I think I am finally finished with my fireplace mantle.
A picture of Miss 10 on her second birthday wearing wings at the playground.
The mantel is L shaped because we have a gas stove.
Tree Art by Nancy of "All Pulped Out"
I'm not sure about the little silhouette tree as part of the fireplace area, but the kids love it so I'm sure it'll stay around even if I move it elsewhere.
I've always been a little stumped when it comes to decorating an L shaped mantel with a little stove. While I'm pleased with how it turned out, it's not "perfect" and it's actually not what I'd first envisioned, but I really like it, and I think I could get away with leaving it up during January and not feel like it's a Christmas leftover. A great BONUS is that I spent $0 this year, I already had everything I needed, I just hadn't put it together before, so it feels new. That's how most of my projects go and I am finally learning to be happy with that. For years I never did anything, because I would start something and it would not be turning out as I had envisioned, so I would get mad and throw it away. Yep, more sewing projects started than finished by far and same goes for crafting and decorating. I think I am finally getting a grasp on doing what is necessary or even what I want and being happy with unexpected results. I am finding that often if I finish the project instead of giving up and tossing it, it turns out better than I had imagined in the beginning, not always, but often enough to make it worth doing.
Here's a list of what I used:
- Old windows, ~ my attic
- 2 Feather Boas ~ $1 each clearance previous year.
- Feather picks ~ Joanne clearance 20 cents each, previous year.
- Votive holders, glasses, cream and sugars, overturned glass cylinder bowl/vase ~ on hand.
- Silver plastic ornaments ~ from a previous "child-proof" Christmas.
- Clear beaded snowflake ornaments (hanging from the ceiling) ~ Handmade by us.
- Crochet snowflakes ~ previous Christmas.
- Silver picture frame ~ thrifted.
- White silhouette "tree" ~ S-bucks day after Christmas clearance.
- Large 2 wick candle with glass tray ~ on hand.
- Candles ~ bag of tea-lights from Ikea
- White lights with a white cord ~ previous Christmas.
- Scotch tape and dental floss for hanging ornaments, we have a plaster ceiling so no thumbtacks.
- The tree art piece, an encaustic paining by Nancy Donaldson of All Pulped Out shows a leafless tree silhouette with lacy curtains, lots of texture and translucent wax. I love it. :-) Oh and I won it during the OWOH in February. :-)
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