ho ho mantel

I was concerned that my plan to join in on the blogland holiday mantel link parties would be thwarted by the mere fact that I don't have a mantel.  Hard to believe that our 100+ year old house was built in Chicago sans fireplace.  I’m pretty sure it was either removed at some point – probably by the same braniac who thought outdoor paint on original woodwork was a good idea – or it’s hidden behind a wall somewhere.

My options:  start swinging a sledge hammer or make do with what we have.  Which is radiator heat ... which comes from large radiators … which the owners we purchased the house from made custom covers for …



I never really used or considered decorating these as mantels.  That is until now ...



I typically dress up this area with my Santa’s and stockings.  This year I gave the the old, gold and chippy – and not chippy in the good way -- stocking holders a coat of silver paint …






At JoAnn’s I discovered the wonders of adhesive removable chalkboard vinyl and used it inside the existing picture frame …



It needed two layers to cover the original art completely …



My sister-in-law painstakingly needle-pointed the kids’ stockings when they were born …



The pillars were ‘wrapped’ with wrapping paper and twine …



The ice skates are hanging from  a command hook that claims to hold up to 5 pounds. Let's hope that's true and they don't come crashing down in the middle of the night ...



Oh, and if the room to the left keeps catching your eye, that’s my diy’d entry that you can see more of here …




Linking up:
Home Stories A 2 Z
Southern Hospitality
Ten June
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
The Shabby Creek Cottage
The Shabby Nest
From My Front Porch to Yours
Funky Junk Interiors
Lolly Jane Boutique
Fireflies and Jellybeans
Savvy Southern Style
WhisperWood Cottage
A La Mode