October has always been one of my very favorite months. The weather starts to cool down, fall fashions hit the stores in full force, and it becomes socially acceptable to consume ALL things pumpkin as often as possible. Above all, I've always felt that there is a special sort of excitement building in the air because the best holidays - in my opinion - start to snowball into each other, beginning with Halloween!
I've never been a fan of creepy Halloween decorations - in fact, I'll be the first to admit I'm probably a bit of a wuss. You won't ever find me anywhere near a haunted house and when it comes to movies, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" is about as crazy as I'll get! In other words, if you prefer incorporating the more "scary" aspects of Halloween into your decor, you probably won't find a whole lot of inspiration here.
That said, here is a more detailed look at my Halloween shelves for 2015. I was going for a fun, cheery display incorporating pumpkins, candy, and lots of classic black and orange. I have to say, I'm happy with how they turned out!
Nothing says Halloween like candy, right?! I scored this set of apothecary jars on clearance a few years ago at Kirkland's, and I use them often. This time around, I filled them with rock candy sticks, gumballs, and candy corn. (Tip: Use the same candies year after year. Not only will it save you money, it simultaneously stops your spouse and/or children from trying to devour your decor...not that we have any experience with that)! ;)
I bought the glass vases at the dollar store and the orange candles inside at Ross. Super cheap. I wrapped each one with some black lace, tied a knot, and called it good. The BOO sign, believe it or not, was something I picked up from Target's dollar spot this year! I wanted to add some height in between the candles so I simply brushed over some blocks of wood with black acrylic paint to place the letters on. If you look closely you'll see I missed a spot. Whatever.
I have to say I love how this little corner turned out. I bought some RANDOM books based solely on their sizes and shapes at the dollar store, then wrapped them up with some scrapbook paper I already had. The two jars were purchased at craft stores using coupons, and the clear one is filled with Dead Raven's Claw potion...also known as water, with a few drops of green food coloring!
I draped some cheesecloth over the bottom shelf in an effort to create a ragged, spider-web effect. I made the "Trick or Treat" garland with cardstock and a white Sharpie marker, then strung it on some orange baker's twine. Simple and fast, both winners in my book!
On to the top shelf! On the left hand side, we have these two pumpkins. I'll let you in on a little secret - they're both fake! Once again, in an attempt to save money, I figured it would be best to purchase fake pumpkins, modify them to fit my taste, and then use them year after year. The black pumpkin was purchased at Target last year. I then used a round foam paint brush to "stamp" circles onto it using gold acrylic paint. You can see that the middle circle has a slight paint drip at the bottom...in the past, this would have bothered me, but I'm trying to embrace imperfections these days. Imperfection saves time and life goes on!
These two pumpkins are on the right hand side of the top shelf. Once again they are fake, and this picture does NOT do the orange one justice. It is the exact same pumpkin as the black one from Target, only I bought it in solid orange. I then coated it with spray adhesive, and covered it with fine orange glitter purchased from the craft store. In person, it shimmers and reflects the light so beautifully from every angle - I absolutely LOVE it. It just reaffirmed my belief that a little glitter, when used sparingly, adds a lot. I highly recommend trying it out this year on a pumpkin, real or fake! You won't be disappointed.
Last of all, the bats. I just purchased them last weekend and I think they're my favorite detail this year! I was going to try and create my own by cutting them out of black cardstock or construction paper, but then I found these bats at the store and they were 40% off. (Martha Stewart did it again; if you're not familiar with her craft line, let me just say I'm always tempted to make a few purchases, so if you're like me you may have to exercise some self-control)! They came with adhesive dots, and the wings have creases in them so you can bend and fold them every which way to create a three-dimensional look that's all your own! If you're looking for a fun and unique touch to add to your decor, I highly recommend these. Make sure you only use the adhesive dots on the center of the bat - I learned this the hard way as I watched them fall off the wall over and over again. But I think I've worked out the kinks now!
So there you have it! Our Halloween shelves for 2015. I love decorating my house for the holidays and you can absolutely achieve a look that you love on a budget. Don't be afraid to experiment and get creative with things you may already have on hand. I'd love to see how you decorate your homes for Halloween, so if you've blogged or Instagrammed any photos, post a link in the comments section!
