Holiday "Mantels"

Since we do not have a mantel in our home I always try to be creative with the flat spaces we have around the house, like the top of our hutch and on side tables in our dinning room.  They serve as perfect spots for mini vignettes. 

Over the years, I have liked different collections for Christmas.  So as you can see, tinsel trees are one of them.  I think they look so perfect and fun all clustered together.  I imagine little elves and reindeer prance among them at night!  Keeping my eye out after Christmas for some other colored trees.  The nutcracker is a special piece {I also have a whole bin of nutcrackers from a different year of nutcracker obsession that I am getting rid of this year} that I got when Brent took me to the Nutcracker in San Francisco on New Year's Eve while we were dating.  It was a wonderfully fun and romantic evening that this nutcracker brings sweet memories of.

And here we hang our stockings...ruffles added this summer...

I love the look of my paper snowflakes...feels so homey and old fashioned.  These were all cut out by a bunch of 4th graders last year when I was still subbing.  The best impromptu winter craft idea ever!

The past two years I usually do this room up in all white and silver but I am loving the addition of color this year.  Who knew colorful ribbon could make such a statement on a silver tinsel tree!

These little mini tinsel trees are ornaments from Walmart.  I picked these up in October.  Yes, October.  And I bought the only three left.  I have not seen any since.  Someone somewhere got smart and bought them ALL.  And I think they were only a dollar.

Under all of my trees I have used lace and doilies.  No need for tree skirts here!  I think they look like snow. :)

This little sock guy I bought in front of the grocery store last year from a boy scout.  He said he made them himself but his mom who sat next to him looked pretty crafty.  Either way, he is too cute!

And some Christmas greens to bring in that outdoor holiday smell minus all the mess.  Artificial tree girl forever {well, until we have kids probably!}.

Linking up with these fun mantel parties: Southern Hospitality, Home Stories A to Z,  Ten June and Gussy's Inspiration Workshop