Re-Framed Mantel

Long before I started blogging, when home ownership was a novelty and home decor was sparse, I was known among my friends as the one with the put-together house. Of course, it didn't take much back then - we were all just out of college and easily impressed! A fresh coat of paint and anything other than posters on the walls was reason for celebration....and by those standards, I was a top notch decorator.

Of course, when I look back at pictures of my early decor, part of me can't help but cringe at the hodge podge of hand-me-downs and college purchases.... a Papasan chair here, a dorm room lamp there.....But at the same time, those pictures make me realize that who we are doesn't really change (not much, anyway!)

In the past 10 years I've gone through 2 moves, 2 jobs, 2 pugs, 3 pregnancies, a washer, a dryer, a book club, a surgery, 3 pairs of brown boots, 8 years of marriage, and enough cell phone minutes to fill an entire year of my life.  And yet....when it comes to house stuff, I am still doing what I have always done. I am using what I have and making the most of it.

Sometimes I just walk around my house and look for things to move from one place to another. Sometimes I open my closets and cupboards to find things I haven't seen in a while, things that could be brought out into the light and repurposed. And always, for the holidays, I gather.

I gather pitchers and vases, jars and frames, candles and ribbon.....and I put them all together into something like this. My revisioned, re-framed St. Patrick's Day mantel. Know what I love about it? Other than the perfect green "re-frame"? The fact that nearly all of it - except the Irish Blessings plate and mug - are part of my everyday decor. Meaning I could really keep it up all year, if I wanted to.

Of course, with Easter just around the corner, the reality is this mantel gets just 2 more weeks to shine. But that's okay....I'm sure it will all come together again sometime. And if not, I'll look forward to seeing where it ends up next.

Thanks for taking a peek inside my Lemon Tree Dwelling!
I hope you feel right at home :)
-Cathy