Spring Enchanted Forest Mantel

Spring is such a special time of year:) A time when everything is blooming again and feels new all over again and like just maybe anything can happen. It feels a little….enchanted, maybe?;) That’s how I always felt growing up in southern Illinois anyway! There’s not much to do here, but there is PLENTY of nature to adventure in:)

Spanning 289,000 acres, Shawnee National Forest is nestled in Southern Illinois between the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. It features strikingly beautiful oak-hickory forests, flourishing wetlands, lush canyons, razorback ridges and unique geological features. A rare convergence of six natural ecological regions results in a diversity of plant and animal species.

When I was a child the minute Spring arrived, and the weather got nice, we would drive to the forest to climb rock formations at Garden of the Gods, or to Pounds Hollow to swim, or to see the waterfalls. The drives were beautiful and the fresh air was exactly what we needed.

In my teen years my friends and I would all pile up in vehicles and take a scenic drive through what we call “The Mountain”.

Fast forward to when I had my own children, and naturally, as soon as the weather was nice I was driving them to the Shawnee National Forest to have adventures through caves and picnic with the animals. To me the forest holds so many memories. It’s almost magical and enchanted.

When I saw this “Hare in the Forest” TV art from @gingerandcoprintshop I knew it would be perfect for the TV in my bedroom. This TV Art gave me an idea to decorate our mantel in an Enchanted Forest theme for a natural Spring look.

I started the design with a collection of willow branches that I gathered from my yard. I tied them together with twine and used them as a swag across the middle of the mantel. Then, I added 2 small faux potted olive trees that I got from @redfoxprimitives. I like to use a symmetrical design to help balance out the TV in the middle. Next, I added 2 concrete mushrooms from Target. (I’m totally into mushrooms right now!!!) Then, because I like to add items in odd numbers, I nestled in a small stack of bird’s nests to round out the vignettes on each side.

Because our mantel is faux the inside also needs decor to help fill the empty space. I chose to fill it with a collection of vintage books. The ruffled edges give it a fun texture. I decided to turn the books in different directions to add visual interest, and to give me more flat surfaces. These bonus spaces give me spots to add in additional items such as another faux olive tree, bird’s nest and some whimsical bunnies.

The mantel was feeling balanced and just about right but I felt like it was still missing something. Then it hit me!! What’s more enchanted then a set of fairy lights? So I wove a fun little set of fairy lights through the willow branches. I like the glow it gives us at night.

Like I said at the beginning, Spring is just kinda enchanting:) Anything can happen. The dead grass suddenly becomes lush and alive. Barren trees suddenly blossom. Faux mantels can suddenly become alight with books. TVs can become huge frames for new art. I encourage you to think outside the box and get a little creative this Spring! I’d love to hear what you come up with and what Spring looks like wherever you are!:)