Fireplace
This is a good recycling project that uses empty cardboard boxes, leftover fabric bolts, hotmelt glue and paint. First find a large cardboard box (the one I chose was leftover from garment boxes). Choose how high and wide you want your fireplace to be. Use a yard stick to draw straight lines down either side and bend sides back. Determine if you want an "open" hearth or a "gas" hearth. (I decided on a "gas" hearth and drew an arched door in the center and cut all but one side open.) For gas hearth: Using a glass or small tube, trace circles on the door in a nice pattern and cut them out (so a light can be placed inside the hearth). Glue a small margarine lid to the center of the door and use the hotglue to make a "pattern" on the lid (like a rosette or circles). Use the glue to design a pattern on the door (like diagonal lines). Outline the door with glue.
Using two long material tubes (round bolts)Cut them in half with a utility knife (have patience, it may be hard to cut...make sure your knife is sharp). Glue two halves on either side of hearth (I put the thinner one inside and the larger one outside). If you want, use empty ribbon spools or tape spools, cut in half to make tops on pillars. Glue in place at top.
For Mantle, take one large piece of cardboard and make sure to line it up with the back of the fireplace, leave enough for a nice overhang on the front. (I used foam core, in two pieces for the top because I ran out of cardboard and I knew I wanted to put a scarf over the top anyway). Cut and glue in place. It works better if you have at least two "layers" for the mantle.
Paint fireplace. I used a white enamel on the mantle and black enamel on the hearth. I highlighted the glue design with gold paint once the enamel had dried (overnight). Another option is to use an enamel basecoat then using acrylics and "marble" the mantle and base or "granite" spray. Either way, this project is a charming addition to almost any room.
Christmas Decorating
First, I took two green branch garlands (or you can use real branches, if you put down tin foil or wax paper first so that you can "mist" them periodically) and laid them down behind my candlabra. The two "boxwood" topiaries were made using resinplastic urns, styraphome floral cones and nine leaf garlands then set on two small boxes to raise them slightly behind the grland. The hydrangeas were made from 22 gage floral wire and painted tissue paper (it takes about 30 small 4-petaled flowers clustered together to make one nice hydrangea) and stuck into the garland at intervals. I added my traditional Victorian Santa "candy molds" for some sparkle. I didn't want to put holes in my mantel but I would normally hang my stockings as well.
The most immportant part is to have fun with it and add your own special touches for the holidays.