CHEAP & EASY HALLOWEEN MANTEL

Officially the first day of Fall is Thursday, September 23rd but on Thursday I am going to be GLUED to my tv watching the season premiers of both Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice :)))))))) So excited!! So I decided to start my Fall decorating a few days early this year!

This is what I am talking about...

Ok, so this is super easy and sooo very cheap....If you have $20.00 I can show you how to re-create this mantle AND give you some change back from that twenty ;)

I went to Dollar Tree (last year after Halloween to stock up for this year... but I checked and they still have this stuff this year). This is all you need...

3 Crows- Or as many as you want... I used 3, but I might go back for more

 = $3.00

3 bags of these cute little skulls- They come about 10 skulls per bag

 = $3.00

1 bag of spider webs- I didn't realize that a little of this stuff goes a super long way! so only 1 bag

 = $1.00

1 bag of spider rings- I didn't realize that the spider web already came with spiders so I bought this bag and had extras... this purchase is optional

=$1.00

3 Tombstones- When decorating I like to work in groups of three's (however one of my grave markers did a tumble off the mantel so I am going to have to go back and replace it)  I also noticed that I could really do more that three seeing as they are so small (and there only a dollar a piece) so I might go get a few extra

=$3.00

2 glass vases- for either side of the mantel

=$2.00

2 bags of "creepy cloth" - you could even get away with 1

=$2.00

And some sticks/twigs.... something like that.

Not sure if you can tell from this picture, but I went out in my neighborhood collecting sticks... I loaded them on the stroller and took them home :)

 FOR FREE!!

Poor guy was hot and surrounded by my FREE sticks!

I took them home and used some black spray paint (that I already had) and did a solid coat to all sides of the sticks for that spooky Halloween look

(sidenote- I did this in the empty lot next to my hous because I didn't have an old sheet or drop cloth.. Do not do this in your yard or it will be noticable)

Ok... Time for Assembly!

1.)Spray paint the sticks!

2.) Lay the "creepy cloth over the mantle

3.) Fill up the vases with the small skulls (1 or 1 1/2 bag in each vase).

4.) Place the stick in the vase.

5.) Place the tombstones where ever you like.

6.) Cover EVERYTHING in spider webs.

7.) Place the spiders in random places all over mantle.

8.) Place the birds where you think they look awesome!

And TADA!!! You have a super spooky Halloween Mantle that is sure to put you in the Holiday Spirit!!!

Oh yeah .. let's add this up... Our total comes to ......$15.00 (plus tax) and you can even go cheaper that that by customizing what you like and adding too or taking away from what I did!

I would LOVE to know what you think...or if you have your own version of a spooky mantle, I would LOVE to see it! Leave me your link in my comments :) I am always looking for super easy and super cheap ideas for decorating!

And here is a BONUS project! (omg!) I had tons of spider webbing left over so I covered a wall of photos (that were already hung) with the left over web! I placed spiders randomly on there too... Now I have the spooky decor all over my house... I might not stop there...

Happy Decorating!

Jenny

If Brady could blog...

Ok, So my mom hasn't been doing very well keeping this blog up to date, so I told her I would do a "catch-up" blog for her.... so here goes...(in NO particular order)

Here I am at work with Nana.... we are handling some very important things...like the "itsy bitsy spider" situation. She is very good at that song.

And here is Poppy and me at his first ever Braves game. I've been there before, but I was happy to share his first time with him.

This is my mommy and me with GeeGee on her birthday. We had CAKE!! and lots of it :) But we stayed out way too late...

Sooo this is me when we got home...

Here I am making alphabet soup... bet you didn't know I could cook, huh? Well, somebody's gotta do it around here...MOM!

Here is me trying to play outside in my back yard... or should I say, MY DOG'S back yard...

and again...

Ok, I give up!!

On this day, I found the cookie jar :) So I got comfortable in a place where I thought no one could see me...

WRONG!! She got me :) So I "cheesed" for her... as always.

Here I am at work again. This time Poppy is teaching me how to play the piano... well, his version of it.

I catch on quick!

and here is Nana and I pushing these fun things around ...Hard at work I tell ya...

One Saturday morning we met my cousins, Savannah and Arrington "Ari" for breakfast at my mom's favorite place...Cracker Barrel... While there, I got to do one of my favorite things... Rock Rock Rock. They have such a fun front porch... and yummy pancakes :)

when we left there, we went to the splash pad to play. It was the last day they were open for the year. I love that place... and I had such a good time!

One day my daddy was in a Putt-Putt tournament. So naturally, momma and me went to support him. He did very good! He almost won the whole thing... Momma said he only lost by one stroke! Can you believe that? Oh well, better luck next time :)

While we were there I had to work on my putting too! Hey, I am a third generation Wooten Golfer... Gotta start young.

Lookin pretty good out there :)

As most babies..hu hum..toddlers get, I got restless.. SO I decided to take off running so momma could chase me.... But I didn't see the step...You live and you learn!

Then momma took me to some kind of festival in Pelahatchie...long weird word, I know, but that's where it was. I have some cousins that live there so we parked at their house and momma pushed me in the 10000 degree heat to look at random stuff... but it was all worth it when I had this...

What is it you ask?? This my friends is a funnel cake! With powdered sugar on top!! Can you believe she has been holding out on me this long??

I couldn't stop eating this (or sweating) but this was worth ever drop of sweat!! Soooo good!

Speaking of sugar... Have you guys had the hotcakes from McDonald's?? My favorite breakfast ever!! Some day, mommy takes me to get some :) I can barely hold back the excitement! But I guess she is getting lazy these days.. she is making me pick up my own food and eat it!! Can you believe that??

I quickly realized why this wasn't very messy... She FORGOT the SYRUP!!!! Silly momma!

Just the other day I wasn't feeling so hot. I was very whiny All the time and my ears just didn't feel right, so my smart momma made me a Doctor's appointment and we went to have them looked at... I found this neat toy in the waiting room and I could have played with it all night! Momma said she used to have one just like it when she was little!

Could I be any cuter?

 And here is my mommy in the Dr.'s office...Isn't she lovely?

Daddy took a picture of all of our feet .. guess he was bored.. Me and Daddy were wearing the same shoes.. Momma has the same shoes, but she was wearing her boring ole flip flops!

When we left the Dr. we went to Aunt Sissy's house for Uncle Ryan's birthday dinner and they had my favorite thing... CAKE!! Oh it was so good :) Then we got to sing my FAVORITE song ever... Happy Birthday!!! Oh, I could sing that song all day long :)

Here is my uncle Ryan... He got a cool hat and everything!

Then I got some floor time with Aunt Sissy... She just loves playing with me (I enjoy it a lot too)

She is a good tickler too :)

 The next day, daddy was showing me some pictures he took on his phone...

I guess momma snuck a picture or two.. Man, she is sneaky with that camera!

Oh,, so this is how I like to sleep now...

In case you don't get it... Right in between momma and daddy...I get up and walk my self in their room, crawl up their big bed, and snuggle right in between them.

I guess that's a good place to end it, don't you think?

I think I have gotten momma all caught up now.. Maybe next time she wont wait so long to blog!

Alright, Peace out Blog world!!

Brady Wooten :)