If you all only knew how much I am smiling with this fun little decorated mantel. It has looked so bare since the Christmas clean-up. This is one of 3 projects I’ve been working on for pink week. The other 2 are stuck until I get some support help. ugh. But hopefully next week, I can post the others. But for now, let me show you what my little crew & I have been up to.
To date, this mantel has to be one of the cheapest decorating vingettes – I have done. The only thing I purchased specifically for my Valentine’s Day themed mantel was the X’s & O’s. Which were $1.49 total. Yes, I spent $1.49 on this mantel. All the other decor is snatched up from elsewhere around the house.
My proudest recycled item(s) on this mantel are…the cut out letters for L-O-V-E & the hearts on the rosemary topiaries. They are from an Ann Taylor circa 2003 ~ holiday gift box. Yep, the letters are cut -out from a shirt gift box from 2003. Oh how I love a freebie!
As I was decorating this mantel I couldn’t help but think & reminisce about a few of my friendships. My friend Susan Lucci, who I have spoke of several times before…she & I didn’t have dates for Valentine’s, (several years ago) so we went out together. Appetiziers & water (because we were too broke for anything else.) That night on Valentine’s she met her “hunk of burning love” & they have now been married for several years.
Everytime I eat a Valentine’s M&M’s, I think of my friend Kerry H. 🙂 Who I absoluetly adore. It was a few years back, at an all girls’ slumber party for her big 4-0 bday (several guests were from out of town.) We all munched out on those M&M’s like they were nothing & laughed liked crazy.
My couch was delivered on Valentine’s Day a few years ago. The couch’s name is Isabella, but we have given her the last name of Valentine. Isabella Valentine, my how you have become the “nursing/breastfeeding station.”
And finally, I have thought about a dear friend of mine that I have known a long time. She is a decorating goddess. She has mad – mad skills, folks. But she doesn’t have a blog. Her name is Cha Cha. I spent many a Valentine’s with her when we were single gals as well. Those pretty pink dishes on the mantel…are from her. It is a gorgeous collection. And I have the entire collection. (creamer, sugar bowl, tea pot, etc all of it.) She IS the Hostess with the Mostess, the most proper, beautiful, & fun person to be around. And, has the BEST I’VE EVER SEEN IN DIY SKILLS. BEST EVER.
And it wasn’t until my little shadow Madi, was playing with the drapes that made me think of this idea. (if you look close, you can see her playing with the drapes in the collage above.) My friend Cha Cha gave me these drapes – that she brought back to life from an estate sale by way of painting them with darker paint! Oh yes, she did. I am telling you – mad skills.
I thought I would do a post on these drapes next week. In case anyone wants to know all the details of these gorgeous – 4 panel “puddle” – 10 foot length drapes she got for $30.00 @ an estate sale. I may even link it up – in honor of my friend Cha Cha. As you can tell, they are a work of art, in my opinion. Isn’t it amazing how an object, decor, or a holiday can bring a ton of memories & make new ones!!??
linking this post up to the Mantel Party @ The Stories of A to Z.
Also with Finding Fabulous ~ Frugal Friday
Hello! I’m so glad you’re here & reading my posts! I’ve started truncating my posts, so please click over to read the rest of the story!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!