Sparkly White and Metallic Holiday Mantel

I am LOVING my pretty, sparkly mantel this year!
I've had a whole year to work on my mantel decorating skills, and I think I've finally figured things out since last year's (somewhat skimpy) traditional setup.


I decided to go with a white/cream and metallic color scheme this year with pops of pink, turquoise and light green to go with the colors I have going on in the rest of the first floor. Though none of the color pops made it onto the mantel, they'll be one the tree about four feet away!


I also decided to throw caution to the wind and put a couple of taper candles up there since the cat hasn't shown any interest at all in jumping up there, despite Hubbies concerns!

I first set it up like this, which was lovely. But in the full floor-to-ceiling view (which I somehow didn't take a picture of!) lacked that over-the-top factor I was going for! SO, I got all crafty and decided to make a garland of sparkly snow!

Which I did by threading a whole bunch of cotton balls together in varying lengths, spraying them with hairspray and covering them in Martha Stewart Coarse Crystal glitter. (You can't really see the glitter in the picture, but I promise you can in real life!)
That not being over-the-top enough for me, I added on some of the gold glittered snowflakes I got at Target a few years ago. (They still sell them, now they have them in all sorts of crazy colors, I'm using silver ones in the dining room.)


More cotton ball "snow" went into the hurricanes with the tall branches I sprayed silver last year.

Like that wreath? I made it! Yup! It's my first... : ) I started out with a wire form and five floral picks (two pearl and 3 white sparkly plastic ones) from Joanne's, which altogether cost about $9 (floral was on sale.) Then I hiked my butt out into the woods with Tembo-dog, cut some bittersweet and dragged it back home. (Hubby told me today that I left a Hansel and Gretel trail of bittersweet berries all along the path on the way back to the house- oops!) A little more hairspray and glitter went onto the branches once they were wired on, then I just sort of stuck the white parts on, tucking them into the wire that was already on there. I should probably add some glue or something to that before I store it away for the season!

These two cute dear tealight holders came from Christmas Tree Shop and were the only new thing (other than the wreath parts!) that I bought for the mantel this year. But at $2.99 apiece I almost don't even count that!


The gray furry thing is actually a fur scarf that was a gift to me about 10 years ago. It's seen better days and... erm... molts a bit too much for wear, but it works pretty well as a fluffy snow-scape!

The crystal candle holders are HomeGoods/TJs finds over the years, and the mercury glass votive holders are from Target last year, but I saw them there again this year. And the little angel tucked in on the left was also from Christmas Tree Shop last year.

So, total cost for new winter mantel-scape that's totally staying up until, like, next April because I so love it to bits and pieces: $15!



Yay :) .

I'm linking up to Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday, so head on over there to check out everyone else's holiday splendor!