Christmas Mantel

Happy December 1st!

This is a follow up to my post from yesterday which featured my mantel decorations for this Christmas. If you would like to read that post before seeing my "after" pictures, you can click here — Christmas Mantel: Stage One

As I mentioned in my previous post, I wanted to do something different with the mantel this year. This is a picture of last year's mantel featuring some old holly vines with berries and birds scattered amongst the vines ...

As you can see, it's kind of plain and simple, and I just wanted a change this year.

I added a garland of greenery, two old brass candlesticks and globes I rescued from our attic, the old holly vines, birds, and a string of lights.

I wanted battery-operated lights, but spent a very frustrating morning yesterday trying to find some with clear mini bulbs, and finally came home empty-handed. I decided I would just use a string of regular lights and try to hide the cord as best I could.

I was delighted to find an old string of yellow and white lights in the attic that I bought many years ago at a flower shop in Jackson, Mississippi. With the help of my sweet, very patient husband, who moved our two-ton television cabinet out from the wall so I could plug in the lights, I wrapped the garland with the lights and he set up a remote outlet so they can be turned off and on with the light switch.

After adding the holly vines and birds, I was pleased with the way it all turned out (you can click on the pictures to get a closer look, if you'd like).

I've had the little birds for years, and even though they are looking kind of "scruffy," I love them.

I have found my blog to be a wonderful source of reference when decorating, because I can look back at my pictures from previous Christmases to see what I did then, and either copy it or make changes, as I did with the mantel.

I'm doing my decorating a little at a time, and my next project is one of my favorites — setting up our Nativity set. I hope to work on it today and will share pictures in tomorrow's post.

Christmas Mantel: Stage One

One of the first things you notice when you walk into a living room or den is the fireplace and mantel. I love decorating our mantel for the four seasons, but my favorite season is Christmas.

For the past four Christmases, I have used the same accessories for the mantel — holly vines with berries, gold doves in the center, and birds scattered amongst the holly vines (you can click on the pictures to get a closer look, if you'd like).

This year, I'm going to do something different.

Yesterday, I bought a nice lush garland made from three different kinds of greenery, and rescued a pair of brass candlesticks from the attic, along with two large glass globes.

I was dismayed to see that the globes wouldn't fit in the candlesticks, but you know what they say about "where there's a will, there's a way" — I turned the candlesticks upside down and, voila! ... the globes fit securely in the bottom of them.

I want to get red candles to go in the candlesticks and a battery-operated string of clear lights to add to the garland — and that's as far as I've gotten on the basic look I want to achieve. I'm going to work on it some more today, and may end up just adding the old holly vines and birds.

Have you started decorating for Christmas yet? I'm going to be working on mine in stages and, hopefully, will have some pictures to share soon of my "new look" for the mantel this year.

Christmas Decorating: Fireplace and Mantel

Fireplaces and mantels are usually the main focal point of a room and are always fun to decorate. I'm doing my Christmas decorating in stages this year, and yesterday was "Mantel and Fireplace Day."

I've had the gold doves for I-can't-remember-how-many-years and they're showing their age, but I haven't seen anything I'd rather use for the centerpiece. [You can click on the photos to enlarge them, if you'd like]

The holly is very old, too, but, again, I can't find anything I like better. I love its "airiness" and simplicity. I added the two birds on stands last year.

The copper coal hod holds three rustic metal bells and some faded greenery.

The little rocking chair on the left was our son's when he was a baby (he's 35 now!) ... and still has the hammer marks he made with his little Fisher-Price hammer. I wouldn't take anything for it.

The Christmas books in the rocker belonged to our son and daughter when they were little. This picture of our granddaughter Avery Grace was taken a couple of years ago, and she looks like she was enjoying her Uncle Ben's rocker and book.

I love using some of my "things-I-would-save-if-there-was-a-fire" treasures to decorate with every Christmas. The precious memories they evoke of Christmases Past are worth more to me than all the fancy decor stuff you can find within the pages of a Frontgate catalog!

There's one more thing I want to share today, and that is a nativity candle I've had for years. I've never seen another one like it.

Oh, and speaking of Avery Grace ... she is coming for a visit tomorrow and I don't know how much decorating I will get done during the next few days. But perhaps, I can share some of our activities which, hopefully, will be even more fun than decorating!