Expectation and Hope

The tree pruning is coming along...

...and my helpers are on the job.

I was hoping to finish the tree for Jane's Flowers in the Holiday House and Centsational Girl's party today but you can't rush perfection so I'll have to show you some of what else is going on in the house.

The window seat in the dining room has become a planting bench for the winter.

A zinc planter is filled with paperwhites surrounded by small river rocks

and a few moss-colored ornaments.

Another pot has an amaryllis.  The other zinc pots, leftover from Thanksgiving, are still filled with moss and I've top a few off with pine cones.  I sprinkled a few rose hops on the moss just for a little variation in color.  It's a very mellowed green and red color scheme.

This time leading up to Christmas is a season of expectation and hope.  Growing up, as we went to church during advent, a candle was lit each week on the advent wreath with the final candle being lit on Christmas.

I have these candle clips that were my great grandmothers and since I don't use them on the tree, I came up with an idea that would use them to make an advent wreath-type centerpiece that I could use on the Christmas dinner table.

I just clipped the candle clips onto the edge of the silver compote, added some moss and a silver partridge (which is actually a salt shaker) and few small of the same moss-colored ornaments.  I've also just added a few little loose petals from a perennial geranium just to break up all the green.

By using this on the Christmas table, it's a private nod to my family and our past traditions.

The clips on a silver compote could be used in a lot of different variations.  A small floral arrangement or sugared fruit in the center would be quite beautiful.

In the kitchen, I've simply planted another Amaryllis in a vintage McCoy planter and topped it off with moss.

When I was at Mahoney's the other day, I say a lot of handpainted and dyed flowers.  These reminded me of the overdyed rugs I showed a while back that Jane said she liked so I thought I'd pair up the flowers with some of the rugs as a hostess gift. 

The pink is really lovely and feminine.

The purple orchids and rug are quite regal.

The blue is quite unique but feels a little more appropriate than summer.

And this powerful orange combination would make quite the statement.

I'm not really sure what color she would prefer and I don't want to embarrass her with a gift that's too extravagant.  

So since this is the season of hope I should probably take a gift that would be a little more meaningful and appropriate to the season.

Season of Hope.

I know just the thing...

The Obama Chia Pet.  Merry Christmas, Jane.

You're also invited!  

For Jane's click here.

Or for  CentsationalGirl's linky party.