This week, I’ve been working on some small projects, and was really looking forward to the guild meeting on Thursday. Unfortunately, this is what I awoke to that morning. It wasn’t much, maybe a half-inch, but enough to keep me from backing the car down that hill. At dawn, the golden light glows behind the mountains on the east side. The snow was continuing to fall briskly.

It stopped later, with under an inch total of the pristine beauty. Still, it was enough to keep me home, so I missed the guild meeting. Sadly, I missed seeing friends and taking advantage of the rehome table from everyone’s January cleanout. The good news is that I missed the rehome table, LOL!!

These snowy scenes are the inspiration for my January decor, usually all white. While I like white for these weeks, I cannot fathom the Pantone color of the year, Cloud Dancer, as inspirational for the year. To me, white is mostly for background contrast to color. I have only ever done one project in all white, my White on White Crazy Patch Mini-Quilt, and I put it on its stand with a couple of white candles and a snowflake votive holder. It will only stay up this month.

On the bookshelf, more white with my oyster plate, white candles in crystal holders, and the glass block with my initial. Its white background and black initial blends well with the oyster plate on its black iron stand.

On the bathroom counter, my white rabbit planter holds greenery with white flowers, flanked by white candles in crystal holders. The tiny painting is an exquisite watercolor of monarch butterflies among white flowers and is only 2-inches x 3-inches. I got it at the White Rabbit Gallery in Traveler’s Rest, SC, where a potter friend has his work for sale.

This is my favorite of all the white tablescapes I have ever done. It features salad plates with silver snowflakes. I donated those back to the thrift store some time ago, but they were perfect.

White napkins are held with clear crystal rings, everyday flatware in silver, and crystal water glasses evoke the feeling of winter.

The centerpiece is faux white poinsettias with snowflake picks and cute tiny white mittens with snowflake motifs.

This week, the bluebirds are back. There are four total, two males and two females. Here one pair gets a meal.

Then, a moment later, the two males share the bounty with a chickadee. I’m not sure what was flying in on the backside.

A dozen dark eyed juncos were on the ground, but it is impossible to get them in a picture. I have to photograph them through the window and between the veranda railing.

Looking up to the feeder again, two goldfinches in winter drab eat with a downy woodpecker.

Cold days spent in the sewing room have been mostly productive. I finished a kitchen towel project that I’ll show you later, along with the next denim jacket. My two coffee theme mug rug embroideries were stitched out, paired with coffee theme fabric and put on the longarm for quilting. I have one more thing to add to that group, then I’ll quilt them all at the same time. The backing is the same coffee theme print.

In the kitchen, the amaryllis has put up several leaves, but there is no sign of a flower yet. I’ve fertilized the bulb, and am still hopeful.

Soup in the slow cooker is a wonderful thing for cold days. This week, my pdf for my sister-in-law’s Slow Cooker Mexican Soup recipe that I tweaked has been downloaded over 2000 times! I have no idea why now. I don’t have any site that has referred that many people to my blog, so I have no idea where all these folks are coming from. If you are one of them, let me know where you saw it in the comments. I hope they enjoy the soup!

The new season of All Creatures Great and Small began last Sunday, and it was a bit startling for them to jump four years ahead in time. But the series is as charming and fun as ever, are you a fan? I hope PBS can find a way to stay with us for the long haul. I would really hate to lose the quality programming in the maze of garbage that is mostly on. Although there are a few shows that we do enjoy. Brilliant Minds (on NBC) is pretty good, as is Doc (on Fox). The Masked Singer just started its new season, and it is fun. Tracker (on NBC) seems to be on hiatus. Watson (on CBS) has been interesting, but the back story of Holmes is a little off the rails. I just found a new series on PBS called Bookish, and will give it a try.

This coming week is very light on things to do, just one social event and a dinner with friends. I hope that means I can get more done around here cleaning out, packing things up to donate, and rearranging the sewing room.

What are your plans this week? What’s in your slow cooker on a cold day?

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Sulky’s Try Something New Sale – Save up to 35% on selected shop items!! Sale ends at Midnight tomorrow night! Also, get free shipping on any order over $60.

Fat Quarter Shop’s January specials include 20% off the Basic of the Month Tula Pink Essentials Solids, 30% Off the Notions of the Month Mettler Threads, 30% off featured Patterns of the Month from Thimble Blossoms, and book of the month Simply Retro with Camille Roskelley. Then, check out Today’s Flash Sale and see the Precuts of the Week.