Aug 29, 2013

Last Days of Summer Fantle


Only one more month of summer is left!
 


 
As a treat to myself for cleaning up my happy mess of a craft room today, I decorated my fantle for the last remaining days of summer. Summer isn't going anywhere soon here in Boise, and it will be warm here right up until Halloween. 


 
So I still have plenty of time to enjoy my summer fantle. My fantle is a fake mantle, a shelf overhanging my craft table that I decorate like the mantle I wish I had. The weathered background boards are from our backyard fence. Whenever I want an old board, I ask my husband to take one off the fence and replace it with a new one. It's my renewable forest! 




I cut a few paper triangles out and folded the glued edges over some string for bunting. I just love bunting.



I've been inspired by Jennifer at Town And Country Living to start collecting  old bottles. The green antique one was found buried in our yard and is labeled with the words THE MOTHERS FRIEND. Unless it held a couple shots of whiskey for ma to hide in her apron pocket and take a quick swig out of when the kids were getting to be too much to handle, I don't have a clue what it was? Do you?


  
My daughter works part time at Anthropologie where I bought the last one of these plates in stock at the store downtown. I love the green with gold swirls, the edging and of course the fuzzy bumble bee. 



These are a few old spice jars I haven't gotten around to putting French labels on yet, so I cut up little squares of burlap and frayed the edges, then glued on some buttons. 




I wish it was as easy to clean my craft room as it was to put this fun little project together. Thanks for coming by to check out my Last Days of Summer Fantle.  I hope you're enjoying the end of your summer, too!

17 comments:

  1. Hi Laurel! I love Anthropologie's home decor line, the bee is so cute. I also love old bottles, how lucky that you found one in your yard! I saw in your About Me section how you love thrifting, furniture refinishing, decorating and I knew you were my kind of lady! I'm your newest follower!

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  2. I love that you are recycling your old fence, one board at a time...

    and I giggled at the visual of Ma with her "little helper" tucked away in her apron pocket...

    Thanks for the smiles...

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  3. Haha and your husband actually removes/replaces boards? Mine would look at me like I was crazy. I love your fantle ( great word. I had to read to see what that was). It looks great! Summer is going to last around here too long too.

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  4. Renewable forest. I had to laugh at that one. True though! Love your craft room!
    Brenda

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  5. The weathered boards are just the perfect backdrop! And I love bunting too! I think it always just feels happy - like you're ready for a party! Love the bottles and the plate too! A pretty ode to summer1! ... And I could spend hours in Anthrpologie! ... My husband just recently had his first Anthro experience. They had a good bit of vintage furniture and he kept coming up to me and asking me to guess what each piece cost. He was in total shock and Megan & I were cracking up. He wanted to know why we couldn't charge those prices at our tag sales - ha!

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  6. This looks great! Come link up with us at Craft Frenzy Friday at www.craftdictator.com!!

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  7. So pretty! I think the moral of this post? I need to get an old fence to take apart! ;)

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  8. LOVE your fantle...so sweet :) Good thinking on the fence boards!!

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  9. Laurel great fantle! I really am loving that plate. Very pretty, have a great weekend!!

    Cynthia

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  10. Mom! That looks so good! You should post a picture on Anthro's facebook page, I bet they would love it. Also, we got more plates in and here is a link to them online for reference http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-dinner-collections/073194.jsp

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  11. P.S. I also think that giraffe wine stopper was a gift that I got for you from Anthropologie as well.

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  12. I love your 'fantle'! And what a great idea using the fence boards as a renewable forest of old wood! Very smart, but don't know if mine would go for that. lol How awesome to have family working at Anthropologie...you must get great deals.
    Debbie :)

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  13. your fantle looks great Laurel! too funny... I have a mantel and no sense of style so I dread decorating it. hahahaha

    I've got something similar I've been making, but haven't got it styled yet. Great minds think alike!
    gail

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  14. Your fantle looks great! I love those little spice jars and of course the Anthropologie plate just makes it for me!

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  15. Congrats, Laurel! You'll be featured at Simple & Sweet Fridays. Thanks so much for sharing. I love Anthropologie, one of my favorite stores to shop. The bumble bee plate is so pretty! Lucky you to have your daughter working there.

    Hugs,
    Jody

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  16. After I clean up my craft area, I start another project and it is even messier.

    LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your fantle. I recognized the plate from Anthro right away because I debated on the dishes for awhile.

    I am uninspired today, but looking at your fantle is giving me some ideas.

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  17. Love your design! I think "fantle" is a cute term. Have never heard that before.

    I am your newest follower - found you from Rooted In Thyme - hope to catch up with back posts as time allows.

    Have a wonderful day, very nice to meet you!

    ~Michele

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