This is the second year in a row that I've gone a bit mad for Halloween decor, and it's almost as much fun as decorating for Christmas but far less time-consuming and far less costly.
Here is the black iron floor candelabra I found at the Brimfield Antiques Show last month, complete with pillar candles and a Dia de Los Muertos ornament I found at a shop in Provincetown over the summer.
(I have a close-up photo of the Dia de Los Muertos ornament but it must be possessed because it won't upload).
I didn't post it on last month's Brimfield entry, but now my secret's out: I visited my favorite awesome hardware dealer to buy some skeleton keys. These were $2 to $3 apiece so I was able to purchase a bunch. I intentionally chose some with rust, and tried to find different shapes and sizes.
 |
| Keys are so symbolic – evocative, hopeful and mysterious. What doors did they once unlock? Perhaps secret rooms filled with many treasures. |
I decided to use them as ornaments on my Halloween tree.
I also found a bunch on a keychain from another dealer. Could they have belonged to a creepy butler or superintendent from decades gone by?
 |
| Yes, I've gone batty for skeleton keys. |
 | |||
| The vintage Kron owl TV lamp is from last year. Who's guarding the skeleton keys? He is. |
The living room is a warm room and gets used more in the cooler months so I put most of the decorations here.
In the coming weeks I'll probably buy a couple of pumpkins, which I can place atop the two round coffee tables in this photo's foreground.
Here's proof that you can really decorate on the cheap. I found the jointed paper skeleton at the Dollar Tree store, which, you guessed it, was $1.
 |
| Arrrrrr... ya ain't never gonna leave this house. |
And here's something I found for free in nature on one of my evening walks: fallen bare tree branches from an overly blustery day. They make an easy centerpiece, and I especially like their curvy shapes. I left a few of the dry leaves intact, just as I found them.
Finally, moving down to my long, funky hallway, I splurged a little on black silk Halloween chandelier shades from Ballard Designs. They add just the right spooky touch when combined with dusty magical crystals.
