Antique Mantel

The mantel I have in my living room is actually an old one bought at a flea market type store about an hour and a half from my house. That store is now closed and I was so mad when I found out! Anyway, I had been looking for an antique mantel for a long time, but they were all too small (the opening not wide enough) for my fireplace. I had seen some pretty mantels at this store and told my husband about it, but had pretty much decided he might have to make one instead of buy one so that it would fit. I really wanted an old one though. Well, on the way back from a work trip my husband stopped by this store and bought one of the mantels. I was so surprised and excited when he came home with it. I was also wondering how in the world he was going to make it work in our home. He had to cut the mantel in half (I didn't watch) and add about 10 inches of wood to the middle to make it wide enough. He also had to cut some off the sides of the legs to get enough clearance on either side of the firebox. He added a new deeper shelf and painted it to match the rest of the mantel. I wouldn't let him repaint the rest of it because I wanted it to remain as it was. I love my antique mantel because it is interesting and I'm sure has plenty of history behind it. I don't know what that history is, but I can make up my own stories about stockings being hung there at Christmas and a family trying to keep warm in front of a roaring fire. I hope y'all had a wonderful week and will have a relaxing Labor Day weekend!