Christmas cleanup

     I just love Christmas. However, about the time that New Years rolls around, I get a little Christmas claustrophobic! It just seems like all the extra decorations start to get stuffy. And besides, when your tree starts growing cobwebs, and dropping a blanket of needles if you happen to look at it funny, its probably about time to take it down. Don't ask me how I know that! My mission this week has been to send it all back to its cozy little home in the attic until next year.
     I redid my mantle this afternoon. I wanted to keep the warm and comfy feeling since it's still winter and we'll still use the fireplace a bit more. I changed it from this very simple Christmas look.

To this, also simple, comfy look. It spells relaxation and hot coco to me.

     Decorations don't have to be anything special, just special to you. The book page wreath I made out of a one hundred year old book I found in a junk shop. The pages were so fragile they crumbled if I bent them at all. The pages have a lovely aged look. I didn't use any tutorial to make it, but these are all over the Internet. I'm sure there are multitudes out there. The lantern we used camping on New Years Eve the first year we were married. The scale, pitcher, and window were junk store and garage sale finds. The books are just off my shelf tied up with jute. The vine is the best inside plant know to mankind. I have three of them and they have survived lusciously for two years so far. I'm a horrible plant keeper so that is saying a lot for their tenacity! Underneath it all is a bit of grapevine like stuff I found at a craft store a while back. I like to use it for extra texture.

     Now if I can just figure the rest of the house out we'll be in good shape!