Making A House, A Home

When I moved into my house a year ago, I noticed it was missing something.  It wasn't something I didn't REALLY want until Christmas came.  It was a fireplace to hang the stockings from.  None the less, we made due and hung them on the wall.

It never really sat well with me.  If there is one thing you know about me is that I am a Christmas nut and that you don't monkey with tradition.  So I had the grand idea to build my own fireplace.  And of course I wasn't going to make it a permanent fixture.  Just something pretty and functional with a hint of personality.  


I got the supplies from my Mom and Gram's houses.  I picked out an awesome plum-purple to paint it and the rest is history.  20 hours of hard work out in the garage I managed to finish and couldn't have been more pleased with the end product.  

The plywood shell

Transforming it from bland to AWESOME,

brick by brick.

The mantel is stained and ready to be added!

 The finished product!!!

Christmas 2012

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.