My Rustic and Cozy Christmas Mantel...Burlap and Plaid

Woo hoo! I have finally finished my mantel! This year I am combining the rustic texture of burlap with classic red plaid…love it!  I have to say that nothing says Christmas to me like red and green tartan plaid!

I have already shown you my wreath…burlap and plaid with pine cone roses. It was super easy and very inexpensive, too! You will find a closer look and instructions for making it here. If I had known how easy it was to make the pine cone roses, I would have been putting them on everything! lol

Here are the stockings I made to match…also very inexpensive since I made them from the remnants of the wreath. You can find a complete tutorial for making your own cuffed Christmas stockings here. I love their rustic, homespun look!

Our CEO Ozzie is also fond of them since she played an essential part in their creation. Let’s just say she has a rather…er…hands on management approach! 

And at last…taaa daaa!…here they are together on my mantel! I wanted a warm and cozy rustic feel for the holidays. The mantel is always the heart of my Christmas decorations and I draw all of my inspiration from it.

Here’s a closer look at the mantel. The candlesticks were Goodwill finds at less than $2.00 each. I was thinking about painting them a distressed white, but I am so glad that I hadn’t done that yet! The birch candles are after-Christmas bargains from Kohl’s last year…waaaay cheaper than the ones at Pottery Barn!

I finished it off with faux pine boughs and magnolia leaves. I have been looking for the faux magnolias for several years and finally got a head start on the Christmas shoppers this time. I bought all that they had at Hobby Lobby. I have been wanting to plant my own tree but I know I would just strip it bare every Christmas! Add a few berries and some silver ornaments for sparkle and…

…voilà! Here’s a peek at my living room…at least what I have managed to finish so far!

I love this huge basket on my coffee table! It has been so much fun to change it with the seasons! For Christmas, I have filled one of my double happiness jars with more pine, magnolias and berries and added a mossy candle stick with a plaid ribbon. I am a big fan of sheep (They are just so frenchy to me!) and this little guy is my latest addition. I have been saving him for Christmas. And…do you notice anything? Miss Kitty is hanging out on the sofa, checking out the bird feeder in the garden!

And there you have it…my burlap and plaid Christmas mantel! I am loving the rustic yet classic combination of fabrics and patterns and I have a feeling that you will be seeing more of it in the rest of my Christmas decorations! How is your decorating coming along? Are you ready?

 Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas mantel!  Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday
Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Cedar Hill Ranch for Cowgirl Up! on Tuesdays
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures and the Winter Party   
The Lettered Cottage for the Holiday Home Mantel Party
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
DIY by Design for Fall into Fall
DIY Showoff for the Holiday Highlights Party
The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Stone Gable for Tutorials. Tips and Tidbits on Thursdays
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
2805 for Potpourri Friday
At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Craftberry Bush for Happy Hour on Saturdays
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Savvy Southern Style for the Homespun Christmas Mantel Party
See you next time! A la prochaine!

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Ballard Inspired Burlap and Plaid Christmas Stockings

Woo hoo! I have finally finished all the elements of my Christmas mantel and will soon be ready to reveal it to you! But first, I want to show you the stockings that I made…using burlap topped with a plaid cuff. I have to admit that they were inspired by stockings that I found in Ballard Design's Christmas catalog!


I have already shown you my burlap and plaid Christmas wreath…are you starting to see a theme here? You can get a better look at it plus a detailed tutorial for making it here.

The staff and I have been working like Santa and his elves to get the mantel ready! I always feel that I have to finish it first since the whole inspiration for the rest of my Christmas decor usually comes from it. As you can see, our co-host Baby Kitty was a big help in the sewing department!

I used the same method that I used for last year’s stockings…just changing the fabrics. And I used the remnants from my Christmas wreath, so they were free! Woot woot! I really like the homespun look of the burlap and plaid! You can find detailed instructions for making a cuffed stocking here.

And here’s a better look at the stockings! I can’t wait until we have another really cold night so we can build a fire and enjoy the mantel all decorated for Christmas!

But in the meantime, I will just pretend that we are having some snow! Don’t you love all the wintery special effects over at Picmonkey? Last year we actually had our very first Christmas snow! I have my fingers crossed that it will happen again!

Remember to pin it!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas stockings!  Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday
Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Cedar Hill Ranch for Cowgirl Up! on Tuesdays
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
DIY by Design for Fall into Fall

The Everyday Home for the Better Late than Never Party  
The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Stone Gable for Tutorials. Tips and Tidbits on Thursdays
Centsational Girl for the Holiday Home Craft Party
Cedar Hill Ranch for Homespun Christmas Handmade Holidays 
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
2805 for Potpourri Friday
At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Craftberry Bush for Happy Hour on Saturdays
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Debbiedoo's Holiday Knock-Off Decor Party
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for the All  Things Burlap Party  
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Confessions of a Plate Addict Blog

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My Christmas Wreath...Burlap and Plaid with Pine Cone Roses

I am really loving the way my Christmas mantel is coming along! I am still working on one of the special elements that I will be adding, but I wanted to stop and show you my wreath…burlap and plaid with pine cone roses!

As usual, I am assisted by my co-host Baby Kitty who would like to tell you what you need to make it:

• A straw wreath form
• Strips of burlap (approximately 1/4 yard)
• Strips of plaid fabric (approximately 1/4 yard)
• Pine cones
• Faux berries
• Garden shears
• Hot glue gun

It’s so easy I am almost embarrassed! Just wrap the straw wreath with the burlap strips…mine were about 2 1/2 inches wide...and secure at each end with hot glue. Next, create plaid fabric roses following the tutorial here.

This was my first time making pine cone roses and they were super easy! I just used smallish pinecones and then cut them in half using my garden shears! If you want only flat flowers, only use the bottom half. I used both for a little variety.

Finally, hot glue the fabric and pine cone flowers to the wreath. I added a few faux berries for a little added color. And...the best thing is that the whole wreath only cost about $3.00 (with a coupon) for a yard of the plaid fabric since I already had everything I needed! I have plans for the leftovers as you will soon see!

I attached the wreath to my mirror using another  strip of the plaid fabric and…voilà! That’s it! I am hoping to finish up the last part today and then my mantel will be ready! Be sure to stop back by to have a peek at what I am working on…Can you guess?…and to see the completed mantel!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas wreath!  Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
On Sutton Place for the Homespun Holidays Doors and Wreaths Party
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday
Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Cedar Hill Ranch for Cowgirl Up! on Tuesdays
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
DIY by Design for Fall into Fall
DIY Showoff for the Holiday Highlights Party
The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Stone Gable for Tutorials. Tips and Tidbits on Thursdays
Centsational Girl for the Holiday Home Craft Party
Cedar Hill Ranch for Homespun Christmas Handmade Holidays 
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
2805 for Potpourri Friday
At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Craftberry Bush for Happy Hour on Saturdays
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

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My Christmas Mantel 2011...French Ticking, Burlap and Mercury Glass

I am so excited!  My mantel for this year is almost finished! But...in the meantime, I thought you might like to see last year's mantel.  It featured lots of French ticking with touches of burlap and some sparkles of mercury glass!

If you follow my blog, you have already seen the wreath that I made using French ticking accented with burlap and sweater fabric flowers. I am loving the antique red with the olive green and silver ornaments…just enough to give it a little bling! (If you would like to find out how I made the wreath, click here.)

And here’s another peek at the stockings I made to match, using more French ticking and a pretty vintage napkin to finish them off. (You can find the tutorial here.) I have also used ornament hangers to attach glittery letters that spell…

…NOEL! I like the little extra sparkle that they add…making them a little more Christmas-y, I think!

And I didn’t spend a dime for my fabric…no sir! As some of you already know, the French ticking used to be my bedroom curtains, so I was able to make my decorations for almost nothing! And for those of you who have asked…no, I have not yet pulled a Scarlett and made myself a frock! lol

Miss Isabella, however, is less concerned about how I made the stockings and more interested in what is going to be in them on Christmas morning! And just in case you are wondering, I have extra initials for my staff and will change the letters before Santa comes so there’s no confusion!

On the mantel, I have reused last year’s mercury glass candlesticks. I think they add a vintage feel and a silvery element without being overpowering! I love the way they look with red…so festive!

Also on the mantel…more touches of silver and red with lots of berries and shiny ornaments nestled in the garland.

And the finishing touch…nothing says Christmas like a cat relaxing in front of the fire! Baby Kitty was very happy to oblige and quickly struck a pose!

And there you have it…my Christmas mantel for last year! The staff and I are still finishing up this year's mantel and will be ready for the reveal soon, so we hope you will drop back by! In the meantime, we are pulling out the marshmallows and making some S’mores. Won’t you join us?

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations!  Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday
Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Cedar Hill Ranch for Cowgirl Up! on Tuesdays
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
DIY by Design for Fall into Fall
The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Stone Gable for Tutorials. Tips and Tidbits on Thursdays
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
2805 for Potpourri Friday
At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Craftberry Bush for Happy Hour on Saturdays
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

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Happy Thanksgivng!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! It will be a special day for my little family because there will be fourteen of us at the table...a beautiful collection of sweet little faces among us...all together for the first time! I am so grateful for my loving family and all the joy that they bring to my life! I am also grateful for you, my readers, and wish you a wonderful day with your family! Happy Thanksgiving!

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Need Some Inspiration? It's Christmas Open House!

It’s the time of year that I look forward to…when my favorite store has their Christmas open house! I always find lots of inspiration and some beautiful holiday decor to put me in the Christmas mood! Want to come along? We are heading to the Queen of Hearts in Alpharetta, Georgia!

One of the first things you will see when you enter is this wonderful mantel decorated with pretty plates (You know I love that!) and these fabulous stockings! I have been seeing a lot of these colors…so fun to see them translated into Christmas! And…a mirror in the fireplace…genius!

Need some ideas for stockings? These are the most unusual ones that I saw made from everything from vintage grain sacks and gingham to upholstery fabric with fun trim!

There are lots of fun and different wreaths starring hydrangeas, coffee filters, skates and webbing!

What a fun way to decorate your candles for the holidays…burlap and sweater sleeves!

It looks like music-themed decorations are as popular as ever this Christmas with everything from a tree decorated entirely with sheet music to a different spin on a sheet music wreath! Love those sheet music feathers!

I also love this unique Christmas tree skirt made from several different vintage-y looking fabrics! Hmmm…wish I could find the one with the frenchy script somewhere…fabulous!

Here’s a beautiful little hydrangea tree to match the wreath I showed you earlier! I need to print this photo and put it beside my hydrangeas to inspire them to grow some pretty blooms like that for me next year!

You know I have a thing about dough bowls and I love this one…filled with big mercury glass acorns and surrounded by elk sheds…fabulous! I have everything I need to recreate this on a smaller scale.

Now you have to admit that you love these burlap-covered deer…so cute and different! Love those big eyes!
And now…get ready to have your socks blown off! It’s the pièce de résistance of the whole Christmas open house…

…this fabulous wreath made from angora and cashmere sweaters! I am in love! Are you holding your breath? Isn’t it gorgeous? I don’t know about you, but I found several things I want to try to make! And…I’d better get busy…Christmas is only a little over a month away!

Need even more inspiration?  Have a look at  Christmas Open House 2011 and Christmas Open House 2010...more fabulous ideas from the Queen of Hearts!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed coming along to open house! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday
Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Cedar Hill Ranch for Cowgirl Up! on Tuesdays
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
DIY by Design for Fall into Fall
The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Stone Gable for Tutorials. Tips and Tidbits on Thursdays
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
2805 for Potpourri Friday
At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Craftberry Bush for Happy Hour on Saturdays
Serenity Now for Weekend Bloggy Reading
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

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