Mantle Makeover and More

We had a gloriously strange Saturday around here because the kids and I were up and out of the house by 9:00am for our Stake Primary Pioneer Day Parade (not something I would have gone to had I not been obligated to by my calling) and Randy was at my parents' house making adjustments to the chicken tractor (moving house/grazing area) he built until late afternoon.


We were done with the parade (basically we walked through 3 streets of a neighborhood for the small smattering of neighbors who came out to see us) by 10:00. We were hot and sweaty, so we went to Harts to get Slurpee's and gas and a car wash.

Upon returning home we were looking at an obligation-free day. Landon declared he was having a stay-home day (rather than a play with friends kind of day) so I felt liberated. I began doing some cleaning/organizing projects (i.e., the desk next to my bed) that led into more cleaning/organizing projects.


I ended up redoing our mantle and am quite pleased with the results. I've always felt limited by our mantle because it's rather narrow and tilts slightly forward, so I felt like things would fall off it. Also, the big clock has always hung on a nail that was already there when we moved in, so it hung rather low and made it difficult to put anything in front of it.

I got wild and crazy (i.e., I finally got a clue) and moved the nail up about 3 inches so the clock is higher and there's more room beneath it. It's a good thing we've lived here 6.5 years and I finally decided to do that! Good Hell, what's wrong with me?

I looked around the house for things to put on the mantle and ended up with this configuration. It still feels a bit precarious to me because of the tilt of the mantle, but so far so good. I love the changes!


This also meant cleaning and reconfiguring the top of the armoire (which I hadn't done since getting it 18 months ago) so that was pleasing (though very dusty) too.


Randy came home while I was in the middle of this project and agreed to hang the sketches Adam gave me for my birthday (Randy has an eye for detail and measuring so it was best to wait for him). I can't believe we've had nothing on that wall all this time! Now that these are there I can't stop looking at them.


I was on a roll and feeling super energized at this point, so I swapped out a few of the pictures on my photo wall. I added this one of Landon's bear-hugged return from scout camp because I love it so much.


I also added this cute one of Randy and the kids from Father's Day.


I never get tired of looking at our photo wall, and usually seat myself directly across from it, when seated at the table for dinner. I love the combination of old and new photos, color and black & white, and all the memories that go along with seeing the faces of family.

**Have you had a Slurpee lately?
Do you enjoy rearranging your home?
Do you swap out photos very often?**

Comment Window Tidbit: I'm starting to feel panicked about summer vacation coming to an end. School starts in one month, and though I love the school year, I don't feel like we've done much this summer.

Borrowed Wisdom

My blog friend, Neighbor Jane Payne (if you're not reading her blog you should be), wrote a brilliant post about the month of January and it totally rocked my world and made me want to stand up and cheer. I asked her if I could publish her first paragraph on my blog so I'll always have it and she kindly said yes.


"January is usually known as the fearful month of diets, budgets, organizing, and resolutions. Not so in my world—January is for relaxing and enjoying. January is the month of low-expectations. Cars, garages, and windows are supposed to be dirty. There are no yard or garden duties, tax-deadlines, gift-giving holidays, or flies in January. January is made for frugal luxuries like wearing sweaters, reading books, taking naps, cooking stew, taking an institute class, and fun projects." --Jane Payne

Now don't you feel a lot more affection for January than you did before you read this post? I think I'll go spend some time in the cozy.

**What frugal luxuries do you love?
What's your favorite wintertime activity?
Do you love being home?**

P.S. Why not join Amy M.'s fabulous 12 photos on the 12 monthly plan? You can check it out here.

Comment Window Tidbit: I'm taking pictures of my day with Amy's 12 photos on the 12th in mind and will end up having to narrow them down because I'm sure I'll end up with way more than 12.