Let's Decorate The Mantel!

The Christmas Blogger Block Party is in full swing and Day 2 is all about mantels. Kristin from My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia is hosting this party and the competition is fierce!

I don't actually have a mantel so I have to fudge this a bit and pretend I'm not using a lovely William IV sideboard.  If I make myself stay within a 9" depth, typical of a mantel, it seems fair enough doesn't it?  Please say yes!  I really wanted to do this challenge because so many of my decorating clients seems to get stumped on this one.  I'm sticking with my thrift, gift and reworked commitment for this year and had to do a bit of scrounging to replace my pre-lit garland that I sold to a client, at cost, before I realized I couldn't find another at that price.

Here is my make believe mantel ~

I'm starting with a a raggedy old fake garland and draping it from the floor so I can hide electrical cords ~

I know it looks awful but hang in there with me!  There is enough garland length to double it.

Add a string of lights and some gold netting that I picked up at the Salvation Army for $1.99 ~ 

Tuck in some glittery rose stems and leaves and a string of gold beads that I already had ~

 

Add some little feather wreaths I picked up on sale last January and some tiny dollar store birds ~

Start filling in with pine cones, pheasants and birch stars that I also bought in the January sales ~ 

I accessorized with my beloved Georgian Era copper candlestick set in a pine cone wreath (the kind that are supposed to go around pillar candles) and two leaf trees that I picked up for $1.00 and coated in glitter.  A Raku pottery bowl holds balls that I bought at Dollarama for $1.00 for the bag.  They were quite hideous until I gave them the glitter treatment!  I set the bowl on top of a feather wreath and tucked a couple of pinecones behind.  There is room within the 9" to fit a decanter and vintage sherry glasses. ~

Pop in a rustic rocking horse ornament and a picture of a canine buddy that is sorely missed and the mantel is done! ~

The mirror is dressed up with a feather wreath tucked inside a pinecone wreath, hanging by a piece of ribbon ~

Done! ~

I hope this makes it a little less daunting when you tackle your mantel!


I'm off to the Blogger Block Party!