Valentines Day Mantel (Easy Decorating}

There's nothing I like more than free decorating. Yes, you read that correctly...free...zero dollars. Made from supplies that I already had on hand.  (Let me apologize in advance for the bad humor...keep reading....you'll know why in a minute.)

I should also mention that they're easy...REALLY easy.  In fact, they're so easy that anyone could do them.

It's true. All of the crafts that you see here: tissue paper flowers, paper heart and pom pom garlands all easy... even the paintings. They're projects that can be done with children. In fact, they're so easy that a person could even do them one handed. 

If you're not following Serendipity Refined on Facebook, let me explain.  The hand that you see above, (appropriately clad in Valentine's Day pink),  is mine.

One week ago today, I had a little slip and fall accident and injured my wrist.
                                       
                                                              My left wrist.
                                                                                                        Did I mention that I'm left handed??? 

Yep, sometimes I'm not as graceful as I'd like to think that I am. This is the fourth time for this wrist.

Sad,... but true.

So, when I told you that anyone  do could do these crafts, I meant it....and when I said one handed, I meant that too! I made the heart garland (punched from card stock and threaded on cotton string), the pom pom garland (made using a pom pom maker and wool yarn and white cotton yarn), and the paper flowers (simple tissue paper and waxed twine), and decorated the room using my right hand, the fingertips on my left hand....

                                                                                                        ...and a whole bunch of determination.

Okay, I'll admit that the mixed media paintings were completed before my little mishap. If you'd like to see how I made them, click HERE.  

And the cute felt wreath is the one that I made last year.  For the tutorial, on how to make it, click HERE.  

A few white painted birch twigs in my vintage market basket filled with tissue. Books, covered with gift wrap, in a stack, topped with a lantern.  An old laundry basket, filled with blankets for curling up with a good book on chilly Midwest winter nights. 

The basket is probably my favorite thing in the room right now. It seems that I'm nearly always chilly and I love having a basket full of warm blankets on hand...plenty for everyone!  There are quilts, hand stitched by my mother-in-law and afghans, crocheted by me in the collection. 

                                                                                                                           My favorite? This one...

...made by my mother in law years before I knew her. Hand pieced, hand stitched. It was made from reclaimed fabric, cut from favorite pieces of clothing. It's beautiful. 

On the "coffee table" (a chicken carrier fitted with vintage steel wheels), rests a white wicker tray.  In it, a hurricane lantern, now filled with candy conversation hearts and a vintage pink candy box from my collection (you can hear about the hearts and see more of my collection HERE.), as well as some of my favorite valentines from my favorite guys.

I still have a couple of things to add to this room. I'll share them soon.

In case I haven't told you lately, thanks for reading. I appreciate you! 

xo,


I'm linking this post to:
52 Mantels
Common Ground
Craftberry Bush
DIY Showoff
Five days Five ways
Fox Hollow Cottage Power of Pinterest
I Gotta Try That
Jennifer Rizzo
Love of Family and Home
Positively Splendid
The Thriftiness Miss
Uncommon

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