Frightening Friday Series Week 4
I have some awesome Halloween decoration ideas for y’all today. You just can’t decorate for Halloween and not include your front porch and mantle. These are definitely two of the most exciting places for Halloween home decor. The front porch is always a lot more fun for trick-or-treaters when it’s decorated with something fun or even maybe a little scary Halloween decorations. I love decorating my mantle and changing the decorations for each season. It can be sort of tricky though because my husband loves having our television hanging over the mantle. It does look very nice and is great when watching TV but also gets in the way with my decorating. You will also notice in the pictures that there are also some surround sound speakers that my husband feels are absolutely necessary when watching a movie so I also have to work around those too. But marriage is about compromise. I just do the best I can and so should you.
If you have been following along with the Frightening Friday series which included a framed spider web, upcycled oats container into a Halloween candy canister, and also a spooky Halloween wreath with spiders and spider webs, then you will know that I decided to keep a black and white theme mostly for my Halloween décor this year. I have usually used bright orange and lime green pumpkins with other fun and brightly colored décor. I just was ready for a change this year and thought the black and white theme would be spooky but yet simple and classy.
Many of the pieces I used for my decorations on both my front porch and mantle were things that I made and shared during the Frightening Friday series. All of those projects were simple and also inexpensive to make as well.
For my decorations this year, I used items that I already had or found at the Dollar Tree mostly. I wanted to keep the decorations within budget but also look like they cost a lot more. I am always searching the clearance racks or shopping within my house for anything that would match my theme.
Let’s start outside for the tour so you will see exactly what the cute little trick-or-treaters will see when they visit.
First my steps always have to have pumpkins on each side. I added some rubber spiders that I also got at the Dollar Tree with two in a pack. This year I made some mason jar luminaries to also give some extra light and sparkle to the steps. With some spray paint and painter’s tape, you are ready to go. I kept them with the black and white theme but wanted to add a little extra pop of color which is why I wrapped the orange yarn around the tops which ended up matching perfect with the pumpkins anyways.
You can always use your old spaghetti sauce jars and paint them which is recycling those and not having to buy some. The black and white spray paint was also only $1 each. I had the orange yarn already from making my Candy Corn Yarn Cones.
Along with the black and white theme, I wanted to keep everything more spooky and realistic of Halloween. My front door wreath gives the perfect spooky feeling with the spider web, spiders, and black crows. I also adore the ribbon that is holding the wreath up with the black lace look. This wreath was also very quick and easy to make if you are looking for something that doesn’t take a lot of effort.
The wreath I found at a yard sale that I am able to reuse for different seasons by just changing out the decorations on it. The spider web, plastic spiders, and crows all came from the Dollar Tree. The ribbon I bought at Joann craft stores with a coupon.
To keep with the crows, I placed this large twig or small branch I guess you would call it beside the front door and placed black crows that I found at the Dollar Tree using black pipe cleaners. The branch came from my back yard which was free and the crows were only $1 each. Place some pumpkins around the bottom to really complete the look. Another idea would be to paint the branch black if you wanted.
Hanging above the tree branch is a sign that came from the Dollar Tree as well. I love the saying to go with my theme perfectly.
Beside the tree branch is just a black chair that I already had on my porch that came from Ikea with an outdoor pillow I bought at a home consignment shop and had on the porch as well. I bought the black cauldron on clearance one year after Halloween and placed a flameless candle that I already had down it. I used newspapers to stand the candle up more and then placed some moss from the dollar store around it to hide the newspaper.
I kept the black and white theme as well for the inside of my home and especially for my mantle.
I placed white stringed Christmas lights on the top of the mantle and just spread them out. Then on top of the lights, I placed a white feather boa to hide the stringed lights somewhat so they wouldn’t be noticeable and only show when lit up. I already had the white lights and the feather boa came from the Dollar Tree.
On the actual mantle I hung this banner saying “BOO” that I made using the black lace ribbon I already had and also hung some plastic bats from the Dollar Tree on it.
Throughout the mantle I placed several different Halloween related items and just kept placing them and then rearranging them again until I was finally happy with where they were placed.
I included the framed spider web that I have already shown the tutorial for. This project was used with an old picture frame I had bought at a yard sale, spray paint for $1 and white yarn which I already had that wasn’t expensive to begin with that I used for another project.
After making the spooky spider web wreath for my front door, I also had a smaller sized grapevine wreath that I had found at the Dollar Tree several months ago and held onto it until I found the right project for it. I spread the fake web over it and then placed fake spiders in the web. I then glued the same black lace ribbon looped through the top to hang it. I went shopping around the house and found a stand that my mother had given me several years ago that is used for umbrellas or jackets at the front door. It was perfect to hang this wreath. Plus you can remove parts of the stand to adjust it to the height that works best for you.
Now what’s a Halloween mantle without some sort of pumpkins? I bought these small ones at the Dollar Tree and spray painted them white which again the spray paint was only $1. The spray paint also went a long ways and covered more than I actually expected one can to. I had the tall candle holders already in another part of my house and just placed the pumpkins on them.
The black houses are originally made for a Christmas village and were found at the Dollar Tree. Can you see the pattern yet? I really do have an awesome Dollar Tree near my house. I spray painted them black with some spots showing through giving it a worn look somewhat.
For the small bucket with the sticks in it, I used the same concept as the small branch on my front porch. Just spray paint it black and spread some fake web on it and there you have it. The silver bucket was also found at the Dollar Tree.
Beside the small bucket is a candy canister made from an upcycled oats container that I decided to use on the mantle as well. It was also very easy to make and inexpensive. In front of them both is an owl that I bought at the Dollar Tree too.
The white branches with white lights I had bought last year at Christmas, and I placed them in a huge vase or whatever you want to call it that I once again already had. The black and white colors just fit right in.
So as you can tell, your Halloween front porch and mantle can be creative and gorgeous without spending the high dollar to do it. Check out your local dollar store for cheap Halloween decorations and then shop around your house for items you already have that will work perfect. You never know what you may already have to use without going over your budget.
This year’s outdoor Halloween decorations have been so much fun for me to make and decorate with. I hope you will enjoy making your own too as much as I have. Enjoy the little things this Halloween!
Also share your Halloween front porch or mantle pictures with me too. I would love to see them.
Also if you have not already, please join me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. I would love to hear from you with any comments, suggestions, or ideas you may have.
Hello Bethany, thank you for your post. I’m visiting via Sits Girls. It caught my eye that you didn’t decorate with the “traditional” orange color, which I love! My decor style is pretty neutral as well and I avoid decorating with pieces that stray away from my regular style. I love that pillow you have on the porch and the crows. Very pretty!
Thank you so much! This was definitely something out of my normal comfort zone when decorating but really like how it turned out. I really think the outdoor pillow adds an extra touch of elegance.
Wow, you certainly have a lot of Halloween decorations! I live in the Netherlands, where Halloween isn’t really a thing, certainly not among christians. But I love your creativity and holiday spirit:-) I found your site trough the Peony Project and will make sure to visit again! x
Thank you! I love decorating for holidays. It is so much fun to create new things and change them out for each occasion. Thanks for stopping by.
Wow Bethany!! This is the most inspiring halloween decor post I’ve ever seen! 🙂
Thank you so much! That is so sweet!
I love the scarecrows on the tree! Great idea!!
Thank you!!
Hi there Bethany,
I found your post on the Up All Night Blogging Facebook group. Thanks for sharing these suggestions with us.
I haven’t started decorating yet…I’m a procrastinator by nature so it’ll be a while :). But you have lit a little fire under me with these ideas so I might start early this year.
I’m not sure to do scary to kid scary since my grandson is only 2 1/2 yrs. old. But my teens want to go all out. Decisions, decisions.
Thanks again! It was certainly nice to meet you. Definitely passing these along! Have a great new week. 🙂
cori
Thanks so much for stopping by! I really appreciate it. It would be hard to find a balance but I think I found a good balance for us because I do not like anything too scary or weird. Have a great week too!
This is really great. It makes my house look boring!
Thank you! I bet your house isn’t boring at all!!! Maybe you will have some good ideas now too!
WOW! so cool. I love the garland and the picture frame with the spiderweb.
Thanks so much! The garland was so simple and the framed spider web actually too.
Wow, you went all out. I think the birds on the branches idea is so cool
Thanks so much!!! I think the branch with the birds is probably my favorite part too!
I love the crows on the front porch and all your Dollar Store finds!
I would love for you to share this post at my Show Me Saturday party! We go live each Saturday at 7:00 am EST. My readers would love this!
~ Ashley
Thank you so much! I love how the Dollar Store has such great stuff that looks great when combined with things I already have at home. It is such a great way to save money! I just stopped by and shared. Thanks for letting me know!!
That keep calm and scare on sign is fantastic!
I love these decorations!! I really wanted to decorate my apartment but we couldn’t afford it this year.
I’m so sorry to hear that. That’s what I love about these decorations is that they came from the dollar store with things I already had around my house.
very nice and tasteful too. We just decorated for Halloween yesterday but not near as cute as yours
Thank you but I bet yours is cute too. I would love to see it.