Ski Lodge Inspired Farmhouse Christmas Mantel

So excited to share my Christmas mantel with you today! It is one of my favorite places to decorate and I had fun creating some different things for it this year.

I knew months ago that I wanted to feature skis, sleds, and ice skates in my Christmas décor this year after finding a pair of ice skates, a big vintage sled, and some decorative skis at yard sales this past year. Yes, what I find at yard sales or on clearance the year before sometimes determines my decor theme .

You’ll see the skates, a big sled, and some big skis on my front porch but I also have some smaller ones featured inside as well.

Let’s talk about the decor on the mantel. I reused my DIY shiplap backdrop piece that I use almost all year long and just layered some other signs in front of it. The chalkboard is a DIY – I found a large rustic wood frame at a yard sale this summer (originally from Hobby Lobby), cut a thin piece of plywood to fit inside, and then painted it with chalkboard paint. I’ve worked just a little on handlettering so just did a whimsical/not-perfect chalk writing on in it instead of going about the method of creating a DIY sign. It’s definitely not perfect and I really would like to work on my handlettering skills more but it works. The other frame is a sign I actually stole from my laundry room wall and used some wrapping paper to cover up the sign and give it a different look. I am really loving this layered look even though I am a very symmetrical type of person.

We have really tall ceilings in our living room so finding substantial/large pieces that I can afford to go above the mantel can be a challenge so I usually end up DIYing them.

This smaller sled was a $5 yard sale find from years ago that comes out each year at Christmas. The sign is from Walmart – they have some amazing Christmas decor this year!

And I have had that little tree for years but while I re-flocked my older flocked main Christmas tree with this DIY flocking powder, I heavily flocked this one too.

The skis on this side are an easy, free DIY for me that I’ll share the tutorial for tomorrow! My dad gave me that vintage minnow bucket and I love using it for Christmas. It is perfect to hold a little flocked tree – this one is the 3 foot version from Walmart and I cannot recommend these inexpensive trees enough! Here’s the link to the 4 foot flocked version, and they also have non-flocked ones as well. I have several of these and honestly want to buy several more! You’ll see the other ones on my Christmas porch next week.

The flocked garland I have had for several years as well but you can still buy it here – incredible price for how pretty it is! I added some berry and pinecone picks to it this year to tie in with my rustic outdoorsy theme.

We started a new tradition called The Giving Manger with my little girl this year and I have it displayed on our coffee table so she can easily see it and access it throughout the day. You can read more about it here but basically you do acts of kindness/serve others throughout the Christmas season together as a family and each time you do you put a piece of hay in the manger.

On Christmas Day, baby Jesus is placed in the manger that is filled with all the service and kindness you spread throughout the year – just a powerful reminder of the true meaning of the season!

Can’t wait to start filling up those stockings with goodies for my little girl! What do you put in stockings for your kids? I could use some good ideas!