Garden Mantel

It's that time of year! I started decorating for Christmas. Honestly I started with the mantel to enter it at the Lettered Cottage. You should too! Love all those gorgeous mantels.

Here's our mantel this year, decorated in a garden theme. I think it's really interesting that there are no ornaments, no wreaths, no lights, none of the glitter I'm seeing elsewhere in blogland (which I do love)... and yet the look is unmistakably Christmas.

Our fireplace has this large built-in niche. I knew I needed something great to fill it. I usually have a carved wooden spire in there, and I fully intended to leave it... until I spotted this angel in our yard. I knew instantly the proportions were right. I love it so much I might just leave it there.

I love to bring in things from the outside for decorating. Usually that means branches and flowers, but why not statuary?

Or my children's worn garden trowel?

I am in love with that bright lime/pear/some-sort-of-fruit green. And I loved how the moss on the angel had that sort of tone. So I sprayed a branch lime green with some leftover spray paint.

A little fake moss ball (which is there year round) in a thrift store vessel.

For the greenery, I started with two fake evergreen garlands. I added real clippings from the outside, some fake holly, and two clear beaded sprigs.

To complete the vignette, a terra cotta bird and a vintage cardinal print.

I tied some green ribbon on our existing stockings for an additional shot of green.

And there you have it!

Merry Christmas!

Linking to some of these parties.

This project was featured on Life as Lori.