This year’s Christmas mantel with jingle bell garlands has put me in such a jolly mood. It’s a good thing no one was around as I broke out singing carols while I was decorating. I think you’ll love these sweet garlands as much as I do. Especially when you see how quickly they come together.
Pinterest Challenge
It’s time for our November Pinterest Challenge and this one as you can guess is all about garlands. If you’re new around here, every month our host Cindy over at County Road 407 selects a photo for us to recreate. Well this month we doing something a little different and coming up with our own inspiration for the challenge.
It’s going to be interesting to see the variety of garlands everyone comes up with, and what inspired them. Be sure to click through all the links at the end of the post. If you’re stopping by from my friend Carol of BlueSky at Home welcome! Carol is sharing nine ways to use garlands in your home!
To see the Pinterest challenge from November last year, click on my post How To Decorate With Poinsettias In Crates.
Christmas Mantel With Jingle Bell Garlands
The framed snow scene watercolor over the mantel sets the stage for the green and silver colors I’m using this year.
Just to give you a little background. My dear Great Aunt Ruth painted this watercolor back in the 60s. What a character she was wearing her crazy red hair piled up on her head, always had a glass of Scotch whisky in hand, and could swear like a sailor.
When I was a child, my mom told me not to listen to anything my aunt had so say, so naturally I hung on to every word. I smile thinking back on her, and still love her whimsical paintings with their folk art quality.
Several weeks ago I spotted a jingle bell garland on Pinterest from Magnolia and decided to create one of my own using ribbon. The one from Magnolia is on a red and white braided rope, but I’m focusing more on colors that will compliment the painting.
Supplies
- ribbon
- jingle bells
- scissors
These jingle bell garlands are easy to make by threading the ribbon through the loop on top of the bell. Even though the 3/8″ silver grosgrain ribbon is narrow, it has just enough stiffness to keep the bells in place.
The 5/8″ green velvet ribbon is a little more tricky, because you have to roll the end of the ribbon to be able to fit it through the loop.
Once all the bells are on the ribbon, trim the ends the ribbon if it looks frayed. Then hang the garlands from the mantel with clear hooks.
Mercury Glass Trees And Painted Houses
Every year I think I’m going to use my mercury glass trees in another spot, but I still love the way they look on the mantel. I know you must be thinking I could stretch my imagination just a bit, but when it works it works. Plus the mercury glass trees just seem to frame the watercolor perfectly.
Check out these posts for more ideas on using mercury glass, Cozy Christmas Mantel In Red & White and Christmas Mantel With Mercury Glass & Ticking.
I’m repeating the green colors from the painting with little green houses and faux greenery. Old books become risers for the mercury glass trees, pine cones add a natural touch and a few loose bells finish the mantel.
By the way, the houses were previously painted bright colors and were hanging in the laundry room. To see how they look before click over to Laundry Room Organizing Ideas.
Each one is now a different shade of green paint like the ones in the watercolor. It’s a fun way to reuse what I have on hand, and I can use them for more than just Christmas too.
I can’t wait to mix in some fresh greenery on the mantel. Bringing in the fresh scent of pine and cedar always makes me feel like we’re getting a little closer to the Christmas season.
Be sure to follow Thistle Key Lane on Pinterest, where the boards are up to date with holiday inspiration that you can use right now!
Thank you for letting me share my Christmas mantel with jingle bell garlands with you today.
Niky of The House on Silverado is next in our Pinterest challenge line-up, and I know you don’t want to miss her woodland Christmas garland.
Cheers!
The Pinterest Challenge Continues…
Michelle,
I love the sweet garland! It’s perfect for a simple mantel. I love doing these challenges with you.
Thank you Rachel, I’m keeping the decorating simple and looking forward to adding fresh greenery this week.
This puts a jingle in my heart! Your garland is lovely. So happy to be on tour with you!
Thank you Laura! I love quick and easy projects like this one!
the greenery and silver ornaments look so pretty together! love it! pinned! Happy Thanksgiving Michelle!
I can’t wait to mix in fresh greenery this week. I love bring the outdoors in. Happy Thanksgiving Laura!
MIchelle, this is such a cute idea! It’s simple, yet festive. Pinned for later inspiration!
Thanks so much for pinning Niky! I love simple projects!
I adore this idea and it’s perfect for your mantel. The ribbon and bells just pop with perfect color! I’ve been looking for white velvet ribbon everywhere and have had no luck. Such a bummer. Anyway, I love this idea. Thanks for joining in. You always have the best ideas and inspo. pinned
I found the green velvet ribbon at the Container Store. In fact I bought all they had on display for gift wrapping. It’s a little challenging to find what you want this year, which is forcing us to be more creative. Thanks so much for a fun PC this month!
I love the sweet simplicity of the 2 bell garlands intersecting, with the simple bows. And of course your color scheme is my favorite. Always love how you style everything, Michelle:) Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much Lora! I hope to jazz it up a bit with fresh greenery this weekend. I love the addition of real pine! Hugs!
Michelle, what a lovely mantel you have created. Your Aunt Ruth’s painting is a treasure. I love how you used the colors for your jingle bell garland. The garland is a sweet idea and so adaptable to whatever colors one wants to use. Hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving.
Thank you for those sweet comments my friend. I’m a sentimental soul and love decorating with family hand me downs. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Hugs!
Your mantel looks like a winter wonderland… and I LOVE the story of your aunt. Too funny! I would have thought YOU painted the watercolor… not a whiskey drinkin’, swearin-like-a-sailor great aunt! Love the whole thing, Michelle!
My aunt had a great imagination but maybe I’ll get there some day. Thank you Julie for the funny comments. You always make me smile! Hugs!
Michelle, that painting is amazing. How fortunate you are to have it. When I first saw it, it looked like a P. Buckley Moss. so similar. I love the colors and how you’ve followed thru with the adorable jingle bell garland and the painted houses. It’s all so pretty and festive. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much Debra! My aunt took a lot of art classes but I think she mainly painted from the heart. P. Buckley Moss is a wonderful artist and I love her houses too. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving today!
Michelle, your jingle bell garlands are so unique and seem simple enough to make! The color scheme on your entire mantel is so pretty and timeless!
Thank you so much Cindy! I made a few more garlands for my daughters home too, and hung them over one of her Christmas signs.
Hi Michelle! I love the watercolor painting. I’m wondering if you ever considered reproducing your great aunts work to sell? Love the bells garlands and of course mercury glass!!! I’m always on the lookout for mercury glass trees in thrift stores. It always feels like striking gold when I find one! Lol.
Hi Susan, you know I never thought about selling reproductions, but her art has certainly inspired me to try new techniques. We’ll see if I can work on some new artwork next year.
One thing I love about mercury glass is that it never goes out of style! Happy hunting LOL!