Our first Christmas Mantle in the Cottage

Here is the Holiday Mantle, everything is stuff I already had on hand except the stockings. Not as coastal as I was hoping for....much more sparkly.

but there are some elements...I wanted more shells and sea-stars but over the past few years the dog would steal them and eat them so I'm in need of getting some replacements.

Here is one of the new stockings we got from Bella Inspirations, you might of remembered last years.

Here is mine, a bit of rustic ruffly elegance.

We have burnt through all the wood {see empty mop bucket} because it has been so cold here in SoCal but today it is soooo very beautiful and in the mid 70's..not feeling so Christmasy but I'm loving it, So Cal Baby.

Our "adapted" wreath got a bit of the coastal christmas going on..I had only 3 starfish left after "sneaky pete" got hold of them. The wreath is your standard pine wreath with juniper and pine cones, I added the white ribbon, 2 pencil seastars, 1 knobby one. Kohl's had a 70% off in the Holiday department so I got the blue jingle bell with burlap bow and a Victorian Cafe for the Snow Village .

The beautiful white Poinsettia was only $1.99 at Trader Joes, I got another one inside and one with red edges. I'll be putting up a post of the living/dining room tomorrow. I don't think I showed you the new front door light I got from Lowe's, I think it is perfect for our house and it was only 20 bucks! I think we need to get another for the side kitchen door.

I'm sorry i've been MIA but we had to get a new computer the other one went kaput last Tuesday and to replace it would of been another 200 bucks to fix so we got a new laptop but it has not been as easy to post on typepad as before.........so I'm figuring it out. Hope you and yours have had a wonderful Christmas, I got to get that Ham in the oven and potatoes on the stove.