First Day of February

Happy St. Brigid’s Day!

LOVELY HOLIDAYS, FESTIVALS AND FUN for Winter 2019:

Imbolc – February 1 and 2

Candlemas – February 2

Chinese New Year – February 5

Super Bowl Sunday – February 3

Valentine’s Day – February 14

President’s Day – February 18

Mardi Gras – March 5

Easter – April 21

Which holidays and celebrations are you looking forward to taking part in? Are you hosting any parties or events? Let me know in the comments section below.

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

• Need to buy any stamps? Many of us are paying bills online now, but you still need paper stamps to mail any handwritten letters, Valentine’s Day cards and personalized notecards.
• Review January in your mind. How did you do with your New Year’s resolutions (if you made any?) Have you been eating well, exercising, making time for friends and family, spending quality time with your partner, kids and pets? Were you able to make time for charity, stick to your budget, read a book or two you enjoyed, keep up with the news? What will you do differently in February?
• Look over the upcoming birthdays of your friends and relatives in the month of February. Write cards, arrange to have gifts or flowers sent.
• Pay bills, mortgage/rent, etc.
• Make upcoming spa, car maintenance, dentist, doctor, veterinarian, and salon/haircut appointments for the month for yourself and family members.
• Are you going into the weekend with clean clothes, empty laundry baskets and a clean, tidy laundry room?
• Tidy up for the weekend – empty trash cans, toss out vases of dead flowers, declutter coffee table and dining table, remove items from stair landings, take out recycling, wipe down kitchen and bathroom counters. Refresh hand towels, Kleenex and toilet paper; add a vase or two of fresh flowers if possible.

TODAY’S PROJECT: Fireplace

Deco 79 Fireplace Screen, on AmazonIn winter, I find myself using my fireplace quite often – nearly every night, and all day long on Sunday if I’m having a stay-in-and-read day. I don’t use it to heat my home (my new furnace performs beautifully), but to make my home atmosphere cozy and cheerful. My boyfriend and I love to eat dinner in our upstairs living room by a cheerful fire. Later in the evening, though the fire is dying by then, I enjoy a cup of decaffeinated Earl Grey tea, or perhaps chamomile tea, in front of the fireplace.

Today I’ve chosen my fireplace as my project for the day (I’ll get it done before we go out to our Friday Night Date Night tonight). I’ll make sure my fireplace and surrounding area are in great condition for our next fire when we return home this evening to watch a movie. I’ll clean out the ashes, vacuum the carpet around the fireplace, and wipe smoke from the surround tiles. Next, I’ll dust off the fireplace tools, and add fire logs from my stash to the log holder. I keep a basket of small firestarters and kindling wood next to the fireplace as well, and that will need tidying and vacuuming underneath too.

Next I’ll replenish the matches I keep next to the fireplace. I’ll take inventory and probably buy some more Duraflames and firewood at Home Depot today during my errands.

I will replace the two burned out winter white candles on the mantel with two fresh new bright cheery red pillars, for the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday.

Do you have a decorative fireplace screen that needs to be cleaned off as well? I use fireplace screens in the summer or when guests bring their small children over, to protect them from tumbling into the fireplace.

LOVELY BLOGS: House of Hawthorns

This lovely blog specializes in DIY, home decor, thrift shopping, vintage decor and decorating for Christmas. There’s a little bit about gardening here too on occasion. Pam blogs from her home in Central Ohio. Lately she’s writing about her DIY woodland terrarium; showing us a vintage wall pocket organizer; and sharing a list of 100 best thrift store makeovers. This is one of the better vintage style approachable home decor blogs I’ve seen lately, and I hope you enjoy browsing here.

https://www.houseofhawthornes.com/

LOVELY BOOKS: I’d Rather Be Reading

What’s better than reading a book? Reading a book about reading books!

“The delights and dillemmas of the reading life.” Anne Bogel’s book encourages us to confess our literary sins; talks about bookworm problems (shelves and lack thereof, amiright?); talks about book people; and encourages us to keep reading.

Visit the author’s blog, Modern Mrs. Darcy, too.

I’d Rather Be Reading, at Amazon.com

LOVELY SHOPS: Biscuiteers

This UK-based shop sells some of the most unique “biscuits” (what we’d call “cookies” here in the US) I’ve seen. They ship worldwide, but I’d personally be a bit nervous to risk their lovely cookies being broken in shipment (though I assume they pack them very carefully). Take a look at their Valentine’s Gifts just for fun – although their gingerbread men and women cookies are so cute, I quite despair of ever attempting to decorate my own ever again!

They also sell beautifully decorated chocolates.

https://www.biscuiteers.com/

LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:

Coffee Custard Pie (Baking Bites)

Easy Veggie Chow Mein (Happy Skin Kitchen)

Instant Pot Mushroom Stroganoff with Vodka (101 Cookbooks)

Roasted Cauliflower Queso (How Sweet Eats)

Snowy Cone Cake Pops (Bakerella)

Spicy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies (Bake at 350)

Star Wars Gingerbread House (Haniela’s)