coastal christmas mantle ~ holiday week

Our Christmas series is complete ~ and it has been a busy, fun week. My blogging friends and I have shared new things every day ~ recipes, gift wrap, wreaths, crafts, and tablescapes. And though the series is complete, I have one more post today ~ call it a Christmas series bonus day! Here’s my coastal cottage Christmas mantle ~~~

When I walked into Sea Stars Cottage on my Tybee Island bluwatergetaway and saw the cottage mantle, I knew I would do a Christmas version while there. There were a pair of oyster shell topiary trees and a large original painting already in place and I had a few things that would work right in. It was too good to pass up!

I added a pair of small Christmas trees with some simple wooden ornaments and a pair of pierced metal trees ~ which I’ve used off and on for years. Some garland, gold tinsel and berries filled in the space ~ but left room for stockings. And then some actual sea stars. 🙂

And now my favorite part ~ on the stool beneath the stockings ~ and here’s a close up. This miniature crèche scene and angel trio came from my grandmother’s house and is at least 60 years old. I remember it on top of the television cabinet (oh my gosh, do you remember when televisions came in their own cabinets!) along with the reindeer and little trees that I used in yesterday’s Christmas breakfast tablescape. Not sure what reindeer and snowy trees have to do with the Nativity, but every time I came to visit I would rearrange all the pieces ~ many, many times.

I ended up with the pieces after she was gone, and I also found this other little figurine with her Christmas things. Not sure if it’s Mrs.Claus or a Christmas Grandmother, but I added her to the collection. It’s as though my Grandmother is watching me rearrange all the pieces just like when I was little.

Sentimental family treasures, Dollar Store trees, and bleached sea stars fit right in with the cottage owner’s mantle decor. And yes, I did rearrange the crèche pieces a few times until it seemed the Grandmother figurine approved. 🙂

I hope you’ve enjoyed our Christmas series, and today’s bonus post. I’ll be back to the normal post schedule next week, and hope you’ll visit again to see what I’m sharing. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed or sign-up to get the latest from bluwaterlife delivered to your in-box ~ and there are more bluwaterlife photos on Facebook and Instagram 🙂

Now I need to finish my own decorations at Bluwatervilla ~ oh, and those will be here on the blog too ~ before Christmas, if I get myself in gear! Merry Christmas y’all ~~~