{decking the mantel}

The fall decorations have come down and our fireplace mantel received a Christmas make-over yesterday! I'm really happy with how it turned out...so fun and whimsical. And it includes lots of inexpensive and DIY decorations...

And did you notice we took the fireplace doors off?! It still needs to be cleaned a bit around the doors, but it looks sooo much better.

I made the wreath last year by hot glue-ing ornaments, yarn balls and felt flowers onto a grapevine wreath form.

The drying rack to the left of the wreath used to be on the opposite wall in the dining room. I switched it out with the blue chalkboard to add a neutral white piece to the display.

I created the "joy" burlap pennant banner in just a few minutes with some inexpensive supplies. I cut the triangles out of burlap I had leftover from my table runner project. Then I used a red sharpie and free-handed the letters right onto the burlap. I added a button to each triangle, and then threaded them together with red yarn. Easy peasy!

The two silver trees were one of my first ever DIY Christmas projects that I made when my husband and I were in our first apartment together. They are basic styrafoam cones with fun silver trim and small green berries glued on. Another really simple and inexpensive project.

The cute white tree in the middle was a gift a few years ago from my friend Dusty.

And finally, the cute Christmas subway art is a free printable that I found on Pinterest...isn't it adorable?

The colors and words were exactly what I was looking for. And I already had the frame up on the mantel, so I just switched out the fall tree photo I had in there and voila!

I also hung the boys' stockings on our hutch...

and the boys' little tree on the other side of the fireplace...

 Finally something to fill that corner! Maybe I'll just leave it up year round. ;)

And if you're wondering what I did with that cute blue chalkboard, it is across the room on our record player with a Christmas message for everyone that walks by...

With my button flowers and a sparkly little tree...

Have you started decorating for Christmas yet? Next will be our tree and the entryway, but I've had a horrible head cold the past few days so I haven't gotten around to that yet. I would love to see your decorations...link up in the comments section!