Deck the Mantel- 2012 Edition

‘Tis the season to decorate all surfaces of your house.  Fa la la la la, la la la la.

First up.  The mantel. 

I went with a woodsy snowflake motif this year.  I also embraced the television.  Who wants a beautiful mirror with a ton of snowflakes on it over their mantel?  Not this girl.  Nope.  (That’s a lie.)  Even so, I’m still happy with how it turned out.

I tried out the ol’ Epsom salt in a Mason jar (a blogger holiday favorite).  The pharmacist in me enjoyed the fact that I was using medicine to decorate.  It’s hard being me.

I made the stockings that are hanging by the lack of chimney with care.  Turns out I’m allergic to burlap.  (Tutorial on Friday.  Get. Excited.  Because my sinuses aren’t.)

This is the point where Nate asked me how many photos one could have of a tiny area.  I had to give him that one.

Fa la la la la, la la la la

Sources: Trees (Michael’s), Snowflakes (Salvation Army and Hobby Lobby), Stocking holders (Hobby Lobby 2011), Mason jars (Hobby Lobby), Garland (Target), Stockings (Handmade.  Tutorial on Friday.)

You can see our 2011 mantel here.  I definitely think my mantel eye is improving.

Are you done decking the halls?  Just started?  What’s your mantel motif this year? 

Linking up to:  The Lettered Cottage, Ten June, Finding Silver Pennies

Have a handmade gift post?  Be sure to link up here!

Dare to DIY (Give Handmade) Link Party

How was your week-end?  We finished up some holiday decorating.  We started Christmas shopping…which is actually really early for us. Weird. We went to see Cirque Dreams Holidaze last night.  Pretty impressive show.  I want to be a circus performer.  Nate told me that my lack of coordination and fear of heights would hold me back.  I thought spouses were supposed to be encouraging?

I also got the blog all organized for December.  In case you missed Saturday's post, there will be at least 21 straight days of blog posts in December.  Unless I flake.  Totally a possibility.

Today is the day where you get to show off your handmade gift goodness.  Who doesn’t love handmade?  I have some other handmade gifts up my sleeve but I don’t want to ruin the surprise.  Because if my friends/family are anything like me, they’ll peek. 

On Friday I shared with you a tutorial for making a Wood Bead Necklace.

My co-hosts also whipped up some pretty impressive gifts.  I fully expect one of each on my doorstep before the 25th.  Rachel may want to get started on my king size crocheted blanket…if she already hasn’t.

l-r: Maybe Matilda, NewlyWoodwards, Two Twenty One

Now it’s your turn!

Each Monday, the link party goes live for that week's Dare to DIY challenge. You can link up as many projects as you wish, as long as the posts correspond with the theme of the week.

You can link up on any of the co-hosts blogs. The linky below will stay live through Wednesday. This Thursday, each co-host will spotlight at least 3 projects we loved from the week on their blogs. We'll also pin those projects on our shared Pinterest board!

The only rules:

1. Please follow the Dare to DIY theme of the week (this week is “give handmade”). 

2. Please link back to Dare to DIY on one of our blogs (preferably all but we understand that time is precious). (Or copy this: I’m sharing this at the Dare to DIY party hosted by Decor and the Dog, Maybe Matilda, Newly Woodwards, and Two Twenty One!)

3. Please go to at least one other blog and comment. I can make it to all 60+.  You can make it to one. I promise.

Glittery Gold Whispy Ornament Wreath

A blogger having the same wreath each season is like a celebrity wearing the same dress to two different movie premieres.  Shameful.

I usually use a berry wreath for our holiday decorating.  The berries usually shed all over the floor and it just didn’t seem to go with my glittery gold motif I have going on this year.  So I took matters into my own hands and created my 20 minute Glittery Gold Whispy Ornament Wreath.  Patent pending on the name.

This

wreath

is super easy.

Head to Hobby Lobby.  Find whispy wreath for $14.99.  Find gold spray paint for $3.  Find gold Glitter Blast spray paint for $7.99.  Holy rip off but my mind was set on glitter.  Logic goes on the window when your mind is on glitter.  Luckily I had a coupon. This will probably take you 5 minutes if you are an expert Hobby Lobby shopper like myself.  Wait in line for at least 8 minutes…because it’s Hobby Lobby.

Once you are home, scrounge around for some ornaments that you aren’t using.  My were pink and purple left over from my college days. I’m sad I didn’t photograph them.

Spray the wreath and ornaments with the gold spray paint.  1 minute.

Let dry.  1 minute.  (Because you are impatient and want to spray everything with glittery spray paint.)

Repeat on opposite side of wreath and ornaments. 1 minute.

Let dry. 2 minutes. (Because you are impatient and want to spray everything with glittery spray paint.)

Spray the wreath and ornaments with the Glitter Blast spray paint.  1 minute.  Let dry.  Words of wisdom:  When they say “blast”, they mean blast.  Be prepared.  It was pretty awesome actually.  Glitter explosion.

Attach ornaments to wreath using ornament hooks.  Just wrap the hook around.

Give the wreath one more good round of glitter blast.  1 minute.

Hang and enjoy your beautiful Glittery Gold Whispy Ornament Wreath.

What’s your holiday wreath look like?  Or are you anti-wreath?  I was kind of impartial to wreaths before this gold beauty came into my life.