Easter Mantel

 
This time last year we were lamenting how we didn't have much of a winter.  Of course, this year we are wondering when will we be rid of the snow once and for all.  I guess that's always the way, huh?



Perhaps that is some of the inspiration for this year's Easter mantel...  I don't think I've ever incorporated this many plants in a mantel.  I think I really wanted to see some green, life, and growth indoors since there sure isn't much outdoors.

The button Easter egg is also a new addition this year.  I was inspired by this I found on Pintrest.  It was also a craft I could make using materials I already have.  My original vision was to make the egg pink, but when I saw the pink with the blue frame, I was reminded that sometimes pink and blue is not my favorite color combination. 

 

I've made the eggs over the years. Those in the little egg cups are just modge podged tissue paper.  The blue and brown speckled eggs I made last year for our Easter dinner centerpiece.  I just painted them with acrylic paint and remain quite pleased with how they turned out. 

 

The embroidered Home Sweet Home was made by my grandmother Nellie.  It brings back fond memories of visiting her and my granddad in North Carolina. 








When I was in college, I worked as a cashier at a mom and pop grocery store.  One day a much older gentleman bought an Easter Lily.  He told me, "I've been buying my wife one of these for 50 years.  I can't stop now!"  Whenever I buy myself one, I think of him.


I just can't wait to welcome spring!

Love my Man(tel)

Despite the challenging corner, I love decorating the mantel for holidays.  I always struggle with achieving a cohesive composition, and not two separate arrangements: what's below the mirror and what isn't.

My Valentine's Day mantel this year incorporates some of the same elements I used last year, as well as some new additions.

Here's what it looked like last year:

I love the wreath.  It was inspired by this that I found on Pinterest.

Yes.  It took a long time to make.  A very long time.  But was well worth it.  Not only is it lovely, it's versatile.  It can be used any time of the year, especially if you trade out the ribbon.

Another versatile element is the jewel and button covered cone atop a glass candlestick pedestal I got at Target.  It's just a felt covered cone that I hotglued my grandmother's vintage costume jewelry to.  The cone was also a part of my Christmas mantel.

I think this year's mantel is a bit further developed:

This year I added the candlesticks that I purchased at a thrift store.  They were brass when I bought them and I spray painted them silver.  I am pleased with how they turned out, and I think the additional silver elements give the mantel a bit more unity.

Also new this year are the felt flowers discovered during more Pinterest trolling.  I made these in two batches.  In the first batch I think I cut the hearts too deep - too much of a point at the bottom.  I liked the second batch a bit better because not only was the point shorter, but the sides of the heart were a bit more rounded.

I was surprised by how much the floral tape really transformed them.  They didn't look much like flowers after I first glued them, but the tape really helped to create more authenticly shaped flowers.

Of course, another take away from this project is the color of the felt...  The really saturated colors did not yield themselves to the same realness more natural and earth tones would.  The inspirational flowers looked more real.  

You may also notice that I only used three heart shapes on my flowers, while the inspiration sometimes used four.

Finally, if you make your own flowers, be careful.  It is very easy to burn yourself while making these little blossoms.

The vintage Valentines are displayed a bit differently this year as well.  I just used painter's tape to adhere them to the cording and hopefully it can be removed without damaging the back of the Valentines.  They're one of my favorite parts of the mantel.

I love the vintage Valentines!  They're so clever and just plain awesome.

Finally, I was surprised by how many temporary hangers hung with poster strips I used to put this together.  They were really helpful and unexpectedly critical.