Old Glory aka: Summer Mantel Take 2

My summer mantel has taken on a small transformation just in time for Flag Day. And I might just leave it like this for the 4th of July as well. But then, it might just get another transformation. We'll see.

Can you spot the changes from my Memorial Day mantel?

I changed out the print on my chicken wire frame. I added the star made from a folding ruler. As well as a cast iron star.

I added an Americana wooden flag I've had . And layered an "Old Glory" tin sign in front. I found the tin sign at Tai Pan Trading on my trip to Utah. I had a 25% off coupon. I hate paying full price for anything.

This fan medallion was a keeper from my Memorial Day mantel. It works for all 3 patriotic days.

I got the American wooden flag a few years back from Terry's Village on clearance. They have one fairly similar on their website this year for $16.00. I'm sure I didn't pay that much for the one I have. It would be really easy to knock off.

The only change on this side of the mantel was that I used a different fan medallions.

I just love flags. Most of my little flags came from Target Dollar Spot over the past few years.

I even made me a flag garland. I just scanned a vintage looking flag cut out I had on hand & duplicated it on Picasa to fill up one piece of card stock. I cut them out & used my mini clothespins to attach to a piece of twine.

I love Flag Day as it was my Grandma's birthday. So I get to think of her every time I see a flag.

The small wooden star ornament was picked up last weekend at an antique store in Old Town Temecula. It was marked 90% off. So it cost me 29cents. Such a deal. I bought 3 of them. Now I am wishing I would have got all 6 they had. Regrets, regrets.


Have you made a star out of a folding ruler? This particular ruler barely had enough sections to make this one. The cast iron star came from an antique store last year.


I got all my "Patriotic" decorating done this past weekend. So now I will have something to share over the next week. Seems like it's always feast or famine with my posts.

But that is how I have always been. I hate to do anything that I'm suppose to do. I guess I would rather blog surf than make my own blog post.

Do you decorate for Flag Day or for the 4th of July?



Linking to:

4th of July Link Party @ Not So Simple Housewife



Sat Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Weekend Wrap Up @ Tatertots and Jello

Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Chic Cottage

Wow us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Memorial Day Mantel aka: My First Summer Mantel

Summer is on the horizon. Can't you see it? I sure can.

I know Summer doesn't officially start until the 21st of June. But unofficially Summer starts Memorial Day weekend. And that is this weekend.

So I thought for my first Summer mantel, I'd honor Memorial Day.

Plus, I can stretch this mantel out for Flag Day which is June 14 as well as the 4th of July simply by changing out a few items.


Summer is not my favorite time of the year. It's simply tooooooo hot.


What I do like about Summer is VACATION!!!!! And I am leaving on my first Summer vacation in 2 days. I can hardly wait. I'm going to Utah, to my niece's wedding. It will be great to see family I haven't seen in a year or more.

And next week is my anniversary as well. So hubby & I are staying a few nights in Vegas on the way back to celebrate our anniversary.

Well enough gabbing about my vacation. Better get back to the mantel party.


I picked up this lantern at Ikea last month when I was down in San Diego. I love it!!! I should have bought two. Maybe I'll have to drop by Ikea when I'm in Utah and pick up another one.

I made the fan medallions back in February. I just keep changing out the middle part. I picked up the patriotic stickers from Joann's a few weeks back on sale.

I was thinking about making some just like these. But I know how lazy I can be, so why not buy them instead? So I did.

The vintage white ironstone pitcher was a thrift store find. The flags are from Target's dollar spot. I just added the chicken wire to my frames. You can read all about it here. The blue lantern I've had for probably 20 years. It normally sits on the window sill in the boys bathroom. It's getting pretty rusty now from years of being in a wet climate. I didn't feel too bad when I skinned the books as I only had to pay 10 cents a piece for them.

Here is another fan medallion that I spruced up with a patriotic sticker.

Since the mantel is in honor of Memorial Day, I thought it appropriate to place this flag case on the mantel.


The flag is my hubby's. It is from his Father's funeral. His dad was a veteran and is buried at Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego. It's a beautiful cemetery. And it has a fabulous view of the ocean as well.



When we lived down in San Diego we used to visit the cemetery every Memorial Day to place flowers on his father's grave. I love how the Boy Scouts place flags on each of the graves for Memorial Day.

I placed larger flags from Michael's in this thrift store vase.

Here is another of my frames that I just added the chicken wire too. It's great for changing out prints for the different holidays or themes of my mantel.


And another fan medallion with a patriotic sticker.

I printed out this Memorial Day image I found on the Internet. I just googled vintage Memorial Day and clicked on images and wall-la, I found it. Pinned it on with a small clothes pin I found at Walmart in the office supply area. I found even tinier ones in the craft/fabric section.

I got this lantern a couple of weeks ago from Big Lots. It was $5.00. Such a deal. They also had it in blue. But I knew that I already had a smaller blue lantern to use.

I think having a banner makes the mantel look more complete. But I'm too lazy to design my own. Luckily for me, there are those of you out there that like to and are even willing to share with us that don't. And for FREE! How I love you.

I found this freebie at Cakes likes a party blog.

Plus she even gives you a second one for 4th of July. And it's free as well. A 2fer.

Don't you just love free? And don't you just love this banner?

So there you have my first mantel of the Summer. And I know it won't be my last.

I'll be changing it up, ever so slightly for Flag Day and the 4th of July. So you all come back now.




Linking to:

Spring Hutch - "The Birds"

Here is the latest metamorphosis of my china hutch. I call this one, "The Birds".

Did you ever see Alfred Hitchcock's movie "The Birds"? I remember seeing it as a kid. And by the way, what kind of mom takes her kids to see that kind of movie?

Don't worry, it wasn't my mom.

I can't remember when or where I saw the movie, but I remember it scared the bajeezus out of me. I was so scared of birds after seeing that movie.

But luckily, I finally got over my fear of all birds. Except for crows, I still don't like crows, except for at Halloween.

I now love using birds in my decorating.

I've decorated my spring china hutch in a bird theme. Nothing says spring like birdies. In fact, I can hear some birdies chirping outside as I write this post. And of course they stopped chirping the moment I bring it to everyone's attention that they were chirping.

Wait, I thought this was a post about decorating with birds. There are no birds in this photo. But I did add some green balls to some thrift store urns and vases.

Now we are talking birds. I found this bird cage a few years ago at Home Goods. It usually sits on top of the cabinet in my bedroom that I've never shown you. And don't be expecting me to anytime soon as that would require deep cleaning. And anyone who knows me, knows I have an aversion to deep cleaning. I'm allergic to dust people. ALLERGIC!!!

I added some bird finials I picked up last year. I think they came from Michael's. The tin birdhouse I've had for years. It is usually sitting out on the retaining wall in my backyard. It was full of spider webs when I brought it in & cleaned it up. Complete with a live spider. Yikes!

And yes, I did scream when the spider came out of the front hole. I hate spiders!!!! Probably from seeing Arachnophobia. It seems most of my fears come from seeing a movie. Movies can scar you for life.

I kept my hutch in a neutral color scheme. With a splash of green.

The wooden birdhouses are actually Christmas ornaments.

I've had them for probably 15 years.

I still love them. Plus I get double duty out of them. I can use them in the spring and again at Christmas to hang on the tree.


Harold & Maude my Target S&P birdies came back for a little visit. They feel right at home on my hutch.

My newest birdies are Prince William and Princess Catherine. I found them at Michael's a few months back.

And here we have more birds.

This one made a nest in this crown.

And these 2 love birds are also Christmas ornaments from Target.


These are how my apothecary jars usually hang out as. No birds here.


And no birds here either. But I did make this green ball by gluing some split peas to a Styrofoam ball (I guess Styrofoam must be a trade marked name of a company or something as when I use a little "s" spell check tells me it should be a big "S"). It's sitting in a salt cellar that I found at a thrift store.

Another birdie in a nest sits under this cheese dome. Most of my glass cloches came from the thrift store. Or I made them using stuff I found at the thrift store.

Most everything on my hutch came from a thrift store, or I found as a bargain. I'm happy to say that I didn't spend one cent decorating my spring hutch this year. I have so much stuff, that I didn't need to.

And I'm happy that I got over my fear of birds. Well, except for those dang crows. They still scare me. And mocking birds. I don't like them either.

If I see them, I just try to:

Do you have a fear of something after seeing a movie? Do tell.