Holiday Mantel Decor

Broken legged reindeer, tacky scarf angel and bronze angel from my estate sale finds, are all making their debut appearance in this week's holiday mantel post.

I don't like making excuses, but I must say that this photo does not capture the coziness of my holiday mantel. When it's dark and cold outside, the lights from the garland bring a warm glow to the room. The fireplace crackles with the smell of real wood. Wrapped up in plush blankets, we watch holiday classics on screen. The Christmas tree glows from across the room  and only then do you feel Christmas all around you.

But any photographer knows that daylight brings the best photos and man made lights don't photograph well, especially when you have a $100 camera, so here is my mantel in all her daylight glory.

The mantel we built is over 10 feet long with a large television smack in the middle, so I wanted to keep things simple and attempt to blend the decor with the electronics.

Garland: borrowed from a friend

Glass Covered Jar: Home Goods $15 -  filled with perfectly prepped pine cones from my front yard. I added a simple crystal to a jute rope to give more character for $2. 

Birch Planters: Whole Foods $15 to match my $1 birch reindeer from an estate sale. I love using real plants in my decorations, as they can be planted outside once the holidays are over. 

Pottery: Pottery Barn $10 with coupon plus red berries from Michael's for $1 a stick. 

Mirrors: Home Goods $25. They look very similar to the Ballard Design mirrors but are 1/3 the price. I also use these in my foyer year round. 

I made our stockings for our first christmas in our first house. Can you tell which is Siler's? I loved the black and red corduroy fabric and also used it for the holiday pillows by the fireplace. Look for both the stocking and holiday pillow tutorials this month. 

Holiday Stockings in Plaid Corduroy

Estate Sale Re-Do Angels

My estate sale angels turned out perfect. I removed the tensile scarf from the larger angel. I added the same crystal I used on the glass jar to give her some glamour. With silver and pearl spray paint, my angels are brand new. 

I attempted chalk board art with no success. I think I will save this project for next year when I have more time to practice and perfect. 

I hope your holiday projects and decor are turning out as planned. We would love to see them so send us a message or comment below!