I can’t believe today is December 1!!?? Where has the year gone? I think that means I’m getting old older, since time seems to be picking up speed. The Christmas season always flies by so quickly too, so I started my decorating the day after Thanksgiving. I plan to enjoy it as long as possible!
I loved the warm simplicity of my Fall Mantel so much I wanted to create something similar for the Christmas season.
We moved our Christmas tree from the living room to the den this year, which means the stockings moved as well. So I was able to create a new look for this mantel and decided on mixed metallics. (The burlap vases just moved to a new spot with a bit of a Holiday makeover too, and I’ll show you those later.) Most of the gold decor I already had, and I added some gaudy shiny silver with the DIY ‘Noel’ letters.
Start with cardboard paper mache letters from the craft store, some glue and glitter:
**Warning: this is quite possibly the messiest project to date. Unless you like seeing glitter on every surface of your home, do it outside. (that’s what she said)
It was impossible to keep the little helpers away from this hot mess project.
It takes awhile for the glue to dry and the glitter to set. If you pick up a letter and tap off the excess too soon, you’ll lose 75% of the glitter. So douse your letters with glue and glitter, then leave them alone until fully dry. Even once they were dry, glitter was still getting everywhere, so I gave mine a quick coat of clear polyacrylic spray. I don’t know if it helped or not…but the letters look pretty cool!
You could do any combination of letter sizes, or all one size…I just liked the quirkiness this way.
(see the loose glitter?)
You’ve watched these hurricanes go from Summer, to Halloween to Fall…and now Christmas. I simply filled them with gold accessories from my Christmas stash.
I’m a little afraid to light the candles with the sticks in there, but they’re fun…and add great height!
Mr. Sugarplum likes to wait until I have something just how I like it, then come behind me to add his own “special touch.” Since he lives in the house too, I usually allow it.
(I gave up trying to clean-up the glitter!)
I have to admit, I almost always like what he adds. But he’s an artist, so he has the whole ‘creative’ thing going for him. {heart}
And so you don’t think all my Christmas decor is cold, and I’m a Mommy Dearest that doesn’t allow wire hangers* stockings….here is our other mantel (the fireplace is double-sided).
(I guess ‘Noel’ is the Christmas word of choice in my house??)
It contains traditional garland with lights, berries, and ribbon. It’s also incredibly hard to photograph without a flash, so sorry for the crapball pics!
My angel ornaments didn’t fit with the ‘vibe’ of my Christmas tree this year, so I placed them in the mantel so I could still enjoy them. The wreath is attached to the mirror with a Scotch hook.
I love how each mantel reflects the mood of the room….bright and cool in the living room, warm and cozy in the den.
But it’s only December 1, I’m sure I’ll be tinkering with both of them for at least two more weeks. How’s the decorating coming along in your house?
*Anyone get this reference, or am I the only demented child whose mother watched whack movies?
I Love it! It looks so stylish and fab! I need to get going with mine!
Rachie xo
Looks amazing! I can't wait to do one for our house! Thanks for sharing!!!
Ooooo I LOVE your sparkly Noel! It is so modern but very Christmasy too! Love love love it!
http://ashleyanderic.blogspot.com
Lovin' the silver, sparkly NOEL and the red wall in your den! 🙂
I need to get my tush in gear and start decorating! 🙂
Beautiful! I haven't even started yet!!
the noel letters are perfect. i love doing a project that the little ones can help with. i wish my house was as decorated as your, or that i had 2 mantels!!
Gorgeous girl. Love the letters . . and Mr. Sugarplum's addition! You are so good with this!
Those letters are awesome Cassie! I definitely like how you chose different sizes – what a fun, messy project! And I like John's simple addition- a nice touch!
Very nice! I wish I had 2 mantels to decorate!! Well, maybe not. I'm lazy. Yours look beautiful. 🙂
Love the glitz and glamor of it all! (c: I'm not sure I'm brave enough to attempt the glitter mess myself (super anal as I am), but it looks fab!
http://loveallthingsbrightandbeautiful.blogspot.com
Both mantels are beautiful!! I have a large mantel so I usually go with a simplistic approach as well. That is such a fun craft project to get the kids involved, and it looks great!
WOW! They are both so different and SO pretty! You've been busy. I'm working on my mantle at the moment, and we get our tree tomorrow. Happy holidays!
Oh my – I LOVE those Noel letters!! The different sizes really makes a statement! Nice job!
loving the NOEL!!!! great DIY project!!!
Love it, simple and chic and fun and whimsy!! Perfection!!
Both mantles look fabulous! Love the glittered NOEL. I love glitter so I'm always finding it in the oddest places around my house from all my projects. It's like a happy shiny surprise.
Adorable! I love the glitter in everyone's decor we're seeing this year. I just may give the glittered letters a try once I get home and more space to decorate! I especially like NOEL because it's my middle name (: (Just a minor spelling difference ha!) How fun that you have TWO manels to decorate. Both are darling
I added myself to follow your blog. You are more than welcome to visit mine and become a follower if you want to.
God Bless You 🙂
~Ron
I love the two moods of your mantle…they're both great and I think together really work to reflect a home that is both stylish and cozy.
And the Noel letters are just darling. I want some for myself!
i love it, cassie! the contrast between the fireplaces is great- one fun and colorful, and the other sooo simple and sparkly!
i posted my advent tree today- come check it out!
Both of your mantles look great! The noel turned out amazing — it looks fabulous (and that was nice of Mr. Sugarplum to contribute!).
We were at Target this past weekend and I bought some glittered candles. Justin complained the whole time that glitter was getting over everything in our cart!
How fun to have two mantles to decorate! I love them both. One so chic, simple and elgeant with just the right amount of sparkle and the other so colorful and whimsical. Your home is looking very festive! And, your husband's touch is just perfect.
Very nice mantels, love the silver Noel.
Stopping by from the vignette party! 🙂 So, so pretty! I love the glittered NOEL. I did not realize you could buy the letters in different sizes… I love that!
Oh my goodness, these photos are gorgeous. Love love the NOEL letters. And I don't know how I wasn't following you already either??!! Funny how that happens.
I love the glittered noel, great job! That is neat to have a double-sided fireplace, I really like the candle sconces on the other side too!
Love the sparkly NOEL, but I also love the mismatched stockings in the family room – ours are also mismatched (posting this week) my husband LOVES his and he won't let me change it, so I have embraced the mismatch! 🙂
I love the touches that Mister added to the NOEL mantle!
Very witty post! Good tips on doing this project outdoors and using polyacrylic spray. I like how your letters turned out! Beautiful!
Great job. I love that you have a double sided mantel and you went with 2 very different themes!
Just dropping by to let you know that I linked to this post in a round up today from the Home & Garden channel at Craft Gossip. 🙂 This will appear in the main Craft Gossip RSS feed, on the main home page and can be found directly here
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Love, love, love your silver Noel!
I think I'm going to have to make an impromptu trip to Micheal's and do this tomorrow!
Not one comment on the movie reference? Until now…I guess people look at pictures more than they read. Be comforted, some are reading your witty prose.
Just saw these in your post yesterday and thought, "I've got to do some of those this year!" They are fantastic. Your new living room wall looks awesome, too!