Adding Holiday Sparkle, Martha Stewart Style

I am so excited to share this project with you because it’s a big one and one that’s really special to me.

I recently got asked to work with the Martha Stewart team to come up with a project that will be shared on Martha’s website and across the web. Ah! For a day straight, I paced back and forth in shock and excitement… but not before replying with a HECK YEAH.

When given a list of options and project ideas, I knew which one I wanted to choose. One that involved a mantel.

I had a good reason for choosing this mantel project and here’s why. My friend Melissa, set out on a mission to build a mantel all by herself. In 8 days, no less.

After a quick shopping spree for goodies from Martha Stewart Living at The Home Depot, we had everything we needed to get started on this fun and fabulous project.

Now, it was time to start decorating!

The main things we used in the process were:

– Shatterproof Martha Stewart Living Celebrate Christmas 71 Ornament Set
– Martha Stewart Living Christmas Collectibles 24 in. Ornament Wreath in Red, Green, and Blue Colors (this was also shatterproof!)
– Martha Stewart Living Arctic 18 in. x 14 in. Cone Trees
– Clear Christmas Lights
– Garland
– Glass Vases

The first thing I did was open the box that contained the wreath. The thing I loved most about this wreath is the fact that it was shatterproof. Also, the colors. So bright.

Next, we added the glittery Artic Cone Trees into the mix. I loved these things.

One of my favorite things to do is to display decorations in large clear vases, I think it’s a versatile way to display different decorations for each season. We were talking about even throwing some easter eggs in the vase around March or some acorns & pine cones once autumn rolls around… For this project, I thought the shatterproof ornaments would look great.

The details of this mantel are amazing. She really did a great job with it!

Up went the garland and the clear lights.

After a few minutes rummaging in Melissa’s garage for more Christmas accents, she found the stocking which she already mentioned is definitely going to be hung on the mantel this year.

One of the fun additions that was added to her DIY project was this chalkboard! Genius, I tell ya.

Another idea we talked about was to hang the shatterproof ornaments by fishing wire. You can hang them from a window or on a mantel like below:

In the end, everyone was very happy with the results and personally, I think it looks wonderful. :)

What do you think? I think Santa loves it:

Notes:

Martha Stewart has expanded her collection of beautiful holiday decorating items at The Home Depot this winter. The 2012 Martha Stewart Living for The Home Depot assortment includes three holiday themes, Winterberry, Arctic, and Christmas Collectibles, all which feature coordinating wreaths, trees, ornaments, LED lights and garlands.

The collections’ themes touch on a variety of timeless winter and holiday symbols. Winterberry encompasses holiday icons such as deer, birds, pinecones, and red berry wreaths. Arctic offers a more fanciful take on the holidays that includes snowflakes, polar bears, penguins and icicles. Christmas Collectibles features classic Christmas icons, including Santa, snowmen, candy canes and Christmas trees, in classic Christmas red, pine green, gold, royal blue and white.

In addition, LED lighting is available in a broad spectrum of colors, sizes and shapes, including novelty shapes of snowflakes and icicles. The lights look great and they’re energy efficient, using 80% less energy than typical incandescent bulbs. Solving an age-old holiday-decorating problem, the lighting features “Continuous-On” technology; if one light burns out or breaks, the rest of the string of lights still works!

And don’t forget the tree and ornaments! Martha Stewart Living includes a great selection of unlit and pre-lit Christmas trees, and practical shatterproof ornaments. Decorated wreaths, garlands and d cor complete the collection, all coordinated with our holiday design themes.

All of the Holiday d cor products were provided by Martha Stewart Living exclusively at The Home Depot. For more information and to shop now go to www.homedepot.com/marthastewart