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Holiday Home Linky Party & our Christmas Mantel

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Happy Holidays!


And welcome to the Holiday Home Linky Party!

Today’s party is all about merry mantels- because if you’ve been reading our blog for more than a couple months, you know how much I love a good mantel makeover!

Kev and I started dreaming up ideas for our Winter mantel, back in August- but we didn’t actually finish it until this morning. (Whew! Just in the nick of time!) Here are some photos we took of it today…

We’re totally lovin’ the way it all turned out, but I’m not gonna lie, that DIY Pottery Barn Eagan mirror project we built was a bit of a beast! But I’ve always wanted that thing, and we saved about $600 by building our own version of it.

There were, however, several steps involved in its creation. And although we planned to photograph each and every one of them so that we could do a step-by-step tutorial here on our blog, we were in such a hurry to finish it, we ended up abandoning our camera after step #4 so that we could just hurry up and git r’ dun. That being said, we will definitely be vlogging about how we made it sometime this (or next) week. It’ll be waaaaay easier for me to explain it all on video! It really wasn’t hard, there were just a lot of steps.

The stockings came from White Flower Farmhouse. (One of my favorite shops on the web!) I embellished them with some evergreen sprigs, some doiles I got on Etsy and a wooden letter “A” I got at Michaels a while back. (Secret: Two of our favorite boy and girl names begin with the letter “A”…hee hee!)

The little, red, metal bucket ($5.95) came from Tobacco Barn in Asheville, North Carolina. The seagrass pot ($4.99) came from Ikea sometime earlier this year. The pleated, white trim across the  top edge of the mantel, the tiny trees, and two red hydrangeas (which I split up into four) came from Hobby Lobby (Trees- $2.50/each, Hydrangea stems $3/each). The faux snow, pinecones, white pitchers, rope-wrapped candles, all came from mantels-past.

Down in the firebox, we used a basket we got from the gals at Whiteflower Farmhouse a while back- and a suitcase we picked up at Seaside Sisters on Tybee Island. The “present” on top is actually one of my Ikea baskets wrapped in some brown Kraft paper and a piece of red and white striped ribbon I had. I topped it with a faux poinsettia and some pinecones I had in my Christmas decor stash.

The house feels so cozy with it decorated this way!  Especially at night, when the recessed light above makes all the glittery ornaments sparkle…

(By the way, we hung the ones from the ceiling with white, flat-headed thumb tacks and 8 lb. fishing line.)

I almost hate to have to take it all down after Christmas! But you know me, once Spring rolls around, I’ll more than likely be in the mood to mix it up again.

But enough about our mantel…it’s your turn now!

I think you probably already know the drill, but just in case, here’s how it works:

1.Scroll down til you see the “add your link” button. Click that, and create a descriptive name for your link. This will make it easier for folks to browse through them.

2.Make sure to link to your specific holiday mantel post, not the main page of your blog.

 

And I created a fun, little badge especially for the party, so feel free to post the code in the box below at the bottom of your mantel post on your blog if you’d like…

The Lettered Cottage

<div align="center"><a href="https://theletteredcottage.net/holiday-home-linky-party-our-christmas-mantel" title="The Lettered Cottage"><img src="http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj29/LaylaPalmer/Blog/Holiday_Home_Button_Layla.jpg" alt="The Lettered Cottage" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Thanks in advance for linkin’ up and hope to see you at Rhoda’s vignette linky party this Thursday, Kate’s craft linky party next Tuesday, and Sarah’s tree linky party next Thursday!

 

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Comments

  1. Jasmine

    WOW! Your mantel is gorgeous!

    Unfortunately I do not have a mantel in my new home (I’ve played around with the idea of DIYing a faux fireplace and mantel but it’ll be some time before that get’s done) so for now I’ll oooh and aaaah over your linky party mantels and absorb some inspiration from them. 🙂 It’s going to take me all day to check out the rest of them but I’m going to try and view as many as I can.

    Great post!

    ~Jazz

  2. Linda

    I joined your mantle party. Lots of inspiration here. Your mantle is gorgeous. The mirror is awesome.
    i am your newest follower. Stop by and say hello. Linda

  4. Krista

    Layla –
    Thanks for allowing us to share our inspirations with you and others involved in the blog world! It’s nice seeing everyone else’s creative mantles! Your mantle is beautiful, of course! Happy Holidays to you and your family!

  6. bcp

    Layla & Kevin,
    Thank you for sharing your life with us. I read every post and love your style! Thanks for the party!

  7. michelle

    Love your mantel and all of your ideas! Thank you for sharing, I am always excited to see your new creations!

    Blessings!

    Michelle

  8. Julia @ Hooked on Houses

    I have had SO MUCH FUN looking through all of these today. It’s been really inspiring to see how creative everyone is! My mantel isn’t ready just yet, so the display on my blue dining room buffet table will have to do for now. 🙂

    Thanks for hosting this fab party!

  9. Alisha

    All of your seasonal mantles are SO BEAUTIFUL! What talent you have!

    Thanks for hosting!

    Alisha @ SnugasaBugBaby

  10. Diane @ InMyOwnStyle

    Hi Layla and Kevin-

    I linked up yesterday and only got through maybe one third of all the link ups – so much inspiration. I am going to have to get my act together fast to link up with Rhoda tomorrow! Your mantel always looks wonderful. Funny thing going thru the links. Mantel/Mantle can be spelled correctly two ways. I am a mantel girl.
    My best- Diane

  11. Lynda

    What an inspiration from a beautiful & talented Lady – Layla!
    Thank you for sharing and for hosting. I’m so excited and happy to have found today the Holiday Home link party! I’m sharing you banner & link on my blog… And eventhough I don’t have a fireplace, I shared my post b/c the TV unit top display is my mantel (not too many firepaces down here in Florida!)

    Looking forward to your vlog!
    Stay stylish –
    😀 Lynda

  14. Carmell

    I can wait for your vlog about the Pottery Barn mirror. I would kill for the one at PB but if I could DIY it, it would mean a lot more to me. DIY items are so much more cherished and special! Love your mantel as well!

  18. French Basketeer

    Wow I can’t believe all these fantastic mantels! Each more beautiful than the last. Thank you for organizing this linky!

  20. Allyson

    I seriously considered purchasing that PB mirror on several occasions. Can’t wait to see the vlog on how you accomplished your version.

  21. Laurel

    I love these! Wonder if you know anywhere there is a linky party for mantels for the rest of the year? I have a new house and am lacking inspiration! Thanks for sharing all of your brilliant and beautiful designs for those of us who are less creative!

  23. Suzanne

    Your mantel is just lovely! I knew it would be, as you always have such wonderful ideas. I have joined your party and am having a great time checking out all the mantels. Thanks for hosting this party and inspiring us all.

  25. Brandi

    AHHH…Dying that you made the mirror! I’ve wanted (and started to attempt) to make that mirror but couldn’t figure out how to do it! I think my biggest problem was the size I was trying to do and how I would make it stable. (I think the amount of mirrors I had made it wider than 4′ so that seemed problematic when sheet goods are 4×8) Then I wasn’t sure I’d found the best size of mirrors…oh please please share how you did it! I can’t wait!

  26. Emily P.

    I love your mantle! Hope you don’t mind if I show it on my blog…we’re moving this week, so everything holiday is still packed away. Since I can’t post about decorations in my own home this year, I highlighted a few I found in others!

  28. claire

    oh my goodness – that is a heck of alot of mantels already done – i dont decorate till around the 16th – but i am gettin very anxious to start early with all this inspiration – kevin and layla always LOVE your mantels – have had a summer and autumn one already because of you!!! c

  29. Maria Wheeler

    How festive and cozy everything looks! Between these photos and the seasonal COLD weather we now have, you helped jump start me into the frenzy. Thanks for hosting this mantle decorating party. I participate merrily!

  30. Traci

    Your mantle is so fresh and organic….you both are so very talented! Thank you for the forum for us to share our spaces…

  34. Ange

    Joining the mantle fun a little late but I can’t wait to see what everyone else has done! Love your stockings Layla!

  36. Fabby

    I loved your mantel, it’s really so nice and simple with lots of elegance. I tried to enter your Mantel Party but couldn’t find the link, or am I to late?

    Thank you Layla.
    FABBY

    • Fabby

      I forgot to tell you… you can visit my blog anytime, you’re very welcome. I’ll be waiting for you as I like what you do Layla.

      Merry Christmas
      FABBY

  37. Tricia

    I simply love that mirror and think it would look so great on my mantel b/c the wall above my mantel isn’t very tall. Can’t wait to hear about the details and hopefully it’s something I can try!