Number Fifty-Three: Chalkboard Valentine Picks + February Mantel + Contributor Post

Hey all!

While it was snowy and blustery outside, yet again, yesterday I took the opportunity to photograph my February mantel for you all.

I combined a couple of different holiday crafts for a neutral modern Valentine look.

First, is the leather heart garland I made last year. I'm still so completely in love with it and knew it needed to be brought out again.

The tutorial was originally a contributor post for Jen Rizzo. You can see the entire tutorial here.

The second craft is new for this year! I made these adorable and versatile chalkboard Valentine hearts recently. They are perfect in a little pot or vase like I have here or added directly to a plant or even to accent cupcakes! Best of all they were easy!

Would you like to make your own? Here's all you need to do...

First, get some wooden heart shapes and skewers.

Hot glue the skewer to the back of the heart using hot glue an use a wire cutter to clip the skewer to the desired length.

Next, paint the front and back of the Valentine picks with two coats of chalkboard paint and let dry.

Then, season each pick by rubbing them with chalk and then wiping them off.

Lastly, (optional) use a chalk marker to write a little note.

I think they came out so super cute and carried over the chalkboard theme to the other side of the mantel.

Back to the heart side of the mantel....

I paired the Valentine picks with an ironstone platter, a succulent and brass accents....love that little owl!

The opposite side of the mantel stayed pretty similar to my January mantel. I did switch out the books to my chalk painted ones (see post here) and switched the mercury glass ornament to this gold arrow (more appropriate for the holiday).

Also, you may have noticed that we removed the vintage painting and added in our CB2 Golden Ram. I love how it pulls the entire look together.

Last thing! Today my February contributor post goes live over at Jen Rizzo's blog. You can find it here. I'd love it if you'd head on over and leave me a comment!