A Winter's Walk in the Forest to Welcome the New Year

Happy New Year!  I hope you had a joyous Christmas and your start of a new year brings great excitement and enduring hope.

With the beginning of a new year and a fresh start at better things to come, it is a perfect time to take a walk through a forest after a night of fresh fallen snow.  As you set out on a forgotten trail, can you feel the cold, moist air stinging your rose-colored cheeks?  Can you hear the crunch of your footsteps as you take each careful step in the thick, white sparkling snow?  As you slowly hike through the lush, green forest, the air becomes filled with the scent of pine and spruce. The dense thicket emanates a strong, aromatic woodsy perfume which is rejuvenating as it is relaxing. What might you come upon as you enjoy the peaceful surroundings but some turkeys, squirrels, bunnies and a few deer.  Who happens to be more startled during this chance encounter?   As you stand still for a moment and the world becomes pleasingly silent, a pair of large, dark eyes of a young deer look straight at yours in a curious but anxious manner.  Who will move first?  And then, what seems like hours rather than seconds, the young deer turns and runs off into the safety of the secluded, snowy woodland.

This week's posting, A Winter's Walk in the Forest to Welcome the New Year, includes a winter tablescape which was inspired by the beauty and tranquility of such an enchanting and breathtaking walk.  Come join me as we enjoy a New Year's celebration in a serene setting.

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A Note About Last Week's Posting:

Many of you have asked where I was able to get the cute gingerbread cookie jar in my previous post, A Gingerbread Christmas.  (See the post here:  A Gingerbread Christmas.) Although my cookie jar is actually from Teleflora and came as a vase for a floral arrangement, I did come across, just the other day, a similar looking cookie jar at Walmart.  While shopping for some necessities, I spotted this lovely cookie jar at the front of the store among their Christmas items.  I am sure anyone looking for a gingerbread house cookie jar will agree that this one would be a cute find.

The other gingerbread items which were included in the tablescape was a tea light holder from Yankee Candles and candle holder which was a past gift.  The red and white gingham cocoa mugs were a purchase at a local thrift store.  (It is not often you find something this whimsical.)  The red and white striped edge Tracy Porter salad plates that were a gift from my sister were purchased as a new item on Ebay.   If you search for "Tracy Porter Snowman" in Ebay, you may come across her matching snowman cookie jar to the salad plates.  It is very adorable and hard to resist purchasing one.  If you love whimsy, the matching pieces to the plates are so cute, including the striped coffee mugs.

Along with many comments on the gingerbread house, there were also questions on how to make the washcloth lollipops.   I found and used a very helpful video on YouTube which shows you how to easily make these cute little gifts.  I have inserted the video below for your use rather than taking my own pictures.  The video is well done and can be saved for future reference.  I hope this has been helpful.