Summer mantel decorating is never my strong suit. I look at magazines and other blogs and I’m all like “how in the world did they know to put that frame with those candlesticks?!?” Then I try to put something together and it looks like a hot mess. So now I do the polar opposite of those beautifully produced mantels and I do the bare minimum to make it look good (to me) while staying on this side of too much junk. Honestly, I probably don’t have enough stuff on there if I were a real designer. But I’m not – I’m like the furtherest thing from that… I’m just me, trying to make the most of what I have without spending eleventy billion dollars on stuff I’ll hate in three months.
Back to the point…
I took some photos I made a few weeks ago at the beach, framed in clearance rack Homegoods frames, and centered them, then added my little concrete succulent planters beneath. I’m brilliant… I know. But, I felt like as a whole it was missing something. So I broke out my vinyl and got to work.
Because I wanted to get all summery, without screaming “BEACH COTTAGE,” I thought a simple star was the trick.
Using my Silhouette Machine, I cut out a star (which is the letter S in THIS FONT) from Happy Crafters Copper Adhesive Vinyl.*
I measured the place on my fireplace to center the graphic, then marked it with some Frog Tape. (If you’re perfect, you could neatly cut a precise V shape – I’m everything imperfect, so I just ripped my V. Lazy girl alert.)
I picked off the negative vinyl space and used transfer tape to move the vinyl to where I wanted it (although you can use tape to do it, too.)
So now the framed prints (you can get the free beach photography here), concrete planters, and vinyl star all live happily and minimalistly on my summer mantel all together. Funny how adding just a little something extra can pull it all together, huh?
Want another great summer project idea? Jump on over to see my friend Roeshel at DIY Showoff to see her beverage station!
*Thanks to my friends at Happy Crafters for partnering with me on this post. All ideas, opinions, photos and words are 100% my own.*
Roeshel says
What a beautiful new detail! There’s no way that even looks like vinyl! It look like it’s just stained wood and almost 3D. Love it, Gina!
Marty@A Stroll Thru Life says
How pretty is this. I love it.
marilyn says
Great! That star pulled it all together. No clutter, just pure and simple beauty.
Val says
Gina, you, are, awesome! Thank you so much for the prints…sharing you on fb!
Alexandria says
Is there a tutorial for your fireplace? I only see one for the mantle. And I love ur fireplace. If there is one can you please provide me the link? Thanks
Gina Luker says
There’s not a full tutorial, because my husband likes to build things when I’m not home to photograph them. He calls them surprises, I call it a loss of tutorials – haha!
Alexandria says
Aww shucks. But thanks for responding
Anne Scott says
Hi Gina,
I want to decorate up my bathroom walls with colorful geometric shapes. If I use cut out machine like the one you have and I cut out vinyl shapes or paper shapes, what would the best adheasive be to stick them to the walls? I have kitchen and bathroom wallpaper paste from another project. Please let me know what you think will work best. I had thought about using contact paper and painting the shapes orange, yellow and pink.
Thanks.
Anne Scott
Gina Luker says
If you want the random look, I’d use adhesive vinyl, but if you want an all over look, I’d probably use painter’s tape to make your pattern because it would be much cheaper and easier to set up.
Marilyn says
I love those beach prints. Thanks so much for sharing them!
Linda says
Anyone have any tips to display vintage silverware in picture form? Maybe on burlap? Ideas would help. Thanks a lot. I love your site!!!!
Gina Luker says
I think on burlap would be beautiful! You could also do them in a shadow box frame or on cork board, too. Tons of possibilities!