Valentine Mantle

I finally have all my Valentine decor up. I know, for what, a week??
There are alot of pics, so I will just show you already...

This was my first attempt at bunting!

One of my favorite photo at our wedding! 

The glare from the glass makes it seem like it is over exposed, but no.

 I did try to fiddle with it in Picnik, but didn't work.

You can't see it, but the antique book is a book of Poems. 

I use the mercury glass candle sticks through out the year.

The wreath of roses I bought at a Thrift store and it actually looks like dirty cement. 

Unfortionatly it is not a strong. I had two of them...

(I used them in my Halloween mantle too!)

Of course, two other loves of my life!

I got the striped fabric at a Thrift store, about a yard of it for I think $1.

The lace was bought there as well. They had 'I love you', Just Married', and 'Love' on 4 

different panels. I just cut them out on top of the triangle I cut out of the fabric.

The red hearts I got there also for $.25 a piece.

Ok, I know. I have tried 14 different ways to get this to stay turned and everything is 

good in editing all the way up until I hit 'add selected' in Blogger. Ggggrrrrrrr!

I have had this box of Ireland's Chocolates from St. Louis for a while now, but I have never pulled it out for Valentines day. The paper on the top is a little frayed on the edges, but other than that is it pretty solid.

I am guessing from the girl it is from about the 20's-30's. The small Mercury glass to the right of it is real Mercury glass. It was my husbands Great Grandmothers. I usually have it tucked away in safe keeping. Did you know Mercury glass actually has no Mercury in it? Back when Silver was all the rage, the people who could not afford it, bought 'Mercury looking glass' to fool you. Funny how it is more popular now than the Silver.

I also did a few little Valentine day crafts. I will post those tomorrow!

Also I will be linking up my Wait a wee Meenit Wednesday's party, so stop back by!

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Pretty in Pink

I have never been a huge fan of Pink. Until I started seeing all this fabulous pink showing up in peoples crafts, and homes around bloggerville. I wanted to make a Valentine wreath, but something a little different than the typical red. So I headed to Pinterest because I am an addict to look for a little inspiration. I loved this wreath from Babblings and More.

I love the different fabrics she used, and the texture is perfect!

Then when I was packing up my Vintage tree and ornaments I noticed that most of the balls where Pink.

So I kept those aside and placed them in a silver bread basket.

A crystal bowl wood look beautiful too, but I do not have one large enough. 

I also added a few of the silver ones.

Wyatt kept sneaking his hand in the photo to bug his mother, 

cause that's what this 4.5 year old finds amusing.

And here is my wreath.

 I used the Pinterest wreath and the colors of the vintage ornaments as inspiration.

So here is how it came together. I ran to Joanne's and got a little fabric and a Styrofoam round.

I bought a 1/2 yard of Burlap and a quarter yard of the 3 coordinating fabrics.

I chose Ivory Burlap (didn't even know it existed in this shade).

I wrapped the Burlap around the wreath not cutting any notches in it as I liked the burlap 

pleated look, then pinned it to the wreath along the way.

The grey fabric I chose is actually flannel. I wanted it to have the same feel as the vintage balls, 

so this was as close to silver as I wanted.

There are tutorials on how to make flat flowers out of fabric or paper, but having never read them, here is my version. Not sure if they are better or worse, this is just what I did.

Start coiling the center of the flower, twisting the burlap as you go. After an inch or so, twist the fabric the opposite direction.  Making sure you hold the flower very tightly as it will want to unroll on you.

The Burlap is harder to keep compact and tight as it is bulkier, but I liked the added texture it gave me.

Carefully turn over the flower, still holding it together tight and place a line of hot glue across the entire back. Hold for a minute, then lay down for it to cool completely.

I love this soft pink fabric, it has a few of stripes running through it, again a bit of added texture.

I coiled it the same way as the burlap then placed a long straight pin through the side of the flower 

(figured this out after I did a burlap one). 

Isn't she pretty? I then had to hot glue them to the wreath.

The last bit of fabric had pink, white and grey in it. I layered some of the flowers so I could fit them all on. I think the inspiration wreath is bigger than mine. I stuck a few of the straight pins in the center of the flowers, for a little extra support. I used that to make a few flowers and hang the wreath

from. I had some silver wired ribbon that I made a bow with, not sure it I like it on there or not. 

What do you think?

Are you using some unconventional colors to decorate for Valentines day?

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