Thursday, November 29, 2012

Living Room Christmas Mantel

I am truly impressed with all of you who have been
planning for weeks...months...how you're going to decorate
your Christmas mantel.



You've perused pinterest for ideas and inspiration...



You've even planned a theme... Amazing!



Let me share with you how I go about decorating my mantel...

I put away all of my fall decor so I have a lot of bare surfaces.



After hauling out the boxes filled with all my Christmas stuff,
I sit down and stare at the mantel and the boxes...
feeling very overwhelmed...wondering what in the world
I'm going to do this year.



I whine a bit...okay a lot...to my daughter about being uninspired.



The one thing for certain...I like little white lights on this vintage mantel.



I finally decide to make the mercury stand 
and cloche, filled with vintage baubles, the centerpiece of the mantel.

Thanks, Megan, for filling the cloche for me!



I decide to use pink as my accent color with the silver.



Somehow it all comes together...sparkly and bright.



And what's really amazing in my lack of a plan...
I still like it!

One down...two more to go...Yikes!



I'm so glad you stopped by for a visit,

Mary Alice


Linking to:

Savvy Southern Style
French Country Cottage
Shabby Art Boutique
Jennifer Rizzo












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43 comments:

  2. For not having a plan, this came out amazing. I love the white lights and the vintage ornaments. Very pretty and impressive.

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  3. I love it, Mary Alice! I don't always have a plan for my mantel. With this being our second Christmas in our new house, I actually kind of dread doing the mantel as it is not very deep. I'm sure I'll get it right {where I really just love it} over the next several years. I'm counting these years as trial and error!

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  4. I do look at magazines and pinterest but alas I end up throwing it up there too because I have to go with what I can find. I live in a small town with limited shopping. Your mantel is very beautiful and sparkly too.

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  5. Plan?? that is a 4 letter word I hardly ever use. Your mantle is gorgeous as it would be even being spontaneous and going with what you "feel" and like in the moment. Beautiful!

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  6. I had to smile when I read this post. I've been guilty of over-planning only to find out it usually turns out best when I decorate on a whim. Lovely mantle.

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  7. Sometimes everything just falls into place. Your mantel is so festive and beautiful. Love it all.

    hugs
    Sissie

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  8. Wow Mary Alice you mantle looks so pretty! Yes those lights are perfect! Sweet brush trees.And what a beautiful filled cloche!
    xx
    Anne

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  9. Your mantel is beautiful Mary Alice! I love the white lights.

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  10. The cloche with vintage ornies is beautiful. The wee white lights are pretty too. I never have a plan and it likely shows. But that's okay life sweet life gets in the way of any plan. xo, olive

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  11. Oh, you sound like me. I wasn't sure what I was going to do and have tweaked it a gazillion times. Still not thrilled with it, but the basic traditional look fits the room.

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  12. Oh, and I love yours. Love the sparkly lights and the vintage baubles and trees.

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  13. Mary Alice your Christmas mantle is beautiful. For an unplanned idea it came out wonderful!

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  14. Beautiful vintage mantel! You can never go wrong with mercury glass and bottle brush trees.

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  15. so so pretty i just love a vintage christmas!

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  16. Oh...this is so pretty. I hope to have my mantel up soon. I love the vintage stuff to. A person can never have enough of them. I love the colors you used...those are what I like at Christmas too.

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  17. way pretty! I wish I had a mantle - I'd love it to look like yours :-)

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  18. I love your old fireplace and the way you decorated the mantel. It looks so pretty!

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  19. Your mantel is so pretty, Mary Alice! I love the lights all around it and your bottle brush trees. I'd like to try the ornaments in the cloche idea. I have a hard time with my mantel, it's very deep. I never have a plan either although I always use some fruit in the vignette. I'm getting some great ideas from magazines and blogs though and when I get my things out I will probably do what you do...just sit and stare at it for awhile!

    XO,
    Jane

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  21. Gorgeous! I love the fireplace surround - just stunning.

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  22. So beautiful!!!! You did an amazing job from start to finish.

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  23. Stunning. You should be uninspired more often...or, I wish I were as successful being inspired as you are being uninspired. This is really beautiful.

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  24. I know why you have so many followers and friends! Always love your creativity. The pop of color is fabulous!

    I love mercury glass and brush trees as you can see from my latest posts. But those vintage ornament....Wow!

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  25. I never have a plan either. The hard part is getting the first thing up there. Once I have and inspiration piece, it all seems to come together. Love your 'not planned' mantel!

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  27. Your mantel is as sweet as candy, Mary Alice! The pastel tones, mercury glass and white fairy lights are yummy!

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  28. Well if this is how your mantel looks without "a plan", then I'd love to see it with one. It's beautiful! I love the vintage style ornaments collected on the mantel with the little twinkly lights. So vintage and so delightful.

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  29. Your mantel looks gorgeous:) Have a lovely weekend!
    ~Anne

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  30. Your mantle looks so beautiful!!! Love your vintage mantle and all your twinkle lights, mercury glass and vintage ornaments and trees!

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  31. just gorgeous, mary alice! i think you could leave your beautiful mantle bare and it would be stunning! happy weekend!

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  32. I like your plan. Your mantel is amazing. I love how bright, sparkling and pretty it is.

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  33. Beautiful! How could you lose with such a gorgeou piece like that to start with? But I love what you've done! I need to get something in my jars too! Love those ornaments and trees together!

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  34. I only have one word...Gorgeous!!!! :)

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  35. It is beautiful! I don't really have a plan either - I just go at it and see what develops! If I have a plan it ends up not looking like I want it to and I end up changing it anyway!

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  37. You made me laugh Mary Alice! I think I will try that method too because it sure works for you. Your mantle is stunning!
    sending hugs...

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  38. So, so gorgeous! I think this is my favorite mantle so far! It would be perfect for our Country Whites Weekend on Dec 21st! Wish you would join us! Doesn't have to be "country"--and this post is so inspiring!
    Sending you a hug!
    Dru
    The Country Farm Home

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  39. WOW! These photos are wonderful. I love how you have captured the lights...so so pretty!
    Karen

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  41. PERFECT! I wish I had a mantel...: )

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  42. Your mantel is picture perfect! I love the combination of ornaments and lights. So pretty!

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  43. Doesn't matter how you got there Mary Alice... the final effect is GORGEOUS. Love it all.
    Thanks for linking up at Shabbilicious Friday.

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