Happy New Year & Winter’s Here

Happy Friday & Happy New Year! I am finally getting back into the swing of things after our busy holiday season came to an end, kids (& I) returned back to school and we are finally all well again. (Our family came down with mega-colds over Christmas break, and I ended up with a sinus infection, which wasn’t too much fun.)

It feels good to finally have packed up the last of the Christmas decor this week. My house got a good solid cleaning and the slate was wiped clean for the new year.

With the New Year came a pretty nasty snap of cold weather. For over a week we experienced freezing temperatures and below zero wind chills. Winter here in Wisconsin can be is always a long season. Cold temperatures and snow can last from the end of October all the way through the end of March and into April.

So once Christmas is over, choosing decor that can transition into the remaining months ahead is sometimes tricky. You can read about how I’ve done this in the past here. 

This winter, I really felt compelled to keep it simple. I always go “all out” for Christmas, so the switch over to a more subdued approach was welcomed.

I have a pretty large collection of snowmen, but I chose to only put out a few snow-related things in the 3 main living spaces of our home (kitchen, family room & entry way) and that was enough this year.

My mom gifted me some really pretty sparkly large bottle brush trees for Christmas, along with some silver glitter letters that spell out W-I-N-T-E-R. I decided to use these as the main focal point on the mantel.

My husband has been teasing me saying it looks like the famous H-O-L-L-Y-W-O-O-D sign out in LA. It is very pretty with the way the sparkles hit the light and reminds me of the way the snow does the same thing this time of year.

I was a bit stumped for what to hang above the mantel, but then I remembered I still had some leftover scraps of sweater fabric from a project I did last year – making a DIY sweater/flannel scrap banner.

Using a plain jute wreath base, I wrapped the scrap sweater pieces around the edges and rolled up a smaller scrap to make a little sweater rosette.

Some simple sewing pins help to keep it all in place, so I can very easily undo it in the spring to make something different if I want to re-purpose the wreath base.

I still found a spot for the flannel scrap banner, from last year, to hang.

And I love this faux mercury glass candle holder I discovered while out picking on vacation in Minnesota back in November.

Our family room sees lots of couch cuddle & snuggle time over the winter season, especially with my hubby, binge-watching The Office on Netflix. #thatswhatshesaid #beetsbearsbattlestargalactica

I made this custom “Cuddle Weather” pillow cover for $5 last year. So simple. You can read about how here. 

Moving into the kitchen, I changed out the shelves above our coffee station to showcase my small collection of vintage white hobnail milk glass. I only have a few pieces, but I love getting the chance to display them.

I found the cute coffee sign at Hobby Lobby and the mini flocked tree on clearance at Home Goods this season.

And finally, near the entry way of our home which leads down the hall into our family room, I moved one of my favorite hutches and dressed it all up for winter.

It holds some water-less snow globe jars I made a few years ago, along with a pair of vintage ice skates, an old sled and lots and lots of bottle brush trees. I really love these things! Decorating with the little white ones makes my heart happy.

Most of this decor will stay up through March, when I will start the next transition into Spring & Easter. Right now that still seems so far away! I think sometimes putting that stuff out early helps to will the next season into fruition!! And I know by then I will be pretty much be over all the months of snow and ice.

Oh well, to everything there is a season, and as long as we’re in the season of winter, we might as well embrace it!

Time to go cuddle up with a good book, a warm cup of tea and hibernate!!

Have a great weekend Friends!