Creepy, Spooky, Unexpected : Vintage Halloween

Halloween is a most sacred of holidays at our house. Maybe it's the cooler weather. Maybe it's all the fall goodness. Maybe it's the time of year we met. Maybe we both have a dark side. Either way, it's our absolute favorite and we do it up right!

Vintage items just lend themselves to great Halloween decor. A darker time gone by, a sense of decay, a hidden history...all these things and more make them perfect for your festive fall furnishings. What I also love is using items that do double duty around the house and throughout the year. Many folks don't want to put a lot of money out for what they see as a lesser holiday. So make your money go far! Here are some ways I use vintage to decorate for my favorite month of the year.

First, let's start with the basic things I use to compile my Halloween vignettes.

Bell Jars or cloches make wonderful places to keep creepy things, whether for ambiance or to keep them from a certain mischievous cat. The rest of the year, they make great displays or terrariums.

Spanish moss is a great bed for all your spooky items. It goes forever. I bought this bag three years ago and it is still half full. Also works great for fall and spring decor.

Every year, I look forward to the Dollar Tree's Halloween stock coming out. It's like a national holiday. They have amazing stuff, all for $1; skeletons, pumpkins, organs, body parts, insects, and more! Never ceases to amaze and delight for next to nothing. It may look cheesy in the store but once mixed with the authenticity of your vintage stuff, it's legit.

Last, my stock of vintage goodies to add to the mix. As you will see, I love a theme and vintage offers a variety of directions to go.

Mirror, mirror : I know that Disney has made the story of Snow White seem cute but The Brothers Grimm actually wrote some dark stuff! This simple vignette alludes to the story of that wicked queen and her poison apples. Just in time for apple season!

Mad Mixologist : Create a spooky vintage bar with these vintage decanters, mid century glasses, a mirrored tray, and some creepy dollar store goodies. Add some vintage poison labels to the decanters and fill with red colored water or liquor!

Wicked Writing Nook : Create a dark and disturbed writing space befitting the likes of Edgar Allen Poe. His chilling tale, The Raven, was the inspiration for this grouping. And you know you want an excuse to buy a fabulous vintage typewriter!

Set a Spooky Table : Create a Hannibal inspired spread. Lots of gross things to eat and a great way to use your vintage silver! Use your imagination. Lots of fun to be had. Great place to use old bottles and china!

Dark Doctor : Compile a ghastly collection reminiscent of Dr Moreau's laboratory. Apothecary jars holding potions, canisters of body parts, and vintage medical books complete the display.

Cabin in the Woods : It doesn't have to be obviously Halloween. This vignette has nary a skull. Different things are disturbing to different people. Look to your favorite horror movie for inspiration! This grouping was conjured from ideas from Cabin in the Woods and Saw. Rusty old tools, a vintage hikers map, and woodsy charm turn ominous!

So, have some fun this Halloween! Look around at what you have and think of how you could use it. Add some vintage pieces that can be used all year round. Check out the Halloween section of the shop for all your decor needs. From vintage china, silver, tools, and dolls to creepy art, tin types, and festive banners, there is lots to browse for purchase or inspiration!

My Walls : Original Art and Vintage Oddities

So after looking at my shop, you may wonder what the heck my decorating style is. You might be scared to see. A lot like my shop, my walls are covered with vintage oddities, some quotes, and lots of ORIGINAL ART. I frequently encourage people to support local artists and I try to do so by promoting other artists through social media and by purchasing their one of a kind pieces. Basically, I would cover every square inch of wall space if I could and with twenty foot ceilings, I have a lot of it.

Here's a little peek into what I have collected and the artists that created these amazing pieces...

• First, my house features the photography work of my better half, the ones I'm allowed to. For an analyst, he definitely has an artists personality.

• Left : I always see this artist's work at The Wrinkled Egg in Flat Rock, NC when I go to Flat Rock Bakery for the most amazing brick oven pizza and delicious scones. They do a lot of farm and country type stuff which is not my style but this one, this one was me. Love the dark theme, love the painting, love the quote. It's mine. Artist is Sandy Erickson-Wright. Find her stuff at http://www.ericksonwright.com/.
• Right : Both of these are the same artist. Yes, I have two. Because they are amazing. Printed on wood, dark, eery, they draw you in. This artist usually has a booth at Woolworth Walk in Asheville, NC. Artist is Brenda Marks. Find her stuff at http://brendamarks.zenfolio.com/.

• Top Left : This piece features a million little multi-colored dots raining down behind the stark white tree. It's one of my larger pieces and it was hard to choose one because I love all her stuff. This artist usually has a booth at Woolworth Walk in Asheville, NC. Artist is Jennifer Barrineau. Find her stuff at http://jenniferbarrineauart.com/.
• Middle Left : Love the wood, love the re purposing that this artist does. Artist is Kevin Stinehart. Art can be found at https://www.etsy.com/shop/KevinStinehart.
• Bottom Left : What can I say, this little owl spoke to us. A little happy for my taste but had to have him.:)Found this at Woolworth Walk in Asheville, NC as well. Artist is Heather Shirin. Art can be found at http://www.heathershirin.com/
• Right : This piece is hard core. Effects of industrialism, loss of innocence. It speaks volumes. Found this at Woolworth Walk in Asheville, NC. In case you haven't guessed, you need to check this place out! Artist is Brian Mashburn. Art can be found at http://brianmashburnart.com/. Check it out!

• Both of these are by the one and only Tim TV, a man of many talents including performance artist. We saw both of these pieces at the first performance we caught of Tim TV and his circus. Mark had to have the Tom Waits piece, I had to have the piano piece for above my piano. Favorite status. Catch Tim's work at http://www.timstvs.com/. If you have a chance, catch a show. He performs regularly impromptu downtown so take a lot of cash for a tip, it's worth it!

                                    

• Of course, got to have my quotes. Love them. A little less subtle than art but sometimes you need it loud and clear.

• Then my oddities. Top left : I have two corbels that I will never sell. They don't match, the paint is badly chipped, they barely stay together, they were burned in a fire, they are mine, I love them.
• Bottom left : Love wood. Love wood grain. And a little extra nature thrown in.
• Top right : Tobacco basket. Another one of those pieces that made my shopping companions of the day worry for my sanity. But I was vindicated once it rested on my wall. And I never remove my vintage dust. It's all there, dirt, dust and all.
• Bottom Right : My brother Josh made me this super awesome floor lamp out of a vintage surveyors tripod. Who knew? Restoration Hardware sells these for thousands of dollars.

I said in my last post, a piece of original art is so much more than a pretty picture. Not only is it beautiful, special, and could become valuable, it is a piece of the artist, their time, their experience, their passion. Get you some.

So there's a peek into a sampling of what decorates my home. Yes, I am the person who hung a horse bridle and reigns on my wall. No, I don't ride horses. But I like it, and I do what I like. That pretty much sums it up.