Monday, October 08, 2007

My Mantel

This summer I got out things I had and tried to put them together for an arrangement. The cloth is a pillowcase from my mother in law's things, made by her mother. The frame has a vintage post card in it of a girl on a swing. The doll on the swing reflects that. The tea pot was a "dribbler" so I put it on display, and the electric candle was from the dollar store. I got the little silicone pink bulb for it at one of the the Make-Mine-Pink shops called Jorabeels. The fireplace is electric, and the piece that goes in the corner is hinged, so it can be put down and moved to a wall.



















This one is the same kind of fireplace on the flat wall. I tried to reflect the painting in the arrangement.




What is nice about upper shelves and mantels is that arrangements can be made that won't get in anyone's way.

12 comments:

Kimberline said...

Thanks for sharing YOUR mantel of the month :) I like how you used things like the post card and pillow case. I wouldn't have thought to use a pillowcase that way! Love the pink bulb! I will have to go see if I can find those to use in my Christmas candles and give them a different use during the rest of the year. I always get good ideas from your site.

Anonymous said...

Dear Lady Lydia,
Thank you for the inspiration for making our homes a cozy place for our families and others. I so love being a homemaker and your site is such an encouragement to me!

Melissa said...

So pretty!

Anonymous said...

I love your arrangements
especially the first one

Alexandra said...

So pretty! Thanks for sharing. I especially love the picture of the two little girls in the rose trellis frame. You are giving me fresh ideas.

I read faithfully, and love your blog. :)

Mrs. Anna T said...

Very cute and cozy. I love your examples of inexpensive decoration.

Anonymous said...

Dear Lydia,
Thank you for showing us these lovely decorating ideas. I've been noticing how pretty the new electric fireplaces are - how clever to have one that fits into a corner! My husband and I appreciate how a fireplace can take the chill out of the room during the evening hours.

You have inspired me to refurbish my own mantel with a new scheme rather than keeping the same old motif year after year!

Kind regards,

Susan T.

Anonymous said...

Very lovely arrangements - but I just had to say that I really love the bucolic touch of the toy tractor that seems to have been added to the first mantel in the detailed second photo. It really made me smile! Perhaps one of the grandsons decided to make his own contribution!

Lydia said...

The tractors came afterwards and are still there! Eventually they will put small pumpkins around and make it look like a miniature farm.

candy said...

Lovely!

:)
Candy

Anonymous said...

Hello

I thought you might be interested in the art of Carl Larsson, a Swedish painter who portrayed his own home in a series of lovely, simple scenes.

They are not fantasies of Victorian life but genuine and often dignified portrayals. We have a calendar of his work and I used it this week to teach our son and daughter about H for home after reading Corduroy and being inspired to explore home as a topic.

Your post on kitchen sinks reminded me of one his paintings. Also the sink shown on your blog is *very* like ours!

Anonymous said...

I really like your mantel arrangement. It's lovely.

I have three young sons and a daughter and I gain great pleasure from decorating my mantel because, as you say, it is high and out of reach. I rarely put precious things on low tables in case they are bumped or damaged by accident.

Kate