Painting the Town (okay, the house) Red

My January '13 decorating has been changing almost daily.  No joke.  For me, this is what January looks like:

• putting away Christmas decor
• incorporating Christmas gifts into the decor
• (for me) keeping out snowmen/snowflakes
• then, getting sick of "all things SNOW"
• Valentines Day approaching
• enjoying the color red

OY!  But, sometimes, the best "new decor" ends up being your Christmas gifts!

One of my favorite Christmas gifts was IS this "bottle drying rack" from World Market.  When I first saw it, I was so taken with it.  I told my hubby I really wanted it -- but I wasn't sure of size/location for our kitchen -- so I wanted to get it with the caveat that if it didn't work out, I could change my mind.  Guess what?  I LOVE IT!  It sits back in the corner of our counter space, and ends up being a fabulous piece of ever-changing artwork.  And a bonus?  A little more elbow-room for the other things in the cupboard!

This is a picture taken shortly after Christmas when we were still rockin' the Christmas mugs (and candy canes) -- but you get the idea.  [Also, that ivy is dead-and-in-the-trash -- but whatEVER.]

One of the things I love about Christmas decor is the color RED.  So, I love it when some of the reds get left out longer than the rest! -- a subtle "hat's off" to Valentines Day without going over the top.

Take this cookie jar with the red handle...  Several years ago, my hubby brought home two of these that he got... well, I don't even remember where...  It used to be filled with cookies when our kids were little -- but now... well, let's just say we try not to have cookies on-hand so often.  I love the challenge (instead) of finding pretty little collections to put inside the jar!

The second jar is packed away (I think -- or did it get broken?)  Anyway - for now, this jar is filled with these pretty cupcake liners.  I got them for cheap, cheap, cheap.  All of the pretty patterns are like eye-candy!  Sometimes I find the liners at Michael's in the dollar section, or in a clearance cart at the grocery store.  I've added some cookie and donut cutters to the mix, too.

Another Christmas gift was the sweet turquoise ceramic "berry box" from Jill.  It sits near my recipe box, and collects recipe cards that need to be refiled.

By the way, my cookie jar has a little secret... 

Check out the MARCHING BAND PEANUTS from Tom's.

I know -- some days I love them, and other days... well, they just have to face the wall!!

The cute bowl (below) and it's matching cup (at top) were also among my Christmas gifts.  They are so cheerful, and are in constant use.  I made tea for my daughter the other day using the cup, and she thought she was the QUEEN, I tell you!  (She knows it's my favorite cup!)

So that's my January kitchen decor in a (PEA)nutshell.  (A little "Tom's" humor.)

I find that (with the advent of Pinterest) my decor is ever-changing.  I've gotten braver about crafts, furniture placement, what kind of items can be used for decor -- or even how straight I have to hang my plates.

So, how about you?  What are you knee-deep in this January?  Still rockin' the snowmen?  Do you have a color for January?  A theme?  An idea?  Or does everything just go back to pre-Christmas mode?

WAIT.  Is your tree still up?

Just checking -- because, I totally know that some of you just switch out your Christmas ornaments for Valentine ornaments.  I KNOW.  I've seen all the cute Valentine trees... ON PINTEREST.