Christmas Mantel 2011

Whole mantel with mini dollar store trees and Christmas book basket on the hearth

Last year since we had just moved, the mantel got stockings and our olive wood nativity and that was it. This year, I spent more time in unpacking all of our previous Christmas decorations and seeing where they'd best fit in our new space. We didn't have a mantel in the last house so we used the top of the piano for the nativity and a lovely assortment of Command hooks on the wall for our stockings. It was so nice to dress-up a real mantel this year. (And of course, the day I finally have time to take pics, it's totally rainy and nasty all day! If you click on the pic, it will enlarge and look better.)

Details on what I used:
*our olive wood nativity from Israel
*garland and lights from my stash
*handmade, personalized stockings (I drew my own pattern and appliqued on the design and embroidered the names. The first two I made when we were first married. Then I made one for each of the kids' first Christmases.)
*boxwood and greenery sprigs from my stash
*a few gold, silver, and blue ornaments from my stash
*oil-rubbed bronze stocking holders (last year's clearance deal at Target)
*a wreath from Michael's (got it 50% off and then used my $5 off coupon from the post Black Friday deal)
*berry picks from Michael's (50% off)
*2 ornament tubes: 1 small one and 1 large one (40% off)
*2 green pillar candles from my stash (I usually pull them out in the spring but the color worked)
*2 glass hurricanes ($0.50 each at Goodwill. One was sideways on a wood stand and had some nasty fake flowers in it. A good washing took care of them both.)
*1 roll of ribbon from Michael's (60% off)
Total cost: around $20

Up close look at the green, gold, silver, and blue color scheme

Moose and Bells for me and the hubs

Sheep and snowflakes for the younglings

Basket of Christmas books and my prim snowman/flake pillow

I had enough berry sprigs and ribbon left over to make an arrangement for the coffee table.
Supplies used:
* 3 candles from Christmas Tree Shops
*Dollar Store mini wreath from my stash
*pine cones from my stash
*a few berry picks from Michael's (50% off)
*left-over mantel ribbon
*gold charger as the base (from my stash)
Total cost: about $10

Coffee Table Arrangement

I love the blue and green color scheme with gold and silver accents. It's a glammed-up version of our normal colors and still looks festive. Another project crossed off the list!

Linking up to some of these parties and here.