Friday, January 15, 2021

Chasing Winter Blues with Forest Greens

Hello, readers! Today I'd like to welcome you inside our home for a peek of how I am chasing away the winter blues...with nature's forest greens. 
I've segued from holiday into winter decor with inspiration found from nature's forest greens, a few new and vintage finds, and a gift received over the holidays. The table is set and waiting for you to join me!
I'm collaborating with some friends today in a Welcome Winter sharing, organized by Cecilia from the blog, My Thrift Store Addiction. If you've just come from Jen's blog, Midwest Life and Style, I'm certain that hailing from Nebraska she knows a thing or two of winter cozy style!
For the first time in as long as I can remember, I'm letting winter linger a little longer inside my home, trying to make peace with the inevitable winter blues from the grays outside. Although all my Christmas decorations are put away, I left my bare tree up just to enjoy the lights. When not in use, the tree is stored in our garage, while all the other Christmas decorations are kept in offsite storage. The fact that it's a tabletop size and stored on premises makes it a good remedy for chasing away winter blues.  
Speaking of winter blues, my New Year tablescape was full of blue and white. While I plan to use more blue and white in my decor closer to spring, currently I'm mostly focusing on colors seen in nature now - greens, creams and browns. 

I was the fortunate recipient of a Lynch Creek Farm New Year centerpiece giveaway in December, from my friend Shirley's Housepitality Designs Monday Morning Blooms blog post.
My centerpiece arrived on December 21 (picture above while Christmas decorations were still in place). Even as of this writing, over three weeks later, it is still alive and looking pretty fabulous on my dining table. I freshen the water and spritz it daily, a chore worth savoring the fragrance of evergreens each time I walk by it. 

Back in September I ordered a set of Forest Deer salad plates from Hobby Lobby. Together, the plates and the centerpiece were the springboard for what I knew would become my winter tablescape and decor after the holidays.
All other table elements were pulled from things I already had. Always one to mix old with new, the vintage brass deer and WV artisan quilted placemats fulfilled my style mix on the table.
Looking toward the fireplace in the great room, holiday poinsettias and other winter greens have replaced my Nutcracker collection. I knew when I purchased the white/chartreuse poinsettias I wanted to extend their use as winter greens, and their color blends exactly as I hoped. 
You can see the Christmas tree lights are reflected in the glass casing of the fireplace in the photo below.
I kept the framed artwork at the fireplace, knowing it would also remain relevant long after Christmas. 
Mr. P. and I walk almost every day. I have been foraging magnolia leaves regularly, and use them throughout my great room space. The other day I also picked some holly branches as a neighbor was having her large trees pruned. I tuck them randomly into small vignettes. Sometimes I put them in water to make them last longer, otherwise I simply collect more as they become dry and brittle.
Keeping winter greens in the condo along with little lights lifts my mood, especially on gray days, not to mention the long nights of winter. You may have also noticed the lighted tree pictured above, an after Christmas purchase. It's my latest addition to little lights, a tabletop tree that's powered by choice of batteries or USB cable. In addition to my forest deer on the table, other creatures are joining my chasing winter blues, including a fox (doorstop), feathered and felted owls, and a small twig bird next to the fireplace poinsettia. 
I'm not sure how long I'll leave the tree in the great room, but for now it satisfies my need for light therapy. I guess it's no surprise to read that winter is not my favorite of seasons, but I think chasing the winter blues with forest greens is good way for me to welcome winter. I hope you're finding ways to do the same. 

I always like to provide a source list of my tablescapes, both as a courtesy to my readers and for my own future reference. My blog is not monetized; I simply buy what I like, and use what I buy. 
Source List for Forest Deer and Winter Greens Tablescape
Tablecloth - April Cornell
Napkins - Target
Chargers - Pier 1
Glassware - Wayfair
Flatware - Horchow
Dinner Plates - Pfaltzgraff
Salad Plates, Napkin rings - Hobby Lobby
Brass deer, Quilted placemats - vintage finds
Centerpiece - Lynch Creek Farms, gifted through Housepitality Designs' Monday Morning Blooms

Tablescapes are one of my go-to creative activities at home, and vintage shopping has been a niche outlet that serves both my creativity at home as well as outside the home. I share booth spaces in a local antique mall with two sisters and resell much of what I find in estate sales, antique shops, and auctions. If you're not already a regular reader, I hope you'll take a minute and see my menu header for topics I like to share. If you're so inclined, I hope you'll return!

A special thanks to Cecilia for inviting me to share my winter welcome with you. I hope you'll continue this mini blog hop and visit CoCo at The Crowned Goat next. The links are conveniently listed below that will take you right to the other stylists' blogs. 
Panoply (you are here!)
Does winter typically leave you wanting to hibernate (regardless of the pandemic pretty much making us do that!), or do you jump into projects? Your comments are always welcome. Thank you for your visit, and stay safe!



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