Christmas Mantel O’ Natural

Sticking with my simplicity kick, the mantel is just that.  Simple.  It all started with a bundle of pine from the garden store.  Tucked a little here and a little there, threw in giant sugar cones from our tree cutting day and that was it.

I got hooked on a nature inspired Christmas while I was at the garden store the other day.  The natural beauty of the plants themselves just made me happy.  So I grabbed a paper white for the mantel and a couple plants for other spots around the house too.

I’m loving how fresh and crisp they look up there, however I’m not so sure I like the scent of the paper whites.  So this may be the first and last year for those.  And there’s also the fact that I’m not sure I can keep them alive.  This photo was taken the day I got them.  Since then, they’ve gotten all flopsy on me.  They may not even make it to Christmas.

Typically, I use a faux pine garland, but I’m digging this naked, o’ natural look this year.

Oh, and remember how I said that it was possible I might go hog wild after I brought up the bins from the basement?  Well, I started to, but when I stepped back for a look, I took it all down.  It just wasn’t working for me.

But of course, the mantel has to have stockings, so those stayed along with just a few glints of shimmery ornaments.  You can see the paper white getting flopsy in this photo.  What do I do with this thing?  Anyone?

Oh, and look, just like Halloween, I decorated my magazine pile again.  Yep, they’re still there.  With that basket of ornaments and greens, you can’t even tell it’s on top of a clutter pile.  Well, that’s what I tell myself anyway.

I really am lovin this simple approach to Christmas decorating this year.  And I’m amazed at how one little bundle of pine managed to decorate my entire house.  I’ll show you where else it pops up next time.

Have a great day!

Kim

Linking this up here and down there.