A Cultivated Nest

Helping You Manage Your Home and Life on a Budget

My Mossy Flowery Spring Mantel

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People often ask me how to go about decorating a fireplace mantel {I guess because I change my mantel every month or so}. I’m flattered that people would ask me for decorating advice since I think of myself  as a homemaker & gardener not at all as a “decorator”.  So I had to think about it.  Maybe there are some kind of rules? I don’t know.

decorating your mantel for spring

I just find it easier to decorate certain things if I have a theme or story in mind.  So that’s what I do with my mantel. Sometimes my theme is centered around colors, sometimes it’s a holiday, sometimes it’s a story, feeling or mood I  want to convey.

forsythia wreath

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Having a theme or story is a good way to narrow down what to use in a display. So with warmer weather approaching and gardening on my mind, I decided to do a mossy flowery spring mantel.

moss covered frame and ball

Moss because it’s green and when I think of green I think of spring and things starting to leaf out ( see how I made my DIY Moss Covered Frame).

 daffodils in a moss pot

Flowers because spring is all about blooming! (The moss pot came from Michael’s but you can make your own)

wire cloche with nest on mantel

And nests! What’s a spring display without nature’s ultimate symbol for spring! I put a little nest with a bird under this wire cloche (which is really a container for a candle).  I took the glass candle holder out and am just going to use it as a display piece. I got it at Michael’s for 40% off (all their spring stuff is on sale right now and very picked over) so it was around $14. Which I think is a good price for something that can be used over and over for years!

decorating your mantel for spring

Once I have all my elements together I go back, take things out, put other things in and move stuff around until I’m happy with it. Sometimes I take pictures to help me because I’ve found that the camera sees things I don’t.

 spring decorating with nests and eggs

Sometimes I put things together and it all just works and I do nothing.  Sometimes I have to impose a time limit on myself because I could probably tweak some things forever! At some point you just have to leave it alone so you can enjoy it!

faux dogwood blossoms in a vase

 

So those are my tips and my mossy flowery spring mantel!

 

 

Comments

  2. Very pretty. I like the gathering of several mossy pieces. That looks great. Of course, I love the little bird nest.

  5. What lovely examples for us. You are an awesome decorator, Manuela, and I just love coming by to see what you’re up to. Decorating my mantel is always a hard task for me.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia 😉

  9. You definitely have a decorator’s flair, Manuela. I copy your take on things all the time…oops, should I have confessed that?

  11. A very pretty Spring mantel vignette – really like the pot of daffodils grouped with the nest.
    Had the door open today and enjoyed hearing the robins singing.
    Have a great weekend.

  13. I’m like you with decorating. Sometimes I have a theme or story in mind and I can also tweak forever. I change my decor all the time. Your mantle is really pretty. I have the same little white iron bird bath with the two birds on it. A friend gave it to me for my birthday a few years ago. 🙂

    • Thanks Melanie! Gosh, I’ve had that little bird bath for so long I don’t even remember where I got it – probably Hobby Lobby.

  14. Such pretty vignettes Manuela and wonderful tips! I don’t know how you constantly create such beauty!
    Love,
    Tracey xox
    P.S. I didn’t know about Google reader ending! Thanks for the heads up!

  15. I love love love it! I always look forward to your email. You have fabulous taste dahling!

  17. It looks beautiful~ like a breath of springtime. Your mossy frame is so cute. I need to check out how you did it.

  19. I love it. It turned out so pretty. Love the moss, I bought some moss and have a few projects I can’t wait to finish!. Beautiful as always.
    Blessings,
    Debbie

  20. Thanks for the tip about BlogLovin (Sp?). I checked it out and like the way it looks! Could not BELIEVE Google Reader is ending.

    I love the way you use things differently than what they were intended for. 🙂

  21. It’s beautiful Manuela! I’ve been putting wreaths on my mirrors for years. It add more interest and color. Love the moss, birds and the wire cloche.

  22. Stunning as usual. I love your philosophy of being a home maker rather than a decorator. I feel the exact same way, I feather my nest and make changes as it suits me, I don’t follow a trend or fad, just use what I like in a way I like. Love the idea of using the camera to shoot the set up…I will be using that trick to help me as I decorate for spring. That wire cloche is a must have, where did you get it?

    • Thanks Audra! I’m like you, I just do what pleases me rather than what’s trendy (especially what’s trendy in the blog world).

      I got it at Michael’s and it’s candle holder. I just am using it as a cloche because I it works better for me that way.

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