A Seussian Mantel for Christmas

 When I see a white Christmas tree with all the bright aquas, shocking pinks, and lime greens, I LOVE them.  Really.  It's just such a happy look.  Those brilliant colors all in a riotous confusion against a frosty tree?  I'm in!  

Trendy Tree

 One day, I'd like to do a whole Christmas up that way.  But, since I'm not independently wealthy (darn that Powerball), I have to do one little project at a time to get there.  Lucky MMM.  My own mantel is my traditional Christmas village this year.  But at his house, the mantel gets the full Seussian treatment.  What's that?  Of course, you know I mean Dr. Seuss.  I let  the Grinch lead the way on this one.

I made three stockings, one each in each bright color.  The skinny legs and long pointy toes are very much like Seuss's illustrations.

The trees were very easy.  Also long and skinny, with the tips leaning away.  I found this great fat rick-rack trim at Joanne's fabrics (much cheaper, by the way, to buy it in prepackaged lengths rather than by the yard), and knew that it would be just right.  I left the bottoms open when I sewed them.  Each has a lightweight cardboard support inside taped to a dowel.   I left them flat.  They didn't seem to need any stuffing to get that Seussian feel.  And I just wanted a little gathering of trees, so there are just ten here.  The buttons were one of those huge packs of multi-colors, all different sizes, essentially just sewn on with one stitch, using black embroidery floss.

I made this garland some years ago from pre-punched foam bits, hot glued to ubiquitous pine garland to make it special.  It was a lot of work, as I recall.  None of the interior bits had been removed from the individual snowflakes.  I sat and pinched out those tiny pieces until I had a blister going.  I actually have three or four lengths of this with snowflakes throughout, though I'm only using one here.  That's probably close to thirty feet.  What's nice is that the foam is weatherproof, so I can put it outside when I want.  I added the silver beads and shiny little pink and blue balls for accent, also from Joanne's.

The snowflakes against the rock wall are just lightweight foam, purchased at the Dollar Tree.  The rocks are rough enough to sort of allow each individual flake to 'grip' and hold itself in place. 

I have to confess, I was really discouraged at one point, doing this project.  I was sure it would be a total fail.  It just didn't seem to be 'enough' for this big fireplace.  But as I worked adding things and fluffing, it seemed to transform.  And now?  I really think it turned out nice!

So, here it is in all it's Grinch-y glory.  Do you love it?  I do.  And I love that it's pretty non-traditional.

 
Love, 

Sass