Valentine Mantel with Natural Elements

Last week I had some fun putting together a new mantel for Valentine's Day.  I realized, through the process, that putting together a mantel is very similar to putting together a puzzle.  Every piece is important, every piece has it's place, and sometimes you have to move a piece around several times before you find the right fit! 

I felt up for a challenge so I decided to only use items that I already had in my home, this is what I was able to pull together...

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This little plant was $5 from IKEA.  I wrote on the original black plastic pot with chalk and ran some jute around the top.  It's sitting on a couple of books from by bookcase.

This is a .75 thrift store frame.  I spray painted it with red, sanded to distress, and then painted the cardboard backing with inexpensive chalkboard paint from Wal-mart.  The metal easel and the frog are both from a dollar store.

 

Pucker up!

I bought the frog last summer for no other reason than that I thought he was adorable.  He makes a perfect prince in waiting, ha, ha!

I started making the chicken wire frame last Fall and then gave up on it because it wasn't coming together how I wanted it to (It fell apart!).  Once I decided I wanted to use it for my mantel, I figured out a way to fix it.  I'll show you how I made it in a future post.  The metal accents were originally a bright gold color.  I painted them with red and oil rubbed bronze spray paint and distressed them.

  

The vintage Valentine prints are clipped to the chicken wire with clothespins that I stained with dark walnut water-based stain.  Black and white family photos would be fun to use too.

I talked about the rolled flower rosettes in my last post.  They're glued to a paper plate so I can use my wreath for other holidays/seasons. 

I clipped them to the wreath with the clothespins just to see how the flowers looked and decided that I liked them there, so they stayed.

The window is made from paint sticks and glass from a dollar store frame.  You can learn how to make it here.

This plant is also from IKEA.  The tin bucket is from a dollar store.  I wrapped jute around the vase and hot glued rustic tin hearts to each end. 

I bought the candle on clearance at JoAnn's for .79.  The candle stick was $2.50 from Good Will.  I spray painted it and distressed it.   It's held together in the back with tape.

 You can read about my paint stick crate here. 

The mason jars are painted inside.  I just rolled the paint around inside until it was completely covered, let the excess paint drip out and let them dry.  I can see them filled with tulips for spring, wouldn't that be pretty!

When I got the idea to actually carve 'I love you' into a log (for my sweetie), I didn't realize it would take me so long.  It was a labor of love for sure! 

I drew the pattern on with a pencil and then spent the next hour with a wood chisel and a small pocket knife carving away.  I'm planning to add our initials to it, but I need to forget how tiring it was first!   (It really wasn't that bad, I just thought it would be easier than it was.) 

Here's a tip:  If a piece of the bark flakes off where you didn't want it too, you can hot glue it back on. 

This is how the mantel looks without the Valentine's clipped to the wire.  I was back and forth on whether they made it look too busy or not.  In the end I decided to just keep them, they're fun.

Read all about how I made the mantel shelf here.

 

Well, that's it!  This was a big post, but there was a lot to show you.  Hope you saw something you liked! :)

Today's Fabulous Find...the fun in using what you have!

I'm linking up to:  Beneath My Heart   Under the Table and Dreaming   Funky Junk Interiors   Tator Tots and Jello   Pocket Full of Pink   Home Stories A to Z Valentine Mantel Party  My Repurposed Life  Creation Corner   Get Outta My Head Please   The 36th Avenue  House of Hepworths  Oopsey Daisy  The Shabby Creek Cottage  Creations by Kara   Blue Cricket Design  Domestically Speaking   An Original Belle  'Lil Luna  Someday Crafts