Decorating your mantle...with topiaries ...

I am so happy that my fire place mantle doesn't have feelings...because it would have rejection issues... because I have stripped it down and changed it so many times... but one thing I have been wanting for a long time was topiaries for both of the ends .... Remember a past blog that i wrote things tell stories...that is why you will see many makeovers in my blog... I hope that as I begin to have followers you will share your stories behind your pieces... I place pieces on my mantle and wait until they speak to me and say "Why yes I do belong on your beautiful mantle, or no no no that is not the look you are going for.."  ...the for sure feeling I get is when I find something that connects with a memory inside of me, that moves me to emotion, and I get that warm fuzzy feeling and can see the moment of that memory happen at the moment I look at my piece... "Yes, you belong, living on my mantle, forever, I think ... so Apple Blossom Time  by Leur a old painted canvas with apple blossoms, and a farm house, with a primitive farmer's wife.. it looks wrinkled and watered damaged...but it is my favorite possession ...stay tuned to find out why...   first I will share some inspirational decor pictures of how others might use topiaries ... then I will share what my mantle looks like today...

I love these 3 topiaries that are centered in the middle of this mantle, they are using some of my favorite things, topiaries, black numbered, probably stenciled, and using a lot of white.

Look at this picture, they are using great balance, each side has exactly almost the same item balancing out on the other side. Is this your style?  Little to neat for me. But still beautiful.

These are beautiful four piece topiary set with boxwood leaves that Ballard designs offers, beautiful shabby chic planters. 

This above design, is a DIY design, found on the Michaels web sight, it is called a Bountiful Harvest Topiary... I will attach the link, so you can make one for your table this Harvest season.

http://www.michaels.com/Bountiful-Harvest-Topiary/e08386,default,pd.html

Now Presenting Two New Topiaries on The Mantle Of the Joneses

My two new topiaries are 1 foot potted spiral rosemary, artificial, in a mercury antiqued like pot. I have them sitting on some old worn vintage books.

Here is a close up, of one of the topiaries, next to an old farm basket, with antique door parts, and rolled up music sheets, and some pumpkins, I sewed a couple of years ago.  That is about my extent of sewing.

If you look closely you can see some of the names of the songs Moon River,  Stormy Weather, and Save the Best for last.

The picture up there is the famed " Apple Blossoms"  mentioned in the first paragraph of this blog.  I will someday write a entry on the story behind it...why I fell in love with it, and just had to buy it from a antique store, no matter what.  It has a story that makes me connect with a moment in time that brings the best kind of feelings back, and yet gives me the best kind of hope for the future.  Can you think of items that you own, that make you feel that way? Will you share your thoughts, I would love to know what stories, you have to tell......