a little spooky {halloween mantel how-to}

I've introduced you to our friend Melynie a few times in the past (remember her baby onesie cupcakes, her fabric daisy tutorial,  her how-to-hang-a-picture-collage tutorial, and her Grilled Chicken Pesto Salad recipe?). She's an interior designer by trade, but her role as mommy is her focus now. Lucky for me, she still practices design on her own house! She is one of those super-amazing women--sweet, funny, talented, and a fabulous mom--but she is so REAL. That's just one of the things I love about her. Today she's sharing her spooky Halloween mantel idea, complete with spiders and rats. Eek! Check out her step-by-step construction, and then check out her hilarious and inspiring real life mommy/decorating blog, Life Is So Delicious. I promise you'll fall in love with her, too!

A Little Spooky {Halloween Mantel Tutorial}

Buddy has been very excited about making our house "spooky, spooky".  I thought I'd share what we did for our Halloween mantel this year. 

Left my window up.  It just makes a nice backdrop.

Added some spiderwebs.

And some tarantulas.

Placed a bunch of black candlesticks, some of which hold 'fake flame' candles.

Then I added some 'creepy cloth' that I found at Dollar Tree. It's all gauzy and holey.  Creepy indeed.

Then I added some small jack 'o lanterns, which I will rearrange in a minute.

I added a bigger pumpkin to the middle (click to enlarge), and a pack of black silhouette rats running around.

Pin It

Spooky, spooky--yes?

Topped the whole thing off with some fake pumpkins that are not, for the thousandth time, balls.

The rats are attached with artists tape.  It holds well with no residue.

After I did it, Buddy said it was "too spooky, spooky" and asked me to take it down.

Happy haunting!!

Doesn't she make it look easy? Stop by and say 'hi' to Melynie for us, and while you're there check out her out-of-control gorgeous powder room makeover using book pages for wallpaper, and her boys' room makeover, complete with faux beadboard. She is not afraid to try new things!