Mantels

I am getting pretty close to finishing my decorating and am ready to join in my first blog party.  And by finished I mean ready to be done.  There are so many good ideas on Pinterest and on different blogs that it is very easy to be unsatisfied with what you have done and feel the need to keep tweaking or make one more trip to H*bby Lobby!  So, I decided to love what I have done, and BE done.  It's a wonderful feeling.  I will admire everyone's decor without feeling the need to "fix" mine.

   Pamela at From My Front Porch to Yours is hosting a mantel party, and as I have 4 mantels I wanted to join in the fun.

This is my see through fireplace.  I get 2 mantels with just one fireplace!  This is the living room, and on the other side is the

library.

I have decorated it this way since we moved into this house, for 5 Christmases.  I love the simplicity and the focus on the Holy Family.  Last year I added some beads for bling, but I like it this way the best.  It looks lovely at night.

Here's the library side.  It is hard to get a photo in this tiny room.  I was having some issues with this mantel and trying a few different looks.

Here's my first try.

This is the final.  I took off the Santas and I like it so much better in this simpler look.   I have had the lanterns forever.

This is the fireplace in our family room/kitchen.  Again, I went for a simple look.  While my sister was visiting we played around with a few of my collections but I decided I like this look the best.  2 snowball candles on one side and my Santa on the other.

A basket of our Christmas books on the hearth.  These are some of my "non" Night Before Christmas books.  I have a collection of those and they get their own basket in the library.

Today is a rainy, gloomy day, but I ran outside anyway and snapped a couple of the outdoor fireplace.

Mason jars and epsom salt ~ simple.  I get the fresh greens at Home Depot in their freebie bin.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a peek at the decorations.  I'll get busy and get some pictures of the rest.  

Merry Christmas!