Halloween mantel using a printer & frames
October 18, 2009
Share this
So Friday night, I got a wild hair to make our mantel look a little more Halloweeny, which I've never done. I always leave fall decor up there till I like to have fall up in late August, so for me it's fall, then some Halloween thrown in, then fall, then Christmas. I try not to overdo it though -- it's easy for the house to get overwhelmed with extra decor during the month of October!
When I started the mantel, I just tried adding some spider webs and spiders but it just looked totally goofy with my gorg candles and beady stuff. It was then I decided to go all. the. way. And I LOVE IT!!!
Awhile back, I got this frame for $1.99 at Goodwill:
Last week I spray painted it and completely, unabashedly copied Chris at Just a Girl and did this:
So the wheels started turning in my head and it came to me....
Another Goodwill frame in the basement, some spray paint, and some letters printed out on scrapbook paper:
Another empty frame, with another computer print out:
Next year I hope to use another ornate frame for Eek...for now, I'm not picky. :)I saw a store display that used black tulle in their Halloween display and I fell in love. It is so cheap! I bought some a few weeks ago and didn't do anything with it till now.
I nestled all my mummy Halloween votives in it:
Don't worry, I only use LED votives. No fire hazards!
Don't worry, I only use LED votives. No fire hazards! I have had these candleholders for years and years, and a week or so ago I spray painted them black. They were an odd brown color and now I LOVE them:
I took an extra apothecary jar and put some skeleton bones inside:
The bones were bought on clearance last year. Do you see that nasty spider inside? Uhhh, he totally grosses me OUT. I dropped a few of them in there and was getting the heebies looking at them, they look so real. Ugh. I got them all out but this one cause I couldn't reach it. NASTY.
To create a little it one step further, I took a short strand of lights and put them under the black tulle:
I love having just those lit and the rest of the lights off. Spoooooky! But in a lovely way. ;)
Some spidey webs completed the look:
Best part? I didn't buy ONE thing for this mantel.
SO fun!!
Best part? I didn't buy ONE thing for this mantel. I used the computer and pulled everything together from what I had.
A FREE spookified mantel, you can't beat it!
A FREE spookified mantel, you can't beat it!
LOVE it. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletetooo cute!
ReplyDeleteLove your framed graphics ~ I did a lot of that this year too. Easy decor on the cheap and I'm set for next year now, too. Love the black tulle idea ~ with the lights it looks great. I could see that idea working for Christmas, too {except, you know, with a different color tulle}. : )
ReplyDeleteLooks fab! Love those oooooo's and eeeeeeks!
ReplyDeleteOh oh oh!!! Which store had the clearance bones? I've been looking for good bones all season, and have only found tiny, or styrofoam bones. Yuck! Send me in the right direction, please!
ReplyDeleteSarah, I love it..I also like to use the LED votives..safe..I also use regular votives but never where they would pose a hazard..whoever invented those LED ones was brilliant..and sometimes you just need some scent in the joint!
ReplyDeleteagain...so so cute. So here's my question. How do you orgainize all the inspiration you get from around the web/blogs?? There's so much I want to remember for a later date...but then forget which blog its on. Any suggestions???
ReplyDeletecaaaute!
ReplyDeletedid you swap out the mat on the cherub ornate frame or somehow paint it black too? I LOVE IT!!!
Fun :)
Oooh spooooooky....ooooooh...that spider's gonna sneak out in the night and getcha...ooooh :).
ReplyDeleteSeriously, love the mantle. So cute!
Very Spoooooky! Great ideas, love your blog.
ReplyDeleteYep! Totally cute!!!! My mantle is spook-ified as well! It's so fun, isn't it?
ReplyDeletelove it! I am totally stealing Chris' 31 too...and now I'm pretty sure I'll steal a version of your mantle...okay?
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome. I can't wait til we get in our new house so that I have a mantle to spookify!!! My husband wants me to stop ready your blog because your giving me too many ideas!!!!! Haha...he'll get over it! LOL Keep 'em coming!
ReplyDeleteLove the lights under the black tulle! Nice effect!
ReplyDeleteWe don't do Halloween over here, but this looks good! Wish I could get away with this over here....
ReplyDeleteVery spooky! I love it all. Very creative and thrifty. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Jen
Holiday decorating stresses me to no end! I have a hard time getting my head around the idea of spending time on something that will be taken down so quickly! Did do a quick bit of decorating today, 30 minutes to install, will take 5 to take down. That is my style...
ReplyDeleteBut, yours looks GREAT! Janell
It looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteNoe here's the thing, I don't decorate for Halloween unless I have a party. It's not really the done thing to decorate for the seasons in Scotland, other than for Christmas. I tend to keep walls neutral, and change from pale to warm and cosy linen and accessories in spring and at the end of summer, so I suppose I am partly doing it.
I think I want to a bit more now!
Great! Love the frames. Must go to work... not Goodwill.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
Looks great! I love spooky decor at Halloween. And free's nice too, right?!
ReplyDeleteLOVE this! When I was a kid, my mom and I took old bean cans (big ones) and drilled holes in them, covered them with gauze that we painted with glow-in-the-dark paint and then attached wire to them so we could hang them in the trees. Very
ReplyDeletespook-tacular!
Love it! That is a great mantel space! I love the shape and depth. The frames look great, and there is nothing that can't be done with a little tulle! But my favorite part is the spider in the bones!! Ugh - creepy, but just enough to give you that shudder!
ReplyDeleteI love it! I have the whole fall thing happening in our house this year - only because we won't be HOME for halloween. All the decor outside is halloween inspired - but will have to come down before we head to New Orleans for the holiday. (I don't want to break trick-or-treaters hearts when we aren't home to give them candy). This is spooky and classy! Well done!
ReplyDeleteI love this Sarah! I recently posted my first fall wreath inspired by your 'fall door decor'!!!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely SPOOKTACULARY!!! The black tulle and lights just make it ;o)
ReplyDeleteLooks great, very creative!
ReplyDeleteI usually take down the obviously Halloween stuff early November but leave the pumpkins, leaves, etc. out till Thanksgiving. Then right to Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving. After shopping of course.
~Michelle
WHAT a fab. job you did. PLUS it was all free! I love the print outs, the jar of bones and ONE spooky heebie jeebie spider ;) That tulle and votives is so cute! great job, glad you shared.
ReplyDeleteSoooooo cute! I always struggle with decorating my fireplace! Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteI'd put 06-04-05 =)
ReplyDeletegreat job! looks wonderful! i am working on making my front door a lil spooky :D
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the visit, your so clever! Can't wait to see what your going to do for Thanksgiving and Xmas.
ReplyDeleteIncredible, so creative! I like how you used the computer to print the words instead of buying them. I'm inspired to do something to my porch! Love love love your ideas!
ReplyDeleteVery nice. I love the bones, in a creepy Halloweeny way. It all looks great!
ReplyDeleteLove, oh...mean LURVE it!! Haven't done a thing for "Halloween/Fall" this year as we've had so many other projects going at once...but will keep this in mind for next year and hit up the end of season sales!! It looks fab!
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT!!! The corner mantle is to die for...so gorgeous! And its spooky halloween without being over the top.
ReplyDeleteso cute! my preschool class would enjoy making those votives...hmmm...
ReplyDeletei have the same problem with halloween decorating...it's always a debate for me. As soon as I get the Halloween decorations out it's time to put them away again... a little sad...
Very spooky! I love that it was free. :) I need to get some of those awesome LED lights. I have some Halloweeny stuff out, but mostly Fall. It will go down the second Thanksgiving is over. ;)
ReplyDeleteThis looks awesome! I love it all lit up. Super cute!
ReplyDeleteBOO-u-ti-ful job!! I love your little votives.I have always seen them big and I really like the little look of them! lol So,hmmm,I think I will do some tonight w/ my baby food jars.Thanks for sharing once again!
ReplyDeleteNatalie,
~WOW! Is this ever ca-uuuuute! Love it all! Really love the glow of the lights, cobwebs and tulle. Great effect! :)
ReplyDeleteMy kiddos would LOVE this... great job!!
ReplyDelete~Whitney
Dang it! I just did Fall decor this year & skipped Halloween. I wish I hadn't now. I may be stealing some of these ideas next year though. :)
ReplyDeleteSpook-tacular in deed! I really love the addition of the tulle - great texture. Thanks for the great ideas.
ReplyDeleteChelsea
Totally spookafied!!! I love it!! I now want to get some black tulle. I wonder if I can find any at this late date. Going to give it a try. And I made a couple of your mummy like votive holders.
ReplyDeleteIt looks fabulous! I love my Halloween decor too...but I've had it up for awhile, so now I'm sick of it and want to put Christmas up!
ReplyDeleteSpook-tacular! Love the black tulle.
ReplyDeleteIt's boo'tiful!
ReplyDeleteso cute! i love all the printed words. looks great.
ReplyDeleteThis is SPOOKtacular!! HaHa!!
ReplyDeleteLOVE it!!!
Tiffany @ Mine Are Spectacular!
I really like the idea of the print outs!! LOVE your mantel decor.!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking- so cute and such wonderful reusing of items!
ReplyDeleteBut I literally gasped when I saw the feet bones in the apothocary jar.
Simply fabulous darling! Keep up with the goodness!
Love it! And you can't beat free!
ReplyDeleteHey there - is all of this really in your house? Incredible! Perhaps you may want to think about guest posting with FaveCrafts =) We would love to have you.
ReplyDeleteI recently did an article on our blog about thrifty Halloween decor ideas: http://www.favecraftsblog.com/how-to-make-halloween-decorations-using-everyday-things/
Happy Halloween!
Kristen
Editor
FaveCrafts.com
Your Blog is very nice! Your decorations are dreamlike! One must simply notice your Blog to himself! I am inspired!
ReplyDeleteIt looketh awesome! Puts mine to shame, so now I have to go work on it!
ReplyDeleteOH yeah, I'm feeling it your spot on.. so darn good looking. Very inspirational. :)
ReplyDeleteBoooooooooo-tiful!!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE it! Using black tulle is genius! [even though the texture of tulle makes me cringe probably as much as that spider makes you!] Your halloween votives are so cuute too! Especially the wrapped up mummy! :) Can't wait to see your mantle for Christmas!!! and yes - when Halloween is over, I'm keeping all my leaves and pumpkins up til Thanksgiving!!
ReplyDeletecheck out my blog when you can :)
http://tinasz.blogspot.com/
I love the frames! GORGEOUS!!
ReplyDeleteLove it!! FYI, I put out most all of my fall and Halloween stuff at the same time, then after Halloween, take the Halloween stuff down and replace it with the few Thanksgiving things I have. Then it all comes down at Thanksgiving, to put up Christmas!!
ReplyDeleteHow did I miss this one?! Those bones in the apothecary jar are too cool! LOVE the spider (and am freaked out by it). Nicely done!
ReplyDeleteThat turned out frighteningly good!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great looking halloween mantle!
ReplyDeleteLooks great! I wish I had a mantel...
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome! I have added a few fall/halloween touches at my house. Check them out @
ReplyDeletehttp://housequeen.blogspot.com
I also have 3 giveaways now!
I just became a follower of yours! I adore your blog!
Have a great Friday tomorrow!
Enjoyed your blog... Loved the spooky mantlel!!
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah :)
ReplyDeleteI love it too! Great job :)
Loving that tablescape in the last post too!
rue
Sarah, I love all of your Halloween decorating! The black tulle with the lights is one of my favorites, as is the apothecary jar with the bones and the creepy heebie jeebie spider! LOL
ReplyDeletehope you'll stop by to see my fall decor. I linked with Julia but did it incorrectly- I forgot to change the html since my link was a re-post. Here's the link:
http://sullivanandmurphy.blogspot.com/2009/09/fallin-into-season.html
Thanks for showing us your decor!
Sue
You are seriously tempting me to make some of these cute Halloween decorations. I love the "stinkin' cute" candles and your FREE mantle scape. So fabulous! I don't really decorate for Halloween. My kids are grown and gone and I don't love the holiday. I do however love the cute little trick or treaters. You did a fabulous job!
ReplyDeleteThat looks amazing!! Sure beats the single strand of leaf garland I threw on my mantle! I'm going to bookmark this for inspiration for next Halloween!
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI found you from Hooked on Houses! You have a great blog! The bones in the apothecary jar are my favorite ~ and the spider adds the right amount of ICK!
Since your thrifty, I wanted to tell you about an Interior Design Giveaway I am doing on my blog. All it takes is a Halloween or Fall vignette and a story to enter. Here's the URL
http://paulagracedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/10/final-entry-day-for-edesign-giveaway.html.
Love to have you drop by and submit one of those photos ~ my money's on the jar!
Paula Grace
Adorable!! Now I just wish I had a mantle : )
ReplyDelete