A wreath for another season

Christmas grapevine wreath

 The grapevine wreath over the fireplace mantel in my house lives there year-round.  One reason is because I like it. Another is because it is larger than the average grapevine wreath found in the marketplace at  24" in diameter and fills the space well. And the best reason is because I can easily change it to suit my mood or the season.

I bought it unadorned and added a natural looking garland of leaves and berries found at Classic Country Furniture in Uncasville.  Two years ago, I was in a pine cone phase, picking them up on the golf courses we played in NC (too many according to the man of the house). I chose some of the smaller ones and tied them onto the wreath with brown chenille pipe cleaners.  I prefer those to wire because they poke well through the openings in the wreath and they are kinder to fingers.

For Christmas, I added some glittered gold birds and some swirly round ornaments. No bow this year, and I was happy with it. 

Valentine grapevine wreath

A quick changeover for Valentine's Day involved replacing the birds and gold ornaments with some hearts.

The wool hearts were my first ever Etsy purchase about four years ago from a shop called Marshall Country - unfortunately it doesn't have anything like this any more. They are made from 100% wool and are trimmed with vintage buttons. I made the bottom red heart from red felt I had (so the color is different) and added some buttons from Annie's button tin.

The hearts are attached to the wreath with wire ornament hangers. Pretty simple.







The Valentine's mantel  . . . I left the candle rings from Christmas since I felt the candlesticks looked too barren without them.

Quick change Valentine mantel

The stack of wooden spools wrapped in red ribbons adds a pop of color to the dark mantel. These fabulous ribbons are from the Jolee's Boutique French General collection and each pattern of ribbon came wrapped on a cardboard French lady holding a little metal spool charm. I was intrigued with them when I first spotted them at Michael's but didin't know exactly what I would do with them.  When I found the French ladies at T.J. Maxx at less than half price, I knew I could  find something to do with them and bought a bunch. So they are on spools on the mantel for now - accented with some heart quilting pins.

French General ribbons

I added wrapped spools to the ledge holding my winter deer . . . I love the lines of the metal deer against the off-white walls. I'm thinking I might have to darken the spools for the deer.  Hmmm . . .

From the French General line is another item that I hang for Valentine's Day. This 12"x12" collage of sewing notions and bits of ephemera called to me from way back on a bottom shelf at T.J.Maxx. I am a huge collage fan and am always intrigued by the way different elements are arranged to make a great composition. There's all kinds of stuff and whimsy to catch one's eye in this piece.

 Have a sparkling day!