Mantel Mania

As i'm reading up on some of my favorite blogs today

i'm noticing that everyone is talking about their mantels.

I'm thinking...

WOW

everyone must be on the

 same page today 

and I missed the memo   

Then I realized its because there's a

PARTY

going on in Blog land

and you don't want to miss it!!

and since I certainly don't want to miss the party...

here's our mantel

There are two things that I

don't change at Christmas

One is our family tree

the other is the mantle

beyond that everything else is far game

The mantel stays the same because two years ago

we had the kids write this in their own handwriting

on a big sheet of plywood

and it means so much to us.

Plus lets be honest...

it's huge and won't fit anywhere else.

Shabby Chic Stocking Holders

from Target

Perhaps that tree on the right has been hitting the eggnog

It looks like it's leaning a little

maybe I should fix that.

The mantel I try to keep very neutral and simple to

balance out all the color from the nutcrackers.

But I think it needs one

of those mantel scarfs

 (is that what you call them??)

like The Lettered Cottage has on hers...

I'm completely in LOVE with it.

Well

looks like i'll be hitting the fabric store tomorrow

Keep you posted

Please go visit

and check out all the inspiring mantels!!