Above is the mantle in my upstairs living room. While playing around with my decor and making some changes, it occured to me that it actually looks pretty darn nice and that I paid hardly anything. I'm going to break down where I got things and what I paid (or didn't pay) to get this eclectic look.
I found this yellow vase at the Salvation Army Thrift Store for $4.99. I knew the creamy yellow would go perfect with the white birds. Those birds are actually salt and pepper shakers that I purchased for $3.99 from Pier 1. The yellow vase is also perfect for holding some deep fall colored mums so I purchased these fake ones from Michaels for around $4.00 on sale. The glass jar next to the vase is a basic jam jar filled with seashells my husband brought back from a trip to South Padre. The baseball was actually put there after my son threw it in the house, but the worn dirt-ridden leather gives a nice juxtaposition to the crisp white of the birds. And then there's the mirror - my favorite piece of the entire mantle. My grandmother bought it somwhere - Texas, maybe? - and I remember it hanging in the laundry room of their house. It always reminds me of my grandparents, which is why it's front and center.
The handprints were a gift from my son that he made at daycare one day. They are so precious, I couldn't help put them in a frame. I backed them against a white sheet of regular copy paper. The simple gold frame was a find from digging around my mom's house (she has treasures hidden everywhere). The wood piece is part of a set of tea candle holders that were a birthday present from my husband. They are hand-carved with pine tree stencils on the front.
The picture is a great piece that my mother found in a second hand store. It reminds me of the farmland around home. A bonus is that the frame is in excellent condition. The flowers are fresh from my garden and put in a long-necked glass bottle that once upon a time held wine. Next to the bottle is the other wooden tea candle holder.
The fireplace has a nice stone seat in the front, but since the upstairs fireplace isn't used, it's a perfect place for some plants. All of the plants are recent gifts. The white basket above came with them.
These plants also came in a very nice dark-wood basket, but they had to be replanted. The plant on the far left is in a green glass planter. This planter and the white one next to it were purchased at the Salvation Army Thrift store for $2.99 each. The plan on the far right is in a square clear glass candle holder that is now working as a plant holder. As these plants grow, the pots will become too small and they will need to be repotted, but that's the fun of owning plants. Then I can find a new fun use for these charming containers.
Added bonus: Technically, this isn't sitting on the bench of the fireplace but on a table right next to it. I still wanted to show it off. This was a glass fishbowl that was used as a table centerpiece at my wedding. It was sitting in the "to donate" pile because I hadn't found a practical use for it in almost 2 years. Then one day, we were picking up twigs from our weeping birch tree in the back yard. I loved the look and texture of the twigs and wanted to use them in decor. And just like in the comics, a lightbulb went off. I ran down to the basement, dug out the fishbowl and carefully wound handfulls of twigs inside the glass. I think the smooth glass and the texture of the wood is very sophisticated. For added flair, I may add a large white pillar candle, but it's just as pretty without anything added.
So that is my take on thrify decor for the fireplace that cost less than $20. Everything else is either found or a hand-me-down. I've got a lot more plans for finally personalizing our space and I find my best inspiration in the thrift stores. There are a lot of inexpensive and unique things that can be done now instead of waiting until the remodel is done - and judging by the progress in the basement, it could be quite a few years. Instead of planning and making lists and thinking in terms of "someday," I'm just gonna do it and make it fabulous. Stay tuned for more editions of Thrifty Decor. :)
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