Marvelous Mantle Makeover

I've been on a roll!

I guess that's how it is, I get stuff done in fits and spurts.

So, you'll remember the mantle that I showed you a couple of days ago...

It was pretty much just sitting there with a bunch of Americana stuff propped up on it, for lack of anything else.  Poor thing.

This mantle has traveled a long way to get to Iowa.  It originally belonged to my Aunt Carrie, who lived to be almost 101 years old.  It presided over the living room in her antebellum home in coastal North Carolina.  Thankfully, when my mother heard that her family (distant cousins who we still shake our heads about) had made the decision to tear down that beautiful old house, she decided to go inside to see if there was anything left that could be salvaged.  When she saw the mantle and realized its historical significance to our family, she asked my uncle if he would go in and help her get it out.  It was sitting in my father's garage in Virginia when he died and I asked my mom if she cared if I took it home when I moved the rest of his things.  So, here it has sat.  Dusty and unloved, all lonely on the wall, where we hung it right after we moved in.

I've been threatening the hubs for a while now, that I was going to paint it.  He was aghast that I would cover up its originally maroon paint, but I just couldn't stand it.  Pretty much the only time of year it looked good was at Christmas.  So today while he was gone, I made good on my threat.  I painted it.  The whole entire thing.

And you know what?

I think it looks great!

He, on the otherhand, just shook his head when he saw it.  Oh well, I love it.  I love it so much, I very possibly could spend hours looking at it.  I might even want to marry it!  And I cannot wait to decorate the entire office around it!

It looks a little bare right now, but I'm sure I will find the perfect pieces to go on it, over time.  But for now, I'm happy.  Very, very happy!

So here she is...

Now, to paint the trim...  But first, I have GOT to finish the diva and the boys' room.  I'm so easily distracted.  ;)