A Year of Mantels - February

"All you need is love, all you need is love, all you need is love, love. Love is all you need."

So now that I have that tune stuck in your head, let's get the show on the road, it's time for the unveiling of the (drumroll please) February Mantel!

This month's mantel is brought to you by the letters "X" and "O" :-)

But before we get to that (geesh, I'm worse than a reality show host, huh?), let me admit that I did go over my $20 budget. Dagnabbit. But everywhere I went I just saw possibilities galore, and on sale to boot! That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Items I bought:

Candlestick Topiary: $6.34 (cost to make)

"X" and "O" Wooden Letters: $2.49 each (Michaels)

White Ceramic Bird: $2.99 (Michaels)

Hardback Book: .12 at Thrift Store (75% off sale)

Berry Picks: .38 for 2 (90% off at Michaels)

Pink Christmas Bulbs: .42 for all 3 (90% off at Michaels)

Floral Picks: $3.00 for 2 at (75% off at Kmart)

Heart Picks: $1.00 (Dollar Tree)

Pink Feather Ornaments: $1.50 for 2 (75% off at Kmart)

Pink Glitter Pinecones: $1.50 (75% off at Kmart)

Music Paper Tree: $.75 (cost to make)

Pink Rose Petals: $1.00 (Dollar General)

Heart Box: .25 (Thrift Store)

Items Used But Already Had:

I love you stamp block. Picture frame and picture. Silver candlesticks. Tissue heart (made by my son in 1st grade). White glitter pom poms. Another book. Another ceramic bird. Hurricane lantern (just recently made, instructions will be posted at a later date). Paper and string for Valentine Paper Garland. Various ribbons.

Total spent on February mantel: $24.23

($4.23 over budget)

Okay, on with the show and tell:

Remember those cute Candlestick Topiary? Here they are on the mantel:

Here are two other projects on the February mantel I made but haven't blogged about yet (I will do some tutorials on them soon, I promies!) One is a music paper tree and the other a homemade hurricane lantern:

I should clue you in on something. I've decided that every month I will have a bird and a picture on the mantel. Had them in January's mantel and actually in February's I have two birds (and one picture). I wonder if you can guess what the picture will be of?

Here it is! Yup, me and my sweetie. Our wedding photo (1999). Don't we look all stiff and posed and unnatural? LOL! I don't care, I still love it, it was our wedding after all!

The "X" and the "O" were actually white until my spray paint can of Oil Rubbed Bronze got a hold of them. The tissue paper heart was made for me by my son when he was in 1st Grade.

Let's hear a collective "awwwwwwwwww."

Now some pictures of it as a whole (with the Valentine Paper Garland).

I feel like singing again.

"All  you need is love."

(and a little oil rubbed bronze)

"All you need is love."

(and a couple of thrift stores)

"All you need is love, love."

(and a hot glue gun)

"Love is all you need."

(and a family that humors you.)

Until next time :-)

Linking to these parties:

The Story of A to Z, Super Stinky Boys, Keeping it Simple, C.R.A.F.T., Coastal Charm, All Thingz Related, Crazy Domestic, Sugar Bee Craft Edition, DIY by Design, My Backyard Eden, The Thrifty Home, It's A Very Cherry World!, Holiday Haven, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Funky Junk Interiors