Fall Mantel DIY Garland

So, you all know that I just updated my kitchen fireplace and I’m in love!! It turned out so much better than I had hoped. And now I can’t wait to start dressing it up for all the upcoming seasons. However, I don’t have a tradition mantel. You know the kind, a large wooden beam version. Instead, because of the curve of the fireplace, I have a small inlay of bricks that run the perimeter. It’s tiny! But, it does allow for some smaller versions of decor. As a result, I am tasking myself with creating pieces to decorate this fabulous fireplace!

I made my first one this weekend! It’s a fall garland using foam pumpkins, gourds, pine cones, miniature pumpkin ornaments, and twine. I found these bundles of foam fall decor in the bargain bin at Target, my favorite place to find all the cutest seasonal decor!! As soon as I spotted them, I knew exactly how I wanted to use them. I went for both the traditional fall colors of burgundy and orange, but there is something about that mix of greens! A great way to mix colors and provide contrast. 

So, here is what you’ll need. I grabbed two bundles of each mix so any foam pumpkins of your choice, twine by the spool because you can use this for everything, a large sewing needle (I borrowed one from my mom that came in a crochet needle pack), mini pumpkin ornaments (I got mine at Dollar Tree), pliers, something to help with some extra grip, and a beverage! 

Thread your twine just like you would a normal needle and thread. Grab a pumpkin or gourd and start stringing. That’s where the gripper comes in place. These foam pieces are thick and it’s hard to get the needle all the way through. You will need to wrap the gripper around the needle to push through. Don’t use your fingers! The end is just as sharp as the needle point and it hurts to push!! That’s why I grabbed the gripper. Push the needle all the way through, and once the needle appears on the other side, use the pliers to bring the needle all the way through. Do that step repeatedly until you have al the foam pumpkins you want on the garland.

Once I had all the pumpkins and gourds strung, I went back through and filled in with the pine cones and mini ornaments. Disclaimer here: I didn’t know I was going to use the mini ornaments until after I had the pine cones in place. I just felt that the garland needed something extra and these ornaments added an element of shine. Use the string provided with the ornaments to attach. Okay, back to the pine cones. I placed a pine cone after every pumpkin and gourd, equally spaced, throughout the entire garland. If you need a dab of hot glue, use it. Since my garland was going to lay  flat on the mantle, I didn’t use it, but if I were going to drape it across the mantle, it would have been a must! 

 

One last thing I’m hoping to add are mini LED string lights for an iridescent glow. I just haven’t had a chance to run to the craft store and get a set! But they are definitely not needed.

How fun are fall crafts? How fun is crafting? I have some other things up my sleeve for outdoor/indoor and I can’t wait to share those too. Stayed tuned!

Happy Crafting!

XO,

Andrea