mantle

Christmas mantle 2012

December 10, 2012 By Debbie Filed Under: Christmas, decorating, Holiday, mantel, mantle

This year the mantle is decorated in aqua and teal blues, paired with shades of lime green. The center focal point is a new, large ornament from TJMAXX but everything else came from my huge collection of Christmas decorations. My mantra for Christmas decorating this year should be greenery and Christmas balls everywhere!

Christmas mantle

For the past several years I haven’t put up a tree, but the house can still look festive and pretty without one! The kitchen, dining room and family room are all decorated with plenty of greenery and pretty ornaments.

Christmas wreath trio

I’ve always liked the look of a trio of wreaths, so I added them above the mantle.

Christmas urn

A faux wreath is surrounding the twigs in my thrift shop urn and freshly clipped greens are tucked in.

large aqua ball on mantle

Every year after Christmas, I think about replacing the old faux swag and replacing it with a fuller one. For now I just tuck in lots of fresh greens.

green blue Christmas ornaments

Most of these plastic ornaments are from Walmart. They do have a nice selection of ornaments.

green blue mantle fareplace 3

On the center wreath, I pictured a loosely draped, satin ribbon but I couldn’t find what I was looking for so I settled for a metallic mesh ribbon.

green blue mantle fareplace 2

That’s the Christmas mantle this year! It’s hard coming up with a new look every year.

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This was the mantle last year, done in silver and white. The ‘O holy night’ got recycled this year in the dining room. I’ll be posting that soon. Lots more past Christmas décor and recipes HERE.

Added to Inspire me Monday at Create with Joy

Are you finished decorating? Got all those cookies baked? Shopping done? Isn’t Christmas exhausting! HO HO HO……..!

Thanks for visiting! Debra (((xx)))

12 Comments

The Autumn mantel

September 26, 2012 By Debbie Filed Under: atuumn decorating, decorating, Fall, mantel, mantle

The Autumn mantel this year is pretty simple with no bright orange colors like last years. I used the mirror I found at the thrift store, flanked by fresh branches from the yard, the other half of the pumpkin I cut in half and some Annie Sloan chalk painted pumpkins.

aautumn mantel 1

I found the green vases at the thrift store for 10¢ and the pedestal vase on the left is a Haeger and was only a dollar. Haeger pottery is fairly easy to find at thrift shops and I really like the soft colors and shapes.

autumn mantel 5

The thrift shop mirror was painted with Annie Sloan in Chateau grey.

autumn mantel 4

The pumpkins are painted in pretty shades of Annie Sloan chalk paint.

autumn mantel left side

Here’s a closer look at the Haeger pedestal vase on the left side of the mantel.

autumn mantel stenciled pumpkin

On the right side, the pumpkin that I cut in half and stenciled needed to be attached to a surface because it wouldn’t stand on it’s own. I glued in on a small piece of wood and painted that the same color.

autumn mantel 11

That’s the Autumn mantel this year. It’s so different from last year’s mantel.

Linked up at Centsational girl mantel party. There are a lot of mantels over there!

Are you a lover of the oranges and traditional colors of Fall or do you like the softer colors better?

Thanks for visiting! Debra (((xx)))

5 Comments

Spring Mantel 5 ways

March 28, 2012 By Debbie Filed Under: decorating, Decorative Details, mantel, mantle

Take a look at these different versions of the Spring mantel. I used the same pieces in each, just left out a few. Which version do you prefer?

Putting together a Spring mantel was not high priority this year. We were still painting, and things were pretty much a mess, but I finally got my mantel groove on. Spring mantel 12

For fresh greenery, I bought some outdoor plants at Lowe’s, figuring I’d plant them outside later and collected things from around the house and my ~~hoard~~ stash in the basement. I arranged and rearranged and felt pretty good about it, then the husband, Bill, said, “is that how you’re leaving it? It looks like too much stuff.” Really? I liked it, but was willing to make it less busy.

By moving the plants closer to the sign, removing and rearranging, I created a slightly different look in each version.

a mantel 1and 2 variations

I like the pink african violets and birds in the center.

a mantel 3and 4 variations

Do you have a favorite yet?

a mantel full

The one that we liked was #4. Enough stuff for me but not too much for him.

a mantel center

I had my first experience using a sawzall when I made the pallet sign Smile and won the cute ceramic birds in a blog giveaway.

curly plant

This curly plant is Big Twister Rush.

Spring mantel 14 curly plant

You can see how the stems curl and twist. It’s a pretty and unique plant and looks good in the tureen.

pansies

The color and freshness of the plants give the mantel a real Spring feel.

colombine

This columbine is Winky Double Rose and White.

Spring mantel 16 colombine

The white chalkboard planter came from a thrift shop and all the silver pieces were collected from yardsales and thrift shops.

ba 1 mantel

Welcome Spring, even though it’s still a bit chilly, I’m glad you’re here!

This new color in our family room is so easy to work with and I’m loving it!

On Saturday I’m going to an ASCP workshop! I’m so excited!

I’ll soon be sharing how I made the pallet sign.

Debbie (((xx)))

12 Comments

How I created this year’s mantle/Christmas crafts

December 13, 2011 By Debbie Filed Under: Christmas, Christmas11, crafts, decor Details, decorating, Decorative Details, mantel 2011, mantle, Martha

Let’s start with the focal point, the center frame of the mantle.
A piece of plywood I found in the basement fit perfectly in the frame, I didn’t even need to cut it. I used Mod Podge to glue on hymnal pages, then put a thin coat of Mod Podge on top and allowed it dry to over night.

The letters came from Michael’s and were spray painted white, then outlined with a little dark brown paint. I added some Martha Stewart glue and glitter. Next I glued the letters onto the center of the hymnal pages.

Next project, the white rose tree. I will not roll a felt flower again for a long, long time. I’m estimating I rolled about 200 for this project!
Beth from Home Stories A 2 Z has about the best tutorial for creating rolled felt flowers HERE.

I created a cone from an old yardsale sign I found in the garage. The cone got covered with a piece of scrap white fabric, because I didn’t want any brown cone to show. Then I started creating roses from felt squares, gluing larger roses on the bottom and gradually becoming smaller toward the top. When I was finally finished I rejoiced!

The twig tree was a quick project. Again, I created a cone, this time from a cereal box, and glued on twigs of different lengths, adding pieces to fill in empty spots. Spray paint and that’s it’s!
I think these twig trees would look great left natural too, on a piece of a wide branch for a base.

And last, the glittered pinecones I dried and created HERE.
Holiday craft link party at Centsational Girl.
Today’s creative blog, get your craft on.
Coastal Charm, Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Seeing the Christmas décor at linky parties all over blogland is fun. It’s like peeking into other peoples homes and it helps get you in the Christmas mood. Well, it does me anyhow.
I received so many wonderful comments about the mantle this year. Thank You all so much! Big hug and kiss!
Next, I’ll be sharing the front porch.
Debbie (((xx)))

9 Comments

Christmas mantle 2011

December 11, 2011 By Debbie Filed Under: Christmas, Christmas11, mantel 2011, mantle

The carol O Holy Night, inspired snow covered greens, white, silver and sparkle, for the mantle this year. It’s always been one of my favorite Christmas songs. On this mantle, the stars are brightly shining.

Decoupaged sheet music from an old hymnal and sparkly letters create the focal point.

The white rose tree was a craft project that made me crazy. It took forever! I was rolling flowers for days!

All the greens are freshly cut from our yard and sprayed with snow.

The twig tree was another project, but it was was quick and easy.

The right side of the mantle with the twig tree perched on an urn turned upside down.

The left side, with the rose tree sitting on an old wooden pedestal that I never got around to painting white.

My glittered pinecones looks so pretty nestled in the greens.

Last year the mantle was done in red, and while I liked it, this one I love! It’s definitely a bit over the top but that’s ok, it’s Christmas!
I’ll be sharing more of how I created the mantle in another post.

Happy Holidays!

Debbie (((xx)))

20 Comments

Autumn Mantel 2011

September 27, 2011 By Debbie Filed Under: Decorative Details, Fall, mantle

Mantel or mantle, this always confuses me. I googled it and it seems that mantel is correct. Mantle is a cloak, a covering, jacket or a layer between the earth’s core and crust.
Okay, now that we have that out of the way, let’s get to the Autumn mantel in the family room, which still has that once famous Laura Ashley gold on the walls. I do have the new paint color picked out though.

The white frame was a yardsale find that I’ve had for a long time. All the twigs and branches were cut from our yard. The thin stems are actually a clematis vine that I cut down. All the leaves and pumpkins are faux and the larger ones holding the leaves are ceramic. I added in a few pinecones on the ends.

The beautiful yarn wreath is the star of my mantel. My hand ached for days after making it but I love the way it turned out.

Tucked in are a few berry stems from an old wreath.

Making the flowers was so much more fun than wrapping and wrapping and wrapping and wrapping. I just used yarn I already had and wrapped , wrapped…….

First I spread the clematis vines on the mantel and then added in the other elements, tweaking over and over until I liked it.

I like the vines hanging loosely over the edge of the mantel.

So there it is! Fall is such a pretty season, ENJOY!

Linked up to the Party at The lettered Cottage. I can’t wait to see all the mantels! Smile

Whatever wednesday

Debbie (((xx)))

12 Comments

Valentine Mantel 2011

January 24, 2011 By Debbie Filed Under: decorating, Decorative Details, mantle

Well the weather outside is frightful, definitely not delightful and absolutely not sunny …so no sunny valentine,…….instead we have a cold and wintry inspired Valentine’s mantel.

I created this mantel with items from around the house and branches from a red twig dogwood in the yard, along with pinecones that were sprayed white.

Mercury glass candle holders, a tarnished tea set and some floating icy hearts make it sparkle.

I created these simple icy hearts from wax paper, craft glue and white sparkles and tied them to the branch with thin fishing line.

The hearts are constantly moving, especially when the fireplace is on and the hot air is moving. They look like they’re floating on air…….well…they are floating on air and are so pretty.

I had the white feather boa pieces that I’ve use on the branches of a Christmas tree to represent snow and added them in for a little whimsy.

An old chalkboard tray project, some added bling of an old necklace and earrings on the hurricane and pretty white birds on either end complete the mantel.

I’m dreaming of tulips rose and daffodils but this will do for now.