"Pretty-Creepy"Halloween Mantel Reveal

Update 2013: Its Halloween again! I am linking up 2011's post to all the great fall parties for those of you who didn't get a chance to see it. Enjoy!

Halloween 2011

Well I have been waiting since mid-September for this reveal and here it is...

As far as I know, there is not another display quite like this one anywhere. I decided to go with a "bone-chilling" theme after purchasing some skeleton decorations at the dollar tree and a small skeleton at a yard sale. I used some of the potions I had made last year and I incorporated some doll heads along with an old limbless composite doll that I dug out of the bottom of an estate sale throw-away box this summer. I think that regardless of the fact that its quite creepy, the use of antique dishes, knick-knacks (like a large "skeleton" key and antique doorknobs from some old victorian home), along with vintage bottles, and doll parts keeps it pretty somehow. I call this display,"pretty-creepy!"

I got the inspiration for this year's mantel from these dollar tree
decorations and decided to frame them to create a theme.  I used frames I already had. I just removed the lighthouse prints  and covered the cardboard backing using tea-stained muslin and creepy cloth.

The skeleton is holding an early 1900's partial baby doll wrapped in cheesecloth that resembles a baby mummy, and a homemade bottle of "Tincture of Mummy Wrappings." I love the dollar store mini-skeleton I cut off a garland and placed on a vintage looking bicycle.

Love all the creepy crazing on the doll. Its soooo old!

Macabe, I know...  but still, its "pretty-creepy"

I stuck this $1 craft witch doll head on the top of
my Witch's Brew  

The "Shrinking Elixer" is one of my original potions. I placed another mini-skeleton in vegetable oil in the large bottle. I found an image from an old movie of a man being attacked by a giant spider, and decided it would make a great shrinking potion label. The other bottle holds garlic powder with a few skeleton parts sticking out. I called it, "Bone of Gnome" (using only the finest ground bones since 1637)

 This is how the fireplace scene looked for a few weeks, but there have been a few changes since since this picture was taken.
Everyone loves the skeleton holding the antique toys and vintage postcard garland (I moved him to a different spot for Trick-or-Treat).
I recently blogged about the skeleton and his little antique toy clown that I made over to look like a vintage Halloween toy:http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2011/10/creepy-antique-toy-clown-halloween.html

I added the old horror film posters that I found for $1 at a yard sale and the black sleeping cat ( a .25 yard sale find). The paper black cat sitting by the fire was another decoration in the same package as the skulls I used to make the mantel pictures. It looks so real when the lights are low! I finally found my small cast iron cauldrons that have had me searching high and low all fall. They are filled with chocolate eyeballs and plastic skulls.

Since I never repeat the same mantel theme each year, I think I have my work cut out for me for next year! Nevertheless, that's the thrill of the hunt! Its all the things I find as I'm junkin' throughout the year that will evolve into ideas for next Halloween's display and that's what makes it so fun. I have enjoyed sharing my ideas with you. (If you choose to use these ideas or post these pictures that would be wonderful, just don't forget to post a link back to this post and my blog). I love new comments, followers, and friends!

Trick-or-Treat! Hope your Halloween is "pretty-creepy" too!

For more Halloween and fall decorating ideas, check out my older post:http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2011/09/fabulous-fall.html

Linking up to:http://www.commonground-do.com/

 

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/

http://sassysites.blogspot.com/