While I was visiting my friend, Julie, she asked me to put together her mantel for her.

I already shared her guest bedroom and her master bedroom in her beautiful home. I thought today I would show you her mantel.

 

She has a bookcase next to the fireplace where I helped organize her Dedham Pottery and Hadleyware that she, and her family, have been collecting for years.

band concert, julie visit, julie house 185

Finding pieces to put on her mantel was easy, Julie has a ton of amazing things in her home. It was just selecting what worked best.

A Mantel For a Friend

I really liked these flower pots, but instead of putting something in them, I layered them upside down to create some height.

 

I wanted to add a little height. We tried several mirrors, but they were all too tall for the space. The window was above her bed. I didn’t feel safe with the glass, so we moved it down here.

The other side is actually painted white and she had a really pretty piece of wall paper behind it. We turned it around to the brown side and added the fabric. The rest of the room, which I will share soon, is very colorful and we needed to balance that color up here.

I added a few other elements, love the bird picture on burlap, some pinecones, birch branch votives, a glass hurricane with a textured candle and some wine corks and some pinecones. I swiped the red tray off her kitchen table.

bird

I am off to finally get back to working out, it has been three weeks. First, I was sick for a week and then the past two weeks have been canceled because of snow days and 2 hour delays for school.

It just occurred to me this morning, not working out for three weeks could be the reason I have been cranky and hibernating for three weeks! At first, I was dreading going, but now I am beginning to think it is just what I need. Wish me luck, this woman shows no mercy!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

February 03, 2011 — Laura Putnam