Given my mantle some love.....

AND again playing with the camara, this time on my night dial. I am very guilty of negligence..when it comes to my mantle. I shudder to think..dare I admit.... that it had become a catch all of sorts. I had always wanted a fireplace...envisioning it all lighted up with a merry fire. Listening to the crackling music that wood makes. Unfortunately we went practical and got gas. There is no tactile sense with gas. This I miss. Such is with romantic notions. Not to mention it didn't turn out the way we wanted when we built it. I had wanted a mix of rustic (cultured stone) with a more traditional but simple white mantel. I have seen many like this in magazines. This one just didn't quite end up right. Alas the white elephant in the room. Sooo the poor thing as been forgotten. I figure ignoring it didn't really fix the problem. It never does when it comes to white elephants. I gave it some love last night. Added some of my fave books..etc. Now have I totally embraced it? NO.....as you have noticed there are no pics of the fireplace as a whole. Once I give the rock some love than maybe I can share. Till then at least the mantle is not the home to hubs school books anymore. Enuffff said.