The weather cleared for a good five minutes today, so I was able to shoot my fall mantel. I have to admit that I almost don’t mind how dark and stormy it is outside now that I have this cozy area to look at!
I worked on putting my mantel together last night and just shopped the house for everything with the exception of the mini white gourds and spaghetti squash. I was tempted to go out and buy “real” blue pumpkins but decided my dollar store painted ones would work just fine. To add interest and give height, I used an upside down bowl and cake stand.
For the focal point of the mantel, I chose a picture from our recent photo session with LeighKM (that was nontraditional and conjures up cozy feelings of fall)…..
…printed it out on regular paper, and pinned it to a cork board that I made forever ago for the dining room. (I usually pin my silver to this board.) When shopping the house, don’t be scared to repurpose objects and borrow items from other rooms! I also grabbed my vintage blue ball jars from the kitchen windowsill and placed some curly willow sticks inside to flank the mantel.
I mixed my homemade “vintage” spools with some real ones that were gifted to me from a fellow blogger. Thank you Laura!
Last night while rummaging through my fall decor, I stumbled upon these candle cozies that I made last year for my Thanksgiving mantelscape. I was thrilled to reuse them again here. The nuts and grapevine balls came from the dollar store last year.
And look who just had to get in on the action here? Do your pets do this when you are photographing things? I think she is jealous that she didn’t make the cut for the family portrait ;).
Well, while Eowyn is making sure she has her five minutes of fame here, I’ll mention that the apple basket was literally pulled out of the Chesapeake Bay over the summer and the fabric inside are scraps from other projects (and some to come)!
I hope you enjoyed my fall mantel as much as I do! Thanks for stopping by!
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Beautiful!!!! I would like to make the candle cozies just like yours. Do you have the pattern for the letters that I could copy? THANKS SO MUCH.
I love your GATHER candle snuggies, did you by chance make a tutorial on these! would love to make some for myself! Thanks! Barbara
Hi Barbara,
Here you go: http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/2010/11/candle-cozies-and-thanksgiving.html
Gorgeous mantle! Love the curlies and blue ball jars… and i have to admit, it was your candle wraps from last year that first caught my eye!
I love it Beth! and what a beautiful photo of your family!!
Beth,
The mantel is so cozy and Eowyn (he’s so sdorable) sitting in the rescued basket makes it even cozier 🙂
Beth – this is so pretty and homey. I love the picture of your family. Yes, my animals try and get in my pictures too. What is with that?
Oh how I wish it was stormy and rainy here in California. I don’t have one fall decoration out – 100 degree weather just doesn’t get me in the mood.
Great post! I so enjoy your blog.
It’s so pretty, Beth. That gorg family photo is the perfect finishing touch. I was going to do the blue pumpkins this year too, but stuck with traditional Fall colours in the end. Now, looking at yours, I wish I had! Enjoy your stormy day all cozied up by your fireplace!
I must say that the “too cute for words doggy” was the finishing touch to your fall mantle scape! Everything looks great! BTW. enjoyed looking at your family photos when you posted them! Thanks for sharing!
I love those candle sleeves and that family pic is too cute!
Your mantel is lovely and creates quite the cozy ambiance. I wish I had a mantel to decorate for the seasons! Also, you have a beautiful family.
Take care!
I really like to blue crackle pumpkins!
I love how it turned out! Those little 2 pumpkins in the corner are adorable 🙂 Very homey & cozy looking….now I’m going to “stumble it” if I can figure out how!
Beth, this is one of my favorite mantels that you have done! I love the colors and textures, but the family picture tops it off and pulls the whole thing together! Gorgeous!
Love it, Beth!! And I’m in PA too…this weather has been crazy!! My students (and their teacher…) have been going nuts with all of this indoor recess!! BUT I totally agree…with my fall mantle, it’s not as bad 🙂
And yes, my little dog tries to get in nearly every shot too 😉
It looks beautiful!Love the different colored pumpkins, inspires me to not always feel the need to do orange.
Beth, thanks for the shoutout my friend!
Love it all – the blue is so pretty, love love love the rug in front and really could your dog be any cuter? So great that she color coordinates as well!
Thanks for sharing, it is all super lovely, and I almost forgot, what a great family photo!
Take care,
Laura
Love your fall mantel and adore the photos of Eowyn! She’s adorable!
It looks great! Eowyn is the perfect addition!
I love the soft cozy look to your mantel — the blue pumpkins rather than the standard orange really make a big difference. Isn’t shopping your house the best?! 🙂
This is gorgeous! It does feel oh so cozy! And my “nieceoggy” (neice-doggy)Eowyn is just adorable!
So did this behavior provoke an “Eowyn Jane!” from Mom? No. . . you couldn’t have scolded her for climbing into that beautiful basket with those pretty fabrics. How could she have resisted?
Glad the sun came out for you for a few minutes, because your mantel is definitely photo-worthy! This is one of the best examples I’ve ever seen of “shopping the house” and coming up with something really great.
My cat gets into every shot he can! It is like he is a magnet to the camera :). Eowyn looks so sweet -like she just likes her photo taken, but stays out of your way. Did you use your new camera for these shots? – they look very sharp. Love the photo of your family and how you incorporated the colors into your mantel decor.
My best- Diane
Love the fabric scraps in the apple basket ~ it feels like you just stepped out of the room for a moment. Lots of wonderful touches, Beth; thanks for sharing!
Beth, I love the mantle area! It looks so cozy and inviting. Wonderful job!
Very creative mantle. You room is beautiful.
Lovely! I especially love the blue crackle pumpkins and how the photo really ties all the colors together… beautiful. And the puppy in the basket is beyond adorable!! Happy Fall!
It looks great! I like all the heights and the colours are so pretty. Great to see another room with a leather sofa (we have one too.)
Your home makes me want to curl up with a blanket and a cup of warm apple cider! Love it!! Great job!
AAAAHHHH! It’s SO PRETTY…and that photo at the end with your little furbaby is PRECIOUS!!! 😀
Thanks for partyin’ with us today!
Looks awesome! I like how you used muted colors. It’s inviting and cozy for sure. I love that family pic and your board and batten is just beautiful (I know that isn’t what the post was about, but I had to point that out as well).
I am so glad the sun peeked out for a minute! I love how it turned out!!!
beautiful! Once I get my family room back from being a playroom I’ll have a HUGE mantle that I’ll have no idea how to decorate.
Your mantel is so cozy and inviting! Great job! I’m still working on my fall mantle….I begged and pestered my husband until he built me a bookshelf that looks like a fireplace and now i’m waiting for the kids to go to bed so I can have a glass of wine and style my new mantel!!! 🙂
Love it…..so well done! Very classic and cozy. Isn’t shopping the house the best, in my case it’s the garage!
xoxo
MJ
Lucky 7 Design
Mama J and Her Fashionistas
I love the cozy feel. Makes me want to sit and sip some hot chai tea with a blanket on and some big fuzzy socks…oh, I am getting sleeping just thinking about it..:)
Karin
http://www.artisbeauty.net