Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Today I took my Valentine’s Day decorations down which made my heart sad.    I was pondering on what to decorate in their place and knew it was too early to bring out my Easter decor.     And then I spotted it!    A box that said Mardi Gras decorations.    It was divine intervention.

I had just enough Mardi Gras stuff to decorate the mantel and the best part was that I didn’t spend a dime on this because I already had everything I needed.

This is a picture of the full mantel.     I placed gold and purple lights underneath a shimmery gold fabric to lighten it up a bit.    My great room doesn’t get much natural light so I always try to add light where ever I can.

That handsome gentleman sipping a glass of wine is Bacchus, the God of Wine and Vegetation in Greek mythology.    The Krewe of Bacchus is one of the most spectacular parades in New Orleans.

I love this Mardi Gras mask.    The bookshelves you see in the background are a reflection in the mirror which is behind this lovely lady.

I stuck a bunch of artfully arranged Mardi Gras filler in a vase that my sister gave me a few years ago.  The filler and the two ornaments on the mantel glow in the light.

Thanks for stopping by to look at my Mardi Gras mantel.    I will be joining the following parties:

Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday

Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays

The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursday

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Marlee

Tassels and Pearls

 

I am linking to  Funky Junk's Saturday Nite Special, the chandelier edition.   Check it out because Donna has not one, but three categories to link to!

Wow.    It’s been a little over a month since I  blogged.     I hope I haven’t forgotten how to do it.    Not that I was ever an expert at it, but it is something I enjoy doing and learning more about.

Actually there hasn’t been anything blogworthy to write about.     I have been super lazy busy and haven’t worked on anything around the house recently but I know of at least two potential projects that I would like to start so maybe I will have something to write about soon that someone out there might find super inspiring.    Ehh…probably not, but a girl can dream.

Enough of all that.    I know the reason you are here is to see my fabulous chandelier.     Oops…I don’t have one.   But what I do have is a picture of my precious little great-nieces’ chandelier that hangs in their bedroom which is painted a girly pink.  Their talented and creative mom, who is my niece, painted an ugly old brass chandelier white.    She bought plain white lampshades from Ikea and covered them in pink gingham and added a pink and green trim with tassels and then draped “pearls” around it.    It is precious!   Perfect for the little princesses.

I wish I had a better camera and better photography skills because this photo does not capture the true cuteness of this chandelier.    But at least you get the idea.   At least I hope you do.

That’s all I got.    I know it’s not much, but it is what it is.    I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend and wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Marlee

Icicle Day

Yesterday the town shut down because we had icicles everywhere.     I kid you not.     The 4 to 6 inches snow that was predicted never happened.      Instead we got icicles.    But that is ok.     I don’t mind having an Icicle Day off from work.      No complaints here.      I will share a few pictures of the icicles at my house since there are no tranquil, snow covered landscapes to show.

Here is the  holly bush in my front yard…you can see some of the red holly berries behind the ice.

A random icicle covered bush in the yard.

Even our cars had icicles on them.

Thank you for visiting my icicle covered igloo home today.    I am linking to All Things Inspired @ All Things Heart and Home.

~Marlee

Mantel Transformation

Happy New Year!!!   Welcome to my first blog of 2011.    I have a bad case of the after Christmas blues and hope that blogging again will get me out of the funk.

This is a quick post of my mantel transition from Christmas to after Christmas.    I have reused some of the elements from the holiday mantel because they work with my color scheme and because I really like them and just wasn’t ready to put them away.

Here is a before picture of the mantel decorated for Christmas.

And here is a pic of how it looks now.   I kept the same garland, added a transparent gold fabric with a red and green shimmer, moved the sisal tree to the left side of the mantel and added the glittery gold candle to the other end.

A close up of the sisal tree.

The glittery bronze twig-like garland with gold, silver and bronze berries.   It really glows when lights shine on it.

The bronze mercury glass onion shaped ornament was an after Christmas buy at Crate and Barrel.     I paid $1.50 for it.     They had two more and I have no idea why I didn’t buy them also.    Just wasn’t thinking.

The glittery gold candle in the candle holder I bought at a garage sale this past summer for $1.00.

That’s all I have got for today.    I hope you enjoyed looking at my mantel transformation and wish you a very happy new year.

Marlee

I am linking to:

Boring to Better party at Savvy Southern Style 

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm