Christmas Decorating~Let's Start With The Mantel

Where do you start when Christmas Decorating begins?  

I usually start by getting all of my decorations out 

and laying the boxes all over the basement floor.  

Lots and lots of boxes!  

I always have things that I have bought the previous year after Christmas, 

so I take a look at those items first.  

Then I plan my color scheme.  

It has been everything from red and green to all white to every color in-between.  

But the actual decorating always starts with the Mantel 

in the Living room 

and everything else is a take-off from that. 

Wanna take a peak at what I did this year?  

My Inspiration (because you always need Inspiration right? 

I would never get off of the sofa without Inspiration!) 

this year is this set of Angel Wings from Decor Steals.  

It's funny because I had been looking online for Angel Wings or a tutorial on how to make them and then Presto my magic shopping fairy (c'mon you have one too!) 

put them on Decor Steals for me.  

Thank You Magic Shopping Fairy!  

I Love You!  

Mr. Beaux, not so much...

I did some tweaking to the Angel Wings 

but I am going to wait and show you that later in the post.  

I am much too excited to show you the finished product!  

I think it's my favorite Mantel EVER!!!  

I'm calling it Ethereal Winter.  

No that's too ostentatious.  

How about Winter White Fantasy?  

OK, I'll work on the name.  

Snowy white light up Christmas Trees take center stage.  

And white glittery Reindeer flank the sides of the mantel.   

Feathery birds hang precariously 

from the abundant real greenery.  

The greens make the house smell so good!  

Peace On Earth is written on the Mirror.  

I like that it's so faint and quiet.  

 Little touches of bling add sparkle, like these vintage chandelier drops 

that I wired to the branches.

And these snowflakes from Nell Hill's store. 

Here is how I started.  

Mr. Beaux took a 1 X 12 and routered out the notch so it would just slide into place.  My mantel is not that deep so I wanted to extend it a few inches.  Also, I can staple gun the greens right onto this board and not have to worry about it.  

See how the sides go back around the mantel.  

It makes it look very finished and not like you just stuck a board up there.  

Mr. Beaux is so handy!

I primed it and painted it white.  

You don't have to nail it or anything, just set it on top and you are good to go.  

See!  It looks like it has been here all along!  

Mr. Beaux made the edges fancy too.  

I have no idea how he did that but if you really want to know I can probably get him to do a whole post about it.  

But there will be NO pretty pictures... just sayin.

I bought a bundle of green roping or garland from Costco and a few swags from Home Depot.  I cut the garland after draping it over the mantel and I stapled it down.

I like it really full so I took the swags that I cut apart and just poked the boughs under the garland so it hangs over the front of the mantel.

You can add as much or as little as you like.  To keep it fresh just spray it with water a few times a day. 

I dry brushed the wings with ASCP Old White because I thought they had too much wood and dark showing through.  Then I used Martha Stewart's glitter and glue to enhance the tips of the wings.  I know it's hard to tell in the photos but the one on the left is all glittered up.

I used the white glitter on the tips and edged it with the gold.  And now there is glitter from the kitchen to the Living Room.  

I am such a messy crafter!  

Here is a better picture of the glitterness.

I also dry brushed the mirror with Old White to lighten it up a bit.  Then I took a glitter glue pen that writes on glass and a stencil to write the words. The glass paint is also from Martha.  Boy, that Martha has everything!  

 I added my chair that I refinished this summer in front of the fireplace.  The colors really work with my mantel.  And don't you always need extra seating this time of year?

And there it is!  

My Peace On Earth Mantel!  

Now to get busy on the rest of the house.

Until Next Time,

Beaux R'eves,

XO Cindy

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Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
 From My Front Porch To Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Heather and Vanessa at At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Jen at Tatertots and Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party

                                     Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special