Read a good book...
Catch up on correspondence...
Redecorate a room-just changing pillows can give a room a whole new look. Add a vase of fresh flowers-tulips are a lovely transition flower.
Clean out your closet. Donate clothes you no longer wear to a local shelter, Goodwill, or the Salvation Army.
Get organized! It is my New Year’s resolution every year. Maybe 2009 is my year!
Make a huge pot of home-made soup or stew. Divide & freeze in meal-size containers for one of those “What to have for dinner?” Nights.
Pamper yourself! Maybe a manicure, pedicure, facial, or soothing massage. Not the spa type? Take a relaxing bubble bath complete with all the trimmings-fragrant bath soaps, fluffy towels, restful music, candles & your favorite beverage. Indulge-relax!
Take a Day Trip to an arboretum. Just walking through the lush plants & flowers reminds us that spring is just around the corner.
Build a snowman...
Take a walk. Bundle up in your favorite wooly sweater & head for your local park or walking trail. Take along a thermos of hot chocolate. It’s extra special if it’s snowing!
After the hustle & bustle of the holidays, January gets lost in the shuffle. Celebrate the month with family & friends you may not have seen over the holidays. We have a group of friends that get together every year for our neighborhood party. Even though only two of us still live in the same area anymore. We always have the party in January, because everyone is pulled in too many directions in December. We all have a chance to catch-up, enjoy some good food & company & keep the spirit of the holiday going.
Since we are still doing a lot of entertaining, I want my house to look festive, but not so Christmas-y. Here are a few things to make your house sparkle as we glide into midwinter.
For a quick touch of elegance-fill a silver tray with clear glass votives & white or ivory candles. Tumblers from your local department or discount store work great if you don’t have votives & give you a wider choice of shapes & patterns.
Group different size/style candlesticks together in the same medium – (brass, silver, crystal) together to make a warm glowing statement. Place on a mirrored plateau for extra shimmer.
Winter lends itself to shades of white. Pair it with shimmery silver, gold or pearl. Fill clear rose bowls with clear glass florist’s stones (like ice) & fill with ivory or the palest of pink blooms.
Grocers & garden centers will soon be full of cyclamen, heather, & primroses. It’s always nice to have a breath of spring in the heart of winter. I love the fragrant silver-green leaves of lavender too-available at some garden centers & mail order companies such as Jackson & Perkins.
What to replace those Christmas ball bowl fillers with? I gather pinecones & spray paint them a metallic silver or bronze or give them a quick shot of spray adhesive & dust with crystal glitter.
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