Creating new mantel-scapes has fast become a favorite hobby of mine (yes, I know how pitiful that sounds!). By changing up the decor of just the mantel to reflect the season, you can quickly and inexpensively transform the feel of an entire room.

Let’s recap the 9-lives of my mantel so far this year:

When I packed up all the Christmas decorations last week, I was left with a blank mantel (except for all the glitter the DIY NOEL letters left behind!). The burlap vases from the Fall Mantel were moved to the Dining Room during Christmas, and I really like them there for now, so I decided to put together a new, Wintry Mantel!

I started with two of my Christmas projects that I wasn’t ready to part with yet…the Advent Calendar Tree and Magnolia Wreath. The Advent Calendar was looking pretty sparse after her branches were raided every day in December, but I love how snowy and cold the stems look:

And even though the Magnolia Wreath isn’t as fresh, I love how it looks dry too:

After shopping my house for more wintry items, here is my Winter Mantel!

I simply changed out the gift wrap on the vase from Christmas red & white, to Christmas white & silver. And I kept the white birds clipped on the branches because they’re cute.

The brass candlestick is part of a set I recently inherited. Everyone in the family has given them a whirl, but I think they have a new home at the Sugarplum house! I have no idea of their origin, but the base is marble and they are heavy as a mother-eff. I think they are cool and quirky.

The pinecones have made the rounds, starting with my Thanksgiving table, but they seem like Winter to me, so they get to stay another season. The figure on the hearth is an ancient relic from Egypt. Not really. I don’t know what it represents, but it was in my grandparent’s house my entire life and it reminds me of them.

The reindeer was an after-Christmas score from JoAnn’s when all the decor was 70% off. I really like the mono-chromatic look on the mantel, so he stayed.

Thanks to my honey for making that kicking fire! Don’t you just want to come over and smoke a pipe? Wait, that didn’t come out right. Anyway. You can catch a glimpse of the Den through the double-sided fireplace…and also through the random opening to the right of it.

And because I have some readers that like to peek around the rest of the room as well (you know who you are Megan!), here’s the coffee table holding the other candlestick, some of my favorite design books, and a silver-footed platter.

You’ll see a bit more of the room tomorrow when I show you where some of the lamps ended up from Lamp-A-Looza! So what do you think…are you coming over? I may put you to work though….because I’m trying to decide whether or not to paint the brick around the fireplace, as well as, what color to paint the dinosaur armoire! Expert design advice welcome.