Well, obviously we made it back. And obviously I'm not a very consistent blogger! New Year's resolution for sure! Definitely need to work on that!
But in the...ahem... two week that we've been home I furiously decorated my home for Christmas the first week and played hostess to a very special out of state guest all last week. Throw a couple of birthdays in the mix and sadly, I wasn't left with much time to blog. I've got plenty of material though! :)
I promise to share pics of our AK trip soon, but today I wanted to show you my Christmas Mantel!
Eeek, I am SO excited to show y'all this! I will say right out of the gate, that pretty much everything on this mantel is new this year. For the past three years the mantel has remained the same with our Willow Tree nativity scene making it's home up there. But, I've never really liked it up there. It's difficult to see, therefore difficult to appreciate and I've always felt the mantel is too shallow and long to really show off the nativity properly. So the nativity found a new home this year and left me with an empty mantel and quite honestly no idea what to do with it!
But, after a few meandering, late-night, by-myself trips (I love those, don't you?) through TJ Maxx, and HomeGoods and a little Pinterest-perusing, inpiration finally hit! And this is what I came up with!!
This is the first symetrical mantel I've ever created and I LOVE it! I think it looks like a wintery forest wonderland flanked by metallic glittery grapevine trees and birch candles. And all the mercury glass is reminiscent of sparkly snow.
How 'bout a little walk in the woods? Let's take a closer look, shall we?
We'll need to bundle up for this little journey, but no need to worry, I've got scarf and mittens ready. Layered on top of my mirror and tucked behind a few glittery mercury glass votive holders is the centerpeice and focal point of my wintery wonderland scene. It is a huge understatement to say that this is by far my most favorite wreath I've ever made!! I'll post a tutorial this week.
That knobby knit scarf, sweet little gloves and cute ski's ornament just make me swoon! And all of the yummy texture of the grapevine wreath and warm cozy accessories just scream winter/ Christmastime to me!
A very close second in my favorite decorations this year are these awesome Pottery Barn twig reindeer. They were a gift from Grandma Rhonda, our out-of-state guest last week, and I "deerly" (haha) love them!
The reindeer are two different sizes, one larger and one smaller and I originally had only picked up two- one of each size- while we were shopping. But Grandma Rhonda insisted that we needed a family- two parents and two little ones. :) These were actually the final, unplanned touch to the mantel and now I can't imagine it any other way. Twig reindeer belong in a wintery forest wonderland afterall. And donning their deep crimson ribbon scarves they look right at home.
Mercury glass candlesticks...what's not to love?! I've wanted some for quite awhile now and Christmastime seemed fitting to finally cross that off my wishlist. And topped with DIY Pottery Barn knock-off birch candles they almost seem like glistening-snow flocked birch trees. A mercury glass ornament snowball sits ready at the the reindeer's hooves. They're a playful bunch. :)
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care... from antique irons and wooden pulleys. Now quite honestly, I have no idea what place iron's and pulleys have in a winter wonderland scene, but Hubs traded out our brushed nickel snowflake hangers for these and I instantly loved it! I love the visual weight they add. With all the mercury glass going on, these were the perfect anchor for the wreath and created a beautiful juxtaposition with all the light and airy elements. Plus, I just love the antiquated home-spun feel of it, don't you?
This is our second year using these fairisle stocking from Pottery Barn. We've got a scarf and mittens in our wintery wonderland, we definitely need warm knit stockings as well!
I kept the hearth decor pretty simple. I have a ton of better ideas, but quite honestly by the time I reached the hearth I was running out of time and money! LOL! A little bit at a time...maybe next year.
I hope you've enjoyed our little jaunt through the woods. Let's head to the kitchen and warm ourselves with a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie from the bar I created. :)
I'll show you that next!
Blessings,
Courtney
