Average But Inspired

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December 6, 2015 by Bre

DIY Reindeer Specimen Art and My Christmas Mantel

If you are sick of Christmas posts around here, I am so sorry.  But I cannot help myself.  This time of year is just SO fun and I have too many projects to share – like this tutorial for the adorable DIY Reindeer Specimen Art that graces my Christmas mantel this year.  Average But Inspired's holiday mantel is filled with thrift store finds and DIY art. Get the tutorial for the fun reindeer specimen art right here!

Plus, I am so excited to be sharing it as part of the Home for Christmas Blog Hop, which is being sponsored by Hometalk.com and CountryLiving.com, and which features some of the most creative bloggers around!  You’ll find links to their posts at the bottom of this post, and I hope you’ll visit some that inspire you!12239913_10153000922871887_8397836905807372844_n

So this year, I knew I wanted to have a kitschy and whimsical look for my holiday mantel.  Life has been too serious the past year, so my house needed some fun.  I started with a plain stretched linen canvas and the rest just fell into place.

First, I used my Silhouette machine to cut nine reindeer head silhouettes on different pieces of Christmas pattern cardstock.  If you don’t have a Silhouette machine, Google “reindeer silhouette,” print an image you like, and trace it onto your cardstock to cut.Average But Inspired's holiday mantel is filled with thrift store finds and DIY art. Get the tutorial for the fun reindeer specimen art right here!
Next, I put a thin layer of Mod Podge onto the backs of each of the reindeer. Average But Inspired's holiday mantel is filled with thrift store finds and DIY art. Get the tutorial for the fun reindeer specimen art right here!
I pressed them onto the canvas and tried to keep them equidistant from one another. It wasn’t perfect but it was close enough! Average But Inspired's holiday mantel is filled with thrift store finds and DIY art. Get the tutorial for the fun reindeer specimen art right here!
Once they were all in place and had dried, I added a thin layer of Mod Podge to the top of each reindeer to seal them into place. Average But Inspired's holiday mantel is filled with thrift store finds and DIY art. Get the tutorial for the fun reindeer specimen art right here!
After that, I glued a red pom pom onto the last reindeer’s face, because obviously Rudolph needs a red nose!  Then I used a green Sharpie to write each of the reindeers’ names, just in case anyone was confused about who was who.  (And yes, I had to Google the song lyrics so I would be sure to spell their names correctly.  Who knew it was “Donner” and not “Donder?”)Average But Inspired's holiday mantel is filled with thrift store finds and DIY art. Get the tutorial for the fun reindeer specimen art right here!

And I love my little reindeer art!  Average But Inspired's holiday mantel is filled with thrift store finds and DIY art. Get the tutorial for the fun reindeer specimen art right here!
It adds such a fun look to my Christmas mantel that’s filled with other DIY art and thrift shop finds. Average But Inspired's holiday mantel is filled with thrift store finds and DIY art. Get the tutorial for the fun reindeer specimen art right here!

Average But Inspired's holiday mantel is filled with thrift store finds and DIY art. Get the tutorial for the fun reindeer specimen art right here!

Average But Inspired's holiday mantel is filled with thrift store finds and DIY art. Get the tutorial for the fun reindeer specimen art right here!
I’m happy every time I look at it.  (My husband – not so much.  He says it’s too cluttered.  But what does he know?)

I’m also happy looking at these other amazing Christmas-inspired posts. I know you will be, too, so go check them out!

An InLinkz Link-up

-Bre

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Comments

  1. Roxanne says

    December 6, 2015 at 7:22 pm

    This is so cute I’ve decided I officially need a silhouette machine! And you can never have too many Christmas posts! Pinning!

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 7, 2015 at 4:27 pm

      Thank you SO much, Roxanne! Yes – you definitely need one. Make sure Santa puts it in his bag for you! 🙂

  2. Lindsay Eidahl says

    December 6, 2015 at 8:09 pm

    Great mantel! So festive!!

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 7, 2015 at 4:27 pm

      Thanks, Lindsay!! Looking forward to checking out your post!

  3. April R - Uncookie Cutter says

    December 6, 2015 at 8:24 pm

    Love, love, love this, Bre! So cute, thanks for sharing and pinning now.

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 7, 2015 at 4:27 pm

      Thank you, April! You are too sweet!

  4. Jenny @ Refresh Living says

    December 6, 2015 at 8:41 pm

    Those reindeer are adorable! I love the names underneath as labels, and your whole fireplace and mantel look gorgeous!!

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 7, 2015 at 4:28 pm

      Thanks, lady! You’re too kind. 🙂

  5. Vanessa says

    December 6, 2015 at 9:29 pm

    I love your reindeer sign. Just beautiful and your mantle is awesome. Lovely Believe sign too!

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 7, 2015 at 4:28 pm

      Thank you, Vanessa! I appreciate your sweet note!

  6. Brooke Riley~Re-Fabbed says

    December 6, 2015 at 9:37 pm

    Love your mantle, and REALLY love the reindeer canvas! What a simple but SO CUTE idea. I will have to do that next year!

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 7, 2015 at 4:28 pm

      Thank you, Brooke! That is so kind of you to say! 🙂

  7. Tammy says

    December 6, 2015 at 10:08 pm

    Your reindeer sign is so cute and looks so cute along with all your other decor on your mantel

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 7, 2015 at 4:29 pm

      Thank you so much, Tammy! 🙂 Happy holidays!

  8. Keri says

    December 7, 2015 at 12:04 am

    I love this reindeer canvas art!! It looks fantastic on the mantel, next to the believe sign! And I agree with Roxanne, you can never have too many Christmas posts. 😉 Nice job!!

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 7, 2015 at 4:29 pm

      Thank you, Keri! That is so nice of you to say. Happy holidays!

  9. [email protected] says

    December 7, 2015 at 7:28 am

    This is so cute! I love your idea and your Christmas mantel looks so so nice and festive!

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 7, 2015 at 4:30 pm

      Thank you, Katrin! Happy holidays!

  10. Seana Turner says

    December 7, 2015 at 2:02 pm

    That is adorable, Bre. Makes me want to crawl into the photo and live at your house for a little while… get me in the Christmas spirit!

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 7, 2015 at 4:31 pm

      You are welcome any time, Seana! 🙂 Thank you for your sweet note!

  11. susan says

    December 7, 2015 at 7:15 pm

    This is such a cute project!! Love it!

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 8, 2015 at 8:15 am

      Thank you, Susan!

  12. Marie from The Interior Frugalista says

    December 7, 2015 at 10:16 pm

    Adorable reindeer art! Pinned to share 🙂

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 8, 2015 at 8:16 am

      Thank you very much, Marie! 🙂 Happy holidays!

  13. Kim says

    December 8, 2015 at 8:21 am

    Super cute! I love the different patterns…and never get sick of Christmas posts!

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 14, 2015 at 8:30 pm

      Thank you, Kim! You are so sweet!

  14. Kimm at Reinvented says

    December 8, 2015 at 7:17 pm

    So stinkin’ cute! I LOVE that you used fun patterns for the silhouettes. So cool.

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 14, 2015 at 8:32 pm

      Thanks, Kimm! 🙂 I had to make those reindeer special. They needed some pizzaz. 😉 Happy holidays!

  15. Katie @ Little House of Four says

    December 12, 2015 at 8:03 am

    This is just too cute! I’m loving all the fun patterns you chose and what a great idea to label each one.

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 14, 2015 at 8:39 pm

      Thanks, girl! I REALLY wanted to add label holders around the names, but I did not have time to get them before the post went up. That may have to be an after-the-post addition. 😉

  16. Amy | Canary Street Crafts says

    December 12, 2015 at 3:01 pm

    This is adorable, Bre! I saw it in pics on another post of yours and didn’t know it was DIY. I remember thinking how cute it was and wondering where you got it. I think your mantel is gorgeous too and definitely not cluttered!

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 14, 2015 at 8:40 pm

      Aw, thanks, friend! As for the clutter, basically anything I own is clutter. I think my husband would like to live in a jail cell where there is no decor of any kind. 😉

  17. Stephanie @ Casa Watkins says

    December 14, 2015 at 1:43 am

    Bre, I love your reindeer specimen art! Its so creative and festive! I’m featuring your art in a roundup I have on DIY Christmas wall art tomorrow. Pinning!

    Reply
    • Bre says

      December 14, 2015 at 8:41 pm

      Awesome! Thanks so much, Stephanie! Hope you’re having a great holiday season!

  18. T'onna | USS Crafty says

    December 22, 2015 at 7:37 am

    I just love your reindeer art and that wagon, too!

    Navy Wifey Peters @ The Submarine Sunday Link Party

    Reply
    • Bre says

      January 4, 2016 at 7:54 pm

      Thank you, T’onna! I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday season!

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