{Halloween} Spooktacular Mantel

Happy Monday to you all! Did you enjoy a glorious Fall weekend? Our pool has dipped below 70-degrees, so it’s finally time to let go of Summer, and fully embrace Fall. The mantel is always an easy place to show off a new season, and now that my fireplace is painted and has a new mirror, it’s ready to be spooked!

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As much as I love Halloween, I don’t love blood, guts and evil stuff. So I decided to use more natural elements and give the mantel a deserted feel.

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The crystal and brass candlesticks have an old haunted house feel, so they stayed. I stacked some mini-pumpkins atop more brass candlesticks, and added the sisal pumpkin for texture. Mini skull heads are sprinkled throughout, while the googly eyes (left over from my Mummy Lights) give the impression that you’re being watched.

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The glass votives were transformed with strips of lace ribbon.

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I clipped some black birds to the stems and arranged them in my burlap vase. The other vase contains a candle and pinecone filler, and the pumpkin tied with jute ribbon adds more color and texture.

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The jute string from the skeleton garland was my inspiration for using natural, textural elements. Who knew you could find inspiration at the Dollar Store!?

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The mirrored bats and spider decals add ‘life’ among the ‘dead.’ And come November, I can take them and the skeletons down, and will be left with a Fall mantelscape.

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Eeek! Spiders crawling up the brick and on the pumpkins, too!

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The black mantel is perfect for Halloween, right?!

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Picnik has some great Halloween effects, so I’m able to show you how the house will reeeeeeaaaally look on Hallow’s Eve!

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The Halloween frenzy is underway here, how about your house?

** Linking up to Home Stories A to Z, Tip Junkie, Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Just a Girl, Remodelaholic, The Shabby Nest, The DIY Showoff, TaterTots & Jello and Thrifty Decor Chick**

Leave a Comment

28 Comments

  1. Cassie @ Primitive & Proper wrote:

    that looks awesome! i love that the mantle is black, too- it looks SO good together!

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  2. lisaroyhandbags wrote:

    Love all of your different pumpkins and how perfect is that black mantel right now! No real Halloween in Dubai and I can't find a pumpkin anywhere to decorate with. 🙁

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  3. Kim @ keller-creative wrote:

    I dont love Halloween but your mantle is so cute. My favorite is the lace wrapped votives.

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  4. Chassity (Look Linger Love) wrote:

    It looks so awesome Cassie. Love how you've put it all together. I might borrow a few ideas for Lil's party.

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  5. Danielle Oakey Interiors wrote:

    Wow, I love it! It looks especially great with the crisp white brick and the black mantel!

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  6. Julia@a-living-space wrote:

    Just found your blog through the casasugar Lovely Little Vignettes feature, and I was so impressed with your Halloween mantel pictures over there I came to see more! This is coming from someone who is really not that into Halloween (and I get waaaaay too much of it since I live in Salem, MA). So well done! That mantel is so chic while still being fun and festive. I especially love the way you decorated the pumpkins.

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  7. Katie wrote:

    Love your mantle vignette! The lace wrapped votives made my heart skip a beat–seriously! The white pumpkin with the spider web is fabulous. And who knew Picnik had such fun effects?!

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  8. Amanda wrote:

    creepy!! In a good way 🙂
    Love the gold candlesticks w/ mini pumpkins!

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  9. Megan {Honey We're Home} wrote:

    Oh, just BEYOND!!! The mirror is the first thing that stood out to me- I'm digging how yours has gold in it!!! The lace candles and dressed up pumpkins are SWEET!!!! The photo editing is super cool too- pinworthty!!!!

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  10. Leslie wrote:

    I love your new mirror. I'm not a fan of blood and guts, etc. either. Your mantle is so tastefully done, but still perfect for the season!

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  11. natasha {schue love} wrote:

    Sooo fun! Love all the little Halloweenie details…I'm with you on not being too into blood and guts! I am really into all of the crow inspiration right now! 🙂

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  12. A Delightful Design wrote:

    You have so much style! This should be in a magazine. BH&G has nothing on you! And let me just say that your fireplace is kicking some serious booty. Aren't you so glad you changed it?! xo, Abby

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  13. Mindi's Mussings wrote:

    Hey Cassie! Love the lace votives! Never thought of that! I have a mantle I'd love to paint black (the wall behind it is sort of a buttercream color) and the mantle is white right now. Can you give me any advice on paint and techniques? Thanks, Mindi

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  14. theyuppiefiles wrote:

    I'm decorating this week. I don't like the bloody stuff either, I enjoy the more haunted feel you've got going. I want to go home now and start decorating!

    It looks great!

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  15. A Blissful Nest wrote:

    It looks spooktacular Cassie!

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  16. Courtney {a thoughtful place} wrote:

    Oh my gosh. You knocked it out of the ballpark {or graveyard as it may be}. The photo editing is stunning. Well done, my friend.

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  17. Ali Richardson wrote:

    AWESOME!!! I love the desserted spooky feel without the guts. I'm not a bloody Halloween gal either!

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  18. Simply LKJ wrote:

    It looks fantastic Cassie! I too am not a huge fan of the blood and guts…love the spookiness!

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  19. Michaela wrote:

    Loving the mantel! The mirror is amazinggg.

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  20. Aubrey {All Things Bright and Beautiful} wrote:

    hehehe…it's so much creepier with the shadow effects (c: I love how it turned out, definitely more deserted than gruesome, I'm on board with that, too…I went to the Spirit Halloween store the other day and just wanted to leave, *TOTALLY* not in to all the grotesque crapola they peddle there! And those lace votives are *GENIUS*, love that touch!

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  21. Julie wrote:

    It looks amazing! I love love love the pumpkins on the candlesticks. Genius! 🙂

    Posted 10.17.11 Reply
  22. nancy @ {COZAMIA} wrote:

    well that's getting into the spirit of it! I love it, the fireplace and the decor… the little skeletons are my fave part.

    Posted 10.18.11 Reply
  23. emily wrote:

    It looks perfect for Halloween! Love all of the little touches. The votives with the lace are my fave! Great job!

    Posted 10.18.11 Reply
  24. Ann wrote:

    Very cute!! You've made Halloween decor tasteful! 😉 BTW, I love your new mirror…i spotted your old one (the amazing knot mirror) in the Nov issue of HB (House Beautiful), p.46. Just thought you'd care to know, if you hadn't already spotted it yourself.

    Posted 10.18.11 Reply
  25. Samantha wrote:

    Love it! Great details- pumpkins, skeletons, burlap. Your mirror is gorgeous too.
    🙂 Samantha
    craftytexasgirls.com

    Posted 10.18.11 Reply
  26. Rachie @ A Chi Chi Affair wrote:

    This looks so good. I love your mantlepiece posts! I definitely love the more rustic halloween look rather than orange purple and green!! Spooky indeed!! xo

    Posted 10.18.11 Reply
  27. Hilary Inspired wrote:

    Oh, I just love this!!! Especially the last photos with the shadowy effect across the mantel. I'm not usually one for Halloween decorating but I'm seriously thinking about it for this year thanks to you!

    Posted 10.20.11 Reply
  28. Shauna K wrote:

    visiting from tatertots and jello again- this is such a classy and elegant spooky mantel! how fabulous 😀

    Posted 10.29.11 Reply