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Across the Fence:  Fireplace Mantels  |
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wannabecountrybumpkin
True Blue Farmgirl
117 Posts
Christy
Bristow
Virginia
USA
117 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 20 2008 : 08:12:01 AM
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I've lived in my house for 5yrs and for some reason I have had the biggest problem decorating my fireplace mantel. I did the photo frame thing for awhile but I want to do something really decorative. Any good ideas??
Christy
Farmgirl Sister #139
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Nance in France
True Blue Farmgirl
1438 Posts
Nancy
St. Laurent de la Salanque
France
1438 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2008 : 08:16:31 AM
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| Hey Christy! What is your decorating style? That would give the gals better ideas to suggest! |
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wannabecountrybumpkin
True Blue Farmgirl
117 Posts
Christy
Bristow
Virginia
USA
117 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2008 : 08:19:23 AM
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I don't know what I would call my style, vintage/primitive/country cottage
Christy
Farmgirl Sister #139
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2008 : 08:20:31 AM
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When I lived in a little cottage in Clifton, Ohio, I had a nice mantle and I loved to change it out...
I sortof changed it out with the seasons, very much the way I do with my house and decor, now. I always like pillar candles (usually cream colored) in all varying heights, grouped with items found in nature (like birds nests or fossils) under bell jars. You can wrap the pillars in wide ribbons for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, or something like that for color, and lay fresh greens, with gourds or pomegranites on it.
I think my favorite was for the spring and summer one year--the pillars were a mainstay, but I had bright green apples and forsythia (when in bloom, and a garden statue of a standing rabbit, and in summer, I had zinnias in a larg vase in the center, the candles unadorned and sea shells under the bell jars.
My displays are usually quite simple, not fussy--never TOO much of anything. I always looked at my mantle as a showpiece, and when people came over they always looked at the items.
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
Edited by - KYgurlsrbest on Feb 20 2008 08:23:35 AM |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2008 : 08:22:45 AM
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I LOVE TO CHANGE MY fireplace mantle with the 'seasons' and 'holidays' .. just look around at what you love .. and you can often find things that make a great decoration. for instance .. i never did take time to do this THIS year .. but for valentine's day .. i've been collecting olde valentine candy boxes (i've got lots of them .. and some are up for adoption even!) .. then i'd add a dolly dressed in REDS .. and find some great olde books with RED COVERS .. red candles .. flowers .. gosh .. the ideas are endless! for spring .. a watering can collection .. maybe an olde farm garden tool or two .. a 'springtime dolly' .. GARDENING books ... the ideas are endless!
i find that i don't decorate the fireplace mantle here as 'lavishly' as i did in maryland .. i try to keep this one more 'primitive' year round .. adding one or two special seasonal or holiday treasures.
True Friends * Frannie
HEAR MY STORIES
come, visit my:
"GATHERING ROOM" ..
http://freedomvalleyfarm.blogspot.com
adopt a 'rag-chile'
http://sistermercysfoundlinhome.blogspot.com
treasures .. new and olde .. up for adoption:
http://mudpiemanormercantile.blogspot.com
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2008 : 08:24:05 AM
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I like to get a garland for each season- maybe you could buy a 6 foot garland of Ivy at a craft store, and then maybe you could also get some pretty silk flowers in spring like colors and twine them in with the ivy so it would look like Ivy was a flowering vine. Also if you collect anything like tea cups you could always nestle some in with the ivy.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
Please come visit Nora and I our our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
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wannabecountrybumpkin
True Blue Farmgirl
117 Posts
Christy
Bristow
Virginia
USA
117 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2008 : 08:34:09 AM
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Thanks ladies for the great ideas. I have to do something with it. I'm tired of it just being a place to put things that I don't want my children playing with.
Christy
Farmgirl Sister #139
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Nance in France
True Blue Farmgirl
1438 Posts
Nancy
St. Laurent de la Salanque
France
1438 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2008 : 08:38:06 AM
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Wow, those styles overlap but can be so uniquely different. Naturally, candles grouped together are perfect on a mantel, but what about matching topiaries on both ends? If you have nothing on the wall above, what about putting interesting flat style baskets, like tobacco drying baskets? Or if you ever go junking and run across a big mirror with (or without) an ornate frame you could just prop that up, and if you had candles in front their flames would flicker in the reflection. How about a stack of neat old books on one end, maybe topped with a little lace doily draped a bit over the side of the top book and a fat candle on top? And a big draping ivy plant on the other side?
Or what about those big glass vases (at Pier One Imports, Target, or Michaels Crafts), filled with something that interests you......that could change seasonally too. Ornaments at Christmas, pinecones and gumballs, seashells and starfish for summer...
I make grapevine wreaths (big and interesting) and topiaries and other styles of wreaths for my little flower business, so if you ever want something custom made, let me know. Can't wait to see the other gals' suggestions! You have really gotten me in the mood to shuffle stuff around! Hugs, Nance
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wannabecountrybumpkin
True Blue Farmgirl
117 Posts
Christy
Bristow
Virginia
USA
117 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2008 : 08:53:13 AM
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Nance, do you have any pics of your wreaths and topiaries??
I've always loved empty vintage frames but I can never find any.
Christy
Farmgirl Sister #139
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Nance in France
True Blue Farmgirl
1438 Posts
Nancy
St. Laurent de la Salanque
France
1438 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2008 : 09:07:22 AM
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I don't have any photos here in France of things I have made. I have a portfolio of stuff, including weddings I have done the flowers for. I will be back in Norfolk the last week of March and staying through almost the end of May, so I would be able to give you some ideas of things I have made. It would be fun to meet a fellow farmgal and if I could help you with something to dress up the mantle, all the better!
Empty vintage frames would be so neat clustered or overlapped, and very "in" right now, aren't they? Thrift stores sometimes have some, and church yard sales too. There's always going to Michael's with a 40% off coupon and "distressing" a new frame a bit, ha! Hugs, Nance |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2008 : 09:29:09 AM
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I'd love to see your wreaths, too, Nance. Maybe you can scan some of the pages of your portfolio? I'm a sucker for pretty wreaths :)
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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Across the Fence: Fireplace Mantels |
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Fireplace Mantels
