January Mantel

As much as I love decorating for Christmas, it always feels good to get the decorations packed up and have the house back to normal.  Last January is when I really took an interest in switching up the decor on our mantel.  I went for a mostly white look and settled on this:

This year I wanted to do something similar,  by keeping a clean and fresh look.  In the last year I have collected a few thrift store owls that are normally displayed on a shelf in our laundry room.  As much as I like looking at them as I come and go, I thought they deserved to be in the spotlight for a while.  And since they are white, it was a perfect inspiration and centerpiece to the mantel.

Along with the owls, another inspiration was a color combination I came across online:  mustard and turquoise.  While shopping at Kohl's last week I came across the perfect mustard-colored candles...all I needed were a couple of candlesticks.  I began with my own collection, seeing if there was anything I could transform.  Jackpot!  I found these two thrift store pieces I had painted white:

I had a (somewhat) turquoise spray paint on hand and gave them a couple of coats.  The color was okay, but not as deep as I would've liked.  I decided to try a trick I've used before.  Using a thin rag, I covered the paint with a water-based stain in Dark Walnut to give it a more rustic feel.

 

Another feature I wanted to add to my mantel(scape) was a wreath.  Last month we purchased a mirror to replace a print we've had hanging for years.  It was definitely one of those things when you say, "Geez, why didn't we do that a while ago?" I loved the way my Christmas wreath looked hanging from it.  Oh, only because you asked, I'll show you a picture (ha, ha.)

So back to the wreath.  I had seen this wreath on Pinterest and loved the texture of it.

So off to Hobby Lobby I went to pick up some moss and ribbon.  I had a styrofoam wreath form already.

Covering the wreath was super easy, just a little messy.  I covered our table with an old towel and got to work.  I used hot glue, a little at a time, and worked my way around the wreath until is was all covered, with the exception of the back.

So, with my new candlesticks, some white flowers from last year, the owls, and a container of fake lemons, my January mantel is complete. I love the fresh look!

Oh...one more thing.  I thought the owls looked a little "flat" and needed to be raised.  My husband cut me a piece of wood that I beat up using a hammer and other tools in the garage so it didn't look so perfect.  Again, using the Dark Walnut stain, I covered the wood.  

Drum roll, please.  The final January mantel.