As you can see from my blog banner, I used to have family photos on the mantel. Apparently that is a huge 'no no' in the decorating world, especially if it's overdone (and since my family photos were also on the dining room hutch, the dining room half wall, and the tops of various cupboards, etc., I'd be hard pressed to argue that I might not have been a tad obsessive... and we won't even mention the photos in the bedrooms)...
So I decided to put some of my family members into storage... (sorry guys - I still love you... honest!)
Just look at this perfectly shabby little candle holder that a good friend gave me this past Christmas (thank you, Jill :)... I wanted to put it someplace where it would really stand out, so I placed that on the center of the mantel flanked by two bluebirds. Now I have tons of white birds around my house, but these are my only two blue birds. I actually got them in the Christmas section of Target this past year. I have no idea why they were considered Christmas decorations, but when I spotted them I knew the colors would be perfect with the painting over the fireplace. And the finishing touch was this sweet little NEST banner that I got on ETSY.
I didn't know what to place on the ends of the mantel, so I finally decided on some tall candle holders and glass vases. This one just has a long piece of creamy white ribbon curled up around the inside. The ribbon was purchased for a project I never got around to doing (typical me...)
And then, of course, I have some of my creamy white buttons filling several vases as well...
So that's how the mantel looks now. I think it's really nice for a change (teeny confession though... by nature I'm a very symmetrical person, so I think the center section with the candle holder and birds is great, but the fact that the sides of the mantel aren't identical mirror images of each other is driving me nuts... be calm, Donna... remember, you're trying to not be so rigid.. to be more open to new ideas, new ways of doing things)...
I wouldn't be a bit surprised if some of the family photos I tucked away eventually start popping up 'here and there' around the house though, because when all is said and done, all the "do's" and "don'ts" of decorating don't really matter if we're not happy within our own four walls, right?
Donna
P.S. Joanne at My Little Cottage in the Making has a giveaway going on her blog for some BEAUTIFUL creamy white buttons and lots of other cottage/shabby goodies!! Be sure to visit her blog to enter her drawing!
Update: I thought it would be fun to add my name to Kari & Kijsa's Mantel 101 list! Since I did a "Mantel Makeover" post not long ago, I'm just linking to that. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's mantels as I'm always looking for new ideas and inspiration!!