Warm Winter Days

Winter is always a hard season for me to love… As a Gulf Coast Girl, I have thin southern blood and hate the cold. I mean, snow is pretty for a couple of hours, but have you felt the warm sun and sand between your toes??! Still, I am working on finding my joy in these chilly months through good food, friends, family, and of course, home décor!

We are mid-pandemic, so it can be hard to get out and catch up with friends in safely. But my mom and I are trying to do driveway drinks and bonfires with neighbors and friends this winter to stay connected and break up the days. We recently found this Winter Sangria recipe from Martha Stewart (#obsessedwithMartha) and absolutely love it! It’s perfect for nights with a slight chill and always brings a smile to everyone’s face!

Martha’s Winter Sangria

• Ingredients:
  • 1 cup brandy
  • 1 orange, ends cut off, thinly sliced
  • 2 bottles well-chilled Spanish red or Tempranillo
  • 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 apple, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 cup club soda
• Steps:
• Cut ends off orange and slice apple into halves. Thinly slice both.
• In large pitcher, stir together brandy, sugar, orange and apple slices. Let stand 15 minutes.
• Add wine, club soda, and orange juice. Serve over ice.

More info and recipes at marthastewart.com

The winter always starts with a bang as we decorate for the Holiday season, but sometimes seems a bit lacking once the New Year comes. It can feel starkly empty and cold in your home as the richness of Christmas decorations are removed. However, this clean and airy feeling is also a bit of a relief – isn’t it? I always feel like I have a fresh appreciation for my home and elements I have forgotten about once I strip away Christmas and prepare for winter. But, just because you have removed Christmas-y decorations from all over your home, doesn’t mean that your home should feel less cozy! In fact, I think that the winter post-Christmas can make your home even more warm and welcoming than it was in the Holidays.

Here are some of my Fav tips for winter decorating:

1. Repurpose neutral holiday décor items into your winter-scape. This can be candles, blankets, greenery, and so on. As long as there’s not something overtly Christmas on it, you can reuse it for winter!
2. Bring warmth in by adding pillows, throws, and furs (real or faux). These elements instantly make spaces cozier and help with warming hard surfaces. This year, my mom and I found some fantastic sheepskin pelts at Marshalls and have them all over the house, from beds to chairs, to sofa tables. They are so versatile and add warmth where ever they are.
3. And natural elements. One of my favorite things to do in my home is blend the indoors and outdoors. So in the winter I love to add greenery and pine cones throughout the house. For me it makes the home feel more earthy and adds to my buzzword of the season: coziness!