Annual Halloween Mantel - The Haunted Garden

It's no secret around here that I am a lover of Halloween. I say it every year, but both my sister and I are nuts about Halloween and honestly, I think it's because we used to have the best time with our church family with Halloween carnivals and haunted houses in the church basement (that's before everything turned into the "fall festival"). We would go for hay rides, run around in the church cemetery and our pastor was even in on all of the fun. Can you believe that?

Anyway, October kicks off each year with my annual Halloween mantel, which I worked on this weekend. This year I decided to go with a green, black and white theme, inspired by Mrs. Limestone's feature in BHG Treats & Tricks magazine. And I thought I loved Halloween, this lovely lady puts me to shame!

I really really wanted to run out to Michael's and see what new fun things I could find, but I decided to work with what I had in my box of Halloween decor (yes, I have one, just like Christmas). Most of the greenery came from my back yard, but I did splurge on one funky looking plant (in the middle) and candles that bleed green. I cut the haunted house from poster board after sketching it from a pic I found online. Then I just kept moving things around until they felt right. I always use books to add different heights for more contrast and interest and filled in with moss I had from last year's mantel.

The overall concept creates a haunted garden for that spooky, black house on the hill. The garden is filled with creepy critters including a black crow, a white octopus and a jet black owl, overseeing the garden from his perch. You'll find leftover skulls strewn throughout the garden, evidence of their latest meals. Be sure not to touch the plants in this garden, or they may just end up eating YOU!