I’ve conjured up a Halloween centerpiece replicating a witch’s collection of oddities for casting spells, hexes and curses.

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It’s one of 21 seasonal settings included in this year’s Halloween Tablescape Hop hosted by my blogger friend, Rita of Panoply.

To set the tablescape scene, I’ve styled four theme elements; a spellbound Halloween centerpiece, place settings with holiday tableware, black napkins folded into the shape of a witch’s hat, and the chandelier decorated as an enchanted owl nest.

Most of the Halloween decor pieces — and all of the tableware —came out of attic, basement and kitchen cabinet storage. Additionally, I spent under $16 in total at Michaels and Dollar Tree for a few items to fill in the Halloween centerpiece and embellish the light fixture.

Creating the witch’s vignette was lots of fun, but time consuming! It took awhile (and many trips up and down the stairs) to gather everything together. Then I arranged and rearranged until styling the centerpiece into the finished look I envisioned. Join me for a spell!

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Welcome my pretties to the not-so-secret gathering place of dish addicts and those who like to style tablescapes for family and friends. Although, it’s pretty scary following our hostess Rita’s vintage-inspired apothecary and laboratory setting! Isn’t it spooktacular?

Into the Dark Woods: It’s a Hoot!

Deep in the dark, dark wood, a small coven of four witches has convened to mix potions in anticipation of Halloween.

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Overhead, some errant magic unintentionally spellbound a trio of owls watching from the trees above

Regular readers know I often decorate the chandelier to extend the centerpiece and tablescape theme.

First, there was Hilda the witch who crashed landed above the Eye of Newt, Spooky Halloween Tablescape. Or my most over-the-top, Jaw Dropping Halloween Chandelier, where Mr. Bones perched himself in the light fixture for the Spooktacular Skeleton at the Feast Table. Last year, feathery bats flew over the Gone Batty: Black, White & Purple Table.

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Decorating a chandelier is quick and easy, but photographing it for the blog is always a challenge. Day or night, there’s either glare from bulbs, or sunlight coming in from the sliding glass door and windows. Plus, it’s difficult to get a “clean” shot, without background “visual noise.”

Elevating the Spooky Scene

This year’s chandelier styling began with a new, five-foot length of black branch garland (Michaels). To create the owl’s spooky nest, I simply draped it around the six arms of the light fixture.

Starting at the ceiling, one of two black leaf garlands was weaved through the center of the light fixture. The second is laid over the more substantial twig garland.

Decorating Tip: Before decorating a chandelier, cover the bare tabletop with newspaper or plastic. Open the tightly wound length of twig garland outside and shake — it sheds quite a bit when first unrolled.

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Perched at the top of the fixture is the smallest (about 6″) owl (Joann Fabrics several years ago).

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The trio were purchased at 70% off and packed away for a future Halloween project. I liked the black owls’ haunting coloring and golden-eyed stare.

Originally, I planned to incorporate the owls into a Halloween centerpiece with black pumpkins purchased at the same clearance sale.

But, I went another direction and styling with the DIY Eerie, Elegant Black Pumpkin Decor. Instead, the pumpkins were part of a Halloween Gothic Glam Table.

Fast forward to this year, and I thought the owls would be perfect as lookouts for the spell casting, hexes, curses and conjuring taking place in the Halloween centerpiece bellow.

Each is quite lightweight and easily perched on the chandelier and twig garland. They are secured to the light fixture with clear, plastic-wrapped wire. That eliminates any risk of the owls nose-diving into the Halloween tablescape below.

Trio of Enchanted Owls

Did you know a group of owls is actually called a parliament? My threesome encircle the chandelier at varying levels, so that you can see at least one owl from the front hall, kitchen or family room.

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About a third of the way around the chandelier from the tiny owlet at the top, sits a medium-sized (roughly 8″) black owl.

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Positioned facing the entry hall is the largest of the three owls; measuring about 10″ tall. He’s the leader of the enchanted parliament.

Hoo Goes There?

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The large owl is casting a rather suspicious eye at newcomers. Or, maybe he’s leery of what my Scottie dog, Whiskey, is up to below?

While setting last year’s Gone Batty Halloween Table, the then puppy jumped up and snagged the lacey spider web topper. As a result, one of my four Wiccan Lace pattern dinner plates broke when it hit the tile floor! That necessitated the purchase of more dishes (Replacements, Inc.) in time for Halloween.

While most witches have a black cat as a familiar, I have a Scottish Terrier causing mischief lol!

So rather than using a tablecloth that would hang over the edge, I covered the round glass table with two lengths of khaki green gauze (Michaels several years ago). It’s the same material used on the mahogany table in the dining room for the adult-themed, Haunted Halloween Hallows Tablescape.

Conjuring a Halloween Centerpiece

Next, I started to build the witch’s vignette in the center of the round kitchen table.

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To begin, I placed a tall, lidded jar (Home Goods, usually holds ribbons) full of Styrofoam skull heads and straw.

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You might remember the skulls when they hung from the Jaw Dropping Halloween Chandelier over the Skeleton at the Feast Table?

Or, to embellish napkins on the Gothic Glam Table & Skeleton Napkin Fold?

Working from the middle of the Halloween centerpiece outward, I placed the three tallest elements first.

Behind the jar of skulls, is a clear cylinder vase filled with skeleton arms and fingers (Dollar Tree last year).

When I pulled the vase out of storage it was dusty. Instead of rinsing it off, I left it that way — as I did the other clear glass items used in the vignette. I figured the smoky look suited the scene. However, all the faux spider web throughout was added after I finished styling the Halloween centerpiece.

Eye See You

The third tall element in the Halloween centerpiece is a candlestick with a black velvet finish. It’s topped with a large, all-knowing eye.

Halloween-vignette-all-seeing-eye

I bought the candlestick along with black owls and pumpkins several years ago, but the eye (Michaels) is new.

Spellbound Vignette

Inspiration for the spellbound theme tablescape, came from this cardboard book box (Dollar Tree this year). I also grabbed the rat, bat and spider skeletons used in the Halloween centerpiece on the same visit.

Halloween-table-centerpiece-vignette-spell-book-rat

Everything else in the centerpiece I shopped my house. That includes the little white votives, skull on the stand, spider potion bottle, and red-eyed rat.

On the Gothic Glam Table, the rat was wearing one of my vintage rhinestone earrings! He was convorting with Stella, the Silly Skeleton Posing on Elegant Table. Another year, he sat on the lap of Mr. Bones in, DIY Halloween Skeleton Decor: It’s a Scream.

Witch’s Collection of Oddities

Moving to the right of the Halloween centerpiece, a rat skeleton hugs a bottle of poison, while a black spider lurks above.

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Further around the vignette is a bird skeleton in a cage, first shared in Skeleton at the Feast.

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Climbing down the birdcage is a large skeleton spider amidst all the webbing. Below him, a small dome lid covers a jumble of small bones.

Next to it, a large skeleton hand (Dollar Tree this year) palms a bottle of poison.

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Captured in a lidded cupcake stand are a trio of ghosts — one of whom seems to be appealing for release.

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Nearby, a skeleton bat is hugging a bottle of Zombie Juice. Behind him is a skeleton candle, black roses with eyeballs, and another spider trapped under a smoky glass dome.

Magical Lighting

Finally, weaved around the entire Halloween centerpiece are a strand of mini lights. It helps add a little magic to the scene, which is especially effective at night.

Halloween-book-spellbound-centerpiece-vignette

Hidden inside the spell book is the battery box for the lights. All I have to do is open the cover to easily switch the lights on or off. Magic!

Place Settings Fit for a Coven

For the witches’ small gathering, I decided to keep the four place settings simple. Oval plates (William Sonoma years ago) depict either a snake, raven, skull, or bat.

I have two of each design for a total of eight dishes. Although difficult to layer into a stack with other round or square plates, I often use them to serve hors d’oeuvres or desserts buffet style.

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Black handle flatware and smoky black stemware (Dollar Tree) are well-suited for a Halloween table setting. Last year, I used some of the same stems to make DIY Spooky Painted Glasses as guest favors for the Gone Batty Halloween Table.

Smoky Brew

Centered above each plate is a min black cauldron, which serves as a place card holder.

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The smoky potion is just faux spider web — my favorite DIY Halloween “special effects” lol!

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Lastly, are black napkins folded into the shape of a witch’s hat. As many of you know, napkin folding is one of my favorite ways to embellish a table setting theme — cackle, cackle!

Hats Off at the Table!

There are two basic techniques for folding a napkin into the shape of a witch’s hat. First, is one that resembles a paper origami fold and lies flat on a plate. It’s a great choice when using plain dishes that have no center design.

Halloween-napkin-fold-black-witch-hat

However, I prefer the style that stands upright. Not only does it not cover up the Halloween figures of my plates, but adds some dimension or height to the table settings.

Witch Hat Napkin Fold

To fold the napkins, I followed a two-minute Rada Cutlery YouTube tutorial. There’s only three steps to transform a flat napkin into a witch’s hat — fold napkin in half and half again, roll into a cone, and turn up the bottom edge (like joining a pair of socks). My first witch hat napkin was an instant success!

But, I struggled somewhat and was frustrated getting the other three napkins to hold the hat shape. Curses!

Halloween-witch-black-hat-napkin-spider-ring

So, after several unsuccessful attempts with the hat collapsing (she’s melting lol!), I slipped a plastic spider ring over the tip to hold the shape. For a children’s party, the rings would also make a cute table favor.

Part of the reason the fold wasn’t holding, was the slippery nature of the rayon napkin fabric. Since I preferred the look without the spider ring for my adult Halloween table, I decided to try again. After all, the first napkin fold was still standing upright. Hmm, had someone cast a nasty hex on me?

No Magic Necessary

In the video, it’s hard to see the instructor rolling the napkin into a cone. That’s when I realized one important direction that wasn’t explained — roll the cone from the bottom edge up. Apparently, I had been doing just the opposite on the folds that collapsed.

Halloween-witch-hat-shape-folded-napkin

My pretties, the witch’s hat really is an easy napkin fold — it just takes a bit of practice to get the knack of rolling the cone at the right angle and tightness. No magic wand or incantations are necessary!

Tricks & Tips

Here’s my folding tips to accompany the video:

  • Heavier, stiffer fabric holds it’s shape more easily (although my rayon napkins did work out in the end).
  • After folding the napkin in half, and half again, position the folded edge at the top; furthest away from your body.
  • Roll the napkin into a cone by starting with the fabric edge closest to you.
  • Next —if using a spider or other napkin ring — pinch the point of the cone to slip it on .
  • Turn the fabric at the wide end of the cone inside out to create the hat’s brim.
halloween-table-bone-shape-napkin-fold

No two free-standing witch’s hat napkin folds will look exactly the same. I like it that way. Which do you prefer, with or without the ring?

Another fold that would have fit with all the skeleton parts in the Halloween centerpiece is the super simple femur bone used on the Spooktacular Skeleton at the Feast Table. But, I wanted to try something new, and this is the 25th fold I’ve incorporated into a tablescape.

Depending on your table theme, consider the pumpkin or mummy fold for Halloween. See those and other ideas at Napkin Folds for All Seasons, Holidays & Occasions.

By the way, by changing the napkin color fabric to red or green, the witch’s hat fold can also be used on Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day tables as elf or leprechaun hats.

Related Post Picks

Happy Halloween Hop

Now it’s time to hop on your broom and fly to 20 other enchanting Halloween table settings. Next stop is Mary of Home is Where the Boat Is and her darling retro, vintage inspired tablescape.

2022-halloween-blog-hop

Pandora’s Box – Snack Hour Portable Tablescape

Bleu Belle Interiors – A Sweet Halloween Table

Me and My Captain – And the Band Played On

Everyday Living – Halloween Critters and Treats

My Hubbard Home – Halloween Inspired Fall Tablescape – The Best of Autumn

Panoply – Apothecary’s Mystical Halloween Laboratory

Debbee’s Buzz – Spooky Spellbound Halloween Centerpiece and Table

Home Is Where the Boat Is – Black Cat Trading Company

Thrifting Wonderland – Practical Magic Halloween

Red Cottage Chronicles – How to Set a Halloween Tablescape Fit for a Princess

Life and Linda – If the Shoe Fits

The Little Yellow Corner Store – The Debonair Vampire, Leonard

The Bookish Dilettante – Halloween Tablescape: Midnight at the Ball

My Thrift Store Addiction – Jadeite Whimsy: Seasonal Tray and Table Setting

The Painted Apron – Slightly Spooky Halloween Tablescape

Bluesky at Home – How to Set Up a Sweet Halloween Buffet

Corner of Plaid and Paisley – Table of Vexing Vermin

Zucchini Sisters – Halloween Table Top Decor with Skeletons

Celebrate and Decorate – Halloween Tablescape in Gold and Black

Dinner at Eight – Welcome to Ghostly Hollow!

Karins Kottage – A Bewitching Black and White Tablescape

Pumpkin Festival: It’s a Scream

Recently, we traveled to Hoboken, NJ to celebrate our eldest son’s engagement to darling V, and for the two families to meet and get acquainted. There were family style meals at Persian and Vietnamese restaurants, an escape room adventure in NYC, and more!

Blaze-illuminated-carved-pumpkin-festival-Scream-artwork

One group outing was a drive to the Hudson Valley for The Great Jack o’ Lantern Blaze. It’s located near Sleepy Hollow, of headless horseman fame! Come back next week for a spell, and walk through the amazing 7,000 carved pumpkin experience with me at Jack O’ Lantern Carved Pumpkin Festival.

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I regularly participate in: Metamorphous Monday, Turn About Tuesday, Centerpiece Wednesday, Whimsical Home Projects, In Link Party, Share Your Style, Tablescape Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Crafty Creators, Fabulous Friday, Saturday Sparks, Happiness is Homemade, and Love Your Creativity.

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