Mid-Winter Mantel

I don't know about you, but we've only had one snowfall and I'm already tired of winter. I can't let my 11 year old son hear me say that! He thinks winter just started with this first snow! I'm stuck in the mid-winter decorating funk of "no more holiday decor, but not time yet for spring decor". So what's a gal to do? I say go half way...part winter, part spring.

I'm not sure there's a real definition for this style, but here's what I came up with for my mantel...my son calls it "Critter Camp"! He's right, there are some critters involved...four to be exact: an owl, a woodpecker, a sparrow and a squirrel, not to mention three nests, some branches, pheasant feathers, shelf mushrooms and moss--with a burlap wreath, vintage photos, rusty key, old shutter and half of a dutch door thrown in. I apologize for the photo quality. My three month old camera decided to stop working today, so these are from my son's iPod.

The turquoise shutter was bought at one sale or another...and you've seen it previously in my fall and winter mantel. I love the color! The half of dutch door, or Mr. Ed door as I refer to these lovelies, is from the old school house down the road from me. The current resident is a friend of my husbands and was throwing them out! (Oh, heart be still...)....so we rescued them!

 This cool shelf mushroom (under the nest) came from our place up north. My son found it near the woods, and brought it home to use for his last science project at school. I decided to keep it! If you like this type of thing, Nancy at Second Hand Rose has a few in her shop in Poplar Grove, Illinois.

Great Grandfather John photo

 Grandmother Doris

So that's it folks...I can't wait for spring--how about you?