9.13.2010

Halloween Decorating Ideas



First of all, I have to be honest... I'm not usually much of a "Halloween decorator"
so this was a challenge for me. lol.
Blood & Gore + Shelley = ......plugging ears, closing eyes, and nightmares...not so good. LOL
So I decided to take "Halloween Decorating" to the NEXT level, this year.
Classy, affordable, spooky, and just a little eerie.
Everything that I bought was done on a very reasonable budget!
Mostly because Halloween (for me anyway) isn't the type of decor I leave up for long.
So if you like something you see... I'm pretty confident
 you'll be able to implement a lot of the same ideas, in your OWN home,
and not have it leave your wallet empty :)

I started out this whole Halloween idea with this fun table candy display!
It's a great way to bring color, and maybe a little "ew" factor into Halloween, with
fun homemade labels and some creative new candy titles :)
I even got my 4 year old twins in on this one.  They were more then excited to come up with
"creepy candy names"

Once we had them all written down, I printed them on a thick card stock,
Cut them out,
Mounted them on some brown packaging paper (bought from the salvation army for $1.00)
Distress Inked the edges of the card stock, and slightly burned the edges of the
brown paper,
Put black eyelets on the outsides... ran some twine (also a $1.50 purchase at the thrift store) through them,
and tied simple knots on the ends, to keep them from falling out!


So easy!

*All of the Jars were bought from thrift stores for under $3.00 each
*I used Spanish Moss from my local craft store $2.99 for the entire bag
*And spray painted white, the corn husk pumpkin that I found for a $1.00, also from a thrift store.

Next:
Halloween-ing up our shelves! :)

All these fun plates were found on clearance or at thrift stores :)
the smallest plate is actually the bottom of a plant stand
All BUT the damask plate have vinyl decals, that I applied, on them.

You can buy these vinyl decals HERE 
Like I said... the Damask plate was bought, as is for $3.00 at Hobby Lobby,
and the skulls were purchased at Michaels Crafts for $1.99 and $5.99
I hung all the plates, using paper cutout guides first...
then used hot glue and ribbon to make a loop on the backs of the plates,
and small picture hanging nails to hang them on the wall.

ya... this plate was like .38 cents. LOL.  I love it :)

Here's the breakdown for the bottom shelf!
I found this wood stand from Salvation Army for $1.50, and sprayed it gloss black.
Then bought a $3.00 pumpkin/gourd from Michaels Crafts, sprayed it with a couple coats of white,
and then took some sandpaper to it, to bring out the original green/yellow tones.




Used some more of that Spanish Moss and made sort of a centerpiece :)
This small frame was .50 cents.
I designed my image in photoshop and then put it in the frame.
Easiest project to date. lol

Subway art is EVERYWHERE.
I hadn't jumped on the "bandwagon" yet...
So I thought... better late then never :)
This is MY take on it.
Bought a $3.00 frame with glass, from the thrift store,
spray painted it flat white...
and then took sandpaper to it, to distress the edges.
Applied my mirrored vinyl decal, that again, you can get HERE
backed the cardboard with brown packaging paper...
and that's it!
Found this cool bottle at the thrift store, also...
adhered another small vinyl decal, some twine, food coloring, and "drink me" tag to it, that I made.
I filled this thrift store vase with Dollar Store small skulls and shells I found from
our recent trip to Bear Lake
total cost = $3.00
TIP:
If using small shells like these, from a trip.
boil them first, to get rid of all the "yucky-ness"... LOL
and then lay them out to dry for a few days.
Dollar Store crow, Thrift store bird cage... and more Spanish Moss.
total cost about  = $5.00

The book of spells is actually an old photo album, covered in brown packaging paper, again...
with a small vinyl decal on the side. 



FRIGHT Garland
Used (yes again) the brown packaging paper and white cardstock printed letters in
Cut about 3 inch strips, accordion-ed them, and then glued the two ends together,
to make a circle.

Cut out the printed letters in circles, and distress inked them, 
punched a small hole in the brown paper, and strung some more of the
twine through each of them, to make garland.



WHEW! lol.
You ladies get all that!? :)
Hope so.

This was a BLAST!
And I have to say... I'm pretty excited to be READY for a holiday almost 2 full MONTHS before it even gets here!!!... that NEVER happens. ha!


115 comments:

  1. I posted this at eighteen25 but don't know if you saw it... I LOVE IT! It is all so fabulous! And I so want to go thrifting with you! You find AWESOME stuff wherever you go! :)

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  2. Yea you came over to the dark side! For someone who doesn't decorate for Halloween, you did a fabulous job!

    I'm just about finished with all my decorating. This I'll give a sneak peek tomorrow! The subwaybart was to die for!

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  3. So you decided to come over to the dark side? I love Hslloween, I'm almost finished decorating so I think I will do a sneak peek tomorrow.

    So loving the subway art!

    Megan

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  4. Shut up! This is unbelievable! I've always HATED decorating for holidays (except Christmas. Duh.), but this is so tasteful and gorgeous. You never cease to inspire!

    xoxo,
    ~Olivia

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  5. !!!LOVE everything!!! You are one crafty lady! I love Halloween and this looks like a million bucks. Not tacky or cheap looking at all! Great job, as always.

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  6. Hi, Im new to the blogging and I absolutely love what you have done here. Im happy to be following you :o)

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  7. Seriously...one of the best Halloween posts ever!!...and affordable, too?...you rock!

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  8. Great Halloween decoration ideas. Thanks for posting the spooky project!

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  9. So many great ideas. Thx soooooooooo much, I think I'm gonna coy some of them for my home. My daughter will love it. She is already dressed as a bat every day and can't wait for Halloweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen.
    Greetings from Germany
    Mel

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  10. Hi! Love your ideas. Thx so much for sharing. I'm gonna copy some of it for my home!!!
    Greetings from Germany
    Mel

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  11. I love it! I laughed out loud at the "Hollowed Frogs' Eyes" candy - might have to steal that idea for my older daughter's Halloween birthday party. Where did you get that green candy?

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  12. Ooh, how cool and creepy. I love the skulls in vase look. I bought some of those mini skulls at the dollar store too not knowing what I would do with them. Oh, and I've decorated with stuff from the sea lots before and had never heard you were supposed to boil it or bake it or whatever. I just threw it in the basket/jar. Then I saw someone's pic on their blog of driftwood that they had baked in the oven- with little dead sand crabby things that had come flying out of it. EEW EEW double eew!Still haven't baked my driftwood I collected last year, haven't seen anything crawling out of it either but I'm not about to check!!

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  13. I commented on this at eighteen 25 but wanted to comment again here. LOVE this setup!! Just the right amount of spooky. I really like the banner. Too cute!!

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  14. Gorgeous Halloween decor! Love the white and the brown paper you used- lovely 'natural' feel.

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  15. I love love love that decor!! One of my faovrites is the skulls with the shells - so clever!

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  16. Love your fall decorations!!! You have such a great eye for putting it all together!!!!

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  17. Wow! I am seriously impressed with everything you did with vinyl decals!

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  18. You did great! I love the Candy idea! Thanks for sharing!

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  19. Love Love Love all of your beautiful decorations. Classy but fun.

    BTW, I remember awhile back you were teasing us about some shelves you had in the works and it looks like those are them in this post. Do you mind telling us how you made them and what the process was?

    Thanks a bunch, you are my favorite blog to check out and you always make me smile. :)

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  20. Ha Ha. So sorry about my dumbness, but I just read about you saying you will get to the tutorial on those shelves. Forgive my brain!

    One other question, I don't have photoshop but am in love with what you created with the spider and web. Is there anyway to post that so others could print it out, or am I just crossing a line here?

    Have a wonderful day, and yes you are Wonderfully Wordy!

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  21. I'm not big on Halloween decorating either, though it seems that most of our neighbors go all out with the creepiest most obnoxious yard decor possible (including, but not limited to witches and mummies swinging from trees, giant inflatables.

    I typically just decorate for fall, but this year I'm dipping my toe into some cute Halloween decorations with a ribbon wreath for my front door. Maybe next year I'll add more!

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  22. you are sheer incredible-ness! Is it possible to covet a person? Because I wish I were you! :)

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  23. Seriously Shelley you have the Midas touch, everything you get your hands on turns to gold! I love it, all of it, and thanks so much for the breakdown. For a person who doesn't love Halloween decorating you've put the rest of us to shame!

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  24. That turned out so amazing. I love it. That candy from winco was so worth it. lol. Everything looks incredible. Thanks for sharing!

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  25. ok-so Im not one to decorate for halloween but Oh my GOSH! is that cute!! LOVE it!! how very clever.r

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  26. So classy!
    Where did you get the orange ball candy?
    I love decorating with colored candy in apothecary jars, but I usually have to go through and pick out coordinating colors!
    -Maelynn

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  27. Whew! That looks like a lot of work. SO SO CUTE! You did a fantastic job! It's so classy, looks like an image right out of a PB magazine!
    ~Robin

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  28. So Cute!!!

    I LOVE halloween and these ideas are great.

    One trick I learned last year is to put skulls (or creepy things) in a jar with green hair gel. Add a label with a cool description/images and you have a creepy preserved look.

    Robin

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  29. SO cute!! Love it all, heading over to WW so I can order!! :)

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  30. LOVE LOVE LOVE! This past weekend I sewed a fabric banner for Halloween, thinking it'd be affordable compared to the $29 version from Pottery Barn Kids. Well it cost me $15 for supplies, and now I'm thinking I need real budget ideas ($15 for one craft seemed a bit spendy for this thrifty girl). You have a way with PERFECT TIMING and CUTENESS!! Thanks for the inspiration and ideas :)

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  31. omg! i love halloween. these ideas are awesome! im always looking for new crafts to do during the holidays and browsing amazing blogs like yours . thanks for sharing.

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  32. Wow, for someone who doesn't really care for Halloween, you have the decorating down! I love it, and I especially like that everything you did, truly is affordable, so many blogs have "cheap" ideas that really aren't cheap. You must have read my mind cause I was literally JUST trying to figure out how to hang my plates on the wall without waiting to order dischangers or a plate hanger...ribbon...brilliant.
    Did you already do a post on your shelves? I have been planning on making some like yours...did you make or buy those?
    Thanks!

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  33. Now we've got ya started, what can we scare up next for you? Good job!
    Ronda

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  34. Okay...Are you kidding me? I just have to say... I hate Halloween. I don't decorate for it, I really haven't seen anything that I would want to decorate with, until now! What were you thinking, making me like Halloween decor. I totally can't believe you made Halloween classy.
    I've had it with you, your the best!
    Brooke

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  35. Well Done Shelley! I must say, your thrift store finds are remarkable. Thanks for sharing your creative ideas. Keep 'um coming!
    p.s. Just got back from Michael with 3 new "My Snacks" baskets for my pantry. Whoo-hoo!

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  36. Geez, Shelley- would you knock it off already?! I can't stop drooling over your haunted display. It's to Die For!!!

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  37. I said it on eighteen25 and I'll say it here. You are AMAZING!!! Will you come decorate my house like that? Ditto on Brooke's comment. There you go making me like Halloween...

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  38. i just wanted to tell you how much i love your blog! it is such an inspiration to me! :)

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  39. Wow. You are SO creative!! How do you come up with all these fabulous ideas? I love it!!

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  40. Oh My Gosh! This is all soooo cool! I love it all! I wish I had a vinyl cutter sooooo bad! haha Everything looks awesome!

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  41. Oh my, this is gorgeous!!! Thanks for sharing your great taste and amazing ideas.

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  42. What a great display! I love how you've coordinated so many fun spooky elements without making it too creepy. It just looks fun and festive and well done! Great work!

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  43. You did a super job on this. Halloween isn't my favorite holiday but you really made it stylish! BTW- are your shelves from Ballard Designs and if so how long are they? Thanks!

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  44. WOWOWOWOWOW!!! I have a wall in my dining room I just can't find anything to do with it. I'm loving the shelf set up and thinking i could do this and then just update throughout the year. YAYAYAYAYAY! Would you be willing to change it up for Christmas and blog about it?!?!? **Just an idea** :D

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  45. It looks great! If I had a little more time these days, I'd love to do something similar. And that's sayin' something, because I usually never do any decorating for Halloween. :)

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  46. I just love the autumn season. Your decorations are so cute. Love them! Everything you do is so dang cute. . . . Thanks for sharing your ideas.

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  47. I just love all of these ideas! And I might have to steal a few. But is it really stealing if I let you know ahead of time?

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  48. Ohmigolly this is such a fabulous area of your house I totally love it all. You went into so much detail and effort, all the touches combine to a really fun and thoughtful space. Thanks for sharing so many of your hints with us! Would love you to join me at A Crafty Soiree, every Thursday.

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  49. I just found your blog. I have been looking around and I have to say I love love love what you do. Good work. These decorations are so great!

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  50. really nice!!! i also wold like to decorate my home with these things...



    Thanks
    home decoration ideas

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  51. this is so cute! i love it because it's totally halloween, but without the cheesy (and "cheap-y") factor that you see so much. totally chic -- great job!

    lanni

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  52. I absolutely LOVE all your Halloween decor; so much inspiration!!! :)

    I'd like to invite you to link up with my "Open Haunted House" linky party every Friday till' Halloween on my blog, Moo Moo's & Tutus!

    http://moomootutu.blogspot.com/2010/09/linky-party-open-haunted-house.html

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  53. Thanks so much for the inspiration on these!
    I love EVERYTHING!
    Check out my version of your plates that I made with your inspiration at: http://sustainablychicdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/09/spookathon-dollar-tree-halloween-plates.html

    Thanks so much for sharing!!!! :)

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  54. Very nice this Halloween decorations!!
    Unfortunately here in Brazil this party is not very common!

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  55. Some good points raised in that post. Will be back to check for more.



    Cheers,

    Baby Lion Costumes | Elf Halloween Costumes

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  56. you lit a fire in me with this post and i have been on a halloween display binge! thanks so much for linking up to a crafty soiree last week-- hope you'll join us again tomorrow. i thought i was already a follower but don't see myself-- so now i'm your newest follower too
    malia
    www.yesterdayontuesday.com

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  57. Gosh I love your house! I am re doing my laundry room and I need color to match red washer and dryers :( I want your paint color but I doubt that will match..

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  58. I love your Halloween decorations...every single project is so awesome!

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  59. This all looks so cute! I usually don't go for a lot of Halloween decorations, but I'm really lovin' all of this!! Great job with all the fun, creative ideas:)

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  60. spooky FAB! love everything! We LOVE halloween at our house too! you have some great projects!

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  61. Wow... amazing... love the subway art... I can't believe that you preface this by saying you don't do Halloween??? I'm in awe! Lx

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  62. Stop! I just want to look at it all day! This is my 2nd time seeing it but I love all of the details...if this was a challenge for you I'd die to see what you would create if it wasn't :)

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  63. Loving the candy options ...problem is mine wouldn't stay full long !

    And the plates....oh the plates ... great job.

    ck mine out at :

    http://icoulduseadeal.com/2010/09/decorating-with-a-toolbox-and-a-quilt-fall-mantel-party-2010.html

    Jeanine

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  64. I'm hugely impressed with your creativity!!!

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  65. I think I'm speechless. Love it all! Really, really creative. So glad you linked up to my fall decorating party and shared these ideas with us. Thanks! :-)

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  66. OH my goodness -- my mind is swimming...in a really good way!! This is fantastic, all of it. I'm going to put this on my Facebook page!

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  67. Absolutely love it!
    I don't have a mantle either and do my seasonal decorating on shelves, so this is perfect!
    Especially love the plates!
    Posted this on my blog: http://birgitkerr.blogspot.com/2010/09/halloween-decorating.html

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  68. Love your design and the classy look of the Halloween decorations!

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  69. This is so creative and really great but do you work outside of the home? There is not enough time in the day to imagine, thrift, create ...

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  70. I love this. I did a modified version of your banner.

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  71. I saw this when you originally posted it and fell in love and now that I'm fully in the Fall mood I'm all the more smitten. This is perfection!! I love everything about it but because I'm on a sugar ban right now, I am totally drooling over your candy buffet. Oh my goodness so cute! Love your work girl. Keep inspiring us!

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  72. BEST Halloween decorations I have seen ANYWHERE!!! Very creative and super cute. I love how it doesn't scream orange and black in your face Halloween. I am so copying some of your ideas!
    ~Erin

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  73. So many terrific ideas in one post...you are very creative. I love the candy tray and you have a few of my favorite candies! I really love all of it!

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  74. I know I've commented on this before. I've looked at your spooky setup probably like 15 times. I love it!!!!!

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  75. I love, love, love everything!!! I might just have to make a banner like yours now.

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  76. heeeeyyyy!!!

    do you know that i just discovered your blog about 2 weeks ago. where in the world have i been?
    do you also know, that i *almost* made spooky silhouettes for my dishes, but decided not to. your dishes are so fabulous. they make me want to do some.

    your ENTIRE post is amazing. seriously. look at how cheerful your decor is with all sorts of fun & vintage mixed in. love it.

    thanks for linking to the silhouette party. i am a huge fan!

    kellie

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  77. I can't seem to find the owl anywhere here. I just caught a glimpse of it on the video but can't find where to purchase one. Thanks!

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  78. Your home looks like a STORE!! It's gorgeous!!! Wow!!! I'm adding you to my blogroll immediately ;)! Thanks for sharing! :)

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  79. this is fantastic! love that it looks so good and it was so cheap! nice work!

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  80. I'm soooo jealous! I don't have a creative bone in my body! *whine
    Yay for vinyl, it helps the artistically challenged such as myself!
    ABSOLUTLEY Gorgeous decorations!

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  81. I mentioned this post over on my blog at capriciousdandelion.blogspot.com. Just wanted to let you know you inspire me. :)

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  82. You are a crafting goddess, AMAZING POST! Thanks for sharing!

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  83. You are a crafting goddess, AMAZING POST! Thanks so much for sharing!

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  84. Love how many details/links you include! The gorgeous pictures themselves are a lot of inspiration and then you are so nice to take the time to give us all the yummy details...thanks you did a wonderful job-huge fan of the show too!-TOODLES-Angela

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  85. This is amazing! Your clever candy titles inspired me to create a "pumpkin teeth" printable. I hope you'll check it out!
    http://bethproudfoot.blogspot.com/2010/10/rotten-pumpkin-teeth.html
    Thanks for the inspiration!

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  86. Loved all your ideas, so I'm linking to this post from my blog today. Thanks! :)

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  87. These are FANTASTIC ideas. At first I was hooked on the candy buffet, but as a scrolled down I kept loving more and more. So spooky and fun!

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  88. I love your black and white theme. I'm not much of a orange person myself. You inspired me to make a witch silhouette plate and my local thrift store had the perfect wood holder to put my white pumpkin and spanish moss in. I came back today to see how you made the fright banner. Thank you for your inspirations.

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  89. The combination of black and white is really awesome. This is a match for an adults' Halloween party. Last Monday, we've had a Halloween party in San Diego. Tent rentals there are truly affordable, that's why we didn't worry much about finding tents. There were lots of visitors that came to our house, mostly were kids. Our theme was Star Wars, I guess everyone liked this theme. My sister also had fun at the Halloween party in Sonoma. Canopy rental services there are very easy to find that's why they've managed the party well.

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  90. Hey! I love all your little decorations! You are so crafty and talented. I am trying to decorate my bedroom and your little plate with the mum on it caught my eye. I looked for it on your other page but didn't see it. Could you send me a link to where it is? Thank you!

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  91. Sorry, I meant to leave my email too with my last comment.
    niki.wilson1239@yaho.com

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  92. I'm new to your blog and loving it! Great Halloween ideas! Thanks for sharing them! :-)

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  93. Wow, really well done! I love all your projects! I was feeling uninspired and looking for some DIY projects. This is just what I needed, thank you!

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  94. Wow! I don't know where to start, you have so inspired me to get out my Halloween decorations and do something with them. I tried to enter wonderfullywordy.blogspot.com for vinyl decals, but I need an invitation. Feel like inviting me? Thank you. peggye.wilson53@gmail.com

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  95. I just found your blog and I LOVE it! What great ideas you have! I, too, love thrift stores. I'd say about 85% of everything in our house came from Thrift stores, Craigslist or yard sales. I just love the 'hunt'. I do have a question for you. I tried to use the link to where you bought the decals for the plates and subway lettering, but I can't get to the site.
    It says I'm not authorized to read that blog??
    I am interested in purchasing some of the vinyl
    from there so if you could direct me there in a different way, I'd appreciate it. I look forward to following your blog from now on!
    Thanks!

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  96. Where do you get your vinyl subway art from? The site was a private blog but I love it.

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  97. I love this! Halloween is my favorite holiday and I've been going back to this post since this summer to get ready! I love your thrifty spins on interior decorating. Thanks for this and keep up the good work!

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  98. new to your blog...but I was wondering if you'd make your "along came a spider" a free printable? I love it and would love it in my home as well.
    Thanks, You're inspiring! I'll be back!

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  99. Love love love your ideas!! I'm already used your plate idea and they turned out wonderful.
    Here is a cool DVD I found to decorate your big screen during your halloween party. Just thought I would share something back!

    http://www.amazon.com/Jack---Lanterns-Haunted-Night-Pumpkins/dp/B005MUAQ84/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319525783&sr=8-1

    Thanks!!

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  100. I was on a Celebrities blog Lauren Conrad when a picture stood out that I have seen before I realized HEY THATS HOUST OF SMITHS!!!

    http://www.laurenconrad.com/cat/decorate

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  101. This is amazing. You have totally inspired me.

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  102. I have loved this Halloween display since last year and I am finally going to make the fright banner, except I can't seem to find the brown paper! I can find plain packaging paper but yours looks ribbed, do you remember where you got it?
    Thanks for all your amazing ideas!!! Love it all!

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  103. WOW THESE IDEAS ARE SIMPLE NEAT AND CREATIVE I LOVE IT :]

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  104. love everything but especially fond of the skulls in the glass jar. So well done.

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  105. Took from your apothecary idea and created a trail mix creation station. Thanks for the launch pad! What a great idea!

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  106. What computer program do you use for the before and after photos on your blog? I think that is the most impressive tool to communicate your progress! Thanks for all you create, you're an inspiration.
    ~Erin

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  107. Wonderful ideas! And so simple too...can't wait to get started on crafting these, even though Halloween is still a few months away. Thanks for sharing, you did an awesome job!

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  108. WOW! Love this-especially the skulls on the shelf :)

    http://itsatiplealife.wordpress.com/

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