Beauty In Brown Eggs: DISMANTLE... the mantle!!

I have a two-sided fireplace. One side's theme is warm, cozy Christmas... the other is glitz and sparkle. I'm not sure I could tell you which I like best either!! I'd have to say the warm, cozy side actually... simply because it holds my kids' stockings.

If you read "Table Talk" you'll see that decorating a mantle is really quite the same idea. Start with a few solid pieces and get busy layering!!! If you don't have a mantle... how about a sofa table?? Side board??

So here we go. Find some candle sticks you have around the house. They don't need to match. Different textures, weights and materials are interesting. Holiday candles are everywhere right now!! Just remember.. if you like the glitter ones, you'll probably have it showing up here and there in the strangest places for the next WEEK!! Just ask my sister about that one... ;-). Add a couple items of interest that you like. For me it was this metal deer. Got a clear vase hangin' around in a closet?? Add some glitter pine cones... or my favorite: jingle bells (varying sizes/colors available at Hobby Lobby)... or beautiful vintage ornaments.

As far as the greens are concerned... I personally feel a quality green is worth investing in if you can. I used "picks"on this side... while a garland worked best on the other. Let's tuck those in next.

Fuss with what you have there a bit now. Don't line things up in a row... PLEASE!! Group like objects. Depth creates interest. Stand back and see if you like the balance... and be sure things aren't too even.

My favorite thing is the finishing touches: ORNAMENTS!! This mantle has beautiful, heavy antique ornaments tucked here and there. Maybe yours would lend itself to something more classic.... or outdoorsy. Pick a theme and stick with it. Speaking of sticks, I found this beautiful glitter branch and tucked that in the back of this display.

Finally, don't be afraid to hang a couple cool ornaments from your mantle with fish line. It's just a fun element.

So there you are... pat yourself on the back!! Job well done!! BUT... if you're still scratching your head and frustrated, here's a picture of all the "ingredients" I used in this mantle.