I have a mantle! Finally!

Our new rental is amazing. It's an older home, but it's had many updates and I just love the place. So much potential.
The landlord has given us free reign as long as my changes are tasteful and don't involve purple paint.
I would never!
Heh.

One of the most thrilling parts of the new rental is the Mantle!! I finally have a mantle. That was the very first part I decorated. A mantle cannot be nekkid. It's just wrong.
As with everything I do , I do it cheap.
Here's the big picture:The screen is old and tarnished, I imagine its brass, which I hate. I may spray it black.
I like the exposed brick, should it be painted?
I am in love with black and white schemes right now. I'm also deeply infatuated with apothecary jars.
Everything on my mantle came from thrift stores,outlets, or heavily clearanced.
3 glossy black candlesticks bought on 3 separate visits to the salvation army thrift store. Yep, those are glade candles on there. Sand dollar on clearance somewhere. Apothecary jar from a recent garage sale for 50 cents! The jar is filled with pearl floral beads.Here is the right side of my black and white mantle. 2$ black finial from Hobby Lobby. 3 apothecary jars from Bells outlet. Ahhh clearance at an outlet, I love it.
French bulldog made in japan. Ive had him for almost 10years now and I love him. He came from a garage sale.
Finally my wall art.

It seems like people struggle with art for above mantles, and too many go with the traditional boring mirror. I hate mirrors, so instead I ... redid my own wall art.
These are wood panels clearanced at Kirklands Home, for 2$ each. I filled in the recessed parts with a peal white, then slopped metallic black paint over the entire panel.
Amazing results.
Never be afraid to paint. Never. When I buy something, theres a 90% chance I am going to paint it.
Heh.

Now, I don't decorate for every single holiday, however I change it up often. I cannot wait for Halloween, its gonna rock your socks.