The winter "blues"

Today is the first day of winter and it really feels like it here in sunny Southern California. Where we are sometimes hit with 80 degree days during the Christmas week, this week we are having cold, windy and rainy weather. And as hard as it is to navigate in the rain, I like it. The wind has blown away most of the fall colored leaves that were so yellow and orange just days ago and the trees are beginning to look bare. Winter is here.

For me, nothing says winter more than the cool of winter white and silvery blue. I absolutely love these images from Carolyne Roehm. She is a master at presentation. 

I wrapped my first gift today. I wrapped it simply with some brown packing paper. The tag I printed from a free download from MAEMAE PAPERIE via last month's issue of Rue Magazine. You can see the article on page 59 of the online magazine. Here is the link to the free stationery download.

A friend of mine gave me some of her cherished popcorn balls ... beautifully wrapped in my theme color this year - turquoise. 

They came beautifully presented in a white bag with the cellophane sticking out and a white gardenia inside and this lovely tag on the front - clipped on with a vintage earring - so beautiful and clever. I wanted to photograph the entire package because it was such a perfect presentation but while I was out it somehow fell over and the water from the vase inside spilled and ruined the bag.

I delivered some upholstered pieces to a client today and picked up a little project of my own.

I have had this little leather ottoman for years. I have no idea where it came from but I found it up in the attic when I was pulling down the Christmas decorations. I decided to have it re-covered with some lovely Ikat fabric I had sitting around.

I love the way it came out and the little touch of blue.