Inexpensive Christmas Decor
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We have lived in our home for 22 years and have watched both our family and home transform over the years. From one child to two, then add in three adopted siblings. Watch a daughter get married and leave home and a son go away to college. Changing rooms and purposes and hearts in the process.
Our home is evidence of the love we pour into our family, the struggles, joy, heartache and grace.
With every home project we tackle we make memories and experience life together. As we find solutions to problems (both in our physical home and the craziness of relationships), we allow our children to observe and experience problem solving and compromise. Thank you to all those readers who enjoy and visit our home projects and also allow us to share our hearts with you.
On to our mantel problem. The problem? No mantel! No fireplace. No nothing. The solution for me (as I discovered with our fall decor) is to decorate the top of our piano like a mantel with some inexpensive Christmas decor.
This year I totally redid my “mantel.” Usually I take my nativity collectables and let the kids just arrange them in any old way. Not this year!
I chose my favorite nativity set and used them as the centerpiece, setting them inside an empty picture frame.
At one end of the piano I used one of the many glass containers we had for Rachel’s wedding and filled it with ornaments and tied it with a bow.
Surrounding the main pieces was greenery with pinecones I sprayed with Glitter Blast by Krylon.
If you look at this post you’ll see these exact candles, stands and burlap in my fall decor. I changed the ribbon and that was it! They fit in perfectly!
I bought a ton of these wooden words at Michael’s one year after Christmas for $.10 each and sprayed the word faith with the glitter spray to give it a little bling. I like bling. Can you tell?
Other than the glitter spray (60% off coupon at JoAnn’s) and a strand of lights (NOT on sale. Sad.), I didn’t buy anything new for my “mantel.” I just pulled out all my Christmas supplies and started throwing things together. I love the result (won’t tell you how long it took, though) and it filled my need for creativity and frugality at the same time!
How do you save money on Christmas decorating?
Would you like to see more of my favorite Christmas projects? Here’s my 2013 Christmas Home Tour,
my fence board Christmas tree,
and my rustic Christmas tablescape.
Love your mantle Christmas 2012. PLEASE let me know where you found those white
candle holders. I understand that you had to paint them . I REALLY would like to
know where I can find them or some similar,
Thank you,
Juanita
Hi, Juanita. I don’t know you wanted to know where I found those candle holders but unfortunately it was at a yard sale! I wish I could help, but thank you for commenting!
It’s really a great and useful piece of information.
I’m happy that you simply shared this helpful information with us.
Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
Nice sloution to the problem! 🙂
Thanks, Susie, for visiting Marty’s Musings and leaving a comment. I linked up again this week! Have a blessed Christmas!
Marty
Those candle sticks with burlap are wonderful. Such a great way to create a mantel.
Merry Christmas!
Your piano top looks as beautiful as any mantel. You did an awesome job and it’s all just amazing.
Over from The Charm….
Beautiful! Love the nativity figurines!
http://makingitfeellikehome.blogspot.com/
I love what you did. I don’t have a mantle but I do have a piano. Great job! visiting from My Front Porch.
Very pretty especially the nativitiy and the candle pillars!
Thanks for linking up this week!
Stacey of Embracing Change
Thanks, Shelby, for visiting my (fake) mantel post at Marty’s Musings. Us mantel-less girls have to stick together! Have a blessed Christmas!
Marty
You did a fabulous job! Everything looks so beautiful! Visiting from A Glimpse Inside. Have a Merry Christmas!
Thanks, Kathy, for stopping by my blog and commenting on my mantel post. I appreciate you visiting and taking the time to live a comment. Hope your holiday season is blessed and restful!
Marty@Marty’s Musings
You did a great job with your “no mantel mantel.” and it looks so lovely! I really like the nativity sitting in the frame. I keep seeing the results of that Glitter Blast and will have to try some next year. I do buy a few things each year, but I have and use things that we’ve had since our early years of marriage (that’s 43….lol!). I use the same things year after year, but I seldom use them in the same place or the same way, so it usually gives them new life, and we get to enjoy the memories in lots of different ways.
Hi, Cas. Thanks for the sweet comment on my mantel post at Marty’s Musings! I love the fact that you’re using decorations for your years (many 🙂 of marriage. I love using things that have a story behind them. They truly delight me and I can tell they do you as well. Have a blessed Christmas!
Marty
Your mantel looks wonderful. I love the nativity and candles. Very beautiful.
Ruth
Hi, Ruth! Thanks for visiting my mantel post on Marty’s Musings. It’s been fun to do something different this year and experiment! I hope you’ll stop by again soon.
Blessings,
Marty
I love those candles! Everything is just beautiful.
It’s beautiful. Who needs a mantel when you have a piano? : )
you definitely made the most of what you had! Great ideas on decorating your “mantel”
Hi Marty,
Visiting (and following you now) from Homemaker on a Dime. I can totally relate to your comments about changing homes and families : )
Your “mantel” is just lovely. I don’t have a fireplace right now either, but I created a little “faux mantel” in my bedroom for my electric fireplace, and I’m also using the top of our piano in the main living area. Hoping to have a post on that by tomorrow (wish me luck-haha). Merry Christmas!
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Great idea to decorate your piano! I’m thinking about decorating a side table. 🙂
Thanks, Bethany, for visiting Marty’s Musings and my (pretend) mantel post! I say decorate every surface you can find! Which is basically what I did! Have a blessed day!
Marty
We have the same problem, no fireplace. BUT we do have the same solution! Time to pretty up that piano!
Yeah for pretty pianos! Thank you so much, Diana for visiting Marty’s Musings! I love Christmas decorating! Hope you have a blessed holiday!
Marty
Pretty! And yes, there are always ways we can decorate our house, even if not in obvious places 🙂
Looks Very Cute!!! I have a little foe fireplace and love to decorate it up! 🙂 Would you share this on our blog hop? http://www.lilywhite-designs.com
xoxo, Jordan.
so precious!