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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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January 6, 2017

Winter Decorating Ideas

*I have some very simple winter decorating ideas for you today*

Well, the gift I gave to myself when I decorated the house for Christmas is really paying off! This was by far the easiest tear-down I’ve ever had as basically I only had to remove the big trees and the garland on the staircase. I seriously feel like I’m winning at this post-Christmas getting the house back to normal stuff!

The best part is that I didn’t have to do a bunch of redecorating. My brain feels so fried lately as we make the adjustment back to our regularly scheduled programming that having to try to decorate a mantel for winter would have most likely meant that said mantel would have been bare until spring.

BUT, since I went into December intentionally decorating with less of a ‘Christmas’ mindset and more of a ‘winter’ mindset, I didn’t have to even give it a second thought!

Vintage windows with faux snow on mantel atthepicketfence.com

The hot cocoa station is still in demand so it will remain here on the kitchen buffet for a little while longer too. I may even throw caution to the wind and let Santa hang out there the whole time too.

Hot cocoa station on a buffet table atthepicketfence.com

And other than giving it a quick dusting, the dining room buffet won’t be touched again until the first spring buds begin peeking through.

Christmas buffet table decorations atthepicketfence.com

The big Christmas tree has been removed from the family room but this little tiny one is doing a pretty good job of filling the void.

Winter farmhouse decorating ideas atthepicketfence.com

 

Little pine tree with burlap on galvanized tray

I decided that I still needed some twinkling lights to lift my spirits on these cold, dreary days so this tree in my entry will remain. It gives me such pleasure to turn it on each morning and my kids have informed me that they think it should just always stay there.

Christmas tree in an olive bucket atthepicketfence.com

And a glittery little cottage on top of my vintage kitchen scale is still right at home in this season.

Glitter house on vintage scale atthepicketfence.com

 

So, how do you transition your home from Christmas to winter? I’d love to hear some of YOUR winter decorating ideas!

And, as always, thank you so much for meeting me here at the fence,

15 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas Tagged With: decorating, winter, winter decorating

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Comments

  1. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    January 6, 2017 at 5:48 AM

    i have enjoyed all of your winter decor and every season for that matter!!! Have a wonderful weekend!

    Reply
  2. Rebecca Turner says

    January 6, 2017 at 6:28 AM

    I go straight from Christmas decor to Valentine decor, since Feb 14th always.comes in a flash and I want to enjoy it a little longer. I’m enchanted with the sweet illustrations associated with the “LOVE” holiday and I find ways to use them. Right now my mantle is sporting a heart banner and two old tin Whitman’s candy boxes, along with a sign that says, “Valentine Be Mine.” Hanging above in the center of the mirror is a square boxwood wreath, completely plain. (It’s left over from Christmas but I’m not yet ready to take it down. Or embellish it.) Like you, since I took the tree down I miss the lights…so I have been turning on more lamps for ambiance.

    Reply
  3. betty ann trible says

    January 6, 2017 at 6:57 AM

    I made a wreath.. covered a grapevine wreath w/my leftover narcissus bulbs/greens/moss..
    tied in on w/rafia knots around the wreath.. tucked in moss to cover mechanics…
    hanging between my kitchen door/storm door.. xo

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      January 6, 2017 at 7:14 AM

      That sounds like such a beautiful wreath Betty Ann!

      Reply
  4. Pauline says

    January 6, 2017 at 7:06 AM

    I have enjoyed all your décor and looking forward to the new year of décor.

    Reply
  5. Marian says

    January 6, 2017 at 8:30 AM

    I take down the big trees and put away the Santa’s but leave out the greenery and twinkle lights. I love the lights on dreary days and leave some lights out all year. I always leave a Mary Englebreite “Believe” Santa picture in my kitchen.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      January 6, 2017 at 9:39 AM

      I love that you leave some lights out all year Marian! Thanks so much for stopping by today. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Carol Weiler says

    January 6, 2017 at 9:00 AM

    I decorated my front porch with skates and sleds and greens. Just removed the red bows and Christmas sign and it looks very wintery. Pretty much did the same in the house. Put away anything red and Christmas but kept twinkle lights on my mantle. I like to transition slowly. It reminds me to keep the spirit of the season in my heart.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      January 6, 2017 at 9:30 AM

      That all sounds just lovely Carol. Transitioning slowly is definitely the way I prefer to do things as well. Thanks so much for stopping by today!

      Reply
  7. Diane Stark says

    January 6, 2017 at 10:10 AM

    Christmas definitely stays up through Twelfth Night and then slowly transitions to winter themes. You definitely won’t find a snowman in sight until the creches and Santas are put away, but they come out in force then! Skis, sleds, skates, etc. appear indoors and out. Usually, I do a whole forest of smaller to medium sized trees with deer in a vignette on top of a cupboard. Pine garland and a large clear cylinder of pine cones (both with lights) remains until March in the fireplace opening. The dining room table usually has a vignette using amaryllis or African violets. And, of coarse there’s a change in pictures, wall hanging and linens/throws to a more wintry look.

    Reply
  8. Kathy Barton says

    January 6, 2017 at 12:57 PM

    I have followed your blog for quite some time. I do the same as you, so that the transition from Christmas to winter is so easy. I also love red so many of the items remain as everyday decor. Keep up the wonderful ideas as I love it. I am in the Eugene/Springfield area, so we are almost neighbors.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      January 7, 2017 at 8:17 AM

      Thank you so much Kathy! And yes we are definitely almost neighbors. Its so fun having folks visit the blog who are fellow Oregonians! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Nan, Odessa, DE says

    January 8, 2017 at 7:47 AM

    Like you I don’t go over the top for Christmas. I am always decorated and attempt to add winter by the beginning of December. For Christmas I use lots of fresh pointsettias, yellow cedar trees, bottle brush trees, of course the nativity, and LOTS of snowmen. I also force paper whites in time for Christmas that last almost through January. The bedrooms are dressed in red and/or red/green quilts until after Valentines Day. I have to work at getting through the winter months in DELAWARE. When I put Christmas away, I hang kids gloves on twine across the fireplace, cut some fresh greens, move the pointsettias to an old tool box on my desk, and force more paper whites to arrive for Valentines Day! For Valentine’s Day, I will stage a romantic table (to actually be used) with reds/pinks, and sprinkle valentine boxes and other items around the house. Would like to hear how others enjoy/enhance the winter months in cool climates.

    Reply
  10. Karen Hobson says

    January 11, 2017 at 9:19 AM

    I put away my truly Christmas and Santa stuff but left out my potted lit trees and plug them in each night for the ambiance…they sit on either side of my fireplace. I also added touches of snowmen decor, and I have a tray with snowmen on it that I am going to sit on my kitchen counter with hot chocolate items in it for the winter… Have to finish up a project and clean the counter off first. Also, I have little 4 snowmen with the antennas for putting pictures in. Well, I put some of my prettiest snowy Christmas cards that I received in them and sat them around.

    Reply
  11. Christina Tenhoeve says

    January 12, 2017 at 6:19 PM

    Hi! I have looked and looked!!! But, I can’t seem to find a true link that tells about your darling Burlap mini trees! I tried. Talk about a stick-in-a- bag!! Please give me a little direction!! Thank you for sharing your amazing talent!!!!

    Reply

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Yesterday on the way home from school I had the ra Yesterday on the way home from school I had the radio tuned to my daughter's favorite station and a song that was playing had a line in it that really stood out to me. It made reference to a 'season of the sticks' which I think its safe to say must mean winter. I thought that was such an accurate, albeiet kind of depressing, picture of this time of the year.

While we definitely have more than our fair share of evergreen trees here in Oregon, we also have plenty of trees and bushes that are reduced to sticks during the cold months. But, this morning as I looked out my kitchen window, greedily sipping from my mug of coffee, I marveled at the beauty of the winter sunrise. The sky was all pinks and oranges with frost on the rooftops and a little bit of fog. And, I realized that part of why it was so amazing is because I could see it more clearly through the sticks. The bare branches allowed me a view that I wouldn't be able to see if those same branches were covered in leaves. Being stripped down to almost nothing revealed something magnificent.

We have seasons of the sticks in our lives too, don't we? Times when we feel as though we've been stripped bare and left exposed. It's easy to think that this is a place where all is ugly and dark. And yet, just like the winter sunrise was more visible because of the bare branches, the vulnerability we feel in the winter season of our souls allows us to get a glimpse of beauty that we wouldn't see otherwise. In the lush, warm seasons it's so easy to become comfortable. But in the bare, cold seasons we recognize just how much we need to rely on the One who placed the stars in the heavens and is sovereign over all.

If you feel like your soul has been stripped bare and you've been left exposed and vulnerable, may I encourage you today to ask the Lord to help you to see the beauty in this 'season of the sticks'.

“Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." Psalm 143:7
I just went to make my mid-morning protein shake a I just went to make my mid-morning protein shake and grabbed a banana out of the freezer and was about to put it into my shake before I realized it was a frozen egg roll. Sooooo that's how my day is going so far! 🤪How about you?

It's honestly fairly representative of my state of mind these days as I can't seem to make the date on the calendar match the date in my spirit because it feels like it should be January 45th. Every year this month drags on and every year it seems to surprise me for some reason. In addition, my heart just feels heavy as I witness a lot of darkness and sadness around me. So, I'm choosing to control what I can control by making my house feel as cozy as possible, relishing the sunshine whenever it dares to peek through the clouds, gathering inspiration for warmer weather projects and, most importantly, resting in the comfort of the sovereignty of my Father.

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that everyone he has made may know his work..." Job 37:5-7
What if you could do something at the beginning of What if you could do something at the beginning of your day that would be a gift to yourself later on? That’s what we’re talking about on this week’s Tip Tuesday! #tiptuesday
The sun decided to make another appearance today! The sun decided to make another appearance today! It’s been such a lovely Sunday. Chocolate croissants for breakfast followed by church then naps/football/reading/etc and soon we’ll be heading out to dinner with friends. These are my favorite kind of weekends. Hope yours has been lovely too! 🌿
Yesterday was stormy and cold but today the sunshi Yesterday was stormy and cold but today the sunshine is breaking through the fog and my house just seems happier. We definitely needed to see that light streaming in through the windows and it’s a gift I don’t take for granted.

And yes, there are still twinkle lights on my mantle because those help when the sunshine goes away again. ✨
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It’s time for TIP TUESDAY! This week, I’m offe It’s time for TIP TUESDAY! This week, I’m offering a gentle reminder from my own parenting experience after feeling my heart pricked with conviction about what was waiting for my daughter every day after school. I hope it will encourage you! 🌿#tiptuesday
The day after Christmas I found myself laundering The day after Christmas I found myself laundering and folding all of the linens we used the previous night as we hosted my husband's side of the family for dinner and other festivities. As I laid out each cloth napkin and folded them one by one, I couldn't help but be struck by what a simple, yet meaningful, task it was. It's such an honor and privilege to be the hostess and, at this stage of my life, I realize that this has almost one hundred percent become my role now. Our parents are in their 70's and have either downsized significantly or simply don't have the energy to take on hosting duties for a large group. I could resent this. I could feel overwhelmed by it. But, instead, I'm choosing to embrace it knowing that, someday, I too will pass the hosting torch and I hope that I will be welcomed with love and attentiveness. So, I fold the linen napkins, taking pleasure in the way all of the creases line up and how neat and tidy they look in the drawer of my dining room buffet. These seemingly simple chores are part of the lifeblood of homemaking and my attitude towards them can either be one of gratefulness or grumbly-ness (yes, I'm making up words now). 

And I’m choosing gratefulness. 

“This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness.” (Elisabeth Elliot⁣)
Welcome to Tip Tuesday! I’m so excited to be kic Welcome to Tip Tuesday! I’m so excited to be kicking off the year with a brand new series! Each weekly installment will feature a tip for everything from your home to faith to parenting to family life and so much more. My goal for 2023 is to have far more personal interaction with this community while continuing on with the mission of weaving together all things heart and home. I hope you enjoy this first tip and I’d love to hear from you about whether or not you decorate for winter! 
#tiptuesday #organizing #winterdecorating
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. H “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” 

Here’s to beginnings. Happy new year friends! May you experience the majesty and sovereignty of the Lord in 2023 like never before! ✨
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