Easter Mantle

There is something about winter ending and spring arriving that makes me want to redo everything in my house in bright pastels. But I’m not really a pastel girl and I know after just a few days I would be sick of it. So my spring compromise is a new mantle scape. I try to only use items I have on hand or I can collect for free and I usually try to make the mantle more spring and less Easter so that it won’t look funny up there for a few months, although this year the adorable elizabethan bunnies we made for Vivi’s party made it up there.

To start I always try to decide on one element that will really be the show stopper and this year it was the mossy oak branches with spring birds hanging in them. Last Halloween I used oak with crows so I figured why not do a spring take on them! Amanda’s family lives nestled right into the woods so she picked up a bunch for me. Good friends will wander the forest for you looking for the mossiest of branches, that is how you know you picked a good friend!

Next I collected anything around the house that had pastel colors. Jars, tickets, books, a lantern, nests, birds and the bunnies were all gathered from things I already had. I used a sap bucket and a champagne bucket for the oak branches which I secured with rocks. Then I started creating levels using the books and tickets and added any feature items on top of that. I like to style in little groupings instead of overall because it makes it less overwhelming.

As the final touch I added some birds to the branches. The birds I had were white from a former project and you couldn’t see them against the white wall so I glittered them. Its super easy, just paint on some modgepodge and sprinkle the glitter you want on top. It even works over feathers.

Lastly I always try to add some kind of filler and something living so a plant went into the lantern and I used moss as a filler. It really added a lot of color and life to the final look. And that is it! A spring mantle from items I had sitting around.

Short mantle styling recap:

1. Choose a color pallet and gather up items in your own home!

2. Come up with one big feature item.

3. Then create levels using books, logs, tickets, whatever you have on hand.

4. Style in odd number groupings.

5.Add something living.

6. Add a filler.

You are done!

In the top image I left under the mantle empty in the bottom I added an old piano roll with some burlap and gold beads. I think it looks good either way, it just depends on how busy you like things. I do think that layering is key when creating a full looking garland.

And that is it! I hope it helps you with your spring decorating!