Imagination is my biggest strength. I have what some might say is an ‘over-active’ imagination…I prefer to call it vision. Yet even a visionary can have an issue when she doesn’t have a real fireplace in her home ~ Villa Rebecca. So how does one decorate a mantle if your home does not have a fireplace? You create a make-believe fireplace of course.
A Fireplace for Villa Rebecca
This is a Christmas story I will share with my grandchildren. Once upon a time, GeeMee (that’s my grandmother name) lived in a beautiful, but tiny, villa by the sea. This tiny villa was in the best location in a lush wildlife preserve on an beautiful island…but it had no fireplace for her grandchildren to hang their stockings.
GeeMee didn’t let that stop her. She had a vision of a lovely vignette that would look just like a real fireplace. She was determined to create a mantle and set about collecting (her favorite thing to do) just the right pieces in which to make this dream happen. She looked and looked and then one day, she found a large, carved mirror in a thrift shop in Georgia. It was lovely thing to behold and the beginning of her make-believe fireplace. As all things that were meant to be always are…she found a lovely blue rustic bench that would become the mantle seat in her fave shop just off the island. A long shelf from her collection would become the mantlepiece. And the vision became a reality!!!
Decorating the Mantle for the Holidays
One of GeeMee’s most favorite things to do, besides spoiling her sweet baby girl, is decorating her well-collected home. She loves to scour thrift shops, antique stores and flea markets for her treasures. Most make HIMself (Grampy) shake his head in disgust, initially!!! Then, after GeeMee performs her magic…Grampy must admit GeeMEE is amazing and each vision always has a beautiful ending!
So let’s allow the photos to speak for GeeMee’s vision of Make BELIEVE!!!
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And you can see there is a mantle where none existed…
Your mantel is gorgeous Rebecca!!! I also wanted to let you know that your first comment came up as the winner in the Gallery Direct Giveaway!! Whoo Whoo!! Sending over your info~ Congratulations!!
Wow, thats a really great idea. As I was reading I was taking breaks and scanning my living room for a nice place to copy this. You have really gotten my mind thinking! Thank you.
That is one of the MOST beautiful non mantle’s I have ever seen. I love you collective pieces, your creative vision in presenting it and the overall beauty of it. It’s a sea-full of beauty, and whimsical magic, you really created a beautiful scene! BRAVO! I’m in awe!
How adorable!! I love seeing other than red & green things that still show the meaning and what is important for Christmas!! Pinned!!
I love decorating in a non-traditional, traditional way!! Really neat story and so much fun to see!!
OMG. I am in love with everything here. Now I want to redecorate. Immediately.
Your crafts are always so beautiful!