EARLY FALL MANTLE

I'm Back...

Thank you if you've come back to this little blog after such a long hiatus...

Computer problems, life problems...

Because of a busy month ahead, I decided on this cloudy, rainy day to do a Fall mantle.  

I'm tired of 90+ temperatures and am hoping nature takes notice of my mantle and snaps into Fall temperatures (haha)!

Over the weekend I decided to change up a Fall painting I'd purchased at a garage sale years ago--I wanted a neutral living room this year.  

Here's the before...

Nothing wrong with it, but I needed a change.

Here's the after...

I repainted the lettering to black (it doesn't really show up here) and redid the pumpkin too.

Here's the mantle with the painting...

I printed the book titles on my computer and just wrapped the covers around the books.

Those are artificial sea fans behind the books.

Easy, peasy, huh?

A close up...

Happy Fall y'all...

Thanks for the visit...

Robin
 

Linking Up With

Thrift Decor Chick

STILL HERE, JUST INFREQUENT!

Did you think I'd forgotten about my blog?  I considered it, but then decided to just post when inspiration hit.

Sometimes the whole social media idea seems like a lot of bragging and I never intended my blog to reflect that.  Someone asked me when I first started the blog what my reason for creating it was.  I've pondered that questions for years.  I realize my motive was to share ideas and inspiration so that a reader would feel empowered to create a comforting home for themselves.  

Now, on to pictures...

I took down Valentine's hearts last week (you can see previous year's here and here) and I had to clear out my living room so new curtain panels could be hung, only to be told the rods I thought were readily available were on backorder for a two weeks!  Argh!

I knew I wasn't going to leave the living room disrupted (because we actually use it daily) for two weeks and began putting things back, in slightly different places (cause that's what I always do), when I stumbled on this arrangement for the mantle.  I stood back and looked and knew it was a comforting misplacement!  Worth moving furniture and bric-a-brac!

The greenery makes me feel like Spring can't be far away!

Yes, that silver "candle holder" is a wine bottle holder!

Thanks for reading, especially after such a long absence...

Robin

SPRING MANTLE

I think the Spring Cleaning bug is visiting my house--don't worry the infestation won't last long, in fact, it may be gone already.  I'm trying to get over it! 

It began when I took down some tired window treatments in the kitchen.  That decision lead to a cascade of changes.  Down came the window treatments, down came the "stuff" on top of the cabinets, and the mantle got stripped too.  Now what?  This is what happened next...

Funny thing is I liked the mantle before I photographed it but the picture of the mantle looked sparse , so...

I added a couple of platters behind the greenery.  It may just the way a picture changes the way a room "reads", but I like the mantle better without the platters when I'm in the room.   I don't know if any of this makes any sense.....but, I would love your opinion. WITH THE PLATTERS, OR WITHOUT THE PLATTERS, please vote by leaving a comment.

Here's a closeup of those rabbits (which I leave out all of the time).  They used to be terra-cotta orange.  I sprayed them years ago and loved them all over again!

Rabit #1 without the platter

Rabbit #2 with the platter

Also, last, but not least, I'd like to shout THANK YOU to Marty from A Stroll Thru Life for the $150 gift certificate I won to glasses.com.  I was shocked and delighted and I knew my son wanted a pair of sunglasses, so I passed the joy on to him.  Here he is in the glasses he got for free!  THANKS MARTY!

And thanks to my son for letting me photograph him for my blog!

Thanks for stopping by and DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A COMMENT ABOUT THOSE PLATTERS.  Till next time...
 

Robin

 

Linking Up With

Common Ground
 Chic On A Shoestring
French Country Cottage
The Charm of Home
Boogieboard Cottage
Funky Junk Interiors
Between Naps on the Porch
Simple Details

Seashell Addict

I've got a bit of a confession.  I'm a hoarder.  I love seashells and I have a lot of them.  I think this situation is beyond a cure and I'm not sure I'm ready for help.  Maybe I am a seashell addict!  Oh my goodness, I think I may be!  It's never a good thing to realize about one's self, but I felt I had to come clean on this issue.  I haven't taken to hiding my compulsion, yet...

I have so many shells that I cannot possibly show them all to you in a summer season and if I did, not one would be left reading (looking) at my blog, but...here's the summer mantle two different ways...one with a few shells and one with lots of shells.  Feel free to say which one you like better...I can take it, really.

Here's the simpler version, just a few lovelys...

 Yes, sometimes I even put shells in shells...although...those aren't really shells in that shell, so maybe I'm safe on this one!

 I loooove that pink color on this shell...

 Okay, this is where I put out a few more shells.  Too much???  Be honest...no I'm not going to tear up when you say too much, I'll just swallow that lump in my throat and go on (probably to the shell store, but that what shell addicts do).

 Isn't that big shell on the right just gorgeous?

Who could resist buying this one?

Could you, really?

Too much???

As always, thanks for reading (or maybe just looking at pictures).  Till next time, take care and enjoy summer nights!

(Yes, these shells are in addition to the post I did here on my living room's summer displays)

Linking Up With

Savvy Southern Style
Coastal Charm
Very Merry Vintage Style
A Stroll Thru Life
Boogieboard Cottage
Between Naps on the Porch
Faded Charm Cottage
No Minimalist Here
Common Ground 
Have A Daily Cup From Mr. Olson
The Brambleberry Cottage
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Somewhat Simple
Delightful Order
At The Picket Fence
Simply Designing
The Charm of Home
Romantic Home
The View From Right Here 
Funky Junk Interiors
Serenity Now 
Homemaker on a Dime 
The Networking Blog Hop

An Easter Parade, Part 1

There's a party that I want to go to and the appropriate attire for the party is a portfolio of a mantle dressed for Spring.  Spring is the Lenten Season for my home and my mantle displays the three crosses.

I left the silver bunnies from my St. Patrick's mantle  and added the crosses.  The plates were added behind the two secondary crosses for focus and color.  The bunnies at the foot of the main cross repeat the color scheme.

Wish I'd straighten the book before shooting the picture!

As always, thanks for reading.

P.S.  I like to respond to all comments.  I get them to my email account and hit "reply"--if you don't have an email associated with your comment, I cannot reply.  Just a thought to ponder.  I understand someone not wanting to be that public, but I love a good conversation and that can't happen without your email.

Now, here are the parties I told you about.  You know you can just click on a title and go to that site.  Yes, I did that for you!  You are welcome.

  Coastal Charm, The Lettered Cottage, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia,

Faded Charm,

Savvy Southern Style, Very Merry Vintage Style, Grits and Glamour, Primp,

The Brambleberry Cottage, The Shabby Creek Cottage, No Minimalist Here,

Tales from Bloggeritaville,  French Country Cottage, 2805, Common Ground,

At The Picket Fence, The Charm of Home, Finding Fabulous,

Funky Junk Interiors, Making the World Cuter Monday, 

Boogieboard Cottage,

Homemaker on a Dime
Cedar Hill Ranch