I’ve decided to focus on a few key areas this year when decorating for Christmas. Mainly because I really, really, really want to downsize all my Christmas decor boxes. I decided to display all my glitter houses and some of my bottle brush trees on my mantel.
My main focal areas for the living room will be our Christmas tree and the fireplace. I showed you the french grain sack planter I made for my pretty poinsettia on the hearth. So now I’ve moved onto the mantel.
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This mantel is so nice and deep since we made it over in January! Just perfect for setting up a Christmas display!
I do love my glitter houses! I’m a house gawker so I enjoy seeing different houses real or not.
I used some icicle trim for a wintery feel.
This is the first little house that I bought many, many years ago. It started it all!
Here are more detailed photos of my Christmas glitter house village mantel.
I have a little more inside and outside decorating to do this week (in-between painting my kitchen).
I love how it all sparkles during the day and a few of the houses light up for some night time glow.
Hope you enjoyed seeing my little glitter house collection!
This is just spectacular, Manuela. So, so beautiful. I love all the little houses…aren’t they just gorgeous. I have a few little houses that I will post soon. Your mantel is the most beautiful one I have seen and I’m sure anyone who visits will adore it. Please take a photo at night for us when the little lights are on. Love your blog so much. Hugs, Deb
Can’t wait to see yours!
Love seeing it and I really like the icicle trim as well. Is that something one can find? I don’t recall ever seeing any. The first little house that started your collection is my very favorite. It looks so charming and so vintage.
Hi Manuela! Oh, I love your mantel with all your wonderful glitter houses! Looks spectacular.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
That is just beautiful!
My pitiful attempts to downsize the Christmas decorations amount to refraining from buying additional trinkets — or trying to, at least. I’m so schizophrenic with Christmas decor — I love an all natural look, of icicle whites and forest greens and browns, but I love an old fashioned Victorian “more is more” look, and kitchy mid century Christmas — oh — and candy garland candy shop/toy shop look. Yikes! What’s a person to do?
I know I like a variety of Christmas looks too! We used to do a lot of decorating outside with lights and moving animals etc. We got rid of most of that last year and are just doing lights around the house this year. Now I have to just get rid of some of the indoor decorations!
Very pretty!
Enjoyed seeing your pretty miniature house collection – thanks for sharing it with us.
I have cut back quite a bit the last few years.
You have a beautiful collection of glitter houses, and your mantel is just stunning!
xoxo, Tanya
twelveOeight
Hi;
What a Beautiful, Beautiful mantel!! Makes me want to put up a mantel just to copy your creation!
You are so gifted!! Have a Blessed and Very Merry Christmas. Love, Nana
Thank you Nana! You’re too sweet!
Your adorable glitter houses inspired me to revamp a paper mâché church my MIL gave me in the early ’90s. I collected churches at that time. It’s decoupaged in a country blue floral that’s “not me,” so I will spray it white, then glitter it. Thanks, Manuela, for the inspiration!
Your mantel’s positively refreshing with sweetness besides!
~Kelley
It’s gorgeous! Oh, what a collection you have! I’ve decided not to drag everything out of the shed to get to my Christmas tree. I went out the other day and went through a few boxes and just brought a few things inside. I’m challenging myself to decorate with what I have and just my usual reds.
Brenda
I’m trying to go through and get rid of things as I go through my boxes this year. Last year we got rid of most of the outdoor things except the lights.
You and me both, Manuela! As I was bringing the bins down from the attic to decorate and then bringing them back up to get them out of the way, I decided there is just too much and way too much that I haven’t been using. I’ll be purging and donating quite a bit of it come January! Love your houses and your bottlebrush trees. I think they make for a nice display on a mantel.
I love those glitter houses so much! Your mantel looks amazing.
Those little houses are so cute! I do love them, but have never bought any. I have made a few and want to do more.
I love your glitter house display Manuela! The one you started with is adorable. I also like the icicle draping. So cute! I have set up a glitter house village this year too. I don’t have a mantle so it’s on my bookshelf. I think they’re fun!
Oh I love your glitter houses! They are just so festive and sparkly. I was looking at some at HomeGoods over the weekend, but I just don’t have a good place to display them. They look perfect on your mantle!
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I love your glitter houses too and the icicles are just perfect!
I spent the day cleaning house after company, putting away Thanksgiving things and caring for my 2 year old granddaughter who was not feeling her best after many Thanksgiving activities.
But now, my house is a clean slate and I can decorate soon. Wish you could come help. 🙂
I’ve been downsizing for several years and want to cut back even more.
just a few years ago, I put up 7 trees- crazy!
I love the way it looks, especially reflected in the mirror. It’s all festive and sparkly. Just lovely!
I’m trying to keep it very simple around here too. After all that purging that I did earlier in the year, I’m just not up to any kind of clutter, even the creative Christmas kind. I’ll focus on my tables and a few other areas.
I just adore glitter houses! You have a great collection of them.
BE STILL MY HEART…That is the most gorgeous mantel, Manuela, and I love EVERY. SINGLE. THING.
I love, love this mantel. I am a huge bottle brush tree fan. I have started a small collection of them.
Cynthia
So pretty! I adore glitter houses! I have quite a few myself. I am trying to figure out the best place to display them this year. Wish I had a lovely mantle to use like you do! I love the icicle trim, too. May I ask where you found it or did you make it yourself? So happy to have found your lovely blog through Pinterest!
Hi Michelle,
Welcome! So happy you found me. I got the icicle fringe from a catalog – Terry’s Village. My fireplace isn’t a real one. My husband and I made it. But before I had a mantle I used to just use the top of a console and treated it like a mantle.
Swoon. Love it.
Oh my goodness I LOVE your Christmas mantle. Everything is so pretty from the little houses, the glitter, the snow and the icicle trim.
Incredibly beautiful. You have the gift of being an artist. I love everything in your glittering decor. Fantastic!
Hi Manuela,
Your little houses are magical.
I love them, and I’m going to see if I can find some here in Sydney.
Thanks for sharing.
Have a good day
Barb from Australia
Oh Manuela, it is beautiful. You did such a beautiful job. And I agree with Barb your little houses indeed are magical. What a beautiful transformation to your mantel!
blessings,
Debbie
Oh…Manuela! Your mantel is a glittery paradise filled with so much sparkle and sweetness. I have never seen such a spectacular display of little houses…..It is truly a Show Of Homes! I just love every sweet little shimmering detail. Your creativity knows no bounds, my dear friend!
Blessings to you and thankis so much for sharing your fairy wonderland!
Carolynn xxx
This is simply beautiful…love the glitter houses.
I’m so glad you didn’t downsize these little lovelies Manuela…they are so pretty…I can see why you became hooked…the blue one is my favorite!!! I also glimpse the white pillar candles inside the fireplace…LOVE the look and they go so well with the theme too…romantic…festive…cozy. You never cease to amaze me with your focus and creativity. I just took down my Thanksgiving decorations yesterday and am going to dig out the Christmas pieces today. Like you, I have wayyy too many Christmas decorations and am feeling the need to pare down (I gave away a HUGE box of garlands and mini trees last year that I did not need at all…still much more to go :). I’m not sure what my theme will be this year, I’m feeling a little less simple than last year…but not much…guess I’ll have to make my decision today! Thanks so much for all the great posts and inspiration, as always.
Love,
Tracey
x0x
It’s like visiting a glittery Christmas village. Lovely! Best wishes, Tammy
So beautiful! Love the glittery houses and that icicle trim! NEVER have I seen one like that:) Have a blessed day dear friend, HUGS!
Ooh, I love it! Especially the icicle trim! Your mantle posts make me wish I had one so much more. Btw, not sure how I’ve never noticed before, but I am in love with the tin tiles and mirror in the fireplace!
I love glitter houses! And the icicle trim just makes the whole mantel, Manuela. Beautiful.
xo
Claudia
What an amazing job! I love the icicle touch! A very elegant and inexpensive idea! And yes, I definitely adore the houses!
How pretty! I like your snowy base too.
Your glitter houses are very pretty, I loved seeing the little village that you’ve created. I adore the bottle brush trees, too, I have a few, but would like to collect more. But like you, I have way too much Christmas decor and need to get rid of more.
Hugs, cindy
I love those glitter houses! You did a great job arranging them on your mantle. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Judy
I certainly did enjoy seeing your glitter houses! I love the bottle brush trees, too. I don’t have any of those and are tempted to get some…but like you, I’m trying to get rid of some Christmas decorations, not accumulate more!
So pretty! You must really enjoy seeing this every time you walk into the room.
I love all that glitters at Christmas and your decorations are gorgeous!
I finally put the tree up yesterday and most of my snowman collection the day before. I know I’m getting older when I’m already thinking about how much work this will all be to put away, hehehe.
But I also love the house to sparkle at Christmas!
Pretty and ephemeral 🙂 I love how the main color is white with touches of blue, green and red. So many decorations are so over the top!
so pretty! I’m a house collector too!
So beautiful. Thanks for this inspiring post! I have a few of these…all in red and white… And have been looking for something different to do on my mantel…so I may copy you:). Btw…where will you be disposing of your exces CHristmas decor…I, too, live in the Atl area and would love to shop your castoffs…LOL.
Hi Judi,
Thank you! I’m glad to have given you an idea of what to do with your houses. When we get a chance to go through all our Christmas decorations we’ll donate the ones we no longer want to the Goodwill in Smyrna on South Cobb Drive.
I like your mantel very much and I like that idea of the candles in the fireplace area as well ! 🙂
Hi Manuela. Your little houses are wonderful. I bet they do look pretty at night. I have a very few and they go on the tree, but you have some very special ones. Thanks for your kind and sweet words to me. I love hearing from you..Happy Wednesday..Judy