Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Nutcracker Mantel

Greetings!  And, thank you all SO much for your thoughtful comments about my whimsical Christmas kitchen decor!  I really appreciate it ... your sweet notes are the reason why I blog.  Again, thank you!   

Since we're all in (or getting in or need to be in) the holiday spirit, and the blog Christmas par-tays are beginning, I thought I'd share my great room mantel today.  Like last year, I chose to embellish it with nutcrackers.  However, this year, I added a few more ornaments, snowflakes and beads:



These pretty green, red and gold shatterproof ornaments are from Wal-Mart ($5 for a box of 18)!  Love.


Last year, I had one simple row of gold beads (from Old Time Pottery).  This year, I added more ... fun:


I added the gold, glittery snowflakes this year, as well (from a local Christmas shop):



I also decided it might be fun to add a couple of canisters of the traditional Christmas nuts.  Of course, I just *had* to perch a mini nutcracker right on top.


Up above, the wreath is adorned with a few Christmas gold, red and green balls:


And, what fireplace would be complete without fresh cookies and cold milk waiting for Santa!


I leave you with a nighttime shot, with the mantel all aglow! 


Thanks for stopping by!  Come on over and visit the following blogs who are having fun gatherings:

The Lettered Cottage/Holiday Home Linky Party

Savvy Southern Style/Boring to Better Party

Southern Hospitality/Vignette Party

French Country Cottage/Feathered Nest Friday

Southern in My Heart/Inspiration Friday

Bargain Hunting with Laurie/Favorite Things

The Tablescaper/Seasonal Sundays



Hugs,


69 comments:

  1. Hi Becca! Your mantle is outstanding and one of my all time favorites!! Love all of the nutcrackers and christmas balls. I am hoping to get my mantle done today! I'm not moving too fast though...lol. Have a great day! Kristen

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  2. Wow, I'm still in awe with what you have done with your mantle, it's beautiful!

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  3. You kill me with every post! I swear my hubby must hear me in my sleep saying, "I want to be like Becca when I grow up!"
    Love ya and all your beautiful over-the-top never can compare to you decorations!!!! {{hugs}}

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  4. Love it, Becca!!! Mantles are some of my favorite things to be decorated over the holidays and I love when people light them up with white lights and garland...so pretty, especially with a fire roaring below!

    Liesl :)

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  5. Becca it's GORGEOUS!!! I fought with my mantel all day Sunday & I'm still not happy with it.

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  6. Oh wow! It's absolutely gorgeous! So classic and beautiful!

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  7. I didn't think I could love it anymore but I am sure I do. I love the beads, that looks so festive! Great job!

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  8. Just beautiful, Becca! I don't know, maybe I should be going the garland route. I think that is why I feel mine doesn't look as filled in. Love the wreath above, too.

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  9. I wish I could get my mantel to look like that!!! Do you hang your stockings somewhere else?

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  10. Your mantle is beautiful!! I feel so inspired now to get mine done. Luuuuv it:)

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  11. Becca, that is so full and lush. I love the cute idea of adding nuts under the nutcrackers. Aren't you smart. You have such a great mantel to work with. Thanks for joining my party tonight too.

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  12. Just beautiful! I have always loved Nutcrackers! You have a lovely home.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  13. Oh sure Becca... You just had to go an up the anty by making this year's mantel even more gorgeous, didn't you! LOL! :-) Thanks so much for your sweet comments on my post and for being such a wonderful friend to me here in blogland!
    Blessings,
    Vanessa

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  14. Beautiful traditional Christmas colors. I love the access. :)

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  15. Becca, Becca.....Magnificent!! Your mantle is dreamy. Your wreath looks different this year, is it a new one, or did you just add to it? I love the nutcrackers, ribbon, and ornaments... they all go so lovely together. Girl, you are on a ROLL!!! I can't wait to see what you do next. XOXO ~Liz

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  16. Oh my GOODNESS Becca~ AMAZING! That is all I can say... AMAZING! :)

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  17. Well, I'm speechless (again!) When are you going to open your own shop (LOL)? Seriously, you are mucho talented and I love all you do. In fact, so much so that your mantle from last year inspired me to add some nutcrackers to my mantle. I only have two but I want to get 1-2 of the big guys to stand on each side of the fireplace. I saw some today at CVS (of all places)...can you tell me where you got yours?

    Thanks!
    Judy

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  18. I'm in love!!!!! You are so talented!!!

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  19. YOU are the woman with the outstanding talent! GREAT job and amazing and gorgeous decorations on display. I always enjoy seeing the way you can create such a warm *glow* with your lighting. Breathtaking mantel Becca!!!!!

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  20. Never liked nutcrackers until I saw yours! I clicked on the photo to make it larger and liked them even more! Let's hope there are still some left at Hobby Lobby!

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  21. Becca this is gorgeous!! I have always said either go simple or over the top for Christmas. you have done over the top beautifully, Love it, Kathysue

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  22. Becca, The mantel is absolutely gorgeous!! You did a fantastic job and I love everything. I hope you will link this up at my party starting 12/15.
    Happy Holidays,
    Sherry

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  23. Your mantel is amazing, Becca. I am inspired by all of the detail! Wow!

    XO,
    Jane

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  24. My jaw is dropping on the ground right now. That is absolutley gorgeous! Love the nutcracker theme, the nuts in the jars, just about everything. Great job.

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  25. It is just fabulous! I love the theme and I knew that you would make it lovely. I wish you could decorate mine:)

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  26. Oh Becca, your mantle is simply gorgeous! You went above and beyond and your decorating is why I love blogging so much - tons of inspiration!
    xoxo,
    Kim

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  27. Hey Pretty girl! I have been so busy doin trees that I have fallen WAAAAAAAAAAY behind on my blog visits...Wwwaaa! Been lookin back thru and WOW! Your mantel is OVER the MOON Gorgeous!!! And your kitchen....NO WORDS! Just a Question...Wont that MILK and COOKIES go BAAAG before Christmas??? Cant be gettin Santa sick...LOL! Just kiddin...Its all STUNNING!

    xoxokara

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  28. This is my favorite of all the mantles I have seen! I love the nutcrackers and your garland is gorgeous! Just perfect!
    Lacy

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  29. This is 100% Christmas...I love it!

    Take care,
    Lisa

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  30. Absolutely beautiful! I love that you added the nuts to the mantle! Very, very pretty!

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  32. Sorry Becca, I had to re-write. Your mantle is stunning. It is the most beautiful, done right, gorgeous mantle I have seen. I think some tweaking is in order over at my house. I love it, it's beautiful.

    Thanks for the inspiration.

    Merry Christmas.

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  33. I completely love the Nutcrackers! And what a great idea with the nuts! :) This mantel is one of the most gorgeous ones I've ever seen, it just screams Christmas!! :)

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  34. I really cant say anything but 'Beautiful', absolutely beautiful!

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  35. I love how Mr. Nutcracker man is king of the "nut hill".
    Clever and beautiful. You got it goin' on! :)

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  36. Absolutely fabulous mantel! Wow!

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  37. The most beautiful mantel I have ever seen!!!

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  38. Becca, this is just a gorgeous mantle!! I love the whimsy of nuts with the nutcrackers!!! Beautiful!!! I will have to incorporate some of this in mine!!!

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  39. Visiting via Linky party....this is so fabulous! I collect nutcrackers and have since I was a little girl. This is the first year in our new home and I have a fireplace but already started my theme....however girlfriend I will be using my nutcrackers next year thanks to your fantastic inspirational photos! Great job.

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  40. Becca, your mantel is absolutely gorgeous! I couldn't agree more with what everybody else has said. You are such an inspiration to us all. Thanks for sharing.

    Enjoy your day,
    Gail

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  41. Becca, beautiful as always. I love the glam of it all. What's not to love. Nutcrackers with nuts....clever...Lol Happy Holidays! Linda

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  42. Lovely decorations...and you got such wonderful balance! I'm going to look again and see what you've done to create the balance of elements! Happy holidays! ♥

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  43. Becca,

    What a festive and beutiful mantel. The jar of nuts with the nutcracker is too cute! You have a gorgeous home! I enjoyed my visit.

    Happy Holidays!
    Michelle

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  44. I meant beautiful! Typing too fast, haha!

    Have a great night!

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  45. Hi Becca...

    Ohh my goodness, your Christmas mantel is spectacular, my friend! It's one of my favorites this year...seriously! I love your Nutcracker theme...you have a fabulous collection!!! Ohhh...and I love that you used so many beautiful, traditional Christmas colors! It's perfect, my friend!!! The wreath is like the icing on the cake...sooo beautiful! Thank you for sharing your fabulous mantel with us...what a treat!!!

    Warmest Christmas wishes,
    Chari @Happy To Design

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  46. Wow. That is gorgeous. Thanks for leaving a comment on my nutcracker mantel. I'm so glad it led me to yours and now I seriously have more decorating to do. Yours is stunning. Add me to your list of inspired followers.

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  47. OH, Becca! Your mantle is most gorgeous!! I love it. It's so full and colorful.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  48. Your mantle is absolutely beautiful. I love your nutcracker theme.

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  49. You rock. Plain and simple. ROCK!!

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  50. Beautiful again Becca! Love all the bling!

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  51. Hi Becca! Your mantel is stunning! I love the nutcrackers, as you know already. I saw some the other day, and thought perhaps at the end of this season I may buy some tall ones. I love all your little details. Hope all is well and you are a busy as a bee! Come by and see me, I have my mantel up too.

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  52. Hi Becca, Just wanted you to know I have a recipe blog that I sometimes go off course with....LOL Today I did just that but wanted my friends to know about you and your beautiful home. I did a feature spot on you and I am sure you will be getting some visits very soon by some of my family and friends. Here is the info if you would like to see it.
    http://cricketscafe.blogspot.com/
    Have a wonderful day!
    Cricket

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  53. Cricket sent me over. She did a shout out for you. I love your nutcracker mantel ( I adore the fireplace too, I am all about big fireplaces.) I just did a post on a nutcracker tablescape. Hop over and take a look. Now, I have to run so I can look at some of your other posts.

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  54. WOW--this is truly spectacular!!! I love your mantel AND your whole blog!!! Happy Holidays! I hope you'll come and see my Christmas giveaway....Hugs, Cindy

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  55. Hi Becca~back to say thank you for sharing at Feathered Nest Friday! Your mantle is absolutely beautiful!!!

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  56. Its glorious! Reminds me of Rockefeller Center at Christmas time, so festive!!

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  57. Wow! This is over the top fabulousness!

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  58. oh, love, love the nutcrackers. Such a festive, elegant mantle. Did you make the swag? I'm going to be operating on mine this week. Your bows look like they are on steriods compaired to mine. I think I need to start there.

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  59. This is absolutely GORGEOUS! It's so layered and lavish, just exquisite. Thanks so much for being a part of Seasonal Sundays.

    - The Tablescaper

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  60. Just spectacular! Love everything right down to the nuts in the jars, perfect-enjoy:@)

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  61. Hey girl! Just coming back over to say thanks for linking this up to the party! You and your fabulousness are always a welcome addition to the party! :-)
    Vanessa
    P.S. You already got me dreaming of what I can do next year! :-)

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  62. I always find the mantle so hard to decorate, but your is stunning and looks like the picture came right from a magazine. I especially like how you used the beads and even decorated up high with the garland and sign. Thanks for sharing your ideas with us.

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  63. OMG!! You did fix it. Well, it wasn't you that was broke, it is apparently me, but thank you so much! I hate going some where, loving something, and not being able to comment. Now I can tell you how beautiful your home and decor is. You wouldn't wanna come to Mississippi and do my house next year would ya? LOL. Thanks again for changing to pop-up so I can comment. : )

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  64. Gorgeous!! The colors are stunning!!

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I appreciate your comments!