Posted on 32 Comments

The Metallic-Frosty Christmas Mantel

I promised a preview of my Christmas mantel and by damn I finally delivered (Yes, this is the same fireplace that included the saga of (removing 6 layers of paint from brick). If you’re just following this blog then I should let you know we are decorating for charity. We are on the Canton Christmas Tour of Homes this year so I feel the need to kill myself by going over the top with handmade wreaths, fresh garland, and a lot of bling. Anyway enough with the talking here she blows:

The mantel incorporates fresh, handmade evergreen garland, various DIY candle holders, antiqued mirrors, and a shit-ton of candles. If your interested in how to make garland I will be posting a tutorial tomorrow. It incorporates fraser fir. white pine, some other random pinetree, leyland cypress, and ivy. For now here are a few details of the mantel.

Please ignore the fact I need to dust.

The second candle holder that is grooved it actually a cut glass sugar holder from Goodwill. After painting and antiquing it achieved a burnished metallic look I was pleased with.

The metallic-frosty look was a little cold so I decided to add a few pops of cranberry to the mix. Also, you can see how to create the antique gold of the candelabra here.

I don’t want go go into how many photos it took to get a picture without myself being reflected in the mirror. I’m not exactly part of the Christmas decor.

Final detail shows my altar inspiration.

So what do you all think? Did I get the glowing but shiny Christmas from my inspiration? I would love to hear your comments/critiques before I show this puppy off at the tour on Sunday. I’m thinking I’m close but I still have till December 5th to mess with it. If your interested in the garland I’ll add a link to this post tomorrow.

Edit: Here’s the link for DIY evergreen garland

32 thoughts on “The Metallic-Frosty Christmas Mantel

  1. Again, you’ve got a great eye.

    The 3 fat candles on candelabra, then over to three mirrors, then down to the base/floor with 3 vignettes 3 candles, 3 ornaments and 3 more candles. Notably, that decoration is on 3 levels: mantel shelf, brick center, and floor. Wow. Do you know how astute you are? This use of three calms the viewers eye as we view your decor.

    Then, love it!, you mix it up with a very asymetrical set up. There’s pillars vs tapers, various size mirrors, just enough to confuse and delight the observer. WELL DONE.

    I also appreciate the high-left dropping to low-right on the mantel which gives nice movement to the design.

    Not a fan of those lights. A bit too stagnant for your lively and intuitive style. I’d pay $12 for a tour. I’m sure all attendees will be delighted.

    I wonder what happened to those Dollar Tree birds that you spray gilded?

    1. Well I doubt am all that, but thanks a lot! I agree about the lights. They were a gift, from NY, so I couldn’t run out and get more. I totally needed more to make it work properly. I actually shortened the whole garland after the shebang (it’s a bit much with a 1 year old crawling about) and tripled the lights and mixed them in. Much more effective! Well in my untutored opinion. Though it does loose the flow to the bottom. *sigh*

      As for the birds, they didn’t make the cut. I like to have a lot of items to work with, then I edit the hell out of them. They were just blah. Nothing to get excited about and one to many items hanging around. Plus they just weren’t shiny enough. I’ve held on to them and might give them a whirl with glitter or some such if the occasion calls.

      Thanks again for your critique, and if you could have made the tour then you would have gotten to see 6 houses for $12. We’re nothing if not frugal in WNC.

  2. Oh…now I remember I’ve been here because I loved loved loved that mantel with the mirrors!!!! Fabulous…….

    1. I’ve looked at so many Christmas decorations these last few weeks, I find myself running around in blog circles thinking maybe I have seen this before? I joined Pinterest to keep my favorites straight and share them with others. Of course, then, I forget to use it and have to click 100 links to find one I wanted to look at again. *sigh*

  3. Your mantel turned out wonderful. I love everything about it. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Thanks! Your mantel is lovely too. My husband has a thing for owls and I love the simplicity of the whole thing.

  4. I really love the layered mirrors…what a marvelous focal point. Love the fresh greens too. Very nice!

    1. Thanks so much! Now I just need a new light fixture to reflect in those mirrors.

  5. Wow. Such a beautiful display. I love the layering of the mirrors – gorgeous.
    xoxo,
    Kim

    1. Thanks, I was actually leaning a couple of mirrors up there while gathering all my materials for the mantel display. When I looked up I loved the layered look so I found a couple more at Goodwill to make the layered look. Glad you liked my happy accident.

  6. Gorgeous!!! Love the garland & the antique mirrors!
    Now I gotta read the tute to learn how to make that garland for next year!!

    1. When you read the tutorial if you have any questions let me know. I would be happy to clarify the directions!

  7. Beautiful mantel, Brianna! The garland is gorgeous, and the candles & mirrors make it all pop! Merry Christmas! :-)

    1. Thanks so much!

  8. Of course it is beautiful. You are proving to be Wonder Woman in the flesh and your talents are endless.
    The photos would make great Christmas cards too. I love it.

    1. I don’t know about Wonder Woman… You should see the pile of laundry that has been on hold while in this decorating frenzy. If you want to take photos and your up in the area your welcome to. I’ll leave the display up for awhile. I can always fluff the greenery back up for you.

  9. Beautiful! I love it!

  10. Just visiting from Kevin and Layla’s linky party and had to say how lovely your mantle is! Have a wonderful holiday. :-)

  11. Your mantel is so pretty! Love all the candlelight!

  12. I think you got glowing! Just beautiful – warm and cozy – just right for the holidays. I love the candle glow.
    My best- Diane

  13. Your mantel is just beautiful…love the candelight and draping evergreen. Hope you’ll pop on over and visit with me and my mantel:) This is such a fun party!

    1. Thanks for such a nice comment. I wish I could have gotten pictures with better lighting! I will be right over to check your mantel out!

  14. It looks beautiful! I’m a florist – so I know what a sappy mess making those garlands can be sometimes. I avoid them like the plague but I could look at that all day long. You did a great job, good luck with the charity home tour!

    1. Ha! As soon as you said sappy mess I laughed. Thanks for the kudos. That means a lot coming from a professional florist like yourself,.

  15. Everything looks great. But I expected nothing less.

    Papaw

    1. Perhaps one day you guys can see the decorations in the flesh! I’ll make sure to post more pictures when the tour is over for you to enjoy.

  16. I think it’s beautiful. You can’t go wrong with live garland and candles, I’m going to check out how you made your gold candlestick.

    1. Honestly the candlestick was soooo easy and cheap. I would estimate in total that it cost maybe $3. Just one coat of spray paint, to tiny fingerfuls of rub and buff, and a bunch of cheap black acrylic paint (the .99 type at craft stores).

  17. Beautiful! I love the garland!

  18. Yes!!! Yes you did certainly succceed in your glowing but shiny Christmas set up.
    It looks magical. Enjoy it!

  19. I think it’s perfect. Really, it looks very classic, yet nor boring. I’ll check back tomorrow for the garland tutorial. I love how it pools on the floor.

    1. Ha, so much easier to write tutorials when I don’t think anyone is going to read them. Now your putting the pressure on.

'Do' Leave Us a Comment