A Touch of Spring: The Mantel

Happy Monday, peeps!  Speaking of Peeps, last time I was at the store I couldn’t find a single package of Peeps ANYWHERE.  What is the world coming to?  I need my sugar-coated-marshmallow fix! 

Over the weekend I made a few spring updates to the décor around here.  I started with the living room and – my very favorite place to decorate – the mantel. 

99% of the spring décor was stuff I already had.  I just added burlap, twine and a few other little details for a rustic spin.  The one new item is a fabulous little mercury glass bottle.  It was 70% off at Joann a couple days ago, and I just couldn’t resist. 

I love it   It’s sparkly and shiny and it’ll be great for just about every season.

I used scrapbook paper and burlap to dress up the pillar candles a bit.  And I made the burlap “J” art from a dollar store item I had laying around and a $1 wooden letter from Hobby Lobby.

I dug a green glass bottle out of the recycling bin (and washed it, thankyouverymuch) and added some twine.  It adds a beautifully reflective touch of extra green.

It’s a little “apothecary”, right?  Or bootlegger?  Ha

The ceramic bird is also a dollar store purchase from a year or two ago. 

I saw this light strand in the Pottery Barn catalog…

…and was inspired to make up my own version. I already had a strand of “tiki” type lights, so I just covered them with brown paper to tone them down a bit. 

I finally put up some wall art in the space to the left of the fireplace.

And I used my refinished, reversible tray to dress up the ottoman.  But more on that later.

On the hearth is a springy wreath atop two old textbooks and on the other side is a twig basket with a wire bowl of pine cones and candles on it. 

I used a scrap piece of white canvas to line the inside of the twig basket on the hearth.  The blue and orange blanket stored in that basket wasn’t exactly complimenting the fireplace and it’s nicer to see the twig detail against a light background anyway.

I’m really loving this new spring mantel and hearth.  It adds a lighter, airier feeling to the living room, and it was easy on the pocketbook too.  It’s helping me get in the mood for nicer weather.

Thanks for stopping by!  More spring décor coming up later this week: the dining room, front door (sayonara Christmas wreath!), and the rest of the living room.

 

P.S.  I just about jumped out of my socks the other day when I saw bulbs coming up in the front yard.  Talk about being unprepared for Spring!  Usually I’m out trying to ‘garden’ before anything is up yet…   

 

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Linked to: Metamorphosis Monday, Making the World Cuter, Keeping it Simple, The DIY Showoff,   It’s So Very Cheri, I Heart Naptime, The Shady Porch