Fireplace Mantel Fun for Halloween . . . AND All Fall

First of all,

if you love Halloween,

make sure and pick up this issue of

Better Homes & Gardens . . .

It has some awesome ideas & has inspired

some of my Halloween decor this year.

I just decorated my mantel for fall.

After Halloween, I can 

make a few adjustments

and 

we'll be ready for Thanksgiving!

I found a piece of wood at Home Depot

and painted it with chalk board paint.

(I probably should have primed it as it took MANY coats to complete!)

What's creepier for Hallowen

than EDGAR ALLAN POE???

I wrote parts of his poem, The Raven,

on my homemade chalk board. 

(Click here for the entire poem.)

I like the creepy crow raven sitting on top!

For Thanksgiving, I'll change the poem

to something applicable for the occasion.

This is the vase that was already on my mantel.

  I just took out the

usual grass & put in these black branches

(really just spray painted from my back yard--

don't you just love FREE??)

HURRY to Costco & get some of these

battery-powered candles 

if you don't already have some. 

They are available right now

in the Christmas section.

I love that they flicker & have a timer--so that the come

on every evening & turn off all by themselves.

They're so great for . . . EVERYTHING!

A lot of churches do not allow fire, 

so I love having these on hand for decorating there.

More fall & Halloween to come!

This project linked to: 

Centsational Girl (I LOVE her blog)