gomommyblogger: How to Decorate a Winter Mantle

This is Me

This part always gets me. This portion where I write about myself.

*deep breath* OK, here goes:

Because you are on a Mommy Blog, I will assume that we are similar-wifes and mothers and girls trying to figure it all out.

Let me just get this one thing off my chest so there is no misleading- cooking is not in my skill set and I am a crafty-mommy-wannabe, so you may see some of that on here, but they are mostly pipe dreams of mine and I accept that.

What this site is...well, if you like to read and see cute kids and quirky, oftentimes emotional posts, I got all of that here.

I try to be real. Ugly real, sometimes. -Maybe most of the time.

My inclination is to share the highlights, but I know it is the craziness which makes you feel more comfortable, so I'll go with that.

Marriage is one of the greatest gifts I have been given, but it is also really, really, INCREDIBLY difficult for me, and I write to process it all.

My three sons are great- when they are not annoying one another and -quite honestly- me.

They are my favorite.

I read, write, and go for long walks in order to just deal.

Gomommyblogger was born out of a desire to share the fun parts of mommyhood, but it has evolved to my online space to clear my head, share my truths, and offer you a hand if you find yourself trying to juggle the happiness and the craziness this life throws in spades.

The craziness...oh, it almost sounds dainty.

My simple goal is to be a friend- to you and to myself.

Writing offers the writer perspective and time and reading allows the reader to relate or learn, or relate and learn.

If you're reading this, you're here. If you're here, I am glad to have you. Welcome.

Always, Shannon

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

How to Decorate a Winter Mantle

Something about packing-up all those Christmas decorations gets me feeling blue. Turns out that I am not alone. Perhaps you know this feeling I write about? Well, did you know that there is an actual terminology for this? It's called the "Post-Christmas Blues". (You can read more about combating it here.) So what is a girl (or a boy, maybe you're a boy, no hate) to do?
Enter: decorate a winter mantle

It occurred to me last year that my mantle (and entire house, really) didn't need to bear the shame of being so plain and minimal just because Christmas was over. No! There is actually something to be said about a well-dressed mantle (and home- you can just assume I mean home as well when I write mantle) ALL YEAR LONG! -That's right, I wrote that.

So I turned to Pintrest (oh, how I love thee), and ransacked my crafts to see what I could come up with. Enter: silver and blue

Here is my winter mantel...I don't know why this picture won't flip...arggg
coffee filter snowflakes: https://www.pinterest.com/heartofwisdom4u/

                    I reused some of the ornaments we had on our Christmas tree, and they looked
                                               beautiful, all shining under the mantle.
                              Cut-out some coffee filter snowflakes and made them float
   Took advantage of a Hobby Lobby 80% markdown. (Way-cute deer with wool)
   More ornaments on a jewelry tree, blue and clear wine bottle with white lights
A-dor-able winter squirrel from Wal*Mart Christmas clearance
                Remember these? My snow-family made from up-cycled canisters and mod-podge!

I chose to leave some Christmas decorations up during January as well, anything snowman/snow. It helped to keep it looking fun!