There is nothing so beautiful than a field of cotton.
Here in the South, there is an abundance of cotton fields for us to enjoy.
I love driving through the countryside at the peak of the cotton crop.
Such an amazing sight to see . . . like a snow covered field.
I remember my first cotton wreath given to me many years ago by my friend JoAnn
who lived in Savannah at the time.
But the wreath was not your typical cotton wreath.
It was made from just the protective capsules that holds the cotton ball, the boll.
I do not have it today, as it had deteriorated over time 🙁
I do want to be able to gather enough of these to make a new cotton boll wreath.
I love the shape and texture of these.
I have a friend that has a farm in the area
and one year he gifted me with stalks and stalks of cotton.
He has not grown cotton in the past couple of years.
Need to call and ask him if he planted a crop this year.
I have used the cotton gifted to me and made large wreath
which is hung in another room (stay tuned).
For this wreath that I placed on the antique wood and iron shutters over the mantel,
I used a faux cotton garland that I used at Christmas and shaped it into the form of a wreath.
The bolls are real though . . . the cotton is an everyday cotton ball placed in the boll.
I wanted to place something in the pitcher but flowers would have been too much
competing with the wreath.
I am happy that I thought to use the cotton branches and hot glued the bolls to the branches.
A simple mantel summer embellishment
in a room that has lots of summer decor and greenery going on!
Have a great day . . . it will be a another hot one here in the South,
in the land of cotton!
Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday
ha…an’t that the truth. my brother bought some land in south georgia that he leases to someone for cotton. i should ask for a box of it. Hope you have a wonderful day. i know i will. sun is rising, everyone is sleeping, sipping on my hot tea reading my favorite blogs.
When we travel through Alabama we see several fields of cotton. My husband was too young, but his dad used to grow it and his sisters had to help pick it. They hated that job! Love your cottony embellishments on the mantel.
Shirley, cotton fields are plentiful around our Alabama home, and they are beautiful in fall! Love your cotton inspired mantel! Have a wonderful Wednesday! Pam (everydayliving.me)
Hi Shirley, Your wreath is lovely and I always love the element of natural cotton like this in a room. When we lived in West Texas, right at the end of our road, was a cotton field. I too enjoyed gorgeous displays but over time mine deteriorated too. No cotton here in North Texas!! Your mantel is beautiful and just says summer!! Have a great day. cm
I never thought of using cotton to decorate with! It’s so pretty; the bolls look like rustic stars. Can’t wait to see the real one you made. Hope you are having a good week.
Cecilia
I have a faux cotton garland that looks very real, and I did enjoy it as a wreath last summer…thanks for reminding me! I have been wanting to change the look over my mantel~ if I only had a fabulous antique gate to hang it on!
I love your cotton wreath. I also grew up around cotton fields and I loved the summers and watching a field look like the closes thing to a snow covered field that we would see where I lived. It’s a beautiful sight to see how the cotton grows. Amazing!
Beautiful as always, Shirley! I’m going to have to find some cotton now!
Your cotton wreath is beautiful…..I would love to see the cotton fields some day, they sound so amazing!!!!
~Des
Summertime and the living is easy. Fish are jumping and the cotton is high. Your daddy’s rich and your mamma’s good looking. Hush little baby, don’t you cry.
I thought of that song when I read your title. I love cotton. They sell it at our farmer’s market. I will have to go check out the price.
So pretty Shirley! Me too, love driving through the country enjoying the cotton fields…love living in the south!
Blessings,
Cindy
I always think of my mom when I read anything about cotton.She had 12 children and had the reputation of being the be best and fastest cotton picker in her community.I can just see her dragging that big sack full of cotton.It’s nice to think of her and her hard work.
I grew up in Alabama and I remember as a child, that we picked cotton to make money for school clothes. I was the baby of 7, so I had a little miniature cotton sack like the big kids’ large ones. I hitched a ride on someone’s sack until they discovered me and flipped me off~hehe. When we were through picking, the sacks were weighed and then emptied into the back of a huge wagon. I jumped up and down in the wagon in all that cotton, which was fun until the cotton started sticking to my sweaty skin and I landed on a few of those pretty burrs. Pretty to look at, not so pretty when their sharp points stick into your skin! I also remember being highly incensed that I had to use my ‘cotton-picking’ money to buy underwear for school~~I thought I was going to buy candy with that money! LOL! This was 1959-60 I think. I was about 6 years old.
It must be such a pretty sight to see cotton fields. I’ve never seen them but can imagine. Gorgeous as always Shirley.
Cindy
Shirley, you have a better memory than me! Have you ever seen the small angel Christmas ornaments made out of a single cotton boll with the cotton still in it? They are adorable and my daughter-in-law asked me to find one for her after seeing mine on the Christmas tree. To my dismay, I could not find one where I live. I will keep looking! Your cotton decor looks great especially with the background of that “to die for” iron gate!!!!
My husband grew up surrounded by cotton fields and picked it growing up. I don’t think I would want that job but it is fun to decorate with. Love how you displayed this! It is very original.
Looks beautiful Shirley:) I have never seen a cotton field before! I’m sure it’s lovely though:)
Your cotton wreath looks so gorgeous on your iron shutters over the mantel. So beautiful Shirley. Adds just the right touch of softness to the iron and wood of the gates. Very pretty.
Kris
Love the cotton wreath Shirley. I must ask you though what did you use to hang your shutters (nails, hooks, mollies)? It looks like a pretty heavy piece. I’m always asking people about how they hang pieces because I had a very small light pine shelf crash down one day breaking not only an espresso cup set but the corner of a table beneath it!
I’m a big lover of textural things, and that wreath has it in spades. It needs very little embellishments. The cotton simply speaks for itself.
Very pretty, Shirley! I would love to find cotton to display in my home. See you soon at Haven.
xx,
Sherry
When we lived in Macon, GA we loved taking long drives and looking at the cotton fields. Our girls, who were young at the time, thought it was snow on the ground. Love your wreath Shirley…so pretty.
You are certainly clever, Shirley! Love the simple cotton wreath above your mantel…perfect addition to your summer decor. I don’t think I’ve ever seen fields of cotton growing…I’m missing out!
Mary Alice
So pretty–and so southern and summery. Love it! Hope you are staying cool!
XO,
Amy
Looks great Shirley. You always have such interesting items in your decor.
Have a great weekend.
Mary
Pretty Shirley! My grandparents grew cotton in Mississippi many years ago. Their weather reminds me of ours this past week, beyond hot and humid 🙂
The cotton wreath looks so real…great idea if you can not find cotton. Also love the bolls on the stems. Just natural and pretty.
I absolutely love the wreath… I also like the dried flowers. I’m not good with plants so I tend to have the dried ones or silk plants…
The wreath looks awesome and in the perfect spot! Can’t wait to see the other one too! As you csn tell, I am trying to catch up from last week!!!