Handmade Holiday Christmas Mantle Decorating Ideas

Decorating for the holidays is one of my favorite things, but updating or changing out your decor from year to year can sometimes seem daunting.  The mantle is one of the easiest places to add holiday cheer.  This Christmas transform your mantle into a focal point, with simple handmade decor and a few sparkly statement pieces.  I’m thrilled to partner with Cricut and Balsam Hill today to share with you my simple and beautiful Handmade Holiday Christmas Mantle.

My mom always tells stories about how my great-grandmother was know for her holiday decor.  She had beautiful themed Christmas trees and over the top decor throughout the house, long before it was popular.  She would change her holiday decor every year and each year it would be more incredible than the last.  My family jokes that I’m just like her, I can’t stick with anything for too long before I decide it’s time for a change, especially when it comes to my holiday decor.  But, changing out your seasonal decor year to year can get expensive.  Which is why I love creating handmade holiday decor and slowly adding new elements like ornaments, greenery and rustic elements to add that extra little bit of magic to our holidays.

For me decorating for the holidays is all about making my home feel like a special place where we can create extraordinary memories. This year I wanted to create a beautiful winter wonderland with lots of rustic elements, and a touch of sparkle and glam. It all started with my flocked Winter Woodland Christmas tree. I love incorporating elements that have personal meaning and combining family heirlooms with beautiful new decor.  This year I decided to use an old mirror that belongs to a dresser that has been in our family for years as a focal point for our holiday mantle.  I hung a rustic grapevine wreath and a white deer head on the mirror.

I wanted to keep things fairly simple. Next, I added a lush garland from Balsam Hill. It was the perfect fit for my mantle and it truly captured the beauty of real evergreens. I added mini magnolia picks in a subtle pewter color, along with gorgeous sparkly over-sized ornaments. White feather embellished trees flank each side of the mirror and match the feather ornaments on our winter woodland Christmas tree.

 I love using vinyl and my Cricut to create custom signs and decor for every season.  I think it’s a great way to quickly update your decor, and when you change your mind or decide to incorporate a new color you can quickly and inexpensively change it out.  I think my favorite part of my holiday mantle is the simple rustic wooden sign with one of my favorite holiday sentiments (I purchased the Wonderful Time of Year SVG file to create this sign here.)  It truly is the most wonderful time of the year and I love that this sign is a focal point in the heart of our home.

I love creating personalized elements for our holiday decor, and you can never go wrong with a monogram.  This year we have new stockings to match our holiday decor and I used my Cricut to cut out a simple monogram for each one.  I love that it isn’t permanent, so when I change my mind or color scheme I can reuse these stockings to match the new theme.

When it comes to decorating your mantle don’t just stop at the top.  Remember that the hearth is a great place to display beautifully wrapped packages and sparkly ornaments. That’s right presents aren’t just for under the tree! Wrap your presents with coordinating paper, ribbon and ornaments and display them on your hearth for an extra special touch.

For me the key to decorating for the holidays is creating something I love and using items I already have.  Incorporating items you already have or that have special meaning to your family can help you achieve that perfect look that will create joy and happiness each time you look at it…because remember it’s the most wonderful time of the year!

What is your favorite holiday decor or color scheme?