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How Many Clocks Does One Mantle Need?

by Lisa on January 4, 2012

I’ve been dying to do a project using printables from The Graphics Fairy.  She posts a free graphic every day.  When I was trying to figure out what to do with my mantle for the next few weeks until I could put up the Valentine decor, I knew she would give me some free, whimsical inspiration!

I printed some clocks off of The Graphics Fairy website in a bunch of different sizes.  How fun!

I cut them out then glued them to black paper.  It doesn’t get any easier than that.

In an effort to keep the colors simple, I filled one of my mantle “cages” with rocks from the yard.  My Monogrammed Cube Picture Stand from my etsy shop fits in perfectly!

In a cage on the other side of the mantle I hung a “pendulum” with scraps of paper and book pages.  I took my chalkboard clock off of the wall in another room and just propped it behind.  I got the pointy-finger-thing off of the Graphics Fairy too.  Perfection.

My favorite is a little tower of clocks.  I stacked old blocks and just taped the printed clocks to the front.

I had so much fun doing this free, easy project that I may do another graphic mantle for the spring.

In the meantime, I hope you’ll check out The Graphics Fairy and make something fun for yourself!


shabby creek cottage
The Graphics Fairy

Creative Kristi Designs

Funky Junk's Saturday Nite Special

Tip Junkie handmade projects

The Holiday Mantle

by Lisa on November 30, 2011

I finally finished the mantle.  It’s like a Christmas miracle!

I stayed up until the wee hours on Sunday finishing our stockings.  I just couldn’t spend the whole season sewing stockings for other people then end up with nothing.  I may be a lump of uselessness most of the time, but when I put my mind to something you better watch out.

I am madly in love with them.

I hate to be a complainer, but the gorgeous stockings made it kind of hard to decorate the rest of the mantle.  I mean, how do you top that?

I rummaged through everything I have.  I’d put something up, we’d all stand back and look, everyone would say it looked nice then I would take it all down and start over.  That’s my method.  The family enjoys it.  By the time I finished, this is what I came up with.

My favorite is the bucket tree.

But I also love the vintage flash cards that I hung in a frame.

The little trees are from Target.  I ripped them out of their stands and put them into these pitchers that my friend Leslie sent me.

I also got the nativity from the Target dollar spot.

It was too small and plain, so we added a brown paper backing and Faith made me a glitter stand for it.  You don’t think it’s wrong to put baby Jesus on a glitter stand do you?

Speaking of glitter, I fell in love with this little bird….so sweet.

All of the greenery came from a tree we have in our yard.  That was my friend Sara‘s idea….thanks Sara!  In looking at these pictures, I can see it needs more.  I’ll be getting Jacob to clip more off of the tree today!

This last picture is my favorite shot of the mantle…..I’m titling it, “It Started with Two.”

Thanks for letting me share my Christmas mantle with you.  As soon as I get the rest of the house finished I will take you on a tour.

Have an inspired day!

Linking to:

Transformation Thursday

Open House Party

{Re}create into something new

Saturday Night Special

Weekend Wrap Up Party

Holiday Home at Southern Hospitality

More Fall Fun!

by Lisa on September 26, 2011

Last week I showed y’all my living room, but you know I can’t just stop there.  I have to add some fall to the dining/school room too.  At least the mantle, which is in my dining room.

I have to say, I think I like decorating for fall even more than Christmas.  I know that’s weird, but it is easier.  It’s still festive, but relaxing.  There are no expectations, no pressure to be fabulous.  That’s why I will never be a reality TV star….I can’t be fabulous all of the time.  Well, that and I am not very interesting.  I never get into hair pulling fights with my friends and don’t want to travel the globe bungee jumping off of tall buildings.

I will just stick to my simple mantle decorating.

I do have a wild side…..I put little pumpkins on some of the candlesticks instead of candles.  I mean, what if one of those tiny fake pumpkins fell off of their perch and hit someone on the head?  We live dangerously here at The Point.

I built the mantle myself a couple of years ago.  It was a blah cement shelf and very tired looking.  Now it’s ready for its close-up Mr. De Mille.

I had a $20 gift card to Pottery Barn, so I went in there and got the little mercury glass vase.  Everything else at PB is a-mazing.  But who needs a $69 birch candle when you can have some handmade candlesticks?

Sweet and simple, that’s what I’m talkin’ about.

 

Linking to these incredible parties!

Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Layla at The Lettered Cottage for Ideas for Fall
Lindsay at Southern Lovely for Show & Share
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Kaitlin at Not So Simple Housewife for {Re}Create into Something New
Judy at DIY by Design for Sizzle into Summer
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Laura at Decor to Adore for Fall in Love with Your Home
Amy at The Idea Room for The Idea Room Linky
Saved by Love Creations for Thrifty Thursday
Steph at Somewhat Simple for Strut Your Stuff
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Shaunna At Perfectly Imperfect for Furniture Feature Friday
Jen at Tater Tots and Jello for Weekend Wrap Up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special

My Spring Mantle

by Lisa on March 23, 2010

When I showed you all my Valentine’s Decor I got a few emails that said I had frightened you just a teensy bit.  So I’ve decided just to show you the mantle for the spring.  I still went spring crazy, but I’m not going to show you the rest.  Or maybe I’ll spread it out a little….that might be best.  All of me at once is a bit much.

Mantles can be so hard to decorate.  I am not a matchy-matchy girl and I practically never put things evenly spaced.  I like a thoughtfully arranged shelf that looks like it was thrown together.  Am I making any sense at all?

Tap tap.  Is this thing on?

Every time I would do my magic off-center arrangements on my mantle it would just look messy and distracting.  But I love to change it with the seasons and spice it up.  But HOW do I do that AND keep it neat and tidy?!

It was a serious problem.  Obama and Congress would never be able to settle my mantle situation.

And then I found them.  Four little cages.  They can sit on my mantle and “match” while I can change the contents of the cages.

Perfection!

So last week I grabbed some $1 greenery from the superstore and went to work.

I just snipped it apart (easier said than done) and tucked it into my paper covered jar that I had left from my Valentine’s Day decor.  I love it when something can be used again.  Even though it was free in the first place.  Double score.

If you weren’t a follower a year or so ago then you missed my post about how I built my mantle.  Let me assure you, you didn’t miss anything.  Anyone with a miter saw and LOTS of caulk can do it.

These insulators belonged to my mother-in-law.  I love the color of them.

And I’m cu-cu-crazy about this old yellow book.

I know you can’t really see it, but the title of the book is, “Mr. and Mrs. Pennington”.  How adorable can one be, I ask you?!

The left side of the mantle wears a little moss covered bunny and a cage full of paper strips.  The paper strips stay there year ’round.

I had the misfortune of being with my dad when I bought this little cutie.  He takes one look at it and says, “You are not seriously going to pay $2 for that thing?”  Men.  Why do we take them shopping with us?

I am happy with my simple spring mantle.  The fireplace is in my dining room/school room.  It’s such a busy, hustle bustle room that keeping the mantle uncluttered is best.

I’m linking over at Remodelaholic.  Go over there and check out all of the great ideas!