This is my first time to participate in Metamorphasis Monday, hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch! Be sure to check out her blog for a complete list of today's MM participants! I have held a secret for too long~ I have Mantel Shame. I also have what our Gollum describes as Noah's Ark Syndrome. This occurs when you have to have perfect symmetry by matching both sides of what you're decorating. The first pic clearly shows the severity of my NAS, therefore deepening my Mantel Shame!
I also was quite off on the...ummm, scale of things. Too many things and too many small things~ Mantel Shame deepens! :-)
So I make a trip to Hobby Lobby that is two hours away and look around fearfully, knowing what I buy will be hard to take back if it doesn't work. I almost walk out with all the choices but tell myself I must face my Mantel Shame head on! I buy the candle sticks you see. I know~ not very risky, but it's a first step :-)...
I still have the matchy-matchy thing going on but it's a little better than before...I move the plate to the left...
And put a cylinder thingy behind it...
But alas, my NAS can't take it and I have to put the plate back in the middle! I take down the crosses from the wall in an attempt to reduce the number of "small things" on a large wall. This is still a work in progress~ it could be less matchy-matchy and I could still go with larger accessories, but what do you think? I'm sure liking it a lot more than before! :-)
~Awards~
I want to thank my good friends Vanna from Delusions of Grandeur and Athella from OCDesigner for giving me the "Let's Be Friends" award! I am deeply appreciative of the award AND of our friendships together!
I also want to thank Laurie from Bargain Hunting with Laurie for the "Finding Heart and Sole of Friendship" award! She passed it along to all those who had commented on her blog and I just had to grab it! Isn't it cute?! I just love the "girlyness" of it! :-)
Because I'm fairly new to blogging, I think I'm going to take Laurie's cue and pass both these awards along to all who have visited me! Your support and friendship mean so much to me!Thank you for visiting! Laura
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41 comments:
Tomarie, I love the new arrangement. I have a problem with not having everything all lined up in a row also. It's hard to think really big. Your new arrangement is just lovely. Great job. Hugs, Marty BTW, contrats on all the awards.
Mantle shame. You are cracking me up! Your makeover looks great. Isn't it funny how we get stuck in a certain mode? I do that all the time and have to force myself to change it up a bit. Sometimes it works and other times I go back to my old routine after a while.
Either way it's great to freshen up your space isn't it? Great job!
~Michelle
Hi Laura, Honey, you can now shed that "mantel" of shame! LOL Notice that little play on words...hee, hee. This looks great! Hobby Lobby can be a bit overwhelming, soooo much stuff to see! You did great, though...I LOVE your new candleholders! I suffer with NAS, too, so I totally understand! This really does look great...makes me want to go redo mine right now! Susan
nice to meet you, i think you have done a fabulous job on your mantle! im fairly new at blogging too and this met monday is really addicting. Welcome!!
hugs
janet
Nice job on your mantel...although I liked it before too...guess I have trouble moving things too!
Susan
Laura, you're too funny... Mantel shame, tee hee hee... ☺ Love the new look, and I suffer from NAS big time! It can be so crippling at times.
I had a couple of thoughts you might like:
If you put a book or two under one of the candlesticks on the left, it will elevate it.
Have any large pictures stored away that you could use the frames from? Use the frame for the crosses. Either leave it without a back & put the crosses inside it or use posterboard, fabric or whatever for a different colored backdrop for the crosses. ☺♥☺ Diane
Hi Laura! You've done a good job! I have to say I like the picture with the plate to the side better! There's nothing wrong with a lot of things as long as you group them together to make one large thing! I like the crosses on the wall better. But I think you need to move them down and over towards the middle so they frame out the antlers and together form one grouping. Okay, I'm a nut about arranging things! Just ask sweet Chari! You might want to move the greenery in towards the middle a bit. I have learned through many a trial and error that when in doubt divide and conquer! Look at your mantle and all the wall space above it as one square space then divide it into 3 sections: the center which would include your antlers and then the two sides. Decorate each section separately. Of course, you'll want both sides to be about the same size and height. And I think I'll shut up now! You're going to wish I never came over here! I told you! I just can't help myself! God Bless! Lauralu
Diane and Laurlu! I love both your suggestions and am going to try them all! I have an absolute brain freeze with this mantel because I've looked at it for so long! My aunt liked the plate to the side better too! :-) Thank you both for the suggestions! :-) L~
I do like your new arrangement. I've never thought of it as NAS -- but I, too, tend to like things in pairs. DH doesn't. So anything at our house which is in twos -- I bought it! Singles -- it's DH.
I'm getting better -- I still like symmentary, but sometimes it is not so "matchy, matchy".
ME TOO!
I have NAS...
I didn't know it even had a name. LOL!
Love the new look of your mantle. The glass candlesticks are lovely.
~Wonderful change! :)
What a great job on your mantel! I have having the same difficulty you had in the scale of things on my armoire- it is just so big it seems to swollow everything I place one it!!! Like the suggestions you were given- Lauralu is just great about helping!
blessings
mary
Laura...I love your mantle make-over! Wow..what a difference those few changes made! I love it! Have a great week...counting down to spring!!! hugs...Debbie
YIPEE! A new post by TOMARIE! Hey, that rhymes....LOL! Love it! It's a very good start, Laura, love the candle holders. You did a great job! Also, I am going to grab that shoe award, only because I love shoes. he!he! Thanks!...Christine
LOL Christine! I'm so glad you grabbed it C! I know your love for shoes...almost as much as you love to shop! lol :-)
I love your mantle makeover! I have that matching issue too!
Laurie look at you stepping out and trying something new! Your mantle accessories are very pretty.
~Athella
You did good on your mantle and you are just too funny!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;0
Hellllooo, old friend! Sooo nice to be here and "see you" again!!! The changes you've made look "MAHHHHHVELOUS, simply MAHHHHVELOUS!" ~~~ what a difference a little more "breathing space" can make, along w/ some heighth variation, huh? WOW!!! "You've come a long way, baby!"~~~ And now that I'm FINALLY here, am going to look around some more... you KNOW I adore anything RUSTIC, or do you remember that? Anyhoooo, I'm off for more of the great tour! Thanks!!! Mountain hugs, Linda (Yep, "Mom of a German Shorthair" from RMS, where we "met", waaay back when!!! ...Seems sooo long ago, doesn't it?!?! Smiles!)
I think I grew up in a "symmetrical age too! Just keep using the things YOU love. oh, and my condolences that Hobby Lobby is so far away!
Linda, it's so nice to see you here! Yes, it does seem like our RMS days were ages ago~ but amazing all the friendships that have come out of it! I'm so glad you stopped by! :-) L~
gf, it looks great! Change is good as we get to see our things again...
I'm still enjoying looking at your 'new look' for your mantle!!!
It looks great!
Love,
Dolores
Laura I'm still enjoying looking at the before and after pictures of your make over.
Your mantle looks great!
Love,
dolores
Beautiful cabin you've got there, very cozy! Love the mini-change on the fireplace, too! Great choice to share for today! Happy Monday!
Laura, the comments by Laura Lu are just great! A possibility that sort of goes with her suggestions for a three-part symmetry: Put the crosses back on the wall, each just above the western painting, but centered a little towards an imaginary diagonal line directed at the antlers. Put the plate back on the left. Did you consider adding some height directly into the greenery?
Good redo, like that you added things with different heights etc.
Linda Q
Tomarie:
I think in the end it really turned out nice but maybe you could try sliding that plate over for part of the day...like a 12 step program, just an hour at a time and then you could put it back. I will have to remember NAS as I kind of like even and level too.
Roberta Anne
The mantle looks great! Hobby Lobby is a dangerous place! i went myself today.
Cool! I wouldn't have a clue what to do if I was dealing with antlers!
Scribbler
Great job on the mantel ..... it was definitely balanced before but I really like the scale now !
...and glad you kept the crosses.
Cheers,
Bre
Love the arrangement- and congrats on your award!
blessings,
kari & kijsa
Alexis~ I love your ideas! I DO kinda miss the crosses a bit. :-) I've moved the plate back to the side and am doing well so far in fighting the urge to put it back! I think your idea about taller greenery is good...truthfully, I just pulled what I had around the house for now, but I agree that they could be taller. Thanks so much for your input AND for stoppin' by! :-)) L~
I like the plate in the middle! No more Mantle Shame.
as far as I'm concerned, I could live the rest of my life in a log home like yours ... have you ever tried the two pieces of art that flank the fireplace over the mantle flanking the antlers??? just wondering.
Laura, you are SO funny! Mantel of Shame! There should be a blogger's award for it! I definitely have the NAS on my mantel. It just seems to NEED that matchy look. I love your new look! laurie
"Mantle shame" Girl you completely crack me up!! Well you no longer suffer from it as your new improved mantle looks wonderful! Ummm I too suffer from NAS...and that's not all in addition to delusions of grandeur I have pocketus minimus syndrome.....the combination can be serious! Lol! *winks* Vanna
Oh Laura you are so funny, I've enjoyed this post and I've loved reading all of the suggestions.. I have to say that Laura Lu is so gifted with arranging.. I can't wait to see her first tablescape! (hint, hint) You've got some great suggestions here, sure wish we could all get together, we could have a tweaking party! Your mantle is looking great I haven't got that NAS, in fact I've always loved the "dance" of the asymmetrical but no matter who is doing a mantle it can take a lot of trial and error. Love, Cindy
Hi Laura! I am so happy to welcome you to Friday's Favorite Family Foto! I will add a link to your blog tomorrow....that is if you will be posting your photo tomorrow.
Thanks for joining us!
Deborah
{{{Girlfriend}}}
Gosh...seems like it's been forever since I've been to your place...Girl, come and get me when you post something new...I've been missing out on your pretty mantle post for days...so sorry, honey!
I love, love, love your new candleholders...they're perfect!!! Do you do the same thing as me when you get to Hobby Lobby...they have sooooo many pretty things...it's overwhelming! hehe!!! But, I suffer through it...hehe!!! I think you're doing a wonderful job with your mantle...my friend, I wish that I had one to decorate...boohoo! I have to tell you...I think that Lauralu has some great ideas...she has a really good eye for these things! She helped me out a bunch with that museum/gallery wall grouping in my studio. I don't know, it's one of those things you just have to play around with...I play, play, play...hehe!!! I don't know if you have a large silver tray...rectangle or circular? That might be pretty behind that beautiful white platter...just a thought!
Well Sweetie, how's school going? I had some hard news this week, one of the special needs girls that I took care of passed away last weekend...she was only 16! It just breaks my heart...I can't even begin to imagine what her folks are going through! She was so crippled up though and always in so much pain...so for her, I'm happy and relieved...know what I mean? Anyway, I will be going to her funeral tomorrow morning.
Well...on a lighter note! I hope that you have a fabulous Friday...and upcoming weekend, Sweetie!
Love ya,
Chari
Good Makeover! I like it. I think that I have NAS too.... I didn't know it before but I think I do... humph!
LOL!
The mantel looks great! But I think they need to be changed out often!
~Liz
I love that phrase, "mantel shame." I'd never heard it before.
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