a time to take down the christmas decor {mantle makeover}

it was time to take down the christmas decor on the mantle and freshen up for a new year! after christmas i love to keep things simple and fresh.i went with a valentine’s theme. i found some foam hearts {for the string of hearts} and red glitter heart ornaments at michaels.the owls and the mirror are from a local shop called ‘the nest’. they were having a huge clearance sale. yay for a good deal. boo that they are closing their doors.

the owls were painted with neutral browns and greens-which i loved. so i really debated painting them–but after some deliberation, i decided i really wanted a punch of fun color. so i bought a can of glossy aqua spray paint and gave them new coat. then i sanded them just  a bit so the brown came through. so fun!i used glass vases from the dollar store to hold twigs and charming, old thrift store books to create height.  now our mantle is fresh and bright!i don’t usually decorate for valentines day–but the red hearts and aqua owls are making me so happy!

do you decorate for valentines day?

52 comments

  1. My daughter, Bella, is 5 years old and really into decorating for each and every holiday. Once the Christmas tree came down, she was ready to put up lots of hearts. I think she is alot like me, her mama, because I really love colorfulness, bright things and cheer. The house looks too blah and winter can be blah and freezing already over here in Boston, so bring on the decorations!!!
    Love your glass vases from dollar tree filled and the branches and hearts. Love owls, you really are so inspiringly creative.
    Thanks Lisa for always sharing your awesome ideas and projects!!!!
    love,
    kristin

  2. I love those aqua owls! Awesome idea! I think that shade of blue and red go so well together. Now you’ve made me want to make a heart garland! It especially helps to decorate for Valentine’s after the letdown of having to put all the Christmas decor away.

  3. I love it! I don’t normally decorate for Valentine’s but I think I will now. I have limbs that I turn into a tree like you did for Easter and Halloween but I foresee a Valentine’s tree in our future! And a garland.

    I shall be visiting the dollar store TODAY. Thanks for the inspiration!

  4. Usually. I adore pink, aqua and red. This year we are moving to a new place and I hope we find something before Valentine’s Day. I love that holiday. =). Cute mantel!

  5. Lisa that is great!I just took down Christmas, and was debating if I should bring out the Valentines yet, you have inspired me, I use the same tree that I made years ago out of branches that I painted white and plastered them into a white ceramic pot, I put red sparkly grass at the base, and then let my kids make hearts of all kinds and we hang them on the branches of the tree. I also take the same type of clear cylinder vases like you got at the dollar store and fill them with confection heart candy (the ones with all the fun words on them) then place a candle on top. I reuse the candy year after year, so it is hard as a rock, it keeps me from eating it. 🙂 Then when it is time for Easter I take all the Valentines off the tree and decorated with eggs and green grass, and fill the cylinder vases with jelly beans. So much fun.

  6. I have my string of hearts…to replace my Christmas garland. My Valentine’s decorations are not as involved as my Christmas…but I like having something up for every holiday… because…. I figure..why not celebrate the “special” days.

  7. hi lisa

    so cute – i love just about anything with hearts so I have hearts out almost all year – not in full deocation mode but just out here and there as part of my decor.

    love the inspiration – thanks for sharing!

    xoTiffany

  8. Not about valentines – but – the bad news is I’m 59 and don’t update as often as I could or should – the good news is yours is one of my favorite blogs and you remind me of one of my 4 daughters.

    My comment? I have that exact mirror – which is good news for me(because I love your creativity) and, ummmm, I apologize for you. Makes me want to recycle it – into another location. I have it in my guest bath when I was “guided” by a professional interior designer – although I haven’t revamped in a while.

    I love your blog and all your posts and your stories.

  9. I’ve never been a fan of “themed” decorating…st. Patric’s Day, 4th of July, ect. However, when I took down all the Christmas stuff the house looked cold and dark. So I added candles in jars, white lights on clear wire, and glittered silver hearts from Ikea ….I’m just not ready to take all the sparkle and light away at the darkest time of year, just can’t do it. I LOVE the aqua owl, he looks so handsome with the heart on the ribbon. Great choice!

  10. Love the owls. My middle daughter would love them even more. She is crazy for them! My youngest daughter’s birthday is right before Valentine’s day, so we usually do a heart themed b-day. I’ve been busy making love themed pillows for my etsy shop though. Maybe, I’ll have to keep one for me!

  11. very sweet! I decorate with snowmen (and snowwomen) on my mantle until spring, but I’m now inspired to include some red hearts too. Will have to make some “extras” when we start cutting hearts out for valentines at school (my kiddos are age 4 and 8).

  12. I so like your fireplace decor. I don’t really decorate. On my table I put a white tablecloth (that needs to be replaced) with a red beaded heart shaped placemat in the middle and an arrangement in the middle of that. Then I hang a heart thing I have. Nothing much.
    Tina Kay

  13. Love, love, love it!! I stumbled onto your blog then designs a few weeks ago and must say what an inspiration it has been to read. I like to put little touches of each holiday here and there but have never done the mantle for anything other than Christmas….gonna get busy after school today and “sweeten” up that space!! Thanks. ;o)

  14. Lisa, I did the same thing. Took all my Christmas holiday decorations down and packed away and immediately went in to Valentines Day mode, Red, its my favorite color. I also have a Big Valentines day bash for all my girlfriends. It was a big hit last year and I really look forward to it. Sweet treats, valentines, brunch! I’m excited can you tell!

  15. Awe, I love it! The red and turqoise look great! Quick question, what program do you use to edit your pictures? I have been using Piknik, but your photos look amazing all the time and fit perfectly together. Mine are always lopsided and off center. Happy New Year to you and your family!

  16. I used to decorate for Valentine’s day when the kids were kidlets 🙂 but stopped a few years ago…the only thing I kept that I still put on my kitchen window are some heart decals with the words I LOVE YOU in different languages. I still love them and enjoy reading them while doing dishes…je t’aime…mi amor…ich liebe dich..te amo…

  17. I’m not a Valentine’s decorator, myself, but I like the simplicity of this. My daughter would go wild if she saw a garland of hearts in our home! By the way, I love the choice to spray the owls… really cute!

  18. I didn’t until last year and I was sold! It was a nice transition from the Christmas decor to the spring decor. It made my heart happy. I adore the aqua and red combo, Lisa….very pretty.

  19. This is beautiful! LOVE the aqua owls!

    We do decorate for Valentine’s day … and now you’ve given me some fresh ideas 🙂 Thanks!

  20. I do decorate a little for Valentine’s Day. It is my birthday! I haven’t gotten my decorations out yet. I do love your aqua and red combination.

  21. I just took the tree outside…oh those pine needles!!
    ….and yes i love hearts so i go for it! they’re out all year at my house, but now they get to shine!

  22. You are so stinkin’ creative! I love it when you show how you do cute things around your house! No, I don’t decorate for Valentine’s day, but these pictures have got me thinking that maybe I should. So, so cute!

  23. Love the hearts and the Owls! I don’t usually decorate for valentines day…mostly because I don’t have any heart decorations. Might need to keep my eye out! Thanks for the inspiration!

  24. Not ususally…but this year I am leaving up our Christmas “kitchen” tree and turning it into a Valentine tree. Will be making some homemade heart ornaments with my little guy…maybe try to find some red lights!

    1. I’m doing the same thing! We have a tree in our dining room/kitchen that I tie all of our Christmas cards to during the holiday season. This year I decided to leave it up and put red hearts all over it. I just love the light it puts off!

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