DIY Cheap Halloween Mantel Idea

This Halloween chalkboard art is not only trendy it’s fun to create, looks great for home decor, and is not only inexpensive it’s easy to create. This time of year decorating for all the holidays can make my knees weak, but I love every minute of it. I am sure you’re going to love creating this Halloween craft project. I am sure you’re going to love creating this Halloween craft project with its spooky owl.

 

If you already have a large chalkboard this Halloween Owl chalkboard sign takes less than an hour. Go ahead and skip past the next section on making a chalkboard.

Buy or Make a Chalkboard

You will need to buy a chalkboard that’s about 24 by 36″ or larger.

The easiest way to make a chalkboard is to update an old picture. Purchase a large framed piece of art or mirror from the local thrift store and give the background surface several coats of black chalkboard paint. Make sure to let the chalkboard paint dry between coats and add as many coats as the manufacturer of your chalkboard paint recommends. If the thrift store frame doesn’t have a backing, replace it with a piece of wood or foam core board, and then paint with the chalkboard paint. I like Martha Stewart’s chalkboard paint.

If you prefer to make your own using wood. Purchase good grade 1/4″ thick plywood or smooth pressboard then sand it with fine sandpaper until it is as smooth as possible. 

Paint the plywood with several coats of black chalk paint. Make sure to let it dry between coats. Use whatever molding you like, cut to length, glue the molding to the plywood then add small finishing nails to create the frame. Make sure to clamp and let dry overnight before staining or painting the frame.

DIY Halloween Chalkboard Easy Tutorial

Halloween Chalkboard Supplies

To download the free Halloween printables, click on the Owl Printable link, it will open up right away with a two-page letter-size printable.  You can print the patterns out using your home printer, in regular quality, and grayscale is fine. The Halloween tree printable opens instantly as a one-page black and white printable.  

How to Draw the DIY Halloween Chalkboard

The most important thing to remember when creating this Halloween chalkboard is that you are working like it’s a negative. The owl silhouette is a bare chalkboard (negative space) you are adding chalk around it to make the shape appear.

Step 1 – Create the Circle Moon Outline

Judge the size you want for your circle to be mine is 26 inches. Using the chalk make an x where you want the center of your circle to be. Cut a length of string and wrap the end of it around a small piece of chalk. Hold one end of the string where the central X is and draw the outside circle. If you need to move your hand go ahead and just place the end of the thread back on the X and you should be fine. Once finished erase the X, and clean up any chalk smudges.

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Step 2 – Add the Owl and Spooky Tree

Print out the large owl printable. 

The printable is two pages, line the two halves of the owl printable together and tape well. Cut out the owl shape.

Place the owl shape where you want it within the circle. (Source Pixabay) Outline the outside of the owl with chalk.

Print out the tree printable.  Use it as a guide for drawing your branches.  Mark the outside of the branches leaving the centers blank.

Using the side of a piece of chalk to make the chalk marks wider and smoother, fill in all the areas between the owl and the branches and the outside of the circle.

Using a slightly damp cloth wipe away any chalk residue showing on the black portions and details, this increases the contrast in your Halloween chalkboard.

Don’t you love how the moon turned out, I think it’s fantastic.

This is my completed Halloween mantel home decor. It’s kind of spooky, but still pretty I think. I added some pumpkins, funny-looking black cats, and the vampire red Halloween banner to match the candles I already had.

I prefer to have cute Halloween decorations that are more spooky or fun than they are scary.  Anything really macabre makes me feel down, and I don’t want anything that would scare my granddaughters.  If you wish to see how I decorated the rest of the living room check out this  Bling on Halloween post.

Happy Halloween Leanna

Not ready to decorate?  Pin to Make Later!