Fresh New Beginnings

January is a month of fresh beginnings.

I enjoy the sparseness of things after the tree is

down and other Christmas decorations 

are packed away till next December.

To start off the new year, I gave the buffet a simple 

vignette with a small painting, a touch of greens, and a

favorite MacKenzie-Childs vase filled with peonies. 

The vase is the Cheltenham Thistle Vase.

 It features sculptured thistle petals, hand-painted 

Courtly Checks and Stripes, and a base of faux marble.  

All of the work is done by talented artistans at 

MacKenzie-Childs in Aurora, New York.  

To create the faux marble, the artists paint with 

natural sea sponges and use a bird 

feather to create the veining.

Blush and pink peonies are the perfect mix

to give a nod to a fresh beginning.

Fluffy and full of fragrance, I was surprised to find

a bouquet of peonies available at the market.

Light and delicate, much like the

fresh feeling of a clean slate of the new year.

Here's to fresh beginnings!

Joining

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olsen Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome LifeShare Your Style @ Vintage NestVintage Charm @ My Thrift Store Addiction, Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

Dishing It and Digging It @ Life and Linda  Mosaic Monday @ Normandy Life

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings Make It Pretty Monday @ The Dedicated House

The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Show and Share @ Coastal Charm Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern StyleTablescape 

Goodbye to the Warm Colors of Fall - Welcome to the Pinks of a New Season

Pink Peonies, Sunflowers, & Tulips

This lovely arrangement was a "thank you" from one of dinner guests Thursday evening. These pink peonies are luscious and fill the room with perfume. I absolute adore the fall season and the rich, earthy colors that we all associate with autumn, but I'm ready to welcome the pinks and brighter colors of the holiday season ahead.

Wooden Tom Turkey

So I said good-bye to the browns and oranges of turkeys, pumpkins, and fall leaves as I packed things up until next year. I don't know about you, but having Thanksgiving late in the month makes me feel pushed into the Christmas season. I like a bit of time to savor one holiday before rushing headstrong into the next. But with December just days away, I'm packing up the fall decor and readying the house for the sparkle of the Christmas season.

Lemon Cyprus Topiary with Acorns

I took the lemon cyprus topiary with its accent of little acorns that were scattered around the base out of the brown cachepot . . .

Lemon Cyprus Topiary with Pink Cyclamens

and put the topiary into an antique French faience jardiniere by Geo Martel. Then I surrounded it with hot pink cyclamen plants. It instantly took on a whole new look. I will eventually plant the little 4 inch pots of cyclamen outside in the garden, but for now they brighten our dining room table.

Cyclamen plants are by far my favorite winter annual for my garden. They bloom well into spring, and a few even continue on into the summer months. The leaves have a silvery mottling pattern and the blooms can be quite fragrant. I've just planted some of this hot pink variety in the pots on our front porch, and I delight in the fresh fragrance as I walk up the steps. I planted white ones in the beds along the walk and around the base of a pot of purple fountain grass that is by the front door. I like to use white blooming plants near the house because they reflect the light at night.

More Pink Cyclamen in Handpainted Italian Planter

I was still satiated from Thursday evening's Thanksgiving celebration, and spent some time Friday afternoon with a cup of tea while visiting some of my favorite blogs. After my stop at 1st Floor Flat, Susie's art work had me craving a bit of something sweet. Do go by Susie's and have a look at her "Kitchen Collection"; new work that she has hanging in a Gallery Show. I think you'll find it a delightful treat. Susie is a freelance artist and designer based in London and works in mixed media.

Thank you for stopping by today. Please leave a comment below. I love to hear from each of you.

And "Thank You" to Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound for organizing Pink Saturdays for all of us who want a little PINK in our lives.