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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Halloween mantel

 
 
It's that time of year again! Our favorite holiday season is in full swing -
 
Halloween!
 
Aisles at stores are packed with all kinds of creepy Halloween decorations and costumes (and candy, of course)!
 
We're gearing up for the season by doing our annual decorating.  I always love when I pull out the Halloween bins and discover new decorations because I always shop at the end of the season, when everything is 75% off. 
 
I usually forget about what I purchased until I start to decorate the following year, like these little spider candle votives that we got at Big Lots last year for 90% off.
 
 
 
 
It's a good thing because I've been trying to scale back on making purchases of any kind of "stuff" lately.  I'm telling you that reading that Garbology book really impacted me as a consumer.
 
Anyway, I decided this year I was going to create a black and white mantel.  It all started because I pulled out the witch silhouette Jason made a few years ago.  I used to frame her above the mantel with a black picture frame, but you might remember that we spray-painted that frame an off-white when we created Noah's nursery?
 
Well Noah moved upstairs to our room and we took his nursery downstairs (did I even post about that bedroom switcheroo move? I can't remember).
 
So the off-white frame hasn't really been in use.  So I pulled it out and put the witch in the center and a black and white themed Halloween mantel was born.
 
 
 
 
I searched around our house for anything I could find that was black, white or cream and started pulling a spooky mantel together.
 
 
I moved our bird cage filled with cream candles and placed that on the mantel.  I might need to add some plastic spiders on the candles or something to spook it up a bit.
 
 
 
 
 
I also had this old, beat up ironstone plate, so I printed out a spider web using my Silhouette machine and created a little Halloween plate.
 
 
 
 
 
I tossed some plastic skulls in an apothecary jar and added them to the display.
 
 
 
 
 
We had this black and white sign that my mom bought for us a few years ago for a Halloween party we had for Imani and it fit perfectly with the theme this year.
 
 
 
 
 
I added one of my Halloween trees, along with an oversized bat.
 
 
 
 
And of course I kept my homemade chalk board, but changed it to read "Trick or Treat."
 
 
 
 
 
I also had some black candlesticks and a black cheese-plate pedestal so I added a white skull (that lights up at night) and some cream colored candles.
 
 
 
 
 
I really want a white pumpkin with an "A" monogram to sit on the pedestal instead of the skull, but I have to get Mr. Coupon Cowboy to sit down and paint one for me. I think I've told you that I am not an artist

 
nor am I neat
 
so I stay away from paint and paint brushes.

 
I just come up with the ideas and my husband makes them a reality.  I feel bad he gets suckered into crafts when his degree is in fine arts.
 
I haven't had the time to convince him I need a white monogrammed pumpkin yet.   He's healing up from his dental implant surgery, which actually went very well in case you were wondering.
 
 
But he did create an awesome pumpkin for me as a surprise when I came home from work a few weeks ago.  It's the only item in my display that isn't black or white.
 
I had shown Jason a picture in a magazine of a pumpkin painted with a super cool "31" on it.  The next thing I knew, this baby was sitting on my table when I came home.
 
 
 

Those grave stones were also purchased at Big Lots last year for 90% off.  I"m loving them placed around the bottom of the mantel.
 
 
 
And there you have it.  Here's the mantel all pulled together.
 
 
 
 
 
 
And here you can see the whole fireplace, with Jason's masterpiece pumpkin to add a touch of orange.
 
 
 
 
Happy Halloween! 
 
We'll be bringing you more Halloween decorating ideas soon, but if you just can't wait, you can check out some of our past ideas here, here and here.
 
And if you want to see some of our crazy costumes, click here.
 
Halloween Mantels
 
 

4 comments:

  1. Stephenie,
    You always have the best Halloween mantels! I especially like the witch silhouette, the pumpkin (kudos to the house artist), the spider votive holders and the skulls in the apothecary jar.
    Your Friend,
    Deborah
    FairfieldHouseNJ.com

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  2. I love your black and white mantel too. I shop the after holidays too. It's the only way to go. The tombstones around the bottom are a great idea. I love how it pulls it all together. And what a sweet husband to decorate that cute pumpkin.

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  3. Love your mantel. Black and white has been so popular this year and you have pulled it off well. I love how you used the toombstones too. We always use them outside but I may have to bring some indoors next year.

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  4. Stephanie-this is such a cute mantel! I love all of the details, including the jar of skulls! :) My work is doing a Halloween contest...you should submit a photo of your mantel. It could be a celebrity! LOL http://www.facebook.com/homesdotcom

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