It seems like it would get easier to decorate a mantel when you move from a house with 3 mantels, to a house with 1. But it didn't. I have had such a difficult time decorating this mantel since we moved in. I think it has something to do with the big black box in the middle of it. Stupid T.V. ....
BUT ANYWAY.... I came up with a cheap and easy fall mantel this year and I couldn't be happier with it.
I started on the left side with an old window sash I got from a yard sale for a buck. It's rustic charm is gorgeous. I created a little fall pennant out of scrapbook paper and hot glued pennies on the back so it would hang nicely.
I got the candleholder on the left from goodwill for $1.50 and replaced the candle with a little pumpkin that came from the produce section at Wal-Mart. Some Painted Acorns went into a wine carafe and a stick from the backyard gave it a little more pazzaz.
I used some really old books to hold up my favorite ceramic blue bird (well, I guess it's my only ceramic blue bird which makes it my favorite by default :)
On the other side of the giant box, I put my Pumpkin Acorn Wall Art along with my Family Sign that I made from an old cabinet door. I used a method similar to the one I used to put the graphic on My Little Blue French Desk.
This little pitcher was $2 at goodwill and the pumpkins came from that same Wal-Mart bag (isn't the color on them great? The berries came from an overgrown bush in my front yard.
The candle is a necessity this time of year. I love to have a yummy smelling candle burning while the windows are open and the breeze is blowing. I also included some silver painted acorns in a mason jar.
While the t.v. is a hindrance, it makes a good frame for my watermark. I'll probably keep tweaking until it's time to take it down and put my christmas mantel up :)
This is what it looks like most of the time if I'm gonna be honest with you. Caillou is bound to be a part of every mantel in this house!
And in honor of my new lens. I created this :)
This was the first picture I took with my new AF-S 50mm 1:1.4G lens!!
I decided to link this last picture up with the weekly photography challenge at A Step in the Journey
The challenge this week just happens to be bokeh (blur) which this picture works perfectly for.
Excited to link up to my first photography linky!
I still have some practicing to do because it's a big change, but some photography posts are bound to be coming soon :-D
Love,
Katie
Linky Party Love:
