Spring Look for My Fireplace Mantel

I finished changing around my mantel yesterday and I'm pretty happy with it. I'll probably tweek it a bit this week. I used only things I already had - I didn't go out and buy anything for this makeover (I used a lot of paint ~smile)! I showed how I re-made the center bird picture in the post below this one.

This candle stick used to originally be this ($1.91 at Goodwill).

Then I painted them black

Now they're white! They may be yellow or apple green this summer!

I made the moss ball above.

I used sheet moss because I thought the spaghnum (sp?)moss looked a bit messy. I tried all kinds of things to adhere it and hot glue wound up be the best thing. Spray adhesive didn't work for me neither did white glue.

The little birdhouse you may remember from Christmas. I had three of them spelling out the "JOY".

I took off the old paper and decoupaged new paper on one and glued some sheet moss on the roof. I love the mossy roof!

I also made some moss eggs. I had some eggs that I'd taken off an Easter wreath last year so I don't know if this will work with plastic eggs. I used some white glue and again used sheet moss (I made one with sphagnum moss but don't really like it). Once the moss was on I squeezed the moss and egg to mold the moss into an egg shape (it has a tendency to be round because sheet moss is thick - cut off the dirt part btw).

Oh and the little bird in this jar used to be red and I spray painted it yellow. At one time it was green and it's been white. Soon you won't be able to tell it's a bird it'll have so many layers of paint on it!

I bought this little bird picture at the thrift store two years ago. It had your standard brown frame and I used the same yellow spray paint that's on the bird to change the color.

I try to buy calendars that have pictures I know I can use at some point. As you can see this one was from last year and has lots of great bird and egg pictures in it!

I bought this glitter "NEST" banner last year and as you can see the glitter is all tarnished. So I sprayed it with spray adhesive and used some light green Martha Stewart glitter and re-glittered it

I do have a rather large arsenal of things that I can use to make things over. These things have been collected over time and I always buy at the end of the season when things are on clearance. I'm sure most of you do the same! But for someone that's just starting out this is one really good way to stretch your decorating dollars. Don't just focus on buying seasonal decorative accessories but buy ribbon, stamps, rub-ons, scrapbook paper etc when they go on clearance. Those are the things that will help you change things up for little money and always buy spray paint when you see it at a good price or use your Michael's coupons to build a nice stash of colors that you like.

My friend Rhoda is having a "Spring Fluffing" Party Wednesday so I'll be back then with a little more spring decorating from my home! Thanks for stopping by!

For more spring decorating posts check out The Decorating Voice.Org.