Spring decor and mantle 2011

 Since we moved into this house we have used the hottub almost every night. We bought a patio heater to keep our heads warm when the temperatures are too cold and an umbrella to keep our heads dry in the rain. The temperatures this week have been too cold to make it enjoyable when you have to get out to get into the house! So I spent a couple evenings this week bringing some crafty stuff up to the media room to do while the hubby and I watch TV.

 Yesterday I decided to stay home where it is warm and decorate for spring! I also did a little more in the temporary craft area and worked on some crafty stuff =) My sweet friend Jessica and her sweet hubby bought this cartridge for me last year. I hadn't gotten to use it before it had to be packed up. (Thank you again guys LOVE it!)

 These are the wreaths I scored at goodwill for $3.99 a piece! More on those tomorrow!

 Here is a shot of some of the goodies I got to add to them. I am still working on them, hope to finish them today... but of  course will have to wait a few days to hang them ;) Hoping to get to Michael's for some little eggs to put in the nest, JoAnn didn't have any.

 And... here is my spring decor for this year! Yes, I did use the purple pillows last year too! I tried to use things I already had, unfortunately some of the things I planned to use are still in boxes in the studio.

 I also took the pillows that I had on my bed...

 Close up of the mantle and my new spring banner for this year. LOVE how it turned out!  I used the cupboard chalk board I made a while ago. I wrote THINK for now for Think Spring but will change it to Welcome March 1st =)

My gardening books are in my favorite spot so when I have a few minutes I can dream of little seeds being planted to produce our own food. Corn, potatoes, beans, lettuce, cabbage... the list goes on! So excited to plan out the garden this year! Just hope the hubby can keep it watered in July when I am with the grandbaby my daughter. haha! ( Can. Not. Wait. to meet my grandson!)

Remember the coffee sack pillow I made last year? It's back in the living room for spring.

For the banner I made pompoms out of yarn, then tied them on a piece of yarn, cut some triangles out of old book pages and sewed them onto the yarn in between the pompoms. Yes sewed! I even got my sewing machine out!

Added the letters I cut with my Cricut using the Songbird cartridge then added a decal or sticker to each pendant next to the letter... easy peasy!

On this side of the mantle I used a mirror that resembles a window that I have had for many years, a wreath I also have had for many years (in fact, both were used in Genna's room at one point when she was going through a girlie phase) I filled one of the apothecary jars with left over green yarn, and the other with moss covered balls, last touch is one of the nest's I picked up while at JoAnn.

On this side is a cast iron statue I received as a wedding present, a couple of moss balls and a galvanized bucket filled with a few stems of iris. The galvanized bucket I've had since when we owned the gift shop in Nevada it's one of my favorites.

Down here I left the candle and holder from Christmas, left the cupboard chalk board but changed the saying and added a glass and wire container filled with the leftover purple yarn.

I brought in the throw I purchased at Pier One on clearance after Christmas and added the pillow I made last year.

Now what to do with this area?! Still working through some ideas! Haha! So what do you think so far?

I will leave you with a shot I took out the back door of some chickadees munching on the seeds I left for them. Well the hubby gets off early today so I better get something done before he gets home! I am hoping to get him to go bed shopping with me this weekend! The kids are coming in three weeks and I would like to have the second guest room done before then. Stay warm!