Painted Pumpkins

• Use a few natural or faux pumpkins in various sizes to adorn the mantle piece. Keep in mind that items grouped in odd numbers help provide an extra visual element. For a modern twist on classic pumpkin decorating, paint the gourds with colors pulled from the home's decor. For example, you can paint the pumpkins frosty gray or classic navy blue. Set the pumpkins on the mantle with the smallest in middle moving outward to the largest. Set hurricane lamps in between the pumpkins on the mantle. Fill the hurricane lamps with fat, white pillar candles and tie pieces of raffia around the lamps. From the mantle's ledge, drape bat ornaments attached to fishing line.
  
  

Raven Inspiration

• For a cheeky twist on the classic Edgar Alan Poe story, gather together a large, cylindrical vase, silver candelabra, orange taper candles, black taper candles, smooth pebbles, curly branches and ornamental ravens. You may be able to find faux ravens and other birds at a local craft store. Fill the cylindrical vase with smooth pebbles and stick one or two branches into its center. Attach three or four ravens to the branches with hot glue or the included twist tie attachments; set the vase on one side of the mantle. On the opposite side, set the silver candelabra decorated with orange and black taper candles.
  
  

Candy Buffet

• Check thrift stores, yard sales and discount home good stores for clear apothecary jars in various sizes. In addition to the apothecary jars, collect various Halloween candies for a decorative collection. Set three to five apothecary jars of various sizes across the fireplace mantle and fill them with a variety of Halloween candies. Some candies for this project include red and black licorice bites or twists, candy corn, candy pumpkins, marshmallows and colorful hard candies. Your family will enjoy an opportunity to trick-or-treat off of the mantle.
  
  

Autumn Inspiration

• Since Halloween falls when autumn colors are often reaching their peak, use the colors of autumn for an All Hallows Eve-inspired mantle. At the craft store, purchase some plastic jack o' lanterns. Fill the jack o' lanterns with water and place cut flowers from an autumn garden, such as roses, fall-blooming wildflowers and mums, into the pumpkin vases. Pair the pumpkin vases with thick pillar candles in various fall-inspired colors, such as plum, orange, yellow or cream. Place the pillars on silver, bronze or copper candle plates and mix the candles in between the flower-filled pumpkins.