Many Mantles

So...I actually didn't transition my mantle from winter to spring until Easter weekend. Should I even be admitting that? As far as social media goes, they say that Facebook is for networking and connecting whereas Instagram is more focused on engagement. Therefore many people take to Instagram for brief, uplifting, and positive content. So should I admit that, although I was encouraging all of you to dig out your spring elements, I was secretly digging my heels at home?

But here's why. I was so madly in love with how it looked! I had never been so proud of how it flowed and knew that it would never quite look the same again. It was a combination of at least 15 different stems, a collection of Hygge homes I had placed methodically and carefully manipulated twinkling lights. Once squished and stowed away in a tote for several months, the configuration would be forgotten. Though I had long ago taken down all other Christmas and winter decorations, I just could not let this one go. And there was still snow on the ground. So it seemed justified right?

In the meantime, I had the pleasure to support a few lovely ladies with their mantles. Coincidentally, we all had a TV over the mantle to contend with. That poses a unique challenge in itself. Typically one tries to layer and create varying heights across the span of the ledge. But with a TV, you must ensure that the view is not obstructed. And even with one of those spectacular frame TVs ( https://www.samsung.com/ca/tvs/the-frame-ls03r/QN65LS03RAFXZC/?cid=ca_paid_ppc_google_frame-2019_ongoing_frame2019ads-20180107_text_samsung%20frame%20tv_w&gclid=CjwKCAjw7e_0BRB7EiwAlH-goK_JQK2qW1RgRyEfcFXkupyNdomW0gZ9Evrr97wANL1TPqJX2hEIQRoCi0YQAvD_BwE ) and the multitude of images available, mantle decor must still be well executed. 

The first mantle inquiry, I had this spring, included a compulsory electrical unit about 8-10 inches tall and the patron hoped to coordinate the look with her existing greens - mostly mint, sage and medium green shades. Tara had made a swag in the shop, on the corner of a display unit. And this had caught the patron's eye.

So we reconfigured it and wired it together in reverse so that it swooped up and to the right to disguise the electrical unit rather than down and to the left as it was on the display. The patron was able to lay it in the back of her vehicle and using a couple 3M hooks ( https://www.command.com/3M/en_CA/command-ca/products/~/Command-Mini-Hooks-17006CLR-C-Clear-Small-6-Hooks-8-Strips-Pack/?N=5924736+3289416847&preselect=8719408+3293786499+3294529206&rt=rud ) she secured it up on her mantle when she returned home. 

Fast forward a few weeks, insert a global pandemic, and I received another mantle message. This patron had already spread a whimsical vine-like swag across her slab mantle but felt it lacked a little something more. She shared images of her already decorated built-ins on either side of the mantle along with a few other spots in her new home that had been adorned with pops of spring. At this point, all non-essential businesses had now closed so she was unable to come browse through the store. But I was able to meet her at the curb to grab her wispy swag and added a few new springs to "beef it up" while she ran some errands. In a little less than an hour, she had the enhanced vine back home again and manipulated out across her mantle. It was just as simple as that! 

The inherent challenge with all three mantles is that we all had a television over the mantle to contend with. Yet just look how each mantle has its own unique personality. Each a reflection of the homeowner; whether that be classic and traditional, or whimsical and sophisticated, or bold and earthy. 

So what exactly am I trying to say? I'm saying that you should make your seasonal transitions, if at all, whenever you want. You all now know my dirty little secret is that I did mine when I was good and ready. I'm saying that there are billions of configurations, endless ideas and no limit to what you might use up on your mantle. You can think outside the box and you can reinvent. You can recreate something that inspired you and, if you want to try to repeat something you had done before because you still love it, do! I'm trying to encourage you more than anything. But I'm also letting you know that, pandemic or not, I'm here to help.