This has been a post a year in the making. When we moved into our home back in July of last year, I was thrilled to have a new space to decorate and arrange. After spending six years in our condo, it was easy to get into a rut with our decor, especially with the limited space you get in an urban condo. But once we safely arrived in Texas, fresh start cliches aside, I was most excited to put some personality and color into the space we were now calling home. And my eyes and mind went first to the white fireplace, a focal point to anyone who walks into our home. But where to begin? How do you narrow down the Pinterest board of ideas dancing around in your head? I mean, epic decisions were about to be made here, folks.
So I didn’t decide. Well, not permanently anyhow. I decidedly why not make this a space where I can try out different ideas each month? Many people keep boxes of decorations in their basement or attic that they bring out each December to bring holiday cheer to their space. Well, in my house growing up, my mother had boxes for every holiday, which meant just about each month we could look forward to something different coloring our home. It is such a simple way to bring life and movement into your home. So It thought, why not have fun with this and keep the ideas moving so I wouldn’t have to settle on just one idea.
This is something that is easy for anyone to do in their own home. There is no need to rearrange furniture or repaint the walls each month to keep your home fresh and alive. Just pick a space, a mantel works great but so does a book shelf or an entryway table, and think about different ways you can bring in seasonal change. This also doesn’t mean only leprechauns in March, fluffy bunnies in April and Jack o Lanterns in October. You don’t need to be limited to the typical Hallmark designated standards of each month. Make each month, or just season if you want to start small, something special to you. You’ll see that some months are pretty expected, such as hearts in February, but I also had fun with something that was going on that month, like a camping theme in May. You don’t need to go out and buy different decor pieces for each month, either. You will notice many different pieces making appearances in diffferent ways. I mostly just “shop” around my home each month to see what would work. A star makes its appearance as both Christmas decor and Texas theme. Empty frames one month may be filled with card stock signs the next. Other items just add the color or peak of interest that was missing, like a mercury glass bulb. There are no rules. It’s your space, so fill it with your own personality and taste, which if you are anything like me is constantly changing.
With that, I give you a year of mantel decor, my Mantel Calendar. Hope you feel inspired!
July
My mantel’s debut appearance with a subtle red, white, and blue look. I also decided this month that the window mirror I have had for years and never had a good place for (it is so heavy and I feared hanging it on our wimpy condo walls) would be a constant on the mantel. I think it is a good idea to have something strong on a mantel that is also fairly neutral. A mirror is always a good idea (although it did make it interesting when photographing. I can’t tell you how many times I had to move so you couldn’t see my hot mess hair-do or kitchen disaster in the background.)
August
Caroline’s birthday month needed to be dedicated to her. I built it around the bunting that has been hanging in her nursery since she was born. Color, fun, child like, and sunny. I think August will always make me think of that girl and what she brings to our life so I wanted to dedicate it to her. I am working on another one for her birthday this year, and I couldn’t stay away from color again.
September
This is our anniversary month so I thought I should do something in honor of Mike and I. But I also couldn’t elp but think of back to school when I think September. Mike and I met at school so I decided to blend the two. Books combined with apples for the school idea, wheat reminding me of our wedding, and a couple pictures of the two of us, one of which is us in our high school letter jackets (Best bar crawl ever! Chicago peeps, you should bring this back!)
October
I have to give my mom props for this one as she helped me with the layout when she was visiting. The plaid was cut up boxers and shirts from the thrift store. The pumpkins and leaves are fake, which is gross, but lets be honest people, it was still 80s. I wasn’t getting yellow oak leaves like that anywhere in Texas. And I needed it to look like fall inside, even if it didn’t feel like it outside.
November
Caroline’s baptism birthday is this month. I used a theme that was also used at the baptism/fakesgiving party from last year as a reminder to two of my favorite things about November. The chalkboard sign is the verse from her baptism I chose, Colossians 2:6-7. A beautiful reminder for me that month as I remember feeling a bit homesick for my family.
December
I was most excited about decorating my mantel this month as Christmas is of course my favorite time of the year. Also, I have always hung stockings but until this year, they only hung from a shelf I pretended was my mantel. Stockings just belong nestled next to a cozy fire. This is also a great example of many items repurposed as Christmas decor. The chalkboard was used the last month, as were the candlesticks. And the star will show up in a few more months as a Texas decor. No need to scream “Christmas” when decorating for the holidays. When paired with more holiday appropriate decor, anything works.
January
I was ready for simplicity this month. I wanted to go all white, to remind me of the all white landscape I wished I typically see outside the window in January. But then I felt it needed some color. I had fun picking out different yellow flowers to place into the vases. A subtle pop of color to an otherwise pure space.
February
This month I was a bit more literal with my decor. But how can you resist a cut out heart at Valentine’s day? A favorite print of a happy couple, a simple mailbox, framed love letters between Mike and I (I have a whole box of this stuff waiting to embarrass our children someday!) It is my love letters theme and I loved how it turned out, as cheesy as it is.
March
This month we had a slew of visitors in and out of the Austin Saloon and Suites. So I wanted the decor to reflect that comfort of Austin Texas. A framed picture of the famed Greeting from Austin mural, wheat and Texas stars. Also, I couldn’t resist including this cute pic of my sister and brother in law I found in the mix. Snazzy looking couples if I do say so myself!
April
I’ll be honest. I wasn’t that impressed with this month. It took me a long time to get around to doing it and I couldn’t quite capture what I had in my head. I wanted something to represent the vegetation that was popping up all over Texas this month. Picking wildflowers is apparently illegal (lame) so I was going to just do greenery and I thought of ferns. But the ferns I got were limp looking making this look a bit womp womp. I liked the look when I added the dyed eggs on Easter but still, not my favorite month. But the beauty of this project is, I could just start over. No harm done.
May
This month we spent a lot of time outdoors camping and visiting our family cabin in Colorado. So I couldn’t resist doing a camping theme. However, here is time for another confession. I realized I didn’t really have anything in my house that looked cute and vintage on my mantel for camping. So instead, I waited to put it together until I returned from the cabin with a few items I pulled from there, a lantern, elk antlers, coffee pot. So technically this went up the beginning of June. And technically it only stayed up for about a day or two until I did June’s mantel. But it’s the idea that counts, right?
June
I wrapped up my year of mantels with a nod to a Texas summer which hit us head on as soon as we arrived home from Colorado. Basil fresh from our garden in terracotta pots to represent garden growth. Texas Hill Country Lavender that smells so amazing (still disappointed I never made it to a Lavender farm this year.) And Sunflowers and lemons to represent the sunny days that were now upon us. In June, summer is fun. By July and August? Not so much. But I like summer in June and I wanted to celebrate this.
And so there we have it. I don’t know if I will do this for another year, but I enjoyed the challenge. And I now have the freedom to change and rearrange my mantel as I feel the seasons, and my heart, changing. Looking forward to another year in our space made all our own.
A Tale of Two Mamas 