One Mantle Down

I've always wanted a mantle to decorate but never lived in a house with a fireplace. Now we live in a house with a 3-sided fireplace! Not as awesome as you might think. That third small side mantle between the 2 rooms is kind of pain. Especially if the 2 rooms have different looks going on. Im kind of getting off topic though because this post is not about the 3rd side of the mantle. Its just about one main side.

A side that looks awe-some now I might add. Really, Im very pleased with how it turned out. Our front room (versus the family/tv room) is kind of sad and empty right now with a mishmash of furniture. But someday it will look pretty. And it just got one big step in the right direction with the mantle. At least I think so :) Ive wanted a beachy room (I know, I live in the desert, not at the beach, but whatever) and since the front room is designless at this point; it now has  something it can dream of becoming.

The driftwood I got from the beach last time we went to the Oregon coast. My hubby looked at me like I was crazy when I came up the hill with a huge armload of driftwood. I just smiled at him and said I had "plans" for it. The picture I picked up at an estate sale and I love it. I repainted the frame and I like how the mantle gives it its own little place of honor.

I like the little mason jars with sand and those plain old metal and white votive lights that you can buy in a huge bag for a few bucks. A few books from my vast supply of old books that my hubby thinks I have way to many of. Of course I know that one can never have too many so I just roll my eyes when he says that.

Please ignore the fingerprints and smudges on the hurricane vases. I think I see a little windex in their future. I got all 3 of the vases at the goodwill at different times and theyre filled with pottery barn shells (that I bought at the goodwill) as well as some small driftwood sticks and some random vase filler ball stuff that I had laying around (wasnt that an awesome description lol.)

Here it is one last time. And if you're wondering why you only see the mantle and not the whole fireplace the answer is quite simple. It was a total disaster right in front of it. Since the room is kind of empty I have several of my "projects" stacked there in various levels of completedness (I dont think thats a real word but you get my meaning...I hope.)

I'm linking up to Frugal Friday over at The Shabby Nest. Go check out the other great links.