Vanilla Bean

Wanna see what I've been working on lately?  Our Mantel!

Have you all seen all the beautiful empty frames around blog land?  And many times they are accompanied by an equally beautiful coffee filter wreath?   

I started checking out thrift stores in my area about 5 months ago.  I was really looking for something to make a chalkboard with.  (I will post more on my chalkboard craft later.  ;-))  I found an empty frame. 

It's calling my name.  It's only $5!!!!!!  I wish I could locate my memory card.  It has before pics on it.  But I can tell you the frame is gold and missing it's picture and glass.  No glass, no chalkboard.  I picked it up anyway.  With a couple of coats of Heirloom White she's good to go!

All I needed next was a coffee filter wreath.  We just had a big snow so I decided to make my own coffee filter wreath!

My supplies:

• a wreath form from the dollar store ( I ended up choosing the green foam wreath)
• clearance ribbon
• coffee filter wreaths from the dollar store
• hot glue gun and LOTS of glue sticks

To get started I opened my green floral form and then I wrapped it with the ribbon.  This way I could put the hot glue directly on the wreath form and in theory get less burns from this project.  ;-) 

Next I folded the coffee filters in half and then I folded the half in half.  So it's now if fourths.  Got it?  If not check out Decorchick! or The Nester's Tutorial.  They are both fantastic!  I did use a different wreath form than they did because I just ran to the dollar store to pick up one and that was what they had.  =)  (I already had the faux grapevine wreath from the dollar store that I ended up not using).  I hot glued these babies (the coffee filters) on until I got my wreath!  She's a beauty, right?!  Well, I may be partial since I made her, but I think so =)

Yah, I know, I am the last one to jump on the coffee filter wreath train making in blogland.  BUT, I love it.  Hubby says it's 3D.  I think it says "soft" and "romantic"..."lovely" and "elegant".  Just what I was going for.  =) 

Her final spot ended up on my winter mantel.  I made a few changes to it and I am very happy with the outcome.  I updated a SLAH which I think is now called something else.  Anyway, I stuck some greenery in a foam shape, cut it out, wrapped it in twine, and stuck it in the SLAH holder.  I grabbed the white cross from another spot in the house and stuck in a dollar store candle.  The plate was another dollar store treasure.  It came silver and I painted it with Heirloom white and applied vinyl with our family name and est. date.  It was a small craft I'd been planning forever! 

The rest were items I shopped the house for! 

And here it is complete with a nice cozy fire!

What do you think?  To much 3d or romantic and lovely?

**I plan to link this up at the parties on my sidebar.  Check them out!  Always good stuff on those blogs and good links for a visit =) ***