Christmas Mantle

Christmas is just around the corner - so I thought I would share my mantle and a few DIY accessories that I added. This is apparently where all the ideas from blogland landed in their finished state (or not so finished...if you know me, you get me, copeesh?)

 This is the first time I've really been able to decorate the mantle. It's always had the tv on it (btw, why do builders do that??? STOP it already. Or give other options.) Mister Freckle Face always got annoyed when the greenery and stockings would impede the remote's ability to send secret messages to the cable box. I don't know why. So I finally moved it. When he was at work. That's how I roll. (Note to self - time to break out the real camera...)

Onto my ramblings... In case one of my four readers is interested in the deet's:  the old glass window is actually half of a door from our old house in Michigan. The door did about as much good actually attached to the house. It's a piece of Michigan that I will never part with. The lanterns are PB knock-offs. I heart them. They are from Shopko. Who knew? I hadn't been there in a meeelion years, but happened in there for Christmas lights and found these beauts, marked at 60% off. Making them $23 for the biggie and $13 for the smallie. The wreath is a coffee filter wreath - she's showing off in this picture.

Apparently the right side is dollar tree corner. The glass hurricanes are a blog land knock-off, which are actually Williams and Sonoma knock-off's I think. I just used a candle stick and a vase from dollar tree and glued them together, with one of those prayer candles inside (plain, no fancy picture).  I used some bead garland to dress them up.

Mr Nutcracker was my mom's and he asked to leave storage and come home with me. I couldn't say no. And now, he has friends.

Oh, and again, from blogland (seriously, this is how I relax) - the pennant or banner or bunting, whatever they are called, is just leftover khaki fabric with itsy red pin stripes was roughly cut into triangles and hot glued to twine. I used big foam letter stamps from Michaels to stamp "Merry Christmas". Instead of stamping paint, I stamped glue on each piece, then sprinkled glitter on them.

There is still glitter stuck to my kitchen island. Se la vi. 

Merry Christmas!!!