~Silver Symphony~...Christmas Mantel

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Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day!

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I am sooo excited to finally be showing a bit of my 2011 Christmas decor! I have
 had most of it finished for a couple of weeks now...but I've been waiting for good "light"
 days to photograph.

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Today I am going to share my 2011 Christmas mantel...but before I take
 you on the tour...I would like to say just a few words about Christmas and what it

 means to me!

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Christmas...My Favorite Holiday of the Year!

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I'm sure that each of you have very special thoughts of what Christmas means

 to you.  To many, it's about family and friends...gathering together to celebrate the

 holidays.  To some, it may be all about the gifts. 
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To me...Christmas is the time that I set apart to celebrate the birth of my Savior
 Jesus Christ!  Of course, my precious family and dear friends make Christmas a very
 special time for me as well.  I don't know what I would do without them...and
 I don't know what I would do without the Lord.
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  Our country is going through some rough times economically.  I think
 about the many who may not have a job, a warm home, or even enough food

 to put on their tables.  My heart goes out to them and I pray earnestly for their well

 being and that they may have what they need.  My family and I are so very blessed

 and I am very thankful! Thank you, Jesus!

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 Jesus is truly the reason for this season!

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Warmest Christmas wishes and blessings to you and your families.  May you

 know the God of peace, joy, and love and may He give you "ALL" that you have

 need of this Christmas!  Merry Christmas!

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~Silver Symphony~

2011 Christmas Mantel

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Here we are...looking into my living room.

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Just catching a glimpse of the fireplace mantel through the decorated

 boughs of our Christmas tree.

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~Silver Symphony~

2011 Christmas Mantel

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I decided on a white and silver color theme for my 2011 Christmas

(faux) fireplace mantel.

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White and silver just "sing" of Christmas...don't you think? 

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When I look at this white and silver colored Christmas mantel...my

 thoughts are lifted toward heaven and to the multitude of angelic hosts

 that are singing the praises of our Heavenly Father!

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In fact, two of those angels have graced this ~Silver Symphony~

mantel with their sweet presence!

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You can see the reflection of the large arched window in my living room
 in the glass of the  framed art above my mantel.  I think that looks pretty!
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Lots and lots of sparkling white and shimmering silver!

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Each piece on the mantel is either white or silver...with the

 exception of the pine garland.

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Here are the two sweet, serenading angels now!

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The angel on the left is playing a flute.  The angel on the right

 is playing a mandolin. 

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Songs of Christmas joy are lifted into the

 air....my angelic symphony!

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I found a trio of these serenading angels at my favorites antique

 shop this last year.  The third angel is nearby...on the table in front of

 the fireplace.  I believe that they are made of porcelain.  They stand

 a stately 12 inches in height so they are nice sized.

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A tall, decorative, mercury glass finial sits between the two angels.

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The mercury glass finial is lifted atop a small glass pedestal plate. 

 Silver bells circle the base of the finial. 

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 The shape of the tall mercury glass finial reminds me of a Christmas tree!

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~Silver Symphony~

Silver...Silver...and more Silver!

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  Mercury glass finials and mercury glass ornaments lend a special

silvery sparkle to this Chrismas mantel.  I love the look of mercury

 glass...especially at Christmas!

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Six ornate silver candleholders bring a little silver shimmer to the

 mantel as well.  A silver snowflake candleholder holding a chunky white

 pillar candle joins in with the ~silver symphony~!

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New Treasure Find...Silver Lanterns

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A found a pair of tall silver lanterns at Hobby Lobby a few weeks

 ago.  They were 50% off so I purchased them for a great price.  They

 stand 24 inches tall.

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 Decorative mercury glass finials shine and sparkle from behind the

 glass of the lanterns!  Sooo pretty!

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I wrapped a silver beaded garland with tassels around the top of

 the lantern.  Ohhh my...only one lantern has the silvery beaded garland

 right now.  I have another one...somewhere...eeks!  Hopefully

 I'll find it before Christmas!

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View of the mantel from the opposite direction.

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As you can see...I also added mercury glass ornaments to the pine garland as well.

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~Silver Symphony~

Fireplace Hearth

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The silver and white color theme continues down onto the hearth as well.

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A stack of decorative Christmas boxes sit front and center.  A silver

 soup tureen is serving double duty for a little decorative presence on the

 hearth.  A chunky white pillar candle fills the tureen with a candle

 garland that looks like "ice crystals".

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A pair of silver reindeer and a large white artichoke finial join in

 to complete the ~Silver Symphony~ mantelscape.

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A close-up of the silver tureen.

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It is one of my favorite pieces of collected silver.  It's very ornate!
A sparkly icecycle and a few more mercury glass ornaments join in with
the ~silver symphony~!

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Ahhhh.....

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 ~Silver Symphony~

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sings of the glory of Christmas!

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Just a little peek into my Christmas living room.

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  There is more to come...so I hope you'll come back by again!

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Voila...and there you have it...

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My 2011 ~Silver Symphony" Christmas Mantel!

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I'm joining these fabulous parties...

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Metamorphosis Monday...hosted by Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch.

Table Top Tuesday...hosted by Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life.

2011 Holiday Mantel Party...hosted by Pamela over at From My Front Porch To Yours.

Christmas Mantel Party...hosted by Beth over at Home Stories A to Z.
2011 Christmas Party...hosted by Jessa over at Holiday Haven.

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and I'm joining the Christmas Blogger Block Party
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Holiday Mantels...hosted by Kristen over at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia.
Christmas Home Tour...hosted by Melissa over at The Inspired Room.
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*Thank you, dear ladies...for hosting these lovely parties for us!

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Well my friends...I'm so happy that you stopped by today!  I hope that
 you enjoyed my 2011 Christmas mantel.  Stay tuned...for more Christmas at
 my place.  Please leave me a note and let me know that you were here...I
 would love to visit with you!

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Warmest Christmas Wishes,

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A Royal Tea...for Royalty!

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Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day!

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Today, Laura over at Decor To Adore is hosting a High Tea Tablescape party. How exciting! I just can't wait to see all of the fabulous teascapes! You'll have to head over to the party and check it all out! You'll find the credits to this lovely party at the end of my post.

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An English High Tea

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Ohhh my...an English High Tea! It's a pretty "swanky" deal you know...the kind of tea that one would expect to be served in the sitting room of the Queen of England's castle! I can only imagine...a sparkling silver tea service, the finest English linens, and the robust selection of food and sweets...not to mention the tea! It makes me want to go out and buy a fine ladies' tea hat for such an occasion!

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Well...today I would like to invite you to High Tea...my style! It won't be quite as "swanky" as the Queen's...so please don't fret! No fine ladies tea hat is required...unless you would like! Hehe! I would just love to spend a leizurely afternoon visiting with you...over tea! You ARE a very special guest so I did polish up my silver tea service and I set our tea table with a few pretties...after all...you are always "Royalty" in my book! I hope that you enjoy, my sweet friend!
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A Royal Tea...for Royalty!

A High Tea set in my french country dining room.
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Yes, please do come in and have a seat! We have the entire afternoon to just enjoy a warm cup of tea or two. There is nothing like whiling away the hours with the sweet fellowship of a dear friend!
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Glimmering, shimmering silver and sparkling white is the color theme for this High Tea.
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I have always found the pairing of white and silver to be so elegant and I love how it looks against my red dining room walls!
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A tea table filled with "pretties"!
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Besides polishing the silver tea service, I wanted to decorate our table with all kinds of pretties! A tall apothecary jar, that stands a stately 22 ins. tall, is filled with mercury glass orbs. If you look closely, you will see that a few of the glass orbs are decorated with rhinestone jewels. They really do sparkle with the light shining on them!
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A jeweled mercury glass orb in your tea cup...just for you, my sweet friend! It's almost like wearing a jeweled tiara...so befitting for a royal friend!
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A beautiful white porcelain figurine of a "royal" lady.

She reminds me of a very famous french Queen...Marie Antoinette...with her long ringlets of hair and flowers for adornment!
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A mercury glass heart under glass.
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Just a bit more silver...

A hand-blown mercury glass heart ornament tied with a white organza ribbon can be seen under glass. It is sitting atop a silver beaded rope garland...so sweetly under a cloche that is resting upon a silver pedestal plate. A silver charger plate with its rim of embossed roses is paired with a white dessert plate that has a beautiful decorative silver ringed border...perfect for the sweet cakes and tea cookies that we will enjoy with our tea this afternoon.
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A silver tea service "in wait" for our pleasure.
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A white tea napkin edged in lace is dressed with a little silver teapot napkin ring. A second mercury glass heart tied up with a swirly-twirly white organza ribbon decorates the tea tray.
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" A Royal Tea...for Royalty"
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Well my sweet friend...I am sooo glad that you could come and spend a leizurely afternoon at tea with me today! I hope that you enjoyed it as much as I did!

PS...This teascape is one that I did in February, 2010. For those of you who have already seen it...I really do appreciate your forbearance! I sooo wanted to join in with the High Tea Tablescape party today and maybe there are a few who have never viewed it! Thank you, friends!
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I am joining this fabulous party today...

High Tea Tablescapes...hosted by Laura over at Decor To Adore.
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Thank you, Laura for hosting this fabulous tea party for us!
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Thank you so much for coming by for a visit today, my friends! Please leave me a note and let me know that you were here...I would love to visit with you!
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Warmest Wishes!

Silver & Pearls...One Last Hoorah!

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Hello my friends...I'm so happy that you came by today for a visit!

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Can you believe that March is finally here? I'm so ready for Spring and it won't be long till it makes its debut here in Colorado! The last couple of days our weather has been sooo nice but we do still have snow on the ground!

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Many of you have begun your Spring decor and I have started thinking about what I would like to do at my place...but before I do...can I hear a..."One Last Hoorah"...for all of my silver decor? Hehe!
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Silver & Pearls...One Last Hoorah!

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The buffet in my French Country dining room.

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Many of you who follow my blog, know that I've had a "grand ol' time" using my silver to decorate the dining room. I have done several posts showcasing my buffet and table centerpieces...starting way back in December! The buffet and table centerpiece have evolved over time...I used red with the silver during the Christmas season and then changed out the red...for white...in January! In February, I did a little redecorating in my living room and my pearl candleholders were moved from the living room into the dining room...into the mix of silver on my buffet! A little more rearranging...and VOILA!!!
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Silver & Pearls...A Dining Room Buffet Vignette

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Some of you may think it strange to have boughs of pine in the decor at this time of year but I assure you...we are still in the "throes of winter" here and it doesn't seem so odd! Hehe!
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Several pieces of silver and pearl/mosaic candleholders are nestled ever so sweetly into boughs of pine...pinecones...and white pearl winter berries!
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I have really enjoyed decorating with all the silver and white this winter season! The combo just feels "wintery" to me. Oooh...and I love how the silver and white look against the red dining room walls...soooo pretty!
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Center Stage...A Silver Tureen!

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This pretty silver tureen is one of my greatest thrifty treasure finds. I found it at the Goodwill in December for just $19! Ohhh...you should have seen me doin' my happy dance! It's a beautiful piece...quadruple silver from the Victor Silver Co. I have priced similar silver tureens...they seem to go for $125 and upward. It's very ornate...I love it!!!
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I'd love to tell you a little bit about my buffet...

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It started out as a dresser in my step-daughter's bedroom (nine yrs. ago)...she was only six at the time and just didn't need this big ol' piece of furniture in her room and I needed a buffet in the dining room...soooo...I refinished it and moved it into the dining room. It was an ugly...outdated...shiny brown...thing! Hehe! Wished I had photos of the "befores" but this was long before I started blogging! Seriously...it was a big ol' ugly piece of furniture! I painted it a creamy white (to match the dining room table)...and used a yellow ochre wash on the carved, ornate details...accenting them! Then I painted the door inserts an olive green. I love how it turned out!
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I liked this photo because you can see the gallery wall in the living room in the mirror's reflection!
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Silver...Pearls...Mercury Glass...and Curly White Ribbon!
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I have been collecting silver candleholders for many years. I have used four of them in this buffet vignette. I'm always on the "outlook" for silver candleholders!

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The three pearl/mosaic candleholders came from Hobby Lobby...all on sale! I just love these pretty pearl candleholders! If you look closely, you will see that the mosaic pieces are iridescent glass. When the sunlight catches these pretty candleholders...they really sparkle!!!
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I have used several pieces of mercury glass; two mercury glass (goblet shaped) candleholders, two mercury glass finials, and several mercury glass orbs and ornaments. I used a white wired organza ribbon on a few of the ornaments...curling the ribbon...a pretty detail that really adds to the elegance of this silver & pearl vignette!
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I love, love, LOVE these large mercury glass orbs! Just look at the pretty pearl designs on the front of them! I found these pretty orbs on sale at Dillards after Christmas for just $3ea. They were originally $12ea...I love "after Christmas" sales!
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You can get a good view of the curling, organza ribbon in this photo. Since the ribbon is wired, it can be curled by running your fingers along the wire...shaping it! I thought this "look" was really pretty!
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My Sweet Silver Birds...

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These two little silver birds were a gift from Carol over at My Painting Room! I won her gift giveaway...yeeeehawww!!! Ohhh...I just adore these sweet, little silver birds! Thank you, Carol!!! If you haven't ever met Carol, you are really missing out on a blessing! She is just the sweetest and dearest lady...and she is soooo talented!!! She is an artist and you should see her watercolors!!! Please do yourself a favor and go meet Carol!

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Could this gift of these sweet little silver birds be anymore perfect? They fit right in with all the silver!!!
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Well my friends...I did say, "One Last Hoorah!"...didn't I? I have really enjoyed all my silver, pearls, and white but it's time to add a little "Spring Green" to my dining room! Sooo...out with the old and in with the new!

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...but I just had to share one more post..."One Last Hoorah"...for the silver!!!
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I'm joining in with the "Show & Tell" Friday party...
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Show & Tell Friday is hosted by Cindy over at My Romantic Home! Please go by and see Cindy's pretties today and while you're over there...you can check out all of the other party participants! Thank you, Cindy...for hosting this fun filled Friday party for us!!!

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Well my friends...thank you so much for coming by today! I really enjoyed your visit! I would love for you to leave me a comment so that I could visit with you as well!!!
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Have a fabulous Friday!!!