Christmas Mantel

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

I don't know about you, but it takes me at least a week to get my Christmas decorating done.  Every year I try doing something different.  I've never been one to decorate the same way twice.  I like to see what I can come up with. A challenge perhaps?

Tonight, I finished my fireplace mantel and I wanted to share it with you. I hope it inspires you to try something a little different too.

It started with that little wooden box in the middle.  My husband made that out of barn wood he got in Montana.  I was going to fill it and put it on my counter in the kitchen. I started filling it with pine branches and the next thing I knew, it was too big to go where I was planning on putting it. That happens to me a lot!

Plan B!

So, I brought it to the living room and decided to decorate around it.  I think I may have the biggest fireplace mantel on the planet, so this has always been a challenge to decorate.

I went out to our garage and brought in these 3 windows.  I work for a remodelor and he took these out of a house last summer.  Yes, I'm a dumpster diver!  I knew I would use them somewhere. I just couldn't let them go to the dump.

I tucked a string of lights behind them.  I wanted the light to shine up behind the windows.

I took more of the pine branches and laid them in front of the windows and added pinecones, raffia, bulbs and some floral/jewel sticks I had.

I added a little twine to some votive candles. I wanted to have light in front of the windows too.

I took 2 of the pine branches and added a few berries and a burlap bow.  The branches are wired so I bent the wire over and it worked perfect for hanging it on the window.  I've had these branches for years and never thought of doing that. I was pretty excited about that little trick!

So, here it is. My Christmas mantel.  I have to tell you, I can't wait to sit by the fireplace and watch a movie this weekend. 

What do you think?

Thank you so much for stopping by.  It means the world to me.

Kelly