3rd Annual Christmas Mantel Party

Welcome to my 3rd Annual Christmas Mantel Party! So glad you were able to stop by.

To get this party started I am going to share our Christmas mantel. This year our holiday decor looks completely different from years past. I used neutral colors with little pops of blue and red.

I added pops of blue by using my vintage Ball Canning jars filled with jingle bells and some candles. I would have loved to have used real candles but I did not want to take a chance at setting the house on fire!;)

These gold glitter deers from Michaels were my inspiration.

Buffalo Check stockings that were made with a pattern I traced from a stocking I already had.

My mothers sled from when she was a child.

The best view you could have when washing dishes!

I wanted to pull my hair out when I realized I had forgotten to turn on the lights to the little trees in the urns for the night pictures! Just imagine little twinkly lights on them!;)

With decorating almost completed I am going to sit back and enjoy this magical time of year.

I can not wait to see y'alls mantels! Please link back to the party and NOT just to your blog. I am asking that you link up only your Christmas Mantels. If you would like to share your other holiday decor please come to Treasure Hunt Thursday on Wed at 4 pm central time.
 The party will stay open thru New Years Eve so if you have not had a chance to take pics of yours yet no worries, you still have time.
Thanx again for coming!

Better Late Than Never Christmas Edition- Budget Friendly Front Porch Vignette

Christmas is less than 14 days away and I was feeling so far behind a few days ago. I still had not finished up all my holiday decorating. Everything inside the house is pretty much set or in the process of being set but the front porch well it was a blank slate. I knew I wanted to change things up but I wanted to spend as little money as possible. I came up with a plan after taking inventory of what I already owned. I was going to make a planked sign and something new for our urn.

I headed to Michaels and purchased three sets of chip board letters that spelled "Ho Ho Ho". Each letter was $1.50. I then purchased some Martha Stewart fine red glitter for $5.99 but used a 40% off coupon for it. So far I was off to a great start money wise.

I have my Martha Glitter Glue from a previous project and though it comes with a glue brush attached to the top it does not stay attached so I needed to spread the glue onto the chipboard letters with a foam brush. Ya gotta work quickly because the glue dries pretty fast.

Next I sprinkled...poured...the glitter on each letter. 

The next thing I decided to do for the porch was to make a gazing ball. I had heard you could do this with a bouncy ball and just so happened we had one out in the backyard. We also already had some silver spray paint out in the garage. Score! Nothing like a free project.

I was getting really excited after I sprayed the ball. It was looking really pretty.

Next up I needed to make something for the "Ho Ho Ho". I had some old fence boards out in the garage as well as some scrap wood from our wainscot project I did a few months back.  

Luckily the scrap strips were just the right length so no cutting needed which  means Mr. Front Porch formally known as The Hubster did not need to get involved with this project. A major plus for him and me!;)

After I attached the boards with screws I dug thru my stock pile of paints and found some white to dry brush on.

Then in the middle of my madness I remembered that I had purchased a few sets of Decorative Garage Door Hardware from HomeDepot back in the summer that were on clearance for less than $4. We already have decorative hardware on our garage doors so I decided that they would  be the perfect addition to the the "Ho Ho Ho" sign. I only used two straps so I have two more for a future project.

Next up I attached the glittered chipboard letters to the front of the planks with hot glue. I did not want to put them on there permanently so hot glue was the perfect solution. Now when I want to use the sign for another saying I can easily pop the "Ho Ho Ho" off.

Here is how it all pulled together. No worries about the big empty space. It is all part of the plan!;)

And here was the plan. I liked it but I was NOT in love with it. It was missing something. Here is where I will let you know that you can not spray paint a bouncy ball without spraying it down with primer for plastic first. My bouncy/gazing ball was still sticky hours later so the sweet gals over on my FaceBook page suggested that I put glitter all over it for an easy solution that would not cause me to have to start all over and steal yet another one of my boys bouncy balls. I added the glitter and then decided that I really wanted to make the ball look like a Christmas ornament.

So after brainstorming on what I could use as the topper to achieve the Christmas ornament look I dug thru our kitchen drawers and found an old water bottle top that no longer had a water bottle to go with it. It was perfect so out to the garage it went to get spray painted. 

I attached it with some hot glue. It WAS exactly what the bouncy/gazing ball needed. Now I LOVE my front porch vignette!

For next to nothing I created a fun porch vignette. Another plus was that it did not really take all that much time either. I will be sharing the rest of our front porch on Monday so be sure to stop back by!

I am honored to be participating in "Better Late Than Never Christmas Edition"! For some more Christmas inspiration and tips head on over to visit the rest of the ladies. 

Stone Gable

Adventures In Decorating

Top This Top That

Our Southern Home 

It All Started With Paint

Also before ya go, everybody is invited to come and party tomorrow Dec 14 for my 3rd annual Christmas Mantle Party! Party will start at 8 a.m. central standard time. Hope to see ya there. I will leave it open thru New Years Eve so if you can not make it till after Christmas that is fine too.

Linking up to the following linky parties:
DIY-Holiday DIY Home Showoff

Treasure Hunt Thursday #136 & Highlights

As Promised I came back! Sorry again I was behind this week! 

Before I share the Most Viewed & Highlights from last weeks Treasure Hunt Thursday I wanted to be sure to invite y'all to my 3rd annual Christmas Mantle Party this Saturday! I will be revealing our mantle and everybody can link up theirs! I hope to see ya there and be sure to tell all your friends. The more the merrier!:)

Now on to the Most Viewed Links from last weeks party!

1. Pricillas- Christmas Kitchen 

2. Dixie Delights- Christmas Home Tour

3.Cats On The Homestead- Christmas Tree Appetizer 

Here are my top picks!

Common Ground- Christmas Dining Room 

Chateau Chic- Christmas Mantle  

Old Things New- Pottery Barn Inspired Pillow

The Moon & Me- Peppermint Brownies 

TiTi Crafty- Chocolate Swirl Cake 

Thank you so much for coming out to party every week! Remember when you party at my place you not only get a chance at being featured here on my blog but also over on my blog FaceBook page which has over 123,000 followers!

Let's get this party started shall we!?

Common Courtesies

1. Please only link up new links that you have not shared before. 

 

2. Please link up only 3 times. If you have more you would like to share save the share till the next THT so it will be just as awesome.

 

3. Please do not link up items you are trying to sell or other linky parties.

 

4. Please be sure to link back to THT. Hint hint I will only feature those who have the link back. 

 

5. Disable Word Verification to encourage more comments from your visitors!:)

 

I would love to have you follow along with me if you do not already!

 

Can't wait to see what you have to share this week.