Holiday Mantel ~ Great Room

I’m still working on both my mantels, but wanted to participate in the mantel linky at Layla’s for the Holiday Home Linky Party.  I need to get some green filler picks for this one, as well as to just slip into other areas around the house.  This is the fireplace in our great room.  A couple of things I did different this year was getting some battery lights and I put two in these glass hurricanes with some ornaments.

I’ve been playing around with the other ornaments to hide the battery pack at the base of the hurricanes.  I also covered up all my candles with Christmas scrapbook paper.

I put my carolers here, but I’m not sure they will be staying.  I love them and will try to use them somewhere else, but I’m looking for more fun and whimsy here. 

My little topiaries just have a bit of burgundy satin ribbon wrapped around the pots.   I’m thinking of trying the ribbon that I used on the feather boa wreath.

 

This year I took the fabric covered wreath that I showed back in the Spring/Summer and recovered it with some white feather boas that were originally purchased as a garland for my tree several years ago.  I got this fun colored wire ribbon at Michaels a couple of weeks ago. 

 

 I love all these colors together!

 

Some greenery and the Christmas stockings need to be put in place here {as soon as I can find the bin with the stocking holders}!  

Linking up with:

Layla’s Mantel Party at The Lettered Cottage

Christmas Counter Vignette

This year I put a little bit more on a corner of my kitchen counter than normal {fingers crossed no one knocks into it and breaks something}.  This is all new stuff, so I thought I’d share this little vignette first.  Especially since it’s the only one totally done right now!

I got the little tabletop tree on clearance at Michael’s last year.  The Santa was on clearance from Kohls and I purchased a few ornaments in keeping with baking and/or kitchen related items from an online store.

Hopefully, by the time this is posted, I will have everything completed!

Linking up with

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Vignette Party at Southern Hospitality

Friday Vignettes at Color Outside The Lines

I Like This Berry Much!

I like when you can get two things out of one.  Things like this container that held my sunflower bouquet from Sunflowerguy.com.  This is a great little French flower bucket. 

I had this Berry colored spray paint that I bought when I was stocking up on some Heirloom White a month or so ago.  My eye kept going to it and I finally just grabbed one.  Although it’s not a color I’ve been using, I figured there would be a project I could try it out on at some point. This is that project!

I also found I had a French label that I had printed out from The Graphics Fairy when I was playing around with my glass bottles, and I thought this one would work well with this color.   I put a little distress ink along the edges.

I rinsed out the container and sprayed it with three good coats.  Here it is good to go!

I just put a little Mod Podge on the back of the label and put it on the bucket.  When that dried, I put a coat of Mod Podge over it.  That’s it. Done.  Not sure where I’ll use it yet, especially since I don’t have this color in my house {hence the Heirloom white, ORB and black I use all the time}.  I may wind up putting it in my boutique. 

Linking up with:

Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

Amaze Me Monday at Dittle Dattle

Frame Week Continued

I’d like to start this post off by thanking all the bloggers who have the talent to produce graphics and share them with the rest of us.  These free downloads have really helped me out many times, as I do not have that talent.  I have links to those that shared the great graphics that I’ve used here.

First up is this Noel print.  As soon as I remember where I got it from {which I will at some point}, I will edit with that link.  So sorry to the blogger who offered this one.  It was offered in two colors, a green or a white background.  I chose the green and, as I’ve been doing lately, I printed off two {one to do for my daughter, too}. 

These are 8x10 and I printed them on regular photo paper.  I found the frames at Michaels and they were on sale for 40% off. 

Love this second one ~ Christmas Subway Art!  I even sent it onto my daughter and she loved it as well {she also loved the trees, but that’s for another messy post}!  This one is from the sisters of eighteen25.  I couldn’t find the actual post on it, but I saw it when they guested on Mod Podge Rocks here.

This print is 16x20 and I can’t do that at home.  They went through Costco for the print and I don’t know how much that cost, but I went through Staples and it was $17.00 each for a 16x20 size and I was able to order it online then pick it up at my local store. 

I found the frames at Goodwill!  Yes!  The frames/pictures I showed you last post that I found for 50% off ~ these are those frames! 

Once we have the trees done, this will make for a lovely display, whether it is on a mantel, buffet or shelf.  Even though these are done, I can’t bring myself to put them anywhere yet, so they are hanging out in my living room until Thanksgiving weekend.

Total for one was $17.00 to have the print done at  Staples and $3.98 for the frame, so almost $21.00.  Next up glitter trees! 

Linking up with:

All Things Merry & Bright at All Things Heart & Home

Call For Photos!

First of all ~ Happy Thanksgiving!  I am going to be putting together an article geared towards holiday decorating and I thought it would be fun to get my bloggy friends involved.  Many articles need pictures to go with them; sometimes they are requested.

Better Homes & Gardens

If you would be interested in allowing the use of one or two of your holiday pictures in my article, I would mention you and your blog, also giving credit for the picture.  The pictures would have to be available from a current or past post and you would need to give me a date you posted so I could find it easily.

Better Homes & Gardens

If I get a big response, I wouldn’t be able to use everyone.  So let’s say the first 6 people who leave a comment giving me the okay, with where to find their picture or pictures, I will use.  Of course, the pictures have to work for the article.  I am looking for good clear shots.  They can be of trees, wreaths, ornaments, tabletop vignettes, tablescapes, garlands, things along those lines.

We all know  my pictures leave a lot to be desired, so if you’d be interested, I’d love to mention you as a thank you.   I would let you know if and when the article gets picked up.  Plus, I thank you, in advance!

Deal Alert!

Just wanted to share a deal I came across this morning at Rite Aid.

 

Image from celticirishjewelry.com 

Buy one get two free Christmas cards!  I already have enough cards for this year and normally buy more at the end of season sales for the following year.  I couldn’t pass up this deal, though.  These are cards that are regularly $7.99 a box.

Mine’s a little nicer looking than this, but similar.

The second thing I got was two stockings ~  50% off!  They are just red with a white cuff and I needed two more, so these will tide me over until I find something that I can have personalized. 

$10.00 Well Spent

Most of my trips to Goodwill are spur of the moment or decided quickly the night before and this trip was no different.  It was my intention to look for picture frames this trip, as I couldn't find a specific size for a decent price at Michaels.  I wanted to do white frames for a project and figured worst case I'd have to paint some ugly old wood frames.  I lucked out with a sign on the door that said "red and yellow tags 50% off today".  

 I found my frames!  And they are already white!  Notice the yellow sticker?  50% off $7.99 {each}.  They just need a little touch up in small spots, but I have white craft paint for that. 

Tip: Invest in one of those little key chain tape measures.  I have one in my pocketbook all the time and whipped it out to check the measurement on these frames to make sure they were the size I needed.



This decorative pot {$.99 after 50% off} ~ good as a pencil holder, make-up brush holder or maybe even making a topiary for it.

These two books, which I really bought for their looks, but I don't mind having another dictionary around.

This reader has such a great color on the cover.   {Red tag - $.99}.

Yellow tag on the dictionary for a take home price of $.99.

I am glad that I found the frames that I originally went in there for; everything else was just a bonus and it all cost me about $10.00!

What If Your Picture Is Not Standard Size?

I bought this original work from Michelle Palmer.  I just loved it when I saw it on her blog and went right to her etsy to buy it.  I have learned the hard way that if you don’t buy something you like from Michelle right away, it’s gone!

This is an odd size for a store bought frame ~ 4 1/2 x 11.  I went up and down the frame aisles at Michaels three times looking for something that would work!  I finally had to get a frame that they make for businesses that save their first dollar. 

It was still a bit big, so I had to get creative with the “matting”.   The “matting” is just a striped Christmas wrapping paper {also picked up at Michaels} and I put the artwork right on top of that.

I used removable double stick tape and used it to attach the wrapping paper to the back of the frame.  I then used it on the print to attach it to the wrapping paper.  I thought this would be easier if, down the road, I decide to do a different frame or “mat”.  Also, if I screwed up the positioning of the print, I could easily remove it and try again.


What do you think?  Just like any other dilemma, sometimes you have to think outside the box and get a little creative. 



I think I see the beginnings of a mantelscape coming together!

Linking up to:

The Boardwalk Bragfest at Bobbypins Boardwalk