I didn’t go all out this year with Christmas decorating.
Just my mantel and my entry way and few unique projects.
Even though Christmas Day hasn’t even gotten here, this is my Christmas Décor 2012 recap post.
First, let’s start with the entry way…
(Brought the Photo Ladder in for this one.)
If you read my blog then you know the hubs and I took a trip to Maine recently.
One of my favorite little towns is Freeport!
It’s the home of the Flagship LLBean Store(s) and lots of outlet stores.
Well… throughout the LLBean Stores… they had these balsam fir pillows in crates & barrels.
BOY… did they smell GOOD!!
So… I bought two small pillows… it was about all I could afford.
ANNNNNDDDDD… one big bag of pure balsam fir that I could use for my own crafts at home.
I went for a “woodsy” theme this year.
See my little Hoot Owl hiding out?
I was contacted by a sweet lady from HGTV.com in October…
asking to feature my Rustic Winter Mantel from earlier this year.
I was so thrilled about it all… I couldn’t contain it and shared about it on Facebook the day I found out… so some you may already know…LOL!
I just wanted to share it again on the blog!
It certainly makes a girl feel good and I am so thankful to God for such a sweet blessing!
I thought it would also be a good time to post some of my past mantel displays,
as well as another link to some of my display tips… in case you struggle with how to get started in making your own display.
*Christmas Mantels*
*Spring and Fall Mantels*
*Summer Mantels*
These are all the past mantel displays I have done.
Here are the links to some display tips I offered earlier this year in case you need help getting started with your displays:
http://creative-ambitions.blogspot.com/2012/05/tips-for-prop-styling-in-your-home-or.html
http://creative-ambitions.blogspot.com/2012/05/tips-for-prop-styling-in-your-home-or_25.html
As always…
Thanks For Stopping By!
Next Post… Christmas Mantel 2012!!
Well folks… this is the third part of our trip to Maine.
I surely couldn’t show it all… there is so much to do and see so I’m just touching on the highlights.
First of all… Hurricane Sandy finally reached us Monday evening.
Well, this is part two of our trip to Maine.
Click here for part one.
The next stop was actually in another nearby state… Boston, MA.
We decided to take a trolley tour around the town.
The hubs and I went to visit some family in Portland, Maine recently.
All of the landscape photos were taking by my husband (maybe 2 or 3 by me)…
he did such a good job.
So lots of pics ahead.
Can I just say… it is absolutely GORGEOUS up there!
My little buddy Smokey got really sick two weeks ago.
He had been diagnosed with kidney disease a few years back.
And two weeks ago… he took a turn for the worse.
However, we did have hope because we started giving him fluids and he responded well. Started eating, started walking around, even purring again within two days!
The hard part was… we had to go out of town about three days into his recovery.
So on a Friday morning… we checked him into boarding at the vet, kissed him goodbye and left for our trip with high hopes!
We were about hour and a half into our trip at this point.
And then… the phone call came.
Smokey had some light labored breathing and I had left permission to do a chest x-ray.
And so they did.
Smokey ended up having a tumor in his lung and the lung itself it was filling up with fluid at the same time.
We had been giving him fluids for a couple of days.
My husband (who’s a nurse) said it was like getting pneumonia.
So with kidney disease and a tumor and fluid on his lung… it was just too much for my little fur baby and we had to make that dreaded decision.
We turned the car around, went back to the vet and said our goodbyes.
Oh… It was so hard!! One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do!
But, as hard as it was… I know it was the right thing to do.
I didn’t want him to be in pain.
I don’t have any children of my own… so I do tend to put a lot of my energy into my fur babies.
I am missing him today… it’s actually the first week back from vacation…we left (very sad) for vacation… after we brought him home that day.
Vacation was the best thing for me in dealing with it all and since I’ve been back, I‘ve had a lot going on with trees being cut down and so forth… keeping my mind busy.
But I do miss him… more than my heart can express.
He was the sweetest cat… he would let anybody love on him. You could pick him up and sling him over your shoulder and he would be so content.
He was so perfect for us… brought so much joy and lots of love to us.
He was my little buddy…
when he wasn’t outside playing or taking his cat naps on the porch… he was by my side… following me or sitting in my lap… especially at the computer. Always slept by my feet at night and then woke me up every morning by kneading my pillow, purring loudly and sweetly butting my head and hand with his head.
Smokey was so SWEET.
And I’m so thankful he was one of my fur babies.
Missing him dearly.
Hi Everyone!
Just wanted to share with you a NEW BLOG that launched TODAY!
(Hoping you check it out and show ’em some blog love!)
Three creative blogging gals got together to start a new blog named
It features some of their creative projects… as well as other bloggers’ creations!
SOOoooo…
I was honored when Kristen (originally from Ella Claire blog) asked if they could feature my
Old Curbside Rescue Farm Table turned Bench!
(Featured Here on Reclaimed Bliss!)
Before…
After…
Thanks so much Ladies!
How exciting!
Wishing them much success!!
Hope you’re ready for some
Fall Y’all!
This year… my fall mantel theme is:
‘Fall Festival’
(burlap banner with cut out felt letters)
and
Just to warn you… I went a little crazy with it! YEP!
Anywho…
Let’s put on our boots and get going to the festival!
So how do we navigate around this place?
Oh Good… directions! Let’s go right! :)
For the sign…
just took some scrap wood, cut some points on the end of each piece, painted some words, and glued them on an old stake we had. Easy Peasy!
The Burlap Sack…Tractor Supply store for $1.00… is covering a decorative jar where the stake is inserted. It worked out perfect!
Do you remember this BARN? Click Here if you don’t!
A new coat of red paint made this barn a fantastic focal at the fall festival!
(a little tongue twister there for ya!)
I didn’t have any fall décor until I went to Hobby Lobby!
All the pumpkins, leaves, and hay were compliments of Hobby Lobby’s 40% off sale on fall décor!
Aren’t these chalk board buckets adorable?
Got ‘em at Target… $1.00 a piece!
An old metal bucket holds the harvest of red delicious fake apples…
Maybe some apple cider or even apple pie for the festival?
Sounds good to me!!
Well Folks…
Hope you enjoyed this year’s Fall Festival on my mantel!
Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Harvest Everyone!
Praying MANY Fall Blessings to all this season!
Ok… I told you I might do another summer mantel…
aaaannnd so I did!
Here is my second summer mantel…
I still used some of my painted pots from My Very Colorful Summer Mantel.
I also brought in another oldie but goody… the “ol’ cottage drawer” I repurposed long ago.
I had to took the handle off so I could sit some pots on top of it.
I think it blended in nicely with my mantel.
I really like the cool tones of the blue and green in this summer mantel.
And there you have it folks! :)
Now guess what?
Surprise… Surprise…
The wheels in my brain are already turning for decorating my fall mantel!!
LOL!
Crazy me can’t wait!
(NOTE: sorry for any blurry shots of my mantel… I struggle greatly with lighting in this room!)
Thanks For Stopping By!
This is part two of my tips on prop styling in the home.
First of all… what is Prop Styling? Well… I’ll tell ya…
in short… it is a term usually linked to commercial displays for magazine photo shoots, commercials, movies, etc.
Prop styling involves (along with other responsibilities) arranging items/props in a visually pleasing way that accents a product, a theme, a room, etc. Most people who do this for a living are called prop stylists.
I use to work in retail visual display for many years… another avenue in prop styling.
From soft goods (clothing)… to hard goods (home décor)…
I am really enjoying changing out my mantel for the seasons!
I even find myself thinking of different things to do before the next season even gets here.
That is why I went ahead and decorated my mantel for summer…
even though summer is about a month away.
I guess you can call it Mantel Mania!!
In fact… for summer… I am thinking about doing two different mantels with two different looks!!
For this mantel…
I made a picket fence.
Very easy to do.
You can buy these for @ a $1.27 at Lowes and all you have to do is cut them.
I made mine to fit my mantel.
Anywho…
when I think of summer, I think of words such as…
bright, colorful, happy…
and that is what I put into this mantel…
((for at least the first part of summer)).
Let’s just say… I’M NOT AFRAID OF COLOR…LOL!
I call it ‘The Potting Shed’.
Do you see the bird’s nest Mrs. Robin left me in my cherry tree?
Lovin’ it with some painted eggs.
The shutters… a great find at Habitat’s Restore for $2.00 a piece. I used some last year to make shutter signs on another wall in my entry way…CLICK HERE.
I debated painting them… they were a natural tone… but glad I did… I actually still have more unpainted ones to use elsewhere.
But I love these colors for the summer!
I’m wishing I had lots of colorful throw pillows for my sofas… I may have to come up with something!
My husband thinks it’s very tropical looking.
I agree…
Maybe it’s a potting shed you would find in the tropics? Ha!
In fact…
this color infusion in my living room makes me want to go on vacation already! I must have been subconsciously thinking about the beach when I created this mantel…LOL! :)
So there you have it…
my VERY colorful summer mantel.
Hope you like it… lots of color… lots of joy!
But because I have mantel mania right now…
I may do ANOTHER mantel for the second part of summer!
We’ll see!!
stay tuned…
Are you having trouble getting started with your mantel display?
Here are some tips I offer in a two part post on prop styling in your home!
Here is a slideshow of seasonal mantels I’ve created in my home…
![summer mntl 2_thumb[6]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNvh_iHJUD40xNf0RAHl4WG657gksnomCaH8o9-qPQ4hTBMBcU-I28rY6X6nOAL79-GA10z-DTBI_7mOChC-3DoN4d_aLCAJ9F2HKmA8twUhY_5Lfe5_knEKWLs716aXsZ0fsDl_dZC7U/s1600-h/summer-mntl-2_thumb613.jpg "summer mntl 2_thumb[6]")
