Haunted Halloween Mantle and Halloween Spooktacular Giveaway from Oriental Trading Company

Surprise! It’s been a while since I’ve posted any projects but I’m excited to share my Haunted Mantle with you. (Disclosure, products for this post were provided to me by Oriental Trading Company) .

I’m sharing the overall mantle and in the coming days will share some tutorials of projects in this post.

I’ve been moving to a more gothic spooky look and when I saw these DIY ceramic skulls from OTC. I painted, crackled and gold leafed these for an elegant but spooky look.

To enhance the spookiness, I turned a large vase upside down and placed one of the skulls under it like a specimen in a lab.

I fell in love with this silver glitter fabric the minute I saw it and it was the perfect thing to simulate a magical spider web. I covered the mirror on my mantle with it and I wove more  of it on a side table.

I covered plain DIY wood photo blocks with paint, gold duct tape and scrapbook paper from a Poison Paper Pack  to make holders for signs to go with my spooky vignette.

Now here’s the best part of this post. Oriental Trading Company is having a weekly giveaway through October 17 with a chance to win $250 in Halloween products! They're also giving away a $25 gift card DAILY! Between craft and party supplies and Halloween decorations, think what kind of a party you could throw! Here's how to enter:

Visit www.spooktaculargiveaway.com today and enter to win their weekly prize -- $250 in Halloween products of your choice from Oriental Trading. Plus, they’re giving away a $25 Oriental Trading gift card every day! Contest ends October 17, 2015.

BFF Open House #226 Happy October!

Friends,

I debated about going ahead and posting this week's party in light of today's awful events in Oregon. My thoughts are with the families going through the unspeakable.

Since I'd already let those being featured know they were, I'm going to go ahead and post the party but I understand if this week's traffic is light.

Peace. Love. Chocolate.

Here are some features from last week's party! 

Let's start with this layered frame chalkboard Scarecrow project from Much More Creative. Brenda shows how she layered and vintaged up the concentric frames. This would make a fun menu board too wouldn't it? 

While Fall is full of rich vibrant colors, and I love them, I also love the muted colors found in nature this time of year. Penny from Penny's Vintage Home has some absolutely gorgeous ideas! 

Mason Jars are still so popular and Engineer Mommy has a great idea to incorporate them into Fall and Halloween decorating with this Mason Jar Jack O'Lantern. 

To finish things off how about some Snickers Cannoli from Woods of Bell Trees? Yes please! 

Now on to this week's party. 

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

BFF Open House #225

Happy Friday Eve all! How is it possible it's the last full week of September? It's officially Autumn and I can't wait to start decorating for Fall holidays!  Here are some highlights from last week's party! 

Nothing says Fall to me like copper, whether it's the metal itself or the color. These fun DIY copper earrings from Jewelry Making Journal are perfect for crisp cool Fall days. 

Here's a wonderful way to welcome Fall along with houseguests, new neighbors or just a fun gift for friends or family. A DIY  wood Pumpkin box from the lovely ladies at Lou Lou Girls. Wouldn't this also make a fun trick or treat box? 

You have GOT to check out this painted window from Artsy VaVa! I am in swooning love with it.

And with Fall bringing an explosion of pumpkin recipes, how about these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies from One Little Project At A Time? 

OK let's see what everyone's been up to this week! 

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

BFF Open House #224

Happy Friday Eve all! September is speeding by just like all the prior months have . Can't believe we are halfway through the month already! Fall is definitely in the air so here are some inspiring ideas from last week's party! 

This is a wonderful sign ( love the gold glitter letters) to welcome Fall and have up all season. Becca at Tulips and Orchids has a great tutorial. 

I love these pallet pumpkins from Alayna's Creations that are perfect for a front porch. 

Here's a slightly different take on a gallery wall from Artsy VaVa....she's been doing needlepoint since she was a girl and has expanded her love for the art to picking up coordinated pieces at antique stores, tag sales, etc. to complete a needlepoint gallery wall. 

This week's chocolate feature, just YUM! Mezzaluna ( half moon) Chocolate Covered Pastries from Woods of Bell Trees. 

Now on to this week's party! 

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

BFF Open House #223 Pumpkins and Wreaths

Hi all. Hope everyone had a nice Labor day and a good week. Fall is definitely upon us and there were some great ideas shared at last week's party! This time of year it's fun to change out or add a wreath and pumpkins are a decorating essential. I may  not like eating pumpkin but can't get enough of decorating with them! 

I have long wanted to make some velvet pumpkins and even saved stems from last year's real pumpkins to use. Heather at Woods of Bell Trees has a great tutorial and I love the colors she chose. These are so elegant and can be out through Thanksgiving! 

Logan, at Logan Can shared a great tutorial on how to make a burlap wreath. Think of all the color combination possiblities with ribbons you can use! 

If you want a little spookier look, Rhonda at The Messy Roost has the perfect idea using eyeballs from Dollar Tree! 

I agree with Rhonda. The "eyes" have it! 

Who says pumpkins have to be round? I love these 2x4 pumpkins from Alayna's Creations. Again so many possibilities...paint, paper, stencil...all three? 

Now on to this week's party! 

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

BFF Open House #222

Yay! Best day of the week Friday Eve. I am so ready for fall "y'all". I am ready for boots and sweaters and cold crisp days. 

Let's start with 15 Fall Decor Hacks shared by Engineer Mommy. There are a bunch of fun projects here. 

Rhonda over at the Messy Roost is hot and maybe like me ready for Fall. She made this very cool monogram sign (as in she made and painted the background that looks like old found wood) in July but I think it's perfect for Fall ! 

Even if it's still hot outside where you are, you can bring a little Fall indoors with a tablescape like the one shared by Grandparent's Plus. I think this is a nice transition from Summer to Fall. 

Finally if (like me) you are not a big fan of the pumpkin ( I know...this is a travesty!) here's a way you can have your pumpkin and eat it too...just make your chocolate cupcakes look like pumpkins as shared by One Little Project At A Time. Problem solved!

Now on to this week's party! 

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

BFF Open House #221 ( No Features This Week)

Happy Friday eve all! Dealing w/ a spotty wi-fi connection so no features this week. Hopefully this party will even work!! 

   

    An InLinkz Link-up