We hope some of these ideas will inspire you, and help you add some warm and cheerful country accents to your home.

Don't put away your artifical greenery of pine and cedar garlands after Christmas is over.  Make some paper snowflakes, or buy some, and attach them to the greenery, along with a garland of mini white lights.  Place on a fireplace mantle or on a shelf for a nice splash of color and warmth.  The mini white lights will bounce off of those snowflakes and add a warm cozy feeling to any room.  

Fill one of our small treenware bowls with some scented poptourri to add a nice scent to your home.  Nestle a taper or votive candle in the center and you have an instant table centerpiece.

Purchased oven mitts in colors and patterns of your choice can easily be made into a primitive and country style accent.  Fill with artificial foliage plus a few wooden spoons and you will have a great country accent for a kitchen.  Hang on a wall or place on a counter top and change with each season.

Decorate your porch and yard with our new line of house and garden flags, or decorate your mailbox or front door with a mailbox magnet.  Here is a new twist on house and garden flags...buy a wooden dowel and some pretty ribbon or homespun fabric and hang a seasonal or themed flag on a wall in your home.  Simply run the dowel through the flag's pole opening and tie your fabric or ribon hanger on each end to make the hanger.  Instant decor at a very inexpensive price. 

Take one or two of your larger flower pots from the summer (clay pots look the best!), empty them out and arrange them on their sides.  Toss some soil around the front as if the pot has turned over, then put in some type of artifical greenery in the "spilled" soil.  Holly with red berries is great during the winter.  We found magnolia leaves work great as well, since they will stay green for at least a month with no water.   A charming country decoration at your front walkway or porch that will add some color during the drab winter months.

Solar lights placed in large pots (filled with sand or gravel for weight) are perfect year round, especially when the days get shorter.  Pots are easily moved to sunny spots for charging and then placed at walkways, driveways, or porches and decks whenever you want to light the area for special occasions or parties.  Add seasonal garnishments to your pots for added charm.   Or for the holidays you may also like to try placing clear glass marbles in a mason jar to hold a solar light.  Placed on either side of a front door or porch (after they have charged in a sunny spot during the day), the solar lights will add a warm and welcoming light to your home.  Tie a sprig of holly around the mouth of the jar for added cheer!

Check out our newest item, a lovely French Country Basket.  We love this basket because of its endless decorating possibilities.  We found that purchasing a nice linen napkin and folding it into a triangle and then draping it over the front of the basket makes this basket a wonderful country accent.  Great for the different seasons as well by adding fall foliage, Christmas greenery, ivy and daisies for spring…the decorating possibilities are truly endless.  You'll also like our Gathering Basket filled with pips and stars.  Add your on emblishments for personalization (home spun fabric, extra greenery, mini white lights, an LED primitive candle placed in the center, etc.)

Place some of our primitive electric candles in your windows and then add a few embelishments around the base. (fall leaves, mini pumpkins, gourds, cinnamon sticks,  minature snowmen, pip berry sprigs, ivy leaves, rusty tin stars, etc.)  The candle not only looks inviting from the outside in the evening hours, but also adds some country charm to the inside of your home.  During the winter, hang a paper snowflake above the candle in each window.

We'll be back soon with more tips and decorating ideas.  In the meantime, enjoy the simple pleasures in life!

RUSTIC COUNTRY COTTAGE STAFF