A simple solution ~

After all of the holiday decorations have been taken down everything looks so bare!

 

The shelf under this window in the media/library room looked particularly drab and boring, definitely it needed a little perking up. I really wanted something fresh and natural to enliven the space. So...

 

 

...although I have very few flowers in the garden this time of year, I do have lots of succulents ~ I shopped the garden and put together this arrangement of cuttings in an old soup tureen. I lined the tureen first with plastic to protect it and added potting soil.

 

A few books, a Corday bird figure and voila, it's complete.

 

And one of the best parts: this simple succulent arrangement will last through several months, the cuttings will eventually root and I can plant them back out in the garden ~ a complete win-win! 

 

I am so pleased with this that I think I will do another one for the dining room table. I love it when something is so easy...and free!

 

What do you think?

 

This post has been linked to: http://www.keepingitsimplecrafts.com/ Motive Me Monday, http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/ and http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Gâteau au chocolat ~

What better to start the new year than with chocolate!

 

This is the best chocolate cake, moist, dense and oh, so chocolaty. In fact it is called the "Too Much Chocolate Cake" and you can find the recipe...

 

here

 

 Oh, I almost forgot, it is incredibly easy to make and freezes well.

 

So Yummy, a perfect tonic for the post-holiday blues.

 

 

(My brother gave me this galleried silver tray for Christmas, isn't it pretty.)

 

Bon Appetite! And, thank you for visiting.

 

this post has been linked to: http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

 

Bonne année ~

 

~ It's time to celebrate! ~

 

Wishing you a very Happy New Year

 

 

 

May the new year be filled with peace, happiness, and joy, for each and every one of you.

Merry Christmas ~

The house is decorated; the cards have been sent; the gifts are all wrapped and the baking is done. The preparations for the Christmas Eve dinner are almost complete. So there is little else for me to do but to wish you all a very

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Entry hall tree

 

I hope that your holiday is filled with joy, love, and happiness.

 

Christmas Mantle ~ 2013

Every year I try to do something a bit different to decorate the mantle ~ this is how it turned out this year:

 

 

 

 I started out with a basic green garland and kept adding lots of other things: pink ornaments, flowers, pine cones, ribbon, bejeweled fruit, and a wonderful sparkly garland that looks like bits of crystal...it alone can make anything lovely. My daughter made the little bird ornament ~ so cute!

 

Silk roses, wired ribbon and twinkle lights.

 

Completely over-the-top, but I love it. And now for the best decorative ornament of all...

 

Miss Twiggley! 

 

 Sitting up on the mantle under the little Christmas trees, supervising the work and being very, very well behaved!

 

Joyeux Noël

 

Kitchen Wreath ~

The little crab apple trees are almost completely devoid of leaves, but there is a lot of fruit for the birds to feast on through the winter months.

 

As for me, this time of year, and any time of year for that matter, I use the branches as a framework to make wreaths.

 

The branches are very pliable and easy to shape. 

 

A simple twisting and weaving and Voila! A Christmas wreath for the hood over the stove in my kitchen ~ 

I added a dried moss garland and some little apples. So simple, just the natural look that I wanted.

 

As I sit here writing this I am listening to a new Christmas Cd with a nice mix of music: The Piano Guys; A Family Christmas. A lovely addition to the festivities.

 

I hope that all of your holiday plans are progressing well ~ this is such a happy time of year.

 

joyeux Noël

 

This post has been linked to: http://www.adelightsomelife.com/

 

Tweaking for Christmas ~

This little tiered stand is very versatile, I change it out whenever the mood strikes, I think that I got it at Bombay Company and it is really meant to be a tea stand. It's size allows it to sit on the floor or on a table or counter. Right now it is sitting in a corner of the kitchen holding some white, covered dishes. So...wasn't it natural to tweak it a bit for Christmas...

 

 

 I added a few bits of greenery, in this case lavender, some apples, a couple red ornaments and voilà!

 

So much impact for such simple additions; I love when this happens.

After the holidays I might change out the china pieces in place of pots of herbs, (or maybe those copper pots I think Santa is bringing me) but for right now I am loving how it adds to making the kitchen more festive for Christmas.

 

Thank you for visiting.

 

Joyeux Noël

 

This post has been linked to: http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/. http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/ 

 

Le petit train de Noël ~

Last year I made this Christmas wreath for the big window in media-family room. I really like it and I think it is very pretty but the room said, "More".  So...

I went down into the basement and unpacked this little holiday train I bought many years ago from Bombay Company, filled it with gifts, and sent it on it's way with happy thoughts and Christmas greetings to you!

 

All aboard, off we go to a wonderful and joyous holiday season

 

Choo-choo!

 

I hope that you are having as much fun with your Christmas preparations as I am.

Thank you for visiting

 

Joyeux Noël