Valentine's Day Vignette

As I am off to work on this cold January morning,

I wanted to leave you with a Valentine's Day vignette.

My dining room hutch is always a favorite place to decorate. 

You can see this hutch the minute you walk into

my kitchen from the back door. 

For that reason, I love to make it attention-worthy.

 

It all came together pretty quickly.  

I love it when that happens!

 

 

I didn't need to run out and buy anything new. 

I love it when that happens, too! 

 

 

I used the fleece heart pillow I made last year,

 

and the fleece hearts I made a few years ago.

Ever since making the hearts, I find a different

way to use them each year.
I should make more of them because I really do love them!

 

 

So there you have it...

my first Valentine's Day vignette of 2014.

 

Thanks for stopping by today!

 

Linking to:

 

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Tuesdays at Our Home @ Our Home Away from Home

 

Peanut Butter Pie

Hello, my lovelies!

  

I thought I'd share a recipe with you today.

Now I realize that Peanut Butter Pie is not

necessarily a "Winter-Time-Comfort-Dessert,"

but it is delicious anyway.

 

This one comes from Taste of Home & it is sooooo rich & yummy!

Peanut Butter Pie

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, divided
½ cup sugar
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 chocolate crumb crust (8 inches)
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons hot fudge ice cream topping, divided

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Beat in 1 cup peanut butter and sugar.  Fold in 3 cups whipped topping; spoon into crust.

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat 2/3 cup hot fudge topping for 30 seconds.  Pour over peanut butter layer and spread to the edges of crust.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Spread remaining whipped topping over pie.  Cut into slices.  Place the remaining hot fudge topping and peanut butter in two separate plastic bags.  Cut a small hole in the corner of each bag; pipe topping and peanut butter over each slice of pie.

As you can see, I took the picture before completing that last step!  lol 

ENJOY!

Winter Mantel 2014

Decorating the mantel for Winter can be challenging.

It's hard to keep it winter-y, without looking Christmas-y.

You see?

Challenging.

I made a yarn ball wreath back in 2011,

and decided it was time to resurrect that wreath for 2014.

I spent a lot of time, as I always do when I decorate the mantel,

running up & down the stairs, pulling out this, pulling out that,

adding this, removing that, switching, changing, sitting &

staring... my usual mantel dance.

The wreath dictated the colors I would use:

white, cream & blue.
I added silver to this trio of colors,

 lots of candles & mercury glass, too.

Winter-y, without looking Christmas-y.
I'm pretty sure I achieved my goal.

I am yet to light all the candles at night.

I bet it will give the living room a warm glow,

which is exactly what we need for this very cold Winter.

Thank you for your visit today!

Snow Time for Hot Cocoa (Hot Cocoa Bar)

Well, no surprise that we are getting hitting

with a big snowstorm here in New York.

 

Good thing I finished this display
on my dining room hutch...just in time! 

With temps going into negative double digits tonight,

hot cocoa is going to be a welcome friend. 

After all the Christmas décor came down, I wasn't sure what

I wanted to do with my dining room hutch.

The only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted to

keep a Winter theme since Winter
is not going away any time soon,
(around here anyway).



 

I had remembered this printable shared by Melaine

of My Sweet Savannah

and it all just fell into place from there.
 

 

 Cocoa, marshmallows,

peppermint sticks, cinnamon & nutmeg...

all ready to go.

 

 

 

I even made little tags to hang from each mug.
Cute!

As you know, one thing leads to another, so it
was natural that the dining room chalkboard
share this sentiment:
 

 

 

Have a super weekend!

(Downton Abbey begins Sunday!!!)

If you're getting hit with snow,

stay warm & have a steaming mug of hot cocoa.

♥♥♥

Happy New Year!

 

 

“Another fresh new year is here . . .

Another year to live!

To banish worry, doubt, and fear,

To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me

To live each day with zest . . .

To daily grow and try to be

My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity

Once more to right some wrongs,

To pray for peace, to plant a tree,

And sing more joyful songs!”   

--William Arthur Ward

 

Happy New Year

dear, sweet friends!