“I would decorate for the holidays even if I were the only human on earth!” says Serena.

Tablescapes don’t have to be a ton of work.Serena’s attitude about centerpieces: “Don’t overdo it.” In the dining room, she paired loose sprigs of greenery (in sap buckets, no less) with her collection of toy deer and bottle-brush trees. A linen runner unifies the woodland scene.

lesson no 3

bright idea!Install mirrors at the back of glass-fronted cabinets for a sparkling effect.

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Take artistic license with paint-by-numbers.A dime a dozen at flea markets, a few of these amateur paintings can yield scads of one-of-a-kind tree trimmers. “I’ve always been inspired by the shape of vintage ornaments,” says Serena, who cut out the silhouettes using heavy-duty scissors. (Get her template at countryliving.com/ornament.)

lesson no 4

thIS pAGe Kurt Adler makes the pinecone string lights on Serena’s Douglas fir.oppoSIte pAGe Chairs from Cost plus World Market surround a salvaged-pine table by Antico.

STEP ONE Print out the template (below), and use a photocopier to enlarge or shrink, if you'd like.STEP TWO Cut out the ornament shape.STEP THREE Trace the ornament shape onto a paint-by-numbers canvas.STEP FOUR Cut out the shape using heavy-duty scissors. Repeat to make a col-lection of ornaments.STEP FIVE Using a hole punch or the point of your scissors, create a hole in the top of each ornament.STEP SIX Tie a length of twine through the hole for the ornament hook.

Paint-by-Numbers Ornament Template