Mirror, mirror, on the table

Let me show you something that did not work the way I expected it to. Since I am so in love with the mirror above my mantel (as seen here in full Halloween glory) I was inspired to leave it up for Christmas. After crafting my evergreen wreaths (check out this great post where I explain how I do it) I wanted to incorporate the small one above my mantel, like I usually do.

So I dug up some fun ribbons from the basement, tied it to the top, artfully wove the ends of the ribbons through the mirror's frame, stood back, and was, well, disappointed.

I left it up overnight before finally admitting the next day I really did not like it. Here's the problem, folks. The mirror and the wreath are pretty much the same size. So they are competing with each other in a seriously not flattering way. This could work better if the wreath was bigger, framing the full size of the mirror instead of laying on top it. Conversely, this could also work if the wreath was smaller – a miniature adorning the top or a few evergreen branches tucked into the mirror's frame.

In the end, I took down the mirror and laid it on the dining room table, which had become my temporary landing ground for decorations in transition. At the end of the day when I was clearing off the table, spreading out my Christmas tablecloth, and deciding on decorations I realized I really liked the look of the mirror right where it was. Add a glass bowl of antique ornaments and the last of my evergreen branches and the house was complete. Tah-dah!