Have a safe and wonderful New Year!
Our platters of cookies surrounded a festive centerpiece of Santa, reindeer and ornaments sitting atop candlesticks. Tiny ornament place card holders held the name of each cookie. 
The yummy buffet featuring white tulips and poinsettia was enjoyed by everyone.
I especially loved the tulips in the vase filled with cranberries....
The hostess is a lover of cupcakes (who isn't?!) and used a tiered, candy cane platter to display the holiday themed cupcakes. The display was shared with guests later along with the cookies!
The end result - a tray filled with goodies from friends to enjoy during the season....
The weather finally cooperated and we were able to complete the landscape beds that are adjacent to the patio this week . We used moss boulders to echo the tones of the flagstone - a group of three in one bed and a single large boulder in another. We also used several pieces of garden statuary that the homeowner already had to add additional interest.
The plants may look a bit sparse, but will fill in quickly. We used Carrissa holly for a deep green back drop to the boulders and dwarf fountain grass to add movement and a "lighter" element. Finally, we left a lot of room for annual color and filled in the bed with a large swath of yellow and purples violas that will provide color into early spring. 
Lastly, we had a long expanse of wall across one side on the patio. We have installed a trellis that will eventually (in the spring!) support a deep green climbing, flowering jasmine vine that will not only soften the wall but will provide great fragrance on the patio as well. Until spring arrives, we used a combination of violas and dwarf mondo grass in the bed.
When spring has sprung and the plantings are more established, we'll post finished pictures. Late fall and early winter are great times to make additions to your landscape so get inspired and start digging!
A fragrant gardenia topiary, a window herb garden or the traditional Christmas cactus from Jackson & Perkins make great gifts that will be enjoyed long after the holidays are finished. 
Want to give something more exotic? This snow flake phalaenopsis orchid in a simple red box from Orchids.com should fit the bill. 
Paperwhite narcissus bulbs are a traditional favorite and blooming jasmine will add fragrance indoors until time to plant outdoors in the spring. These selections are from White Flower Farm. 
Gladden a gardener's heart this season, spring is not so far away!
If you have a large collection, break it into smaller collections. I pulled some of my more rustic snowmen together for a grouping on a coffee table and used some white painted snowmen with black hats on a small platter for a grouping in our breakfast area.
If some of your favorite items in your collection get "lost" in other groupings, display those separately so that you can maximize your enjoyment. The mother of a close childhood friend created the snowmen below from gourds - yes gourds! She even customized two of them with my and my husband's college teams!! I love them so much that I placed them prominently where I can see them often.
If you have a single, large item in your collection, let it stand alone so that it can have impact in your decor. The snowman below is just a cheapie found in a restaurant gift shop on an interstate in a post holiday sale. I loved it and now use it in my kitchen every holiday season.
If a tree is part of your holiday decor, use it for your collection too. Snowmen play a major role on my tree!
Lastly, don't be afraid to edit your collection. Everything doesn't need to be displayed every year. Move grouping around too so that your eye doesn't become accustomed to the same display over and over again. We stop "seeing " things that are static in our homes. 
Better Homes and Gardens always has lots of great ideas - including the mantles below. Wrapped packages and ornaments, ornaments and fresh greenery, fresh greenery with apples and pine cones, and finally, the classic row of stockings.
Make your mantle a focus this holiday season - it's simple!
I'm a lover of rabbits all year round and loved how they were integrated into the holiday table below with simple greenery, berries and presents.
Martha Stewart gives us beautiful images of simplicity with plates of red flowers, white tapers and place settings below.
How about a simple small fir tree for a place card or a basket of pears. The pears are gilded in the photo below but with lovely fruit, gilding is hardly necessary.
Keep it simple, relax and enjoy nourishing family and friends this season.
Country Living is always a great source of inspiration when it come to using natural materials. Herbs, fruit, dried hydrangea combined with other dried materials are used below to create wreaths that can be enjoyed all winter long.
If you want a touch of nature, but your holiday "To Do List" is just too long, these options from Williams-Sonoma can be shipped right to your door. How can magnolias and pomegranates, pine cones and copper ribbon, or the classic boxwood wreath with a red ribbon be beat?!
