Decorating

What’s On My Spring Mantel

February 21, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 16 Comments

Okay, it’s no secret. I’m the queen of the cluttered mantel. I’ve TRIED less is more. I really have. And it’s almost Lent, so less is more made sense in my head. Just not on my mantel. AND? I’m pretty passionate about Lent and especially how we often need to add things to our lives (prayer, generosity, kindness, study, etc) just as much as we need to subtract them.

So. For my early Spring, Lenten mantel, I give you the following very full mantel. Here’s what I love about it.

1. The crucifix—It will be the perfect Lenten reminder of His scandalous love toward us. And I know how some Christians will say that they don’t like the crucifix, because He’s not there anymore, He’s risen! Yes, he is, but first we must journey through Lent, through his pain and suffering and hell. Then Easter will be all the more sweet.

2. Hold Your Horses sign by Stephanie Creekmur. It’s the perfect Lenten reminder. Wait. It’s not Easter yet. Walk slow through Lent and then we’ll run with fury together to the empty tomb.

3. Lemons and Aloe. Things alive add so much life and movement to your mantel and welcome Spring, without screaming Spring.

4. The gold planter was from Anthropologie and gives the perfect amount of shine!

5. The little white birdie planter is so cute. A Christmas gift from West Elm.

6. The antlers give hints of a crown of thorns.

7. The feather print is from Anna Marie Horner’s print collection. Framed at Hobby Lobby from a recycled antique store frame.

8. The bust was Hobby Lobby a year or two ago, spray painted and bejeweled with my pearls. I’m always having to hunt down my jewelry and hats, because they’re always scattered around my house being used as decoration.

9. The original poetry from my friend, Kim, after our fire. It says—

Sun splashes, dapples dark

mountain lingo lightens my world

God reflects in laughter

Sun splashes, dapples dark

red lips, pink cheeks brighter

her face

God shines in a smile

Sun splashes, dapples dark

warm hands spark creativity

God radiates his love

Sun splashes

It is one of my most priced possessions. I tear up every time I read it. I’m not sure Kim knew how much her art would touch me, change me, mold me.

So, yes, a cluttered, storied mantel that hints of sacrifice and promises redemption. The best spaces tell a story.

******************************

If you’ve never been taught much about Lent, I’m doing a Lenten study that will begin on Ash Wednesday. Not sure if it’ll be through email, a facebook group, or just on the blog. But, be watching so we can journey together.

Also, meet me on Instagram today and show me your freshened up mantels, perhaps using some of my mantel advice from earlier this week! Use the hashtag #loveyourmantel. See you on IG or Facebook, if you don’t have an IG account!

House Tour

February 20, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 42 Comments

A collection of our home photos all in one place after our rebuild from the house fire!

s i d e e n t r y

w o r k r o o m

or room where we use props and make funny faces!

Or room where we write and study

Or the room where we cipher our reading lists!

Or the room where we wrap and craft and make art.

k i t c h e n

t h e s t r i p e d b a t h r o o m

l i v i n g r o o m

{at Christmas}

t e e n g i r l ‘s r o o m

g u e s t r o o m s

S c r e e n e d P o r c h

{at Christmas}

{In the summer}

in the spring

{in autumn}

{our potager, right beside the screened porch}

{Our back porch, at Christmas}

and our adorable and smelly mascot, Hank!

4 Gifts to Give Your Mantel {#loveyourmantel}

February 17, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 53 Comments

I have mantels on the brain, so please bear with me! (Also, I’m working on tracing down the links on all the photos, which is harder than it looks!)

via Emily Henderson, the reigning queen of all things mantel and decorating and baby snuggling.

We know what to get the bride, but have you heard the old saying of what to get the man(tel), “Something alive, something to lean, something you love, something with sheen.” NO? OH, wait, did I just make that up? Apparently being snowed in for a week making soup and reading too many books. Either way, I’m keeping the saying.

I have some fun stuff happening at my house this Thursday, which involves me needing to take down my Christmas wreaths off the front door and de-winterify my mantel. I know, it’s February 17th. What’s your point? It’s been snowing and we’ve been watching the Olympics, which makes it feel like Christmas? or something like that. Anyhoo, it got me thinking about mantels, how much I love them, how they can change the entire feel of a room, how you can go your whole life and not really realize your full mantel potential.

And the beautiful thing about mantel decorating is this—it’s a VERY limited space. Which is good, because it’s not overwhelming. You don’t have to think about decorating the WHOLE room or the WHOLE house, just a little shelf above the fireplace. It’s a great place to start if you feel like your house isn’t a good reflection of who you are. Make your mantel sing. Give it a vibe that says something to the world about who you are. Let your mantel tell a story. Even if that story is that something tragic must have happened to you because it’s February 17th and your mantel still looks like Christmas. In my sad defense, I took down the greenery and the Christmas lights and may have killed the cactus. But other than that, my mantel still looks like this. I feel like the pom-poms really show our team spirit. Go USA!

Here are the 4 things your mantel needs from you. Pick one to do today. I’m declaring it happy mantel’s day.

1. Something alive

Now allow me to use the term loosely. It could very well be a living plant, which I adore on mantels. I’ve had succulents, irises, cactuses, amaryllis flowers, and even nearly dead unnamed house plants. But, let your imagination wonder. Twigs aren’t technically alive, but they count. I’ve chopped branches off of everything in my yard and stuck them in water and put them on the mantel. Fresh flowers are even better, but they have such a short half life, that I rarely use them. Something alive or once alive gives the vibe of movement, freshness, air. And never underestimate the power of taxidermy. What could you add to your mantel today to give it some life?

James Brittain

And, um? Why I did not get small animal taxidermy for Valentine’s Day, I do not know. But, now you know how to steal my heart.

via

2. Something to lean

I’m a huge fan of artwork on the mantel. Most mantel decorating experts that I know (?) say that you can have one large piece that takes up most of the mantel wall space, say like this, for instance:

OR. Several (odd numbers) of pieces that are different shapes, sizes, etc. Maybe like this.

via my girl decorator crush, Emily Henderson

Or like my fall mantel. I really should have had one more smaller piece of artwork, but the two busts sorta function like one funky shaped piece of art. See how easily you can twist the rules to make your mantel your own.

Or this.

3. Something you love

Now listen. The beauty of this is that we all love different things. I love antlers, funny sayings, busts, books, and quirky little animal figurines. You may like velvet paintings of Elvis. To each his own. Nobody can tell you what to do. Your mantel will love you for trying. There’s no judgement here.

Like this mantel, for example. I’m insatiably curious about this person. We would talk for hours, because WOW, this is a story I want to hear.

And this one. I need some kind of rabbit paraphernalia.

Or this one. What is in those bottles? And that ballerina sculpture thingy. You have my attention. Tell me more.

via

4. Something with sheen

And by that I mean something that shines. It could be a mirror, a little pewter vase, something copper. The key is variety. Try to have a variety of textures, colors, and finishes.

I love this room of Melissa’s from The Inspired Room. Beautiful, simple mantel. And it has all the elements that make a great mantel, including a little shine.

I love the peek we get at this one with the little metal bowl.

And my favorite mantel lover of all times, The Nester. She can do a mantel (or a room) (or a house) like nobody’s business.

And later this week, I’ll show you what I came up with for my Spring mantel project, which may or may not involve some yarn wrapped antlers.

(Follow my mantel-spiration on my Living Room board on Pinterest.

So, let’s discuss. Go to your mantel right now and tell me the story your mantel is telling.

I’ll be hanging on your mantel stories all day.

Does your mantel need a new story? Some love? Something shiny? Less dust?

Well, then join me for a mantel makeover this week. We’ll share our fresh mantels on Friday on Instagram using the hashtag #loveyourmantel

I can’t wait!

Bedazzled Mannequin {aka Mrs. Tumnus, the Faun}

December 3, 2013 by Edie Wadsworth 75 Comments

mrstumnus

I’ve had my eye on this project for at least 3 years. Finally, my bedazzled mannequin dreams have come true. I want one in every room, much to Stevie’s pain and suffering.

The first thing you should know about this project is—it’s prickly. The second thing you should know is that your mannequin must be evenly weighted with greenery, lest she fall in the middle of the night and prickle your husband to death. The third thing you should know is that all the trouble is totally worth it. As we were bedecking here with branches, she kept toppling over. We solved this problem by stuffing boxwood into her backside. Baby’s got back.

Y’all. I LOVE my faun lady. I’ve named her Mrs. Tumnus, because I think she pairs well with Mr. Tumnus, from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I do believe that this is my favorite project of all time ever. I say that for every project, but let’s pretend I don’t.

My friend, Tammy and I, tackled this, from the multitude of examples on Pinterest. We had the determination of Rocky Balboa and the spirit of Sanford and Son. We wired the tops of the branches together and then wound some ribbon through them and tied them on. That makes it sound easy, which it wasn’t, but it wasn’t hard either.

Here’s what I need to know from you.

Should we keep her in the bedroom? (Stevie may veto this, but who knows, maybe he’s always had a fondness for faux fauns.)

mrstumnus2

In the master bathroom? (She looks so pretty in here, because of the light walls and sparse decor!)

mrstumnus3

Or in the living room, by the mantle?

mrstumnus4

The only other thing I’m worried about is that she’s wearing my red scarf and my pajama shirt, which I may not be able to live without. In other words, she may have to change clothes.

Okay, what’s your vote?

Elements of a Teen Girl’s Room

September 20, 2013 by Edie Wadsworth 73 Comments

teen girl's room via lifeingrace

She’s been asking for her own room for more than a year. She’s always shared a room with Elea and they’ve been so close over the years that they’re almost like twins. I couldn’t stand the thought of them being separated. So, I put her off for a while. And I put her off some more. We had an extra room over the garage that we used a craft room and it happens to be connected to the girl’s bedroom. She wanted to move into there and then she could still share space and a bathroom with her sister. I finally ran out of good reasons why she shouldn’t do it, and when we gave up homeschooling, it seemed like the right time to start working on her new tween/teen room. The winds of change were blowing and I wanted her to know I was listening.

This project took all summer and we were intentional and slow with the renovation. Packing up a craft room is no walk in the park, but she and her sister decided they would do it themselves. I’m a displaced, gypsy crafter now, still looking for a home for my wares, but we love the new arrangement and it’s become one of my favorite rooms in the house.

We started a Pinterest board so she could pin spaces she liked. She wanted a chalk wall with an otherwise pink room, different shades of red and pink in the decor, and space to be able to dance. I’ve done a teen girls room before , so I knew I wanted to give her something to grow into—inspiration for her changing mind and body, space to breathe and dance and be, and healthy ways to express herself and blossom into a beautiful young lady.

teen girl's room via lifeingrace

Here are the elements I thought were important in making this room a place to grow and thrive.

Art and Beauty

Every room needs art. We are big fans paintings, prints, and photography, but we had a small budget here, so we decided to order a few things and make a few things ourselves. We love the Hey Y’all sign from Stephanie Creekmur’s shop and the Leigh Viner print called About a Pearl. (I have several Leigh Viner prints in the sultry master bedroom and I love the girly feel of them.)

teen girl's room via lifeingrace

We loved this print from Blimp Cat and bought the frame for $2 at a thrift store and had it framed at Hobby Lobby. I RARELY buy frames from anywhere but thrift stores. They’re so cheap and you can repaint or repurpose them however you want.

teen girl's room via lifeingrace

We also bought a giant Audrey Hepburn poster from Amazon and taped it to the wall with glittered duct tape. We added some book page butterflies for embellishment. We added some awesome oversized ballet prints, which MAKE the room, in my opinion. I had huge prints made of some Emme’s ballet photos and we had them mounted to foam board. I embellished the top one with a red emerson flower. The red tutu is getting loaded in the car as we speak, for a little road trip to Nashville to see Taylor Swift. #canyouhearthesqueals

teen girl's room via lifeingrace

Lighting

This room had terrible lighting, with only a few can lights in the ceiling. We added a cheapish chandelier from Lowe’s and then two bedside sconces. For most everything else in the room, we skimped and borrowed things from the house or shopped in thrift stores. But the money we invested in the lighting was so well worth it. It changed the room completely. (Side note: We bought this dressing vanity at the room of requirement and Emme sanded and repainted it herself. With a little help from mom, of course. We LOVE how it turned out and it is always chocked full of girly goodness.

Personality

The room should reflect the girl. Let her hobbies and passions shine. Our Emme is a great little dancer, so we use her point shoes, photos of her dancing, and a tutu to decorate the room. She wants to learn to play guitar and got one for her birthday so we got a little stand so it’s easy to pick up and strum. There are two disco balls in this room and one of them is huge and hangs over the bed. It’s epic, that’s all I can say. There are foo dogs and antlers and bedazzled busts. The room has personality and is uniquely hers.

Did I say it’s quirky?

teen girl's room via lifeingrace

She wasn’t so sure about hanging the disco ball, but who could resist it once it’s up?

teen girl's room via lifeingrace

Function

We didn’t sacrifice function, but we made the room work for us AND be pretty. Every girls needs a dressing vanity and you can do wonders with thrift store finds. This vanity was $50 and we spent $10 on paint and $20 for new pulls. So, for less than $100, we have this beautiful, functional, and vintage vanity.

And every room needs more oxygen, right? I love decorating with plants. I was in Anthropologie and saw their canvas covered pots, so I decided to embellish the heart plant with a painter’s drop cloth and add it to her room. Live plants do something magical to a room. They teach so many life lessons, too.

teen girl's room via lifeingrace

Expression

Give your tweens and teens all the tools they need to express themselves. Because they will express themselves, somewhere, somehow.

teen girl's room via lifeingrace

I make sure there’s lots of paper, pens, watercolors, chalk walls, embroidery thread, musical instruments, knitting needles, and plenty of time and space. If they learn to express themselves in healthy ways, maybe they’ll avoid years of heartache and pain. I want to encourage her to read, write, think, sing, love, and dance. We all need to create and express, so help them find their niche. (More on the DIY lacquer desk renovation!)

teen girl's room via lifeingrace

I’ve spent hours in this room already and my fingerprints are all over it. I want her to know that I’m here. I want her to feel my presence and my spirit in this room. I’m not going anywhere and though these years will have their challenges, I want her to know that I’ll walk with her the whole way. I’m in her corner. As she stands on the verge of this precipice, I want to plant myself firmly in her heart and life.

teen girl's room via lifeingrace

Sources coming on Monday. Right now, I’ve got a car full of girls and red tutus ready to head to Nashville to see Taylor Swift. I may never recover. Like Ever.

xoxo,

🙂

edie

Eclectic Fall Mantel

September 18, 2013 by Edie Wadsworth 29 Comments

fallmantle

I’ve been trying over the past few years to decorate for the seasons from stuff I already own or can clip from my yard. I just collect things I love over time and try to find ways to use them in a unique way. After our house fire, I didn’t go out and replace all of our “fall” stuff and I’ve been very slow to replace Christmas decorations. I wanted to start using things that could have multiple purposes and go through multiple seasons. Seasonal decorating is fun, but I find that the more I LOVE my rooms year round, the less I need to haul in a bunch of stuff that I’ll only use a few weeks.

So my mantle may not scream fall. But, perhaps it faintly whispers fall. At least to me. I know, I know. There are no pumpkins (yet!) and there are no overtly fall colors. But, let me tell you how I justify my fall mantel and what elements you might incorporate into your own fall decor.

1. Natural elements

This isn’t just true for fall, but nothing says fall like natural elements. I used dried hydrangeas, but I also have feather, dried twigs, and driftwood in various places this fall. I just walk around in my yard and look for something natural to use indoors. My big, beautiful hydrangeas bushes were still gorgeous, even though they’re drying up right on the vine, so I brought those in and added them to the mantel.

fallmantle4

2. Uniquely fall elements and/or colors

I didn’t use overtly fall colors, except I did move my rust colored chairs up from the basement to flank the fireplace. And as a side note, don’t be afraid to move your furniture around. Just because you a chair is in the living room doesn’t mean it’s married to that room. Same goes for your chotch-keys (i.e. knickknacks or tchotchkes).

This is also where pumpkins come in handy, but I haven’t found any awesome ones yet, because I haven’t been to the Apple/Pumpkin farm. However, it is deer hunting season, right? And antlers, I have aplenty. Some years, I cut maple branches or nandina branches that are changing colors. Driftwood wood be awesome, too, but my driftwood pieces are too big for the mantle.

fallmantel2

3. Go for the Gold

This is the year for gold and brass, no doubt. But, metallics add such great color and texture and should always be used, even if in small hints or touches. I found my bust of David at TJ Maxx and spray painted him gold and bought the gold Hold Your Horses print at Stephanie Creekmor’s online shop. I spray painted the tips of the antlers, too, because apparently I’m determined to run this gold thing into the ground.

fallmantel5

4. Art

I’m a huge fan of original art, but my budget doesn’t allow for big purchases. So, for now, I scour antique and thrift stores for art that appeals to me. ( I also stalk art and artists on Pinterest.) This abstract painting was $7 at a local thrift store and I’m so happy I found it. There’s nothing like original art work to finish a space.

fallmantel6

As soon as I find some awesome eclectic pumpkins, I’ll add one or two and call it done.

Well, actually, I’ll make pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, apple cake, the best ever beef stew, and start a few knitting projects. Then, fall can burst through the doors with her lovely colors and weather!

Have you started your fall nesting? What projects are you working on? What good stuff are you cooking?

Find more fall inspiration at Melissa’s Fall Nesting Party and Sarah’s Fall Mantel Party!