Bubble, Bubble, Toil & Trouble

Well, if you can possibly stand another Halloween post-here goes!  I thought I was through decorating my fireplace mantel when I came across this bubbling cauldron from Through My Looking Glass  (found her on Paisley Passions Thrilling Thursday link party) & I just had to try it.  She used 2 cans of insulating foam so hers was really bubbling over but I only had one so I just had to make the most of it.  Also, my cauldron had been outside for a while and was cracked but I just had my foam bubble over at the point where it was broken to hide it. 

After making the cauldron, I decided I needed a witch's broom.  I started to go buy a straw broom but decided I could make one.  So, I just attached some pine straw to the end of a stick with a rubber band and spray painted the straw grey and black.  I really like how it turned out and to me looks a lot more like an "authentic" witch's broom than what I would've bought. 

I put my daughter's witch hat on a candlestick and added a bottle of life renewal potion which was actually one of those bottles of herbs or potpourri or whatever floating around in oil that I glued a label I printed on it. 

 I also added a bottle of witch hazel and divination stones under a cloche (which are actually some black rocks from Dollar Tree). 

Of course, the entire mantel and fireplace are covered in cobwebs and big black glittery spiders (from Walmart).  Next year, I swear, I will NOT use that spiderweb stuff-it is so annoying! 

I bought one of those glittery styrofoam skulls from Dollar Tree and repainted it solid white because I wanted it to  look a little more real and perched him on top of a candlestand. 

 I also just had to add a big, creepy, rat!   

I decided the banner I had in here wasn't gelling with the whole witch and spider theme I had going so I moved it to my dining room and replaced it with another free printable banner from Moselle that says Happy Haunting.  I tried to find one that said Hocus Pocus but I really like how creepy this one is. 

I probably should add another black crow but I don't want to move the one I have from his tree. 

The only thing missing now is a book of spells (which Through My Looking Glass has the best one I have seen-she just rocks!)  I think my total cost for this mantel (actually in my entire Halloween decor) is less than $5.  Everything else, I already had on hand or made from materials I had on hand.  Not too bad. 

P.S.  Pay no attention to the gaudy mirror above the fireplace-I rent a mobile home so there are some things I just have to live with (for now).