Imagine my surprise when I saw that I’d already posted a 2014 mantle–a YEAR ago–and no one called me on it. Does that mean I’m not the only one who’s confused about what year I’m in when one is drawing to a close and a new one is on the very near horizon?
Oh, good. I love being in the same boat with such nice people. For posterity – I corrected last year’s post.
This post is truly the mantle as it looks for Christmas 2014.
As usual, I shopped the house, the Christmas tubs and the craft bins to find what I needed. The ‘shopping trip’ included a foray through the gardening shelves in the basement to create this woodland scene. Squint, and the sparkly white garland kinda looks like snow!
The ‘fence’ is an old wood cow stanchion. It’s one of those pieces I love when I find a use for it, but want to get rid of the rest of the year. Thousands of these wood stanchions were burned when the government insisted commercial dairies use steel. I found this stanchion several years ago while yard sale hopping in the boonies of Rhode Island. There was no longer a family cow in the tiny barn so they were selling the stanchion. I snapped it up when ‘prim’ (primitive) was so popular.
As you can see, raccoon and bunny were allowed to come into the house proper. Regulars on the summer deck this will be their first Christmas celebration with the family. If they behave they may be invited back.
I couldn’t offend Mr. and Mrs. Mouse, so this year they left the Christmas bin and found a spot on the mantle. Don’t they look spiffy dressed in their Christmas outfits? (My sister says I have a whole world in my head that no one knows about. Yes. Yes, I do!)
A tatty vintage cardinal looks on from the top fence rail…
… while a gorgeous male cardinal lands center stage in the wreath.
So there you have it. Christmas 2014 fireplace mantle. I’m thinking it will be hard to say goodbye to.
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You won’t want to miss January’s edition. I’m sharing the interview I did with Jack ‘Preach’ Conroy before writing Book 2 of the SeaMount Series, INTO THE DEEP. Here’s a sneak peek:
Q: What were you like in high school?
Jack: Justice was served with my fists. Everyone knew my father was the town drunk. I was the kid with the patched jeans.
Available on Kindle, Nook and iBooks.
Q: Who is your closest mundane friend?
Jack: I don’t have mundane friends.
Q: What’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?
Jack: A sunrise in a place I can’t reveal. I was glad to be alive to see the sun come up. It was beautiful and at the same time, a blessing from the Almighty.
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Anita K Greene 
I was so happy to see my Mr. and Mrs. Mouse on your mantle. Mine are on my windowsill. Did I make them for you or did you buy them at a bazaar? Your mantle looks beautiful Cuz… you have such a great imagination! XXOO
I thought I got them at a bazaar… do you make them? They are very small — mouse-size. 🙂 XO
Ya know, you really don’t have to take it down until winter is over! As long as there is snow outside, why can’t there be snow and critters inside?? I leave the Christmas wreaths on our doors till the end of February…they add some “bling” to the gray days!
LOL. The mantle decorations do usually stay until the end of February. Knowing that I am not the only one that leaves some of the Christmasy stuff up as WINTER decorations, I can now peek out of the closet and say, ‘Me, too!’ (Is it also understood, the stuff doesn’t get dusted for the duration?)