Saturday, January 8, 2011

New Year, New Mantel

Well, sort of new.....maybe "update" would be a better word? 

I remember putting together my first "visually pleasing" mantel.  It was in our condo--my first home purchase.  My mom helped me!  We had an assortment of different textures, shapes, colors and sizes.  Mom has always had a good eye for design and this has helped me...not only in my home, but also in my garden, too!  That mantel stayed with me for a long time.  Why mess with a good thing?

Since then I have incorporated other elements, but still remember the "textures, shapes, colors and sizes idea."  Here is the latest:


In this pic, you can see the lighted wine bottles I have.  My sister found these at a tiny bar near her old apartment.  I liked them so much, I started making my own, using a drill bit designed for glass.


This one shows pussy willows in a vase.  I used these in my first mantel and have loved them ever since.  I decided to introduce a winter feeling by cutting up an old sweater and putting pieces around vases and a jar.  I bought the sweater at Goodwill for about $3.


Here is a closer pic of the sweater glass:


I cut these seed heads from an ornamental grass in my front yard.  Behind it is an antique butter mold that my mom lent to me...and happy for me, she has not asked for it back yet!  I also placed some off-white yarn balls in a glass dish.  I think I might add a few more--they look a little puny in there!


I am definitely enjoying the update and the lighted bottles are filling the void left by the absences of masses of Christmas lights.  Well, maybe just a little.

1 comment:

Fred Reeder Jr. said...

I'm curious about the sweater glass. Did the glass's mommy say to bundle up? And since the glass is right above the fireplace, does it really need the sweater?