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. Stacey says

    March 15, 2013 at 4:03 pm

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

  5. Shelia says

    March 15, 2013 at 4:22 pm

    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. Vee says

    March 15, 2013 at 5:46 pm

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

  11. Glenda says

    March 15, 2013 at 6:59 pm

    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. Melanie says

    March 15, 2013 at 9:50 pm

    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. 🙂

    • Manuela says

      March 15, 2013 at 10:33 pm

      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. Tracey says

    March 15, 2013 at 11:23 pm

    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. Pamela says

    March 15, 2013 at 11:53 pm

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

  17. Kim says

    March 16, 2013 at 8:56 am

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

  19. Debbie says

    March 16, 2013 at 12:01 pm

    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. [email protected] says

    March 16, 2013 at 1:09 pm

    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. Sandy says

    March 18, 2013 at 5:25 am

    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. Audra says

    March 18, 2013 at 1:58 pm

    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?

    • Manuela says

      March 18, 2013 at 2:03 pm

      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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