Vintage Door Valentine Mantel

**Hi guys! I'm super excited to be in the "Saturday Spotlight" over at Must Love Junk this weekend! I would love it if you would pop over there for a visit!**

And now....

Today on Creating a Life: "How to Avoid Unpacking From a Trip"

The last time I came back from a trip to California, I got some sudden inspiration and created this one evening.

{Junk Style DIY Garden Fence Shade}

When I should have been unpacking suitcases.

This week, it's happened again. I really didn't mean to start on a project last night. Honest. I was just going to move one little thing, and well...you know. 

Are you sensing a theme here? I'm not really sure if it's because I've been "project starved" while away from home, or simply because I hate unpacking and am looking for any excuse to put it off!  So last night I thought I would just tweak one thing on the faux mantel wall. Just one, I tell ya! :)

We weren't home over Christmas so I left pretty minimal Christmas decor, which I've been putting away bit by bit since we got home last Thursday. 

A little over a year ago I created a little backdrop for the electric fireplace from some parts of an old crib and an imitation brick panel that was left over from our kitchen remodel at our previous home. {You can see how I did it here}

Well, last night I got a sudden urge to bring my vintage door down from my bedroom and see if I could set it up behind the electric fireplace instead of the brick panel I've always used. Simple.

Here's a bit of the conversation between me and 16 year old, Mikayla, as she is less-than-willingly helping me carry it down to the living room:
Me: Thank you so much, Mikayla. What would I do without you?
Mikayla: Um....NOTHING!

Everyone's a comedian around here.

Are you ready for the shock of how terrible it looked in here last night while I was doing my "one little thing"? 

You know I didn't have to show you this, but I thought it might make the "after" look better : )

Back in November, I showed you a Junk Style Photo Board {here}
that I created from an industrial type wall shelf I picked up at a thrift store. I suddenly remembered I had the brackets from that shelf, and decided I would try replacing the wood shelf brackets that had been holding the mantel shelf. 

Kind of looks like funny little arms holding the shelf, but I like it!
I was really happy to discover that not only did the door fit perfectly between the bracket holes...

...but the rustic wood plank I've been using as the mantel shelf fit perfectly into the space in the new brackets in front of the vintage door! I love it when that happens. 

Thankfully, everything is looking a little more cheerful in the morning light, despite my giant brown beast of a sectional.

Well, I figured I had gone this far, I might as well go ahead and add a little Valentine decor to the mantel, right?  

My parents have really been on my mind so much, with going through my dad's cancer treatment and all that comes with that. I decided I'd do a little tribute to them on the mantel. 

I hung my coffee filter wreath from the chippy door and added a vintage style Valentine image. On either side of the wreath I tied two handmade chalkboard tags, using a stencil for the X and O. 

On the left, I clipped an old photo of them to a rusty toolbox latch. In front of the photo I hung an old heart shaped cookie cutter. 

On the right, I put one of their wedding photos in a photo holder I made from a vintage decanter lid, a shaker top and some wire. 

They celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in September! 

You can read a bit about their love story here

Remember the vintage sheet music trees I made at Christmas time? I  just flipped them over to turn them into paper cones to hold brown coffee filter flowers (lazy, I know). I tucked them into an old flower pot and added a little handmade "hope" flag on a wooden dowel with an old drawer handle for the topper. Hope is huge when you're fighting a brutal enemy like cancer! 

My mom has been so kind to pass a lot of her vintage costume jewelry pieces on to me, including these metal monogram pins with their initials. I placed them on the top I made for my DIY Cloche, created from old light fixture parts.

I just love it when I'm cruising along getting all my photos and then realize you can see my pink polka-dot pajama pants in the glass! Oh well, we aren't taking ourselves too seriously over here anyway. 

On top of the fireplace, I placed a nest that a friend gave me for Christmas {love it!} on an old china platter. Inside the nest, two painted heart stones I picked up recently from a darling local shop that I'll be taking you on a tour of very soon! 

Love you Mom and Dad!

So after looking at this for awhile, I decided that the chalkboard tags on either side of the wreath were reminding me of a pair of 1980's earrings. 

So I moved them to the same side : )

I have a fun announcement to share soon! Can you guess what it is? If you follow my Facebook page you may have already heard :) Tell you all about it over the weekend. 

Oh, and my suitcase? Still sitting on my bedroom floor. Full.

I appreciate you coming by today!

Jeanette

Sharing this week over at

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House
The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm
Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Blissful Whites Wednesday at Timewashed
Knick of Time Tuesday
Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style
Under $100 Party at Beyond the Picket Fence
Share Your Cup Thursday at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs.Olson
Thrifty Life Thursday at Revisionary Life
Be Inspired at Common Ground
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Party Junk at Funky Junk Interiors

Rustic Pallet Decor: The Autumn Mantel

No, I don't have a real mantel. Having a real fireplace is something I've missed in this home. This time of year when those chilly evenings arrive and we're snuggling under some extra blankets in our beds and on the sofa, I sure miss the warmth and cozy ambiance of a wood burning fireplace!

Last year I created a backdrop and faux mantel for my little electric fireplace, and I've really enjoyed having that space for seasonal decor. Even if it's not 'real', I think having something that feels like a fireplace wall adds alot to this room, which has little in the way of architectural interest. 
The last time I shared this area was in my Summer Living Room post. 

This week I'm working on warming up this room a bit with more of a rustic, nature-inspired look-starting with the fireplace wall.

I started by replacing the white mantel shelf with a more rustic piece of weathered wood that I've used here in the past. 

Months ago I picked up this half of a pallet from a curbside junk pile. I've actually had a million ideas for it, but it's just been sitting down in the basement waiting for a new life. I'm kinda thinking this might be my son's next headboard, but...one thing at a time! 

Can I just take a moment to say how much my 16 year old loves it when her mom says, "Hey, can you come hold this pallet up on the wall for me?" She. loves. it. Don't let her tell you otherwise :)

 

Well, I knew I wanted to try it up there, but I didn't have a plan for what was going on it. I tried some words in chalk. Sorta kinda liked it, but....no.
I decided on a white-framed vintage mirror and some illustrations from a backyard birds book. Somehow, birds always seem to make their way into every vignette around here!

Above the pallet I placed a wreath I made with brown coffee filter flowers. I had envisioned it being much fuller, but I used up all the filters I had and didn't know when I'd get more, so there it is : ) 
I'll probably add some more to it at some point...

On the mantel shelf, a conglomeration of birdies and squirrels and other rustic, fall-ish feeling items. 

How cute is this little guy?? My daughter gave him to me this weekend as a little Fall gift.

My 9 and 6 year olds came in the room at separate times while I was working on the mantel and told me how much they liked how this area looked. It was so sweet of them to notice and take a minute to tell me that!

I am really liking this warmer look, but in all honesty I'll probably be feeling the urge to simplify within a couple of weeks : )


That's one more little area Fall-ified over here as I move slowly along into my favorite season. I'll share the rest of the space with you all soon. I hope your week is filled with Autumn beauty!



      "Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, 

for beauty is God's handwriting."

                                            
                                                      -Ralph Waldo Emerson  


Joining the fun at these parties this week-


Share Your Cup Thursday at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
The Fall Nesting Party at The Inspired Room
Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

  













Tutorials Tips and Tidbits at StoneGable
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage
Be Inspired at Common Ground  
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage 
Fabulously Creative Friday at Jennifer Rizzo 
The Scoop at Confessions of a Plate Addict 
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm 
Party Junk at Funky Junk Interiors 
Empty Your Archive at Mums Make Lists 
Junkers Unite at Knick of Time