Halloween Decor: Dollar Store and Thrifting

I can't even begin to explain how excited I was for the weather to start changing and for the autumn activities to begin in full-swing!  However, I pulled out the tote full of my autumn and Halloween decor, and was sadly disappointed in the very little bit I had tucked away.  Thankfully, real pumpkins and gourds can really add a lot without hitting your wallet too hard (and last all season if left uncut/carved too).  However, I wanted to have some more festive Halloween and spooky decorations.  But having just moved and spent a nice chunk of change on that, the spending had to be minimal.

So, I decided to peruse a couple of my local Dollar Trees, and was pleasantly surprised at the loot I found!  Between that and a few thrifted items and things I already had on hand, I was able to pull together a pretty festive and spooky mantle above my fireplace!

I was thrilled that I scored the creepy crows and adorable glittery jack-o-lanterns for $1/piece!  Once Halloween is over, I plan on turning the jack-o-lanterns around so you can just see the pumpkin.  The skeletons, skull, and spiders were other fabulous dollar store finds.  I was so impressed with this decor being only $1/piece, because I noticed nearly the exact same items in other craft stores for at least quadruple the price!  I also picked up a package of cobwebs to have strewn across the final product.  I was impressed with how realistic they look, and one package has proven to be more than enough!

The books are thrifted, and I pick them up over time.  If you can't find a vintage/beat up book, even just different sizes of books in neutral colors will give you the same type of look.  I'm sure you can also rip at the book spine and take some sandpaper to rough up the edges on a book that looks too "new".  The books work great to give different height and dimension across this huge mantle!  Plus, I use the books year-round for decor, not just during the holidays, so to me, they are worth picking up when I see them!

The banner and wreath are both homemade and super simple and inexpensive!  I will have tutorials up on both of them in the next couple days...so stay tuned!

If you don't have a fireplace or mantle, don't worry!  I used to decorate the top of my piano similar to a mantle-top.  You can also do the top of a bookcase, small entertainment center, or shelf.  I'm sure there is a spot in your home to glam up if you are dying to decorate!