Coastal Cottage Pretty

Easter Decorating Ideas: Mossy Bunny Easter Mantel

22 Mar

With Easter just a week away, I finally managed to pull together some Easter decorating around here! The other day, I shared some of my Easter decorating ideas from the past few years. (Click here if you missed that post.) If you saw it, you’ll notice many of the same Easter decorations here; I just mixed them up in a different way.

I really liked the simplicity of the muted Easter mantel I created a couple of years back (see my 2011 Easter mantel, featured at Better Homes & Gardens). So I decided to stick with the same color scheme, but I added some mossy, woodland-inspired items.

That mossy grapevine wreath has been re-purposed a bunch of times. You last saw it hanging on my front door as a St. Patrick’s Day wreath, no joke. {BTW, have I ever told you how I love to re-use old wreaths again and again after I tire of them? Why yes, come to think of it, I have…right over here!} I just pulled everything off, and started from scratch with my glue gun and some eggs!

I’m totally head-over-heels mad for that moss-covered bunny. He was a fab READ MORE…

Three Easter Mantels {& Other Easy Easter Decorating Ideas!}

18 Mar

Hope you all enjoyed St. Paddy’s Day!

March is really flying by, isn’t it? Now that all the leprechaun fun is dying down, I’m looking forward to taking down the St. Patrick’s Day decorations from my mantel (click here, if you missed that post!), and decorating it for Easter over the next few days.

I’m not sure what I’ll come up with. I’ll definitely use some of my favorite Easter decorations, but I enjoy changing things up from year to year.

In the meantime, I thought I’d share some of my Easter decorating ideas over the past few years.

My favorite place to start is my mantel!

Over the past few years, I’ve created several Easter and Spring Mantels. The simple Easter mantel below, was from 2011. Since then, it’s been featured at both HGTV.com.and Better Homes & Gardens in round-ups of Easter mantel decorating ideas, and more recently at One King’s Lane. I liked how the muted color scheme was calming, and blended in with our decor. Most Easter decorations are really colorful – with pinks, yellows and greens – but that doesn’t mean you have to go that route if you prefer a simpler look.

This next mantel was not nearly as under-stated! Last spring, I decided to decorate around the song “Singing in the Rain” which my daughter sang in a local musical festival at the time. I created it in early Spring, and planned to keep it this way through Easter. READ MORE!

How to Tame an Art Wall {Gallery Frames}

13 Mar

If you know me, then you know things rarely stay the same for long around here!

Like, for instance this gallery wall over our sectional sofa that I talked about a little while back. Here’s how it looked back then…

I was happy enough with how the gallery wall turned out, but after living with it little awhile, I decided it was a little busier than I had planned. I think that’s because of the saturated colors (the reds and teals) AND the fussy lines in all of the pieces (i.e., the florals). I felt like it needed to be tamed! Plus, I had really wanted to incorporate some family photographs to make it feel more personal. I’ve experimented quite a bit with gallery wall groupings in our home, and photos are definitely the key to bringing a collection to life. (For some other gallery wall tips, click here.)

So a couple of days ago, I decided to remove a few of the ‘fussier’ pieces (the basket, the mirrored botanical print, and the wine label art), and replace them with some simple modern gallery frames. I’ve always loved, loved, loved photos in gallery frames, but was reluctant to use them on this particular art wall because of the more traditional style of the painted canvases.

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I was wrong! I immediately loved the contrast between the clean lines of the gallery frame, and the more detailed canvases. The simplicity of the gallery frame (with its white matting) helped bring some much needed ‘quietness’ to the collection. READ MORE

How to Make a Leprechaun Trap! {St Patricks Day Fun}

6 Mar

Around this time each year, Miss G (now 8) begins drawing up her plans to make a leprechaun trap for St. Patrick’s Day. Every year since she was 3 or 4, she’s tried to catch one! I’m not really sure how or why this tradition began in our home. It’s certainly not an idea that I planted. Let’s face it, I’ve got enough little beings to care for around here already; I don’t need a leprechaun too, lol! But she goes about it with the same excitement as finding her Elf on the Shelf every morning during Christmas, so who am I to interfere!

: Last year, she enlisted her cousins to help!

. You’ll see lots of elaborate schemes out there for a leprechaun trap.

But all you really need to lure a leprechaun is an empty tissue box, some things to decorate it, and a good dose of sneakiness. .

: What is a leprechaun? The leprechaun is a character of Irish Mythology. He is about 2’6″ (75cm) tall. He is very rich but extremely tricky and if you catch one don’t take your eyes off him, or he will disappear! He is a very slick talker and loves a bit of fun. Source: The National Leprechaun Museum, Dubin, Ireland.

.While Miss G hasn’t caught one yet, she’s come close!

We’ve found a trail of green glitter on several occasions, and last year, he left a note! (See end of post.)

Here’s what seems to work the best to trap the leprechaun. READ MORE

St Patricks Day Mantel Decor {DIY Paper Shamrock Garland}

4 Mar

Yesterday, I showed you how to make shamrocks with a heart punch for St Patricks Day crafts or decorating. Today, I thought I’d show you what I did with all the paper shamrocks I made! You guessed it. I decorated my mantel with them! I don’t usually decorate my mantel for St Patricks Day, but this year, I really needed some festive spirit around here to get through the final weeks of winter. So I added a simple, light hearted paper garland to the mantel, with a good dose of polka dots and glitter!

The diy shamrock garland was made from scrapbook paper, a heart punch, a circle punch, twine and straws!

I used the heart punch to create the shamrocks.

A circle punch and gold glittery paper was used for the coins. So simple, right?

Then I just strung them randomly READ MORE…

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