Home Sweet Haunted Gnome

October is in full swing and it will be Halloween before we know it!  I’m running behind on my Halloween decorating, and I’m determined to get it finished by next week before it’s too late.  But today I’m sharing one Halloween décor project I finished early back in August.  Last fall I made a Halloween indoor fairy garden which was inspired by a pumpkin shaped base my mom gave me.  I enjoyed it so much that I’m displaying it again this year, and adding a Halloween indoor gnome garden to my décor.  This new design was inspired by yet another unique container, a glittery black broken pot design I found in Michael’s Halloween fairy garden section.  Broken pots are great for adding height and visual interest to a fairy garden, which I learned when I made a succulent gnome garden this past spring at Caravan Classes.  My favorite seasonal decorations to put out are always the newest ones, and I couldn’t wait to see if I could transform this broken pot into the ultimate haunted home for some spooky cute gnomes.

The pot has three compact levels with grassy green surfaces.  I wasn’t crazy about the green material, and wanted to cover it in black to match the pot and black stair steps that wind around the side of it, so I covered the exposed areas with flat back decorative filler stones after I placed the accents.  The base of the color-changing lighted haunted house fit perfectly on the top level so I didn’t have to put stones around it.  I tucked some metal bats into the windows of the house.  I also put a crystal ball on the bottom edge of the haunted house so that it sat next to the witch gnome on the next tier. The witch also has a cauldron and black cat beside it.  The final level has a Frankengnome and tall pumpkin stack.  The two gnomes are from JoAnn’s and they’re my favorite part of this whole scene.  On the stair steps leading up the side of the pot I placed black and white rocks and tucked orange pumpkins into the crevices.

At this point, I thought I was done with my design, but I realized the next day the garden would look better with more trees than just the twiggy little tree next to the haunted house.  Trees would fill in the landscape so the haunted house didn’t just jut out by itself.  I noticed there were some little crevices next to the top level that trees could be tucked into if they were thin enough.  Back to Michael’s I went and found the perfect black trees to match the black pot.  I also picked up a strand of miniature lights which can be set to a steady-on orange or purple color, or set to blink and change colors.  Probably the trickiest part of this otherwise easy project was getting the batteries inserted properly and stringing the lights carefully through the trees without damaging the wires.  The trees also just barely fit in the crevices and had to be nestled just so, and then the battery pack hidden behind the pot.

This little completed corner of my Halloween décor is inspiring me to finish decorating the rest of my house.  What tricks or treats do you have in store for your Halloween décor this year?  Let me know in the comments below.  And be sure to check out my outdoor fairy gardens I decorated for fall this year, including a Halloween themed garden.  They’re still pretty and green since we’ve had mild temperatures and a nice amount of rain this fall.

Happy haunting!