magical forest

Happy Monday!  Wow, it feels great to start a week refreshed.  My long weekend brimmed with relaxation and accomplishment.  I sorted photos, planned menus, cleaned, decorated, vegged out, and spent much-needed down time with my sweetie.  It's nice to have a conversation that doesn't have to end by a certain time--one of us leaving for work, making it to an appointment, and so on.  Not only did we enjoy some leisurely time together, we also got to fancy up for a little party.  (Yeah; it was a surprise to me too!)

My library director sent me a message on Wednesday asking if I'd like comp tickets to the auction where they'd be selling the book-page wreath my co-workers and I made.  Yes, please!  So Saturday night we made ourselves look festive and popped onto this scene:

Low-key parties are one thing I love about being a grown-up.  This was no elbows-flying, vodka-flowing dance club, just a bunch of career folks hanging out in cocktail dresses and ties like it warn't no thang.  Fun!  (That's not sarcasm.)

First I had to see what they did with our handiwork.  Imagine my pleasure when I saw there was a spotlight shining on it.  Whaat?  Nice.  Please forgive the photo quality; I was using my point-and-shoot in a strange mixture of darkness and illumination.  Makes for strange results sometimes.

Seeing the book wreath on prim and proper display was only the beginning.  The perimeter of the room was lined with creative pieces that showcased many variations on the holiday theme.  I'll show you some of my favorites.

First was this "Royal Plum" tree.  Wow.  Bidding on this one got fierce, and went way out of the price range I'd have expected.  I think it had the highest suggested starting price in the program too--$1400.  Painful on the wallet, but pleasant on the eyes.

This was the biggest tree in the room--"Metallica for the Holidays."  I don't think it necessarily had a rockstar attitude, but it was shiny.

This trio caught my eye because it was simple, playful, and non-traditional.  Not that I have a yard (or grand foyer) for such a display, but a couple families do, apparently, because two sets of these sold.

Some of the other wreaths stood out to me too.  This photo makes "Celestial Winter" look way more dramatic than it did in reality, but dramatic or not, Hubby and I both thought this was one of the prettiest pieces on display.

Glitz and glamour aside, this wreath, "Walk in the Woods," put a rustic spin on things.  I could see this hanging at any time of year.  The different natural materials lent intriguing layers of texture.

We lingered, eating, drinking, and making merry as the auctioneer yodeled and cajoled.  He started getting ornery towards the end, doing things like approaching a group of children and asking if they wanted to spend one thousand dollars.  If so, could they please tell him their parents' auction numbers...?  (Thankfully none of the kids betrayed their folks.)

As the evening wound down, I couldn't resist going over again to see how high the silent-auction bidding had gone on my wreath.  It was at $80 when I looked.  Decent turnaround for the investment of a free book, some glue, and a bit of toil. 

 But wait.  It gets better.  Volunteers snatched up the silent-auction sheets from in front of all the wreaths the second the bidding was scheduled to end, so as far as I knew $80 was the going price.  But on our way out, Hubby saw the sheets piled on the volunteers' table and noticed that one more bid made it in: $100.  I hope the wreath spends many happy seasons in that home!

Are you in a holiday mood yet?  For some reason this year I am far more enthusiastic than usual about Christmasy things.  Maybe working in the flower shop is helping--I'm catching the fervor that wafts in with every customer eagerly requesting a centerpiece or evergreen wreath.  Maybe paring down the clutter in my life is helping--I don't look into the winter and see an endless list of expectations and obligations, just a season of contentment.  It's a good place in life to be.  I'm thankful for the gift of moments when where I am feels just right.