Last week I told you about my love for the Christmas colors of green, white, silver & gold, so this week I''m going to show you how I put those colors to use while decorating my fireplace mantle for Christmas. I hope you enjoy the mantle-scape, and feel free to ask me any questions.
I flanked either side of the mantle with different types of floral greenery. On the left I filled a tall glass vase with curly willow branches, silk hydrangeas, and frosted green berries. I hung green, white and silver ornaments on the willow branches and filled the vase with clear glass filler. I finished off the vase with a fabric bow I made from fabric that looks like sheet music. I have to say, I really love how this turned out. My living room is 2 stories tall and this piece really added a lot of height, sparkle and texture.
On the right side I placed a live small Norfolk Pine on a white pedestal cake plate and placed it in a vintage Christmas planter. There are small gold ornaments(from the dollar store) on the pine and a glittered bottle brush wreath just in front of it. I couldn't resist these green glittered Santa boots when I saw them :)
I hung a fresh evergreen garland under the mantle and fixed it to hooks with wide satin ribbon. The bright sage green is so pretty on the dark evergreens. Whenever I'm using fresh evergreens I actually soak them in cold water first and let them drain before I hang them up. This way I know they start out as fresh as possible. The smell is incredible :)
In the center I placed three tall silver candlesticks and topped them with silver and gold votive holders (instead of pillars). The votives just added one more element of sparkle and the candle flames are now proteced.
Next to the vase I placed an apothecary jar filled with green glittered ornaments (from the dollar store) and wrapped more green satin ribbon around the top of the lid, this turned out so nice for the little effort and money that it cost. I already had the jar, and the ribbon was left over from the bows I made for the garland.
I took two bunches of fresh evergreens from the grocery store floral dept ($5 each) and spread them around the mantle after I had the pieces where I wanted them and then strung two strings of random twinkle lights throughout the entire mantle-scape. I have to say, this might be my favorite part. It looks like little magic fairies dancing in the evergreens.
A close up of the mercury glass candlestick, votive holder and the twinkle lights :)
I just fell in love with this sweet little silver and mica birdie ornament I found in a garden boutique, so he found his way onto the willow :) Someone like him would make a lovely hostess or teacher gift wrapped in sweet little box, he cost me $3.95
I realized that my mantle was taking on a sort of magical fairy forest look when I hung 6 of these green and gold eggs from the willlow branches :) You know that sweet silver bird must have hatched from one of these :)
To complete the magic fairy forest I hung this sparkling glass pinecone, and the sparkly snowflakes they catch the light so beautifully.
So from my home to yours, I wish you a sparkly, magical, and joyful Christmas :)
Well, it's finally here, The most wonderful time of the year :) So that means it's time to deck those halls! I must confess, I've been in love with green and white, green & cream, green & silver, and green & gold color schemes for a while now. There's something so soothing and ethereal about this combination. I suppose it also has something to do with the fact that I'm a floral designer and for us, it all starts with green :)
Nothing says welcome like this cream door all decked out in greenery :) The wreath is made with reindeer moss and the swag is made with evergreen boughs. I just love this.
Need a green and silver inspiration for your table, look no further than this setting. Lady Slipper orchids, green & white roses, & kale bring magic to this green, white, & silver
tablescape.
Both real and wax evergreens make a serene Christmas forest scene. I love these candles and have some very similar. I can remember my mother having candles like this when I was growing up.
I love this green, cream, & silver crudite tray. What could be more green than vegetables and an herb dip :)
An assortment of green and white ornaments on a white painted branch, how lovely.
Mercury glass adds sparkle to these evergreens. I love the white twinkle lights to catch the light of the silver. The contrast of the silver and rustic greenery is perfect.
A white gumdrop wreath hung by a sage striped ribbon is sure to bring visions of sugarplums to your head.
I just think these green glittered birds perched atop birch wrapped favor tubes are adorabale :)
As I take time this week to count my blessings, I realize I have so much to be thankful for. I'm a truly blessed woman, and it does not escape me that God has showered me with too many blessings for me to count or even recognize. Sometimes while we are enduring tragedy, or feeling lost we don't even realize that there will be light at the end of the tunnel, and blessings we can't even imagine.
If you had told me earlier this year when I suddenly and tragically lost my sister that I would feel blessed, I wouldn't have believed you. From that tragedy I learned we should never take our families for granted and my younger sister and I are closer than ever. I believe it is essential to make the best we can out of what can seem, the worst situations.
Sometimes I think we gain our greatest strength from picking ourselves up one more time, and counting our blessings. Let's face it, the alternative is too depressing, staying down and drowning in our own sorrows is the saddest way I could think of to exist.
I know so many of you my sweet friends are facing difficulties in these challenging times. Know that I am grateful for each and every one of you. That you bring me joy and happiness, that you are a blessing to me.
So this Thanksgiving, I'm choosing Joy over Sorrow, Triumph over Tragedy, Love over Hate.
I choose to count my blessings, and overcome my obstacles, I choose Faith, Hope, and Love, for they have never failed me.
I'm hoping you enjoy this vintage clip-art that I've selected and enhanced for you. Use them to make greeting cards, to make place-cards, to make a garland.
Accent the edges (or whatever you like) with some glitter, to really make it pop. Print them on vellum paper and wrap them around candle votives.
So from my home to yours, I wish you a Joyful, and Blessed Thanksgiving, but most of all, I wish you, Faith, Hope, and Lots & Lots of Love.
