973. What a thrill at $50.00 a ticket. Your blue Christmas is lovely, KariAnne.
When your mother gave you the CD you could have said, "Thank you. Thank you very much." like Elvis would have said it. LOL I don't have any of his music but may get something now that you mentioned it. I was a little younger than Elvis and remember when he came on the Ed Sullivan Show the first time. I was watching on the black and white TVs of the day. He started gyrating his hips and the screen went black up to at least his waist so the TV viewers would not see something like that! My how times have changed. Thank you for showing us the beautiful room. I am excited to move so I can incorporate some of your lovely ideas into my new home. Somebody please by my great little house on this tropical island so I can move to Florida and start another life. Blessings and much love to you and your family, and keep giving us joy through your writing and sharing.
One word, WOW. I am an old fashioned red, green and gold girl at Christmas but your room is the first room I've seen that could convert me. Stunning! Can I aks where you got your ottoman? Thanks!
just beautiful ... I want to move in!!!!!
my dad always listened to Elvis in his workshop when i was young. As an adult, Elvis christmas music always brings back warm memories...my sister and I always say its not officially Christmas season until Elvis Christmas music is loaded into our cars! thanks for the great decorating ideas, love your blog!
Beautiful! Everything looks perfect. The Curtains are gorgeous. I'd definitely have a blue Christmas after seeing this room. Love the white tree!
Love your blue living room decor and the shiny sparkly tree in the corner. I may have to get my man to make me some of those awesome crates that are behind the tree....hmm... Your room, as always, is so inviting and I just wanna come and sit awhile and take in all your gorgeous ideas! I didn't grow up with Elvis either,,,,but I do like his music. :)
KariAnne, that is the most peaceful room I have seen in a long time, I love the wall color, I think Elvis would have approved very much, but I think he would of added some red velvet in there! ha
I am such of a fan of blue and white. Your post has given be the final nudge to embrace it fully! Beautiful pictures.
Loooove the fabric and your "Blue Christmas"....the room looks beautiful !
I love Elvis too! I was not born when he was so popular, but I have had a crush since I was young!
Love.the.blue!
KariAnne, I am forever indebted to your mother for giving you a "wake up" call! LOL My Elvis Christmas cd's have been playing non stop since Thanksgiving Day when YKW hauled all the Christmas stuff out of the attic! Absolutely love your "Blue" room....so inviting and peaceful....and I am on a mission to find those beautiful trees that you have displayed. I might have to settle for one of our local, handmade trees out of oyster shells which have a very similar look....need it for my coffee table.
Absolutely lovely room! So fresh! I know Elvis is revered by many...never felt that connection I guess. Although I really did like him in Blue Hawaii...and he did have a unique voice. Have a great day! ;)
I was the most lovesick Elvis kid you could possibly imagine. He burst on the national scene with his appearances on Ed Sullivan which I always watched on a friend's TV. (We didn't have one.) I got a little radio for Christmas and I prayed for all Elvis all the time. I never had a "record player" as we called it then, so I never bought any of his records. I did, however, buy the sheet music with my allowance, and learned to play it on the piano! When I had to clean out my mother's house many years later, I found a number of Elvis albums in her little record collection. I never knew she was a fan! She always told me he was silly! Imagine that...
Your room is amazing! And yeah, that ottoman needs to come to Canada! So funny you just discovered Elvis. I was forced into Graceland... and married to his biggest fan. We had 'the Elvis room.' We really did. Be jealous...
Oh my, Girl! Awesome! Blue is my favorite Christmas color! This is my dream room. How do you do it? Everything is perfect! PS I have not always been an Elvis fan, but his Christmas album holds a special place in my heat because it was my Mom-in-love's favorite.
That pop of blue in your living room is perfect for the season, the weather, the joy!! Lovely!!
Two of my favorite things, the color blue and Elvis...You've made my day..
I am loving every, single detail, but cannot get over how ready you are for the big day…got to get myself in gear!! Just love the ottoman with the wood tree in the tray …adorable!!
Your "Blue Christmas" room is beautiful! And so sorry you have waited your whole life to be introduced to Elvis! As a little girl I was in love with him!
I also loved Elvis just saying
KariAnne, First off, your living room is gorgeous and I love how it evolves, it gives me inspiration all the time. My family room is dressed the same way (I wonder who inspired me!) so that I can change out curtains, throws, pillows and accents. I really LOVE this! Now, ahem, on Elvis. I, too, was young when he was really hot. He was All Vegas, Baby. When he died in 1977, I was working in my first ever job at a record store. I started my shift literally 1/2 hour after the news broke. As customary, we chose the album a REAL vinyl album) to play for everyone to hear on the speakers. I put on a Live Elvis record. Swarms of people came in buying his records up. People were openly weeping. I became a wreck, too. It was monumental, an unforgettable event in my life I will never forget. And for the first time I listened to his amazing deep voice and stared at how incredibly handsome he was on the album cover and I realized, it was too late. In a way. But at 16 years old, it really, really seemed too late. Looking forward to this series! Jane xx
Listening to Elvis makes it very easy to fall in love with him, and his Christmas music is special. You appear to be having a blue Christmas in a very good way.
Girl! You need a road trip! Hop in the car and head to Memphis! Bathe in the blue lights of Graceland. It is a wondrous family adventure. Love your Blue Christmas in Kentucky!
Oh honey, I fell in love with him YEARS ago, too many to admit to actually!!! His voice is one of a kind fabulous! He was so handsome and lovable. I am IN LOVE with that fabric too! Goegeous room. HAPPY holidays!!!
I've never wanted a blue Christmas more! KariAnne your house is always a showstopper! Beautiful and festive. Thanks for letting us take a look inside. :) xo Michael
I love it ! Bright but soothing. I just read an article about you. Funny, but I don't always read the articles just look at the photos for inspiration . I had just found you on Pinterest and there you were again! I Would like to know where to get those short curtain rods?
Your home looks incredible!! I love the blue curtains & Pillows!!
Love your decor, I've never much cared for traditional green/red/gold, so your room rocks. As for Elvis, he was fat & sweaty when I got into him, (well I got into his younger self), & just as I learned to truly appreciate is awesome talent he up and died on my 15th birthday! Very sad birthday for me, August 16, 1977.
Your home is so lovely and relaxing =)
Love the blue room, you did a great job of decorating every single nook and cranny! I have to admit I always felt the same as Elvis as you did... my grandma loved him but he was so beyond my time. Maybe I'll have to revisit those old songs. Thanks for the inspiration!
Love the blue Christmas! You did a gorgeous job ;) enjoyed it so much.