Pages

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Harry Potter Inspired Halloween Decor

I really enjoy decorating for most holidays, but I don't have a lot of decor. This year I wanted to discover new ways to use items I already had around my home to create a fun Halloween atmosphere in our home.

I am not really into spooky. I don't like scary movies and I don't like old and/or dirty things. I know that's weird, but it just gives me the heeby-jeebies. I could never live in an old Victorian home. I would feel so terrified every day of my life.

Regardless, I still really enjoy Halloween. I love to come up with fun coordinating costumes for my family (more on that in another post or two) and I love to have pumpkins and happy haunts around the home. I had a few things that I DIM'd from Halloweens-past and did end up buying 4 things from Target that I felt like really added to the look.

The foundation of this look came from a 'trunk' of Harry Potter books that were my Christmas present in 2012. I used the trunk as the centerpiece and built upon it to create the finished product.

I used a Harry Potter tie that I picked up Sophomore of college at a Halloween store, a wand my dad made me for my birthday that same year, some perfume/cologne bottles that weren't conspicuously perfume/cologne, some cork-top glass containers I picked up in the Target Dollar Spot, a mason jar with 'quills', some tea lights I picked up around Valentine's Day at the Dollar Tree, a glass container to hold some fake fall foilage (purchased at Walmart for a Relief Society activity Sophomore of college), and a snitch (more on that later as well).


It's not Harry Potter without some Polyjuice Potion! I simply added some food coloring to water to create a deep green color.


Some Felix Felicis for good luck!


I searched the internet for a free Hogwarts Acceptance Letter and found a link (with instructions on how to download the font and everything) here.


Amortentia (let's pretend I have better handwriting mmkay?) and Veritaserum for some 'Love' and truth.


And this is where I get desperate! I knew I wanted a snitch and had some (terrible smelling) gold paint from Target I wanted to use but wasn't sure what to do. That's when I spotted my oldest's bouncy ball sitting there for the taking. I wrapped it in masking tape then created wings with the masking tape and taped them on. Then I painted the whole thing with the gold paint and allowed it to dry before setting it on the tie (which my husband actually wears to church. He gets lots of praise from the young men).


This bat banner was a DIM that I did back in 2013 with a girl from work. We tore pages out of an old book  (titled, funny enough, On Death and Dying), cut triangles out of the bottoms, cut out several black bats from one she'd printed off of google, glued them to the pages, glued on orange buttons from Joann's, and then hot glued them to orange baker's twine. She also had a black stamp pad we brushed lightly against each page to give it an aged effect. I've been able to fold this up nicely enough after each use that this is my third year using it!




I purchased these Halloween lights from the Smith's Seasonal/Promotional section that same year (2013) on sale. This year I strung them under our bar on top of our bookshelves and then 'hid them' under some spider webs I bought at Walmart in 2012. I'm actually attempting to use the webs to look like smoke bubbling out of a cauldron. Is it working? Or should I try something else?

I made these in 2013 by painting them with acrylic paints and Mod Podging scrapbook paper on top.

The candy corn was made the same was as the pumpkins in 2014, the ghost was a gift from my Mother in Law, and the Chicken Wire Pumpkin and real mini pumpkins were purchased at Target this year.


Tea lights inside the cauldron.



The final look.

I was happy to discover that I was able to create this look for just over $6! I had everything but the 4 things I picked up at Target, and several of the items weren't even Halloween decor!

I really enjoyed putting this together and am proud of my ingenuity. What do you guys think? I'd love to hear your feedback!

What are your favorite Halloween traditions, and what's your favorite way to decorate for Halloween?

2 comments: