January Blue and White

When the Christmas decorations come down at the beginning of January, the house looks a little bare.  Many years ago I started putting up a few decorations with a winter motif on New Year's Day -- snowflakes, snowmen, mittens, etc.  I use the colors white and blue to symbolize snow/frost/icicles and those rare but perfectly clear January skies.  I love to prowl Christmas clearance, over the years gathering a little collection of things that are reminders of the best of winter.

 This year I hung my glittery snowflakes from the grapevine wreath above our fireplace.  The narrow brick mantel, our tokonoma area, has little snowman figures, snowflake ornaments, and photos of Eli playing in the snow.  In years past, I've gone for an elegant look using the snowflakes and a few bare tree branches in a blue vase.  But this year Eli helped me make a blue snowflake garland and a few other touches.  I love the "Designed by Kiddo" look.

 

 

The snowmen were a little "last holiday," so I found some fleece fabric in blue and white to fashion new accessories for them.  Snowman makeover!

 

 

The focal point of our January tokonoma is a small collection of candles.  One of my favorite children's books when I was growing up talked about making snow lanterns.*  The book, however, was set in Finland.  Not much snow along the Northern California coast.  So we made snowflake lanterns instead.  My mother-in-law selected pretty blue snowflake tissue paper to tuck in with our Christmas gifts this year.  I squirreled it away to use in January.  

Step One:  Tear tissue paper into small pieces or strips.  

Step Two:  Water down a small amount of Elmer's white glue -- two tablespoons of glue and one of warm water.

Step Three:  With a paintbrush, apply glue to glass votive holders.  We found ours at the dollar store and selected thick-walled ones including a candy jar.  Thick glass is less likely to break if tipped over by an excited tot.

 

Step Four:  Apply the pieces of tissue paper however you'd like.  If there is enough glue underneath, you can gently drag the paper in place with your thumb.  Overlapping your pieces is good, giving the finished lantern more blended shades of blue and frost-like lines.  You can even crumple the paper and smooth it out again for a crinkle effect.  If you're lucky enough to have snowflake tissue paper, the effect is like a snowstorm of overlapping flakes.  (Local friends, we have plenty leftover, so let me know if you'd like some.)  Then paint more glue over the top to smooth down the tissue paper.

 

 

Step Five:  (Grown-up task)  Use a cutting blade to tidy up any ragged edges of paper hanging over the rim of the glass.  

 

Done!  The glue dries quickly, so within minutes you can pop in a tealight or votive candle to enjoy your new lantern.  (Make a handle with wire or ribbon if you want to carry or hang it.)  If you're really lucky, you might find a peppermint candle (or some mint essential oil) to place inside, turning the air in the house winter fresh. 

 

*Just for fun, get your hands on a copy of Tove Jansson's Moominland Midwinter.  This little chapter book is wise far beyond its years.  Even as an adult, I love to reread it almost every winter.

Comments

[kelly]

Really striking effect. So beautiful!

[Valerie J. Frey]

Thanks, Kelly!