Friday, October 15, 2010

Whimsical Halloween Decorations


I miss magazines!  Some of my favorite magazines are no longer in publication and it makes me sad.  A few years ago, I was reading Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion and saw this front porch in an article.  We had just moved in to our old Victorian house and had the perfect porch to recreate this look.


I studied the pictures and here is my version of the porch.


I started with clear Christmas lights from Home Depot.  I used the larger, old fashioned lights and not the smaller Christmas tree light.  I bought about 20 yards of black tulle.  It takes a lot of tulle, but luckily I got it on sale for under $1  yard at JoAnn's.  I cut the tulle into 18"strips.  Then I looped the tulle around the cord skipping every other space between the lights. (I looked back at the picture and I actually randomly placed the tulle on the wire.  However, last year I skipped every other space.)





I filled in the empty spaces with orange paper lanterns that I bought from Luna Bazaar and paper that I bought from Party City.  The glittered skulls were purchased several years ago from my favorite store The Vintage Flea, but I found these wooden skulls at Michael's this year for $1.50.  You can glitter them yourself!!


I had planned to paint jack-o-lantern faces on the lanterns but that may have to wait until next year.I also found glittered skulls, bats and spiders at Target for $4 in black, green and turquoise.  Click here to visit the Target website.







Here is how the porch looks during the day.










How do you like my porch?  I like how it looks at night and the boys like it too.  Baby Mac squeals and claps every time he goes outside.  By the way,  I still have that magazine and look at it often this time of year.


Thanks for stopping by!
Our Southern Nest

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19 comments:

ChRiS said...

i loveeeeeeeee your porch

Becky said...

I love everything about it!

The Painted Home said...

omg, your porch looks so great! I remember the old magazine cover and loved it to! you knocked it out of the park. great job. the kids will love going to your house on halloween.
-denise

Amy C said...

WOW!! What a fun porch you have for decorating. You did an awesome job of creating your own from the magazine picture. I love that it's cute halloween, and not so scary. Thanks for sharing. Visiting from TT&J.
Amy @ The Happy Scraps

cleverlyinspired said...

I love all the lights!!! Great job!
www.cleverlyinspired.com

Chacoy said...

looks amazing! where did you get the jackolantern pots? those are too cute;)

Our Southern Nest said...

I purchased the jack-o-lantern pots from a nursery in Birmingham, AL several years ago. They are old sap buckets and some one cut out the face and painted it.

Mandi @ Vintage Revivals said...

JEALOUS MUCH? Why yes, yes I am! This is totally magazine worthy! I am so glad that you are not my neighbor!

love your guts
mandi

All That Glitters said...

Yours looks amazing!!!! You did a great job and I'm in love with that magazine you have!! There was some halloween bunting that I'm kicking myself for not buying last year at Tjmaxx for $5.99 each! It was made by Glitterville and they don't make it anymore!!!

I would love to come trick or treating to your house for sure!!!

Take care!!!
Jennifer

Jenni said...

looks beautiful!

Kari Sweeten said...

Absolutely gorgeous!!!

Stephanie Lynn @Under the Table and Dreaming said...

What a gorgeous porch! I love each and every detail! You have done a fabulous job - magazine worthy! TFS! Hope you are enjoying your weekend! ~ Stephanie Lynn

KM Studios said...

Oh my goodness!!! that porch is lovely!!
I don't think there will be one kid that will NOT want to trick or treat @ your house!
Fantastic job!!

The Autocrat: Haley said...

AMAZING FABULOUS SUPER and all of the above! You did a really good job! WOW!

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful porch...love all the elements...you tied them together beautifully!
I can't wait to see the Christmas version;)
Visiting from Sawdust and Paper Scraps.
Cheers!
Theresa

Jami said...

Oh! This post makes me miss my porch! Yours is so incredibly adorable I just want to come over and sip cider with you. :) Great job!

Cathy W. said...

Your porch is amazing! Love it!

Anonymous said...

Your porch is so whimsical and cute! I am an artist and this is the time of year I get ready for Fall shows. came across your post and loved it!

Our Southern Nest said...

Thanks so much for you kind words!