A Holiday Mantle and DIY Faux Log Set

I LOVE living right around the corner from my sister, Ali! There are the obvious amazing reasons, but I also really love that we get to help each other with decorating and house projects all the time. Our girls have been begging to let us decorate for Christmas already, and we were happy to get started last weekend!

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We picked out a few gorgeous holiday pieces at Pier 1 to use in Ali's living room. Isn't this color combo gorgeous?!


Here's a reminder of what her new house looked like before we painted.

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We started hanging some of the new Pier 1 items (this white garland is beautiful!) and it was starting to look so pretty that we were inspired to tackle this faux stacked log project that Ali and I had been talking about doing in here for months! Does that ever happen to you? Sometimes I need a little encouragement to get going on a project! :)

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I made a paper template of Ali's arched fire box and cut a piece of 3/4" plywood to fit inside it snugly and painted the plywood black. I bought just a few dollars worth of eucalyptus logs from a tree service company and cut them down with a miter saw in random lengths and used Liquid Nails to attach them to the black plywood backing.

Isn't this a fun project? It was pretty easy to do and it makes such a statement in the room! It looks so cozy with all of beautiful holiday decor we used here!

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You guys know how much I love a good layered garland! I started with the white garland hung on removable hook strips and then added in a bit of greenery and sparkly leaves, as well as this adorable star garland

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I also hung a few of these pretty gold ombre stockings. I love how these look against Ali's white fireplace!

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Also, how cute is that faux snow leopard pillow on Ali's navy blue midcentury modern chair? It is gorgeous in person and it only cost $25! Such a score.

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The space above Ali's mantle is big and tricky to decorate around. I decided adding some bigger pieces up there would help with the scale. We propped up a giant mirror and layered on a few pieces, like this cute wooden horse (we added his little neck decoration) and this adorable 'Tis The Season chalkboard sign.

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We wanted to hang a wreath on top of the giant mirror and this mixed-metals ornament wreath was the obvious choice! I picked up some extra wide hot pink satin ribbon and tied a bow the Martha way, which is easy and fool-proof!

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Instead of the around-the-tree-and-through-the-hole method, she recommends the two-bunny-ears method.

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It's easier to make the bow symmetrical this way!

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I used a couple of picture hanging strips to hang the ribbon on top of the frame of the mirror. I love how it adds a layer of color and texture!

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Also, guys, how amazingly great are those agate slice stands?! I LOVE them and think they look so great in the holiday mix!

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The little pre-lit gold tree is another favorite. I just added a few starburst ornaments to make it even prettier!

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We also used this faux shearling runner as a mini tree skirt. Cute, right?

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After Thanksgiving, we'll go pick up our live Christmas trees and add the rest of these pretty ornaments to the room. I'm loving how everything looks so far though! Pink is such a pretty Christmas color!

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This post is brought to you by Pier 1 Imports.

16 comments:

  1. I've been wanting to do a similar wood project for my fireplace - I love how yours turned out! The whole vignette is gorgeous!

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  2. Jenny! That firebox project is amazing!! I've wanted to do something similar but was a little leery hearing from others about bug issues with all that wood just sitting there. This seems like the perfect (beautiful!) solution!

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  3. LOVE that rug!!! Where is it from?

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    1. I have a rug just like this from target, but it might not be the same.

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  4. It looks so festive and bright. Love that firebox log DIY. It's been a while since I've been to Pier 1 but it looks like they've got some great stuff for the holidays.

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  5. What lumber company did you use? I would love to snag some eucalyptus locally in phoenix too!

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  6. Very pretty and fun!
    I really like the idea of the ornaments in a bowl. In Kentucky it's cold at Christmas so I think it would be very different to decorate for Christmas when it's still warm outside. Since you've experienced it both ways is it very different?
    Off the topic-are you still happy with the brass cone lights in your kitchen? it's the look I want but I wonder if they put out a good amount of light for task lighting?

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  7. The rug is from Target I think. I have a similar one that is a runner. Where is the chair from?

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  8. Thanks, guys! Its always fun to get to do a project with Ali! :)

    Jen - you should really stop in to Pier 1! Those agate slices are calling your name! :)

    Sarah - I just called local tree services. I think the one I ended up going to was called King's Tree Service in Mesa or something similar. It worked out really well! I almost spent a fortune on birch logs online! Glad I saved the cash. :)

    The rug is from Target earlier this year! And the chair is vintage but I think West Elm and Urban outfitters have a very similar one.

    Brittany - it's just chilly enough for it to be fun! I do miss the snow though. There's nothing like going for a walk in freshly fallen snow. I love that crunching sound. :) And, yes, still LOVE my brass Cedar and Moss sconces!! They're awesome for task lighting.

    xo

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  9. Love that ribbon on the wreath! Your bow is perfect! I can't believe Christmas is around the corner! I was at Sherwin Williams yesterday, and a Christmas tree lot with trees was next door! Crazy!

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  10. Love! A log screen has been on my to-do list forever. How did you secure it so it would stand up? And, do you just move it in and out by grabbing one of the logs?

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  11. I seem to only see sponsored posts now.... Miss all of your DIY .

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  12. Hi Jennifer! The log set ends up being very heavy and sturdy. It stands up on it's own! If you wanted to permanently install the board, you could screw in a few masonry screws at the right depth to hold everything in place from behind? Hope that helps!

    Thanks for your feedback, Elizabeth! The projects are still here, they're just mixed in with these sponsorships (like the log set DIY here)! The holidays are always extra busy with these opportunities. It will quiet down again in a few weeks, but thanks for your support in the meantime! :)

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  13. Everything looks beautiful! I love the color scheme and how it works perfectly with the room. And what you both did to that fireplace is so cool. Thanks for sharing the DIY explanation on that -- I would love to attempt it!

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I so appreciate hearing from you. Nice comments make my day! Thanks for keeping things light here, friends! :)