Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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The Pantel

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No, not the Pentel, like the pen.

Not Pantone, like the colors.

No, my friends, I’ve come up with the newest trend in decorating. Magazines will come calling. Bloggers will be begging me for interviews. My work will appear in decorating books. I’ll be deluged with offers from major companies to use – for free – their appliances, their furniture, their lighting fixtures. You’ll start to see countless posts here on MHC where the tag line is something like, “Thanks to (fill in the blank) who graciously provided all of the major appliances in the kitchen.”

Bear with me. We’re constantly seeing mantels on decorating/home/DIY blogs. Right? Mantels redone for each season, or holiday. Vignettes (you know how tired of that term I am) on the mantels. Garlands draped from the mantel. Sparkly lights along the top of the mantel. Striking artwork or architectural salvage hung over the mantel.

Those of us without a fireplace or a faux mantel are left out of the loop. I didn’t grow up with a fireplace. The only time I’ve ever  had a fireplace – and it was non-working – was when Don and I rented a little Craftsman cottage in San Diego. Would I like a fireplace? Yes. But, for now, there are no fireplaces at Mockingbird Hill Cottage. Nor will there be in the conceivable future.

Wait a minute. Hold on.

Pantel1

I have a piano. I decorate the top of the piano. I hang things above the piano.

Piano + mantel = Pantel.

Are you with me?

Pantel2

A beautiful McCoy vase filled with dried hydrangeas from my garden. A little white McCoy singing bird.

Pantel3

A funky sign. Two more McCoy birds in Aqua. A Bose radio/CD player topped with an antique napkin ring engraved with the name ‘Claudia.’

Pantel4

The antique lithograph of the Aquitania hanging above the pantel.

I have a Pantel.

I don’t change it out very often. I’m not one to change things up to herald a new season. Once I’ve hit upon an arrangement I like, I tend to keep it there for a while. I like this arrangement. Therefore, it’s staying.

But it’s my version of a mantel. It’s certainly as wide as many mantels. Wider, even.

It’s just as pretty as many mantels. It’s made of mahogany, for goodness sake!

It even plays music (and I’m not talking about the Bose, though that’s nice.) I was just making it play some music the other day. Take that, mantels. Where’s your music?

I find I’m liking it even more now that I’ve coined the term ‘Pantel.’

Everyone has a mantel. That’s so old school.

But a pantel, now that’s a horse of a different color.

What do you think?

Happy Saturday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Comments

  1. Lovely! Your pantel is better than fireplace mantles because it’s deeper andlonger than most and plays music! Love it! I have no fireplace either. If only I had a pantel! haha!

  4. You are a style icon. Get ready for the hordes! Today is sunny and not frigid in wv. I hope to send you my outdoor funky pictures. Now Miss Bella is leaving her ball on the deck, running down and barking her “mom!” Call for me come throw it! I must away!

  5. Ha ha ha, Claudia you are a crackup! I love your pantel. The positioning of the finger so it looks like the birds are on it is ingenious!

  7. That’s one reason I’ve stopped blog surfing. I’m sick of seeing the same old stuff “recycled” for their next blog. Like you, I do NOT decorate for the seasons. I’m too old to make changes “for the season” and I LOVE my home as it is. I blog because I just like it. (BTW, I’ll be posting one later on today.) But I don’t consider that creativity; I consider that kinda “stuck”. Sure I change things around in the house once in a while, but why bother a “good thing” when not necessary. I am sick of seeing how many changes a week one can make on a mantle or table. Mine stays the same way for years! Plus I like variety when I read something. I’m with ya on this one, sugah!
    Hope your “baby” is doing well.
    xoxo,
    Connie

  8. Brilliant! Your pantel is charming. I love the color play between the pieces. It all seems to sing in harmony.

    I am one who likes to rearrange things. It gives me a lift and a fresh perspective. I probably caught it from my mother who regularly liked to rearrange the furniture, not so much seasonal decorating as just getting a new look. I will borrow pieces from one room for another, change out lamps (easy), pillows(also easy), and even art from time to time and I even get out a nod to a holiday if the mood strikes me.

    • I’ve been doing a wee bit of that lately, having moved the table back into the den when we took the Christmas tree down and, of course, playing a bit with the bookshelves!

  9. Love your pantel Claudia — you will be having hordes of decorators and magazine publishers mobbing your little cottage shortly – lol. I’ll have to think of mine as a pantel as well since I have no fireplace. Right now there is a runner on it my sister-in-law made…but it has feathers attached to it which Tyg (the cat) tries to destroy regularly. I had some photos on my pantel as well, but Tyg tips them over when he jumps up there. I need to get back to playing music as well….

    • I’m glad that Scout can’t jump up on the piano! I played the piano the other day for the first time in a long time, Vera.

  10. Love it! This made me smile. I don’t have a mantel either and I am growing tired of changing out my decor for EVERY season. I do like change but I’m going with more things that I love instead of what everyone else is ‘doing’. I don’t have a piano either… sad face… but I enjoy my cubbies, they are my little special decorating spaces! I love those little McCoy singing birds every time I see them on your blog!
    hugs,
    Linda

  11. I get it! I used to do the same as you when I had a piano. Your’s is lovely!

    Also, I have stopped readling blogs where everything featured is a product provided free and spotlighted by the blogger. Anyway could do that if they received free appliances, etc.

  14. You’re so cheeky this morning you had me giggling! Let them come running!! Let them all want a pantel!! yours is so lovely none will top it! The size arrangement and lovely sound that comes from your pantel can’t be topped– heck, it could even keep you warm if it had too. But let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
    I was just noting the golden yellow in the edge of the sign and the dried hydrangeas … Lovely.

    • Oh, I hope I never have to rely on it to keep me warm! My late grandmother (who gave it to me) would frown on that!

  15. Be sure to prepare Don and Scout for what you’ve just unleashed into the world of decor! Design stalkers are going to invade your sweet cottage! Pantel, I’m sure, will be the 2015 Word of the Year ;) I used to have a mantel – now the former mantel decor resides in my bay window … or should I say bay wintel?

    • Word of the year. Yes, I’m seeing that as a definite possibility, Debbie.

      Bay Wintel. Love it. Or….Bay Wantel.

      Either would do nicely.

  16. Claudia, I love you pantel. I do have a mantel , it makes a bit of music:):) only because the clock on it chimes. I love your piano. I have had two chances to own free pianos and had no room. I sure wish I could have kept one. I love the silver napkin ring. Blerssings, xoxo,Susie

  17. You, are a decorating and wordsmith genius. Love it! I’m so sad, only have
    a mantel, just one of my many third world problems, alas.

  18. Love it! I have a mantel AND a pantel!!!! The “base” of our pantel gets a lot of use w/ the hubs being a music teacher and church music director, but I do keep the top decorated. You know I feel as you do about the constant changing of the decor on some blogs. Exhausting. And the sponsors……. I follow one blog of a young SAHM who talks about being thrifty every single day. A post in the late spring of last year was regarding having her 2nd baby and not spending one cent on preparing the nursery. At the end of the blog was the disclaimer of all of the things that were sent to her FREE by sponsors. Then she re-did her deck last summer w/ the system that is not wood and will last for years without treatment and went on and on about how they did it themselves, etc. and then the disclaimer at the end said all materials were furnished along with people to supervise the entire construction. Next she did the pictures of the “unveiling” when they had about 50 friends and family over for a cook-out……. again all paid for by the sponsor. As you said, we could all have perfect homes and save all of our money if that was also OUR reality. Younger people must not be accustomed to “reading the fine print” because her comments are always full of “I wish I could plan that well” or “We save and save and can never do what you are able to accomplish being a SAHM living on one salary”. It makes me want to scream out to READ THE FINE PRINT!! I think I follow her because I am totally fascinated, and a bit saddened, by how this continues!! I must be too cynical.
    Your pantel is wonderful and I hope the sponsors make their way to your door, too. I also know that you would be honest about it!!

    • The kind of thing you’ve mentioned, this misrepresentation, ticks me off. You’re so right! Anyone could live on a “Frugal Budget” and redecorate rooms, redo kitchens, install a deck, etc. if all of the materials, and labor in some cases, was given gratis in exchange for a link on the blog. I don’t mind at all if the blogger is honest and upfront about it and doesn’t call it something it isn’t. (Maybe a bit jealous, though!)

      Hey, Chris, could you send me the link to the blog via email? I’m curious now!

  19. I have no mantel. And now I see I need a pantel, also of which I am not in possession. There is also no bay wintel here. I do decorate the top of my buffet. What should I call that space? Bufel? Buffel? Buftel? I’m thinking buftel.

  20. Love it. But I don’t have a “pantel” either. I’ll have to cast about and see what I can find. This is brilliant and my just catch on. Wouldn’t that be something?
    Blessings,
    Betsy

  21. That is brilliant! I don’t have a mantel…but I do have a pantel…and a bufftel? ( buffet). You’ll have to come up with the word…since you’re better at it! Once I come up with an arrangement ( I hate vignette) too, I usually don’t change it but once a year at best. I don’t understand changing things around every few days…too much bother. And for what purpose….just to have more posts? I think your pantel is going to catch on…but “spell check” better catch on first…it automatically changes it to pantry! ;)

    • Oh I know. Spell Check does not yet accept “Pantel” – when it becomes a term that is used every day….then I think, we’ll have no problems at all!

      If we keep with the ‘antel’ of mantel – buffet + mantel would be Bantel. But ‘bufftel’ is also intriguing.

      Spell check keeps wanting to change ‘antel’ to ‘angel.’

  22. You are a hoot!!!!!!! You are funny and so creative. What a great idea…. I will be making one shortly in my living room. Is it ok to copy you? :)

  24. Love it Claudia – and yes, I agree, all this chopping and changing, rearranging and repurposing around the cottage, be it your pantel or my mantel, is getting a bit old hat! I must be getting old, wearing out, and boring as I sometimes I just don’t want to dump my much loved/enjoyed bits and bobs and ‘change up’ everything as the seasons progress. That said – I am looking for some type of freshening up project for the coming spring – and it may just end up being outdoors – front porch re-do maybe!

    Love your new idea – hope the the new kitchen appliances come rolling in soon – send any leftovers my way please!

    Happy weekend – Mary

    • Will do, Mary! I’ll be happy to share!

      I have some freshening projects in mind, as well. But they probably won’t happen until Spring. It is nice to change things up every once in a while, for sure. Just every once in a while!

  25. At first I giggled, then thought great!
    Our mantel is where some of the “look, don’t touch” pieces go, so it lacks a certain spontaneity. And to think I have an empty pantel just sitting there..
    Has Caroline ever contemplated acquiring a piano or would she not have room?

    On a different note, I wonder if your readers could send some healing thoughts our way. This morning two RCMP officers (Mounties) were shot in our town, We are a small northern community where you can’t go to the grocery store without running into someone you know, so this is just shocking. Our thoughts are with their families as we pray the officers recover from what we are told are “critical” injuries. Many thanks.

    • Oh goodness, how tragic! I’m so sorry to hear that this has happened in your small town. Prayers and healing thoughts are on the way to the two officers, Barbara. I hope and pray that recovery is complete, and soon.

      I don’t think Caroline has room for a piano. She’s thought about it, but where would she put it?

  26. We took your word and started watching “Broadchurch” yesterday ….and kept watching and watching. Needless to say we have now seen all 8 episodes. Great show, realistic characters and interesting camera work. Why can’t we have shows like that in the US?
    Can’t wait for more of your recommendations.

    • So glad that you liked it, Dorothy! I just found out that the second season starts airing in March on BBCAmerica.

  27. Ah, I get it! My grandparents had a ‘pantel’ as you say and our eyes were always drawn to the things that they had around it. My brother now has the piano and has also gathered lovely things around this, I will have to tell him it is a ‘pantel’ and oh so chic!! :-) xx

  28. I have a pantel! Why do I not have a vintage planter on it? (Can’t have a plant in it, no light.) I’m going to fix that now. ;)

  31. I think it’s genius Claudia and it’s very pretty. Glad you thought of a new word and created your version of it to show the world. We discovered late yesterday that the last two suspects in the local robbery/murder were discovered in a shed and under a pontoon boat in the water at the house right next door to my husband’s cousin. Our entire community is so glad they were all apprehended but it’s scary to think there may be others nearby who are just as dangerous. At times like this I really miss our small town being the way it was when I was growing up. Hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend.

  33. Claudia, that’s a riot! And by the way I have a pantel too and I decorate it all the time! Love it!

  34. I have a very old piano and that’s one of my favorite places to decorate for christmas and for everyday. It usually has old (antique books), birdhouses, a lamp and some ivy. Love anything vintage to mix into the decorations.

  36. You crack me up! But I think you are onto something cool and unique! And hey, love that boat picture and hymn sign, too! I have the same finger pointing sign, too. It hangs in my laundry room above a door. If ever you desire to sell the HYMNS piece, let me know.

    I love seeing your collections and your home! What a sweet and charming place you have!

    Happy Sunday!

  37. Look out Mr Webster..Claudia has a new word for your book..lol..I don’t have a mantel or a pantel..but I am thinking about a shetel..

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