Thrifty Thursday: Cheap Fall Mantel Decor

Today's Thrifty Thursday post is coming a little late since I'm out of town for work this week.  Whew, it's been a busy week so far and I'm really ready to go home tomorrow! 

I'll be back next week with a continuance of the Birthday Parties on the Cheap series but this week I wanted to bring you a special little treat.  One of my big time successes on my day off from work on Monday (Thank You again Mr. Columbus!) was getting a little bit of my house decorated for Fall.  This project literally took me about 10 minutes once all of the items were "ready". 

I would love to take credit for this idea, but I totally had help.  In fact, if you were to get down to the nitty gritty, I'd have to say someone else actually came up with the idea and my part was more of a helping role.  My real life friend, Sarah, over at Downtown Southern was the real brain child behind this project.  You see, she loves Fall even more than I do, if that's even possible.  I mean, she's like. . .obsessed.  Seriously.  She loves Fall almost as much as she loves Justin Bieber.  Just testing to see if she's reading this. . .if I don't post anymore for. . .oh, forever?. . .you'll know it's because she's reading and she killed me for outting her undying love for the Biebs.  Ha Ha!  Anyways, on one particularly Fallish feeling afternoon shopping trip in search of perfect (and cheap!) fall decorations, Sarah spotted the pumpkin garland and that's how the whole project started.  Here's how the idea shaped up along with how much I spent on it (which is what makes it part of Thrifty Thursday):

• Pumpkin Garland from the Dollar Spot at Target--$1

• (3) Plain Orange Pumpkins from Dollar Tree--$1 each x 3 = $3
• the idea was that we'd take the pumpkins and spray paint them white to make them match my decor a little better
• 1 can white spray paint -- $1.99
• 1 small bottle brown craft paint (for the stems of the pumpkins)--$1.49
• (2) Pumpkin Spice scented candles (jars in between the pumpkins) from Garden Ridge--$3.99 each = $7.98

 Now, for the pumpkins. . .the original plan was to spray paint them white and paint the stems brown.  However, it was too much of a contrast with the white and the brown and literally made the pumpkins look very strange.  Like they were waiting for kids to attack them with stickers or crayons or something.  So, I took the same brown paint from the stems and watered it down quite a bit.  To about the consistency of a stain.  Then, I brushed it onto one portion of the pumpkin and wiped it off with a paper towel.  I repeated that step until the entire pumpkin had been "stained".  This left a slight brownish tint behind which makes the pumpkin look MUCH more realistic than the bright white/dark brown contrast did.  I like it this way much better!

• Hurricane Glass candle holder -- FREE (I already had it)
• Candy corn inside candle holder -- .50 (I only used about half the bag)

• Orange candles on candle holders and inside Hurricane Glass -- FREE (already had them)

I see that the candle on the right appears to be leaning.  I should fix that!  I'm sure I will. . .when it's time to decorate the mantel for Christmas or something! 

Now, if you'll notice, the two candles on the candlesticks are not the exact same color.  The one on the left is the same color as the two in between the pumpkins and the one inside of the Hurricane glass is the same as the one on the right side of the candlestick pair.  I did this to try to tie it all together since I tried to put the taller one on the left in the Hurricane glass but the color of it just looked too awkward against the colors in the candy corn.  What do y'all think?  Should I change it up?  Does it look too. . .off?  

I love this mantel decoration for two reasons: 1. it can easily extend beyond Halloween simply by replacing the pumpkin garland with a fall leaves garland (and maybe some white lights strung in between?) and replacing the candy corn with acorns or some small orange pumpkin vase filler.  The other reason, 2. It was CHEAP!!!  In total, I only paid $15.96 and all but the fifty cents in candy corn can be reused again next year!  Yipee!

What kinds of fall decorating projects have you completed in your own spaces?  Share pictures or ideas with us!