I usually do not do things the same way twice and this year's Fall mantle is no different. I didn't look at the pictures of last year's mantle until I sat down to write this post. I liked last year's mantle and thought it might be a good reference for comparison with this year's mantle. Here's 2011 mantle...
(Sorry about that photo editing, or lack thereof. But, at least you get the idea.)
This year I began with just the bare essentials on the mantle, the items that rarely change, and I thought I would try to show how the final outcome came about. Here are the basics...
I love white and wish all of my woodwork was white, but, it isn't soooo......on the mantle I use white items to satisfy my white cravings.
This is the first layer of my design. I knew I was going to use my garage-sale-find as the center of the display. I set the sign on books with the covers turned inside/out for more "whiteness". I also wanted a nature-inspired mantle so I added salvaged pine cones off of an old Christmas wreath and propped them on the left side. The seeded pear and pumpkin were added on the other side for balance.
The little funky pumpkin in the middle of the pine cones was placed to cover the gap and to add more "whiteness" along with a white sea rock behind the pumpkin for more texture.
The other side of this arrangement didn't have a gap, but needed a spot of white, so the little owl was added. Also, you might have noticed, I moved the shutters in a bit--so I wouldn't have to accessorize all of the mantle. The shutters cut the space and move in and out, as a mantle design comes together--or doesn't.
A closeup of the garage sale score. You could easily recreate it.
A little mouse and a piece of sea rock on driftwood. I actually found the driftwood pieces while walking my favorite beach this summer. The little mouse is from Target last year. I got twelve or so of these in a package for $1.00 and I love them. I used them on a cloche last year. You can see that post
here.
Here's the final view. Simple, smaller, and done!
P.S.
This was one of the considerations I tried before I got the final form. That was (fake) coral on the candle holders and I tried it for the whiteness, but decided, as much as I love the sea, the coral looked a little too funky for me. This was when I decided to move the shutters in and call the design finished.
P.S.S. Yes, the blog template has changed--yet again. I've been playing on my computer again. What do you think? Do you like the changes? Did you even notice? Does it bother you when you expect to see the same format and I've changed it AGAIN? Let me know, if you will.
I thank you for reading, or just looking at the pictures. If you've followed my thought process on this project and have input, I'd love to hear constructive criticism. Feel free to leave a helpful comment. HAPPY FALL!
