Winter Comforts

Hi Friends!  I hope your week has been going well.  Mine sure has!  I've been so busy around the house getting things organized and ready for the new year ahead.  I have such a wonderful feeling about 2016 and feel so very grateful to be able to be home, organizing, cleaning, and creating comfort.

The other day, the sun was shining so brightly in the morning I just had to snap a few shots. Still snapping photos on my phone for now, but I'm much closer to resolving that and hope to return to my camera soon. 

It turned out to be a beautifully sunny but cold afternoon.  It was the kind of day where everything just seemed so right in the world.   Maybe, it started out that way for me because I felt so cozy and comfortable inside before setting out and about to brave the cold outside.

In my previous posts, I've been sharing with you how I've been making a few changes in the kitchen.  One of the biggest changes I made was to add curtains on the french doors.  Last weekend we got the curtain rods up and I hung the panels that I had made for the dining room a few years ago.  I had to make a few easy length adjustments and they were done.  I love the look of these so very much, I may not even worry about making any others with the darker fabric I have.  

I really haven't tried too hard to create a wintry scene in here but I did want to have the centerpiece on the table reflect the season.  These whispery white flowers I purchased a few years ago from Kirklands always make me feel so good.  They are such a great transitional look and remind me so much of paper whites.  Don't you think so?  I added in some plain willow branches to give my centerpiece a more wintry look and I was done.  I already had both the flowers and the branches.  It really could not have been an easier.

  

These are the hurricane lamps I purchased last fall on sale at Pier 1.  I think they will certainly be a new staple for me in my decor.  You may recall I used them in my centerpiece on the coffee table at Christmas. You can see that here, if you missed it.  Since I already had the snow filler inside them I decided to leave it.  I did switch out the size of the candles to a smaller set.  

I love how the snow sparkles from the reflections of the sunshine.  I wish you had better pictures to see just how pretty it really is.  These candles are electric.  If you are like me then you have these candles everywhere.  I think I may be addicted to them.  It's a good day when I find these on sale.  LOL!

I really am loving having curtains in the kitchen now.  It has just made my kitchen so much more appealing.  It's made the whole room more cozy, comfortable and inviting.  I am just so amazed that I have gone so many years without even considering them.  Of course, the Mr. has pointed out over and over again already how he has wanted to put curtains in here since day 1.  He has wanted them to help keep the sun out during our hot, hot summers.  I don't enjoy closed curtains and I especially don't like feeling too closed in.  I think I'll be safe because when I made these I didn't use lots of fabric.   I only made them just large enough to give a somewhat full look but not large enough to cover these doors certainly.  We shall see what the summer brings, but for now the winter is feeling very cozy so far!   

We're still working on more changes in here, slowly.  We getting it done though, just in between getting more organized and learning how to use my new embroidery machine.  In between, working on our sailboat and finding some time for thrift sale shopping.  Finally and most importantly getting it done in between taking care of my family and my pretty little pup too!  

Life is Good and God is Great, feeling so very thankful for all this winters comforts.

Thank you also for stopping in again and I hope you'll come back by and catch up again next time.  

Have a wonderful Thursday friends!

Hugs and Waves!

Mary