Dreamy, Cozy Christmas Mantle with Hobby Lobby Garland
This is the first Christmas since we overhauled our fireplace, gave it a mantle, and a floor to ceiling refresh. You can check out that transformation here. And friends, I’m in love with this dreamy, cozy Christmas mantle.
I’ve been giddy with each season, excited to decorate my new space and make it inviting. I was over the moon (pun intended) for the fall mantle I put together recently, and the Halloween one was absolutely batty. But, this Christmas mantle might take the cake over both of those!
What do you think? Isn’t it delicious with the thick greenery, whites and golds, and those vintage looking bells? I just can’t. It’s my favorite place to be.
You can catch me many times a day scooted up close to the fireplace, getting warm after being outside, or simply just because. I swear I’m coldblooded and always freezing.
How do you make a cozy mantle? Here’s a few of my tried and true tips when making a Christmas mantle.
Christmas mantle tips
Pick the right greenery
If you follow along on Instagram (and if you don’t you totally should! We have a great time in stories!) I just couldn’t seem to find the right Christmas garland for my mantle. Nothing I saw in my budget range made my heart sing. And I wasn’t about to spend $100+ on the ones I really liked. I needed four of them, which meant $400. Yikes! That was just too much to splurge on for the mantle.
So what’s a girl to do?
Off I scooted to Hobby Lobby, hoping inspiration would hit and I’d find something I loved.
I went into Hobby Lobby on a hope and a prayer, and when I passed through the Christmas garlands . . . they were wiped out. Not much selection, and even what they had, it simply wasn’t what I was imagining. I scooted down the regular greenery aisle as a last resort, and low and behold, I found this beautifully mossy goodness. I realize it might not be for everyone, but for me, it was perfection.
Now friends, I tried to find this exact garland on their website, and it’s just not appearing. Moral of the story is . . . you don’t always have to find your Christmas decor in the Christmas section. To make it a little more festive, I added in this white seed berry garland that I was able to find the link for. To top it off, I dried some oranges (learn how to easily do that here) which also holiday-ed it up some.
Balance is key
I love my mantles a little off balance. Nothing too perfect. Even if it’s off centered, it still needs to flow. I did a gradual slope from the old window and bow, down to the sign, down to the trees. And on the other side from the window to the hourglass.
I then added the stockings to one side, and the bell garland to the other. Overall, it pulled together nicely and looks imperfectly perfect.
The Juniper Glass Trees were added to my Christmas collection last year and they are a favorite of mine. The light illuminates from them in a way I’ve never seen before. It’s absolutely stunning.
This adorable little deer is a new addition this year. Isn’t he just full of personality? He’s from Amazon, and I will be completely honest, he came unassembled and I had to put him together. They didn’t send any instructions, and no way to adhere the horns, glasses, or pipe. I put on my thinking cap, grabbed my hot glue gun to put it all together. Easy peasy, but just wanted to give you a heads up! Assembly and creativity is required.
I used the velcro Command Strips to get the deer to stick to my salvaged window from our first home. It’s such a treasure that I’m so glad we have. A piece of the beginning.
And to finish it off, I took jute string and made a vintage bell garland and can’t wait to use the remaining brass bells on other decor projects soon. It came in a pack of 60 and I only used 20 on this full garland.
The sleigh ride song sign was a local purchase a few years ago.
Overall, this mantle is beautiful in its simplicity. Some years I love flashy and over the top, but this year, I chose a more subtle mantle and it’s speaking to my soul in this busy season. It beckons me to come sit, take a breath, and regroup.
What do you want your mantle to speak to you this year? I hope whatever it is, you’re able to create it and make your heart sing and your house cozy.
