# transforming my house??



## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

I'd take down any regular pictures. Either find some creepy art and size it/print it out for the frames you already have, or do things like add (via a dab of hot glue if it's to glass) paper images of vamp fangs to the mouths, rubber spiders, cobwebs, draped cloth...

I found a really cool three shelf unit that is like a shadow box with a very gothic looking frame in a clearance section, spray painted it black, and am making some creepy arrangements with small skulls, blood red flowers, snakes and other smaller knick knacks that tend to get lost if they aren't displayed well.


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## christmascandy1 (Aug 19, 2009)

i like frankie's girl suggestions..those spellbound books r cool and potions (that u make) lay around..the babies or eyes in jars work..a huge couldron with dry ice in it..there r soo many things u can do...cant wait to c pics!!


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## NewbieHaunter (Sep 6, 2007)

I wonder .....if I took a large white poster board (the size of my pictures on the wall) and cut out a square in the middle, like a mat and print out a smaller 'haunted' pic to put in it, then used double sided tape to put it on the pictures I have hanging on the wall. Would it have to be behind the glass to look right? Im sure it would look better behind the glass but that would be a job! lol maybe if I drape some spooky netting or moss or webs on it. I dunno its just a thought.


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## NewbieHaunter (Sep 6, 2007)

Is there a place to download spooky portraits??


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## Dragonomine (Sep 28, 2008)

I really love the idea of putting scary pictures in frames I already have. I hadn't even thought of that. And using the hot glue on the windows! I wonder if it would work for wallpaper?


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## wandererrob (Aug 21, 2007)

In addition to a stockpile of cheap frames gathered here and there, we actually bought a bunch of cheap plate glass frames at IKEA, then used construction paper and scrapbooking paper to frame various creepy/scary/horror photos and quite literally replace all the pictures in the house with them.

We also cover the furniture, put out a few lamps we redesigned, picked up a couple of creepy busts for the mantle from Michael's/AC Moore and so on. 

Some dimmer lights in the right places, different colored bulbs, and even adding a couple of colored lights in strategic locations (e.g. a nice green glow eminating from under the couch) can help add ambience as well.

Basically, think of your house not as a house to be decorated, but as a haunt that you wish to build. In a lot of ways, the same things apply. Well placed props, lighting, setting the mood.


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## Finn (Aug 2, 2008)

NewbieHaunter said:


> I wonder .....if I took a large white poster board (the size of my pictures on the wall) and cut out a square in the middle, like a mat and print out a smaller 'haunted' pic to put in it, then used double sided tape to put it on the pictures I have hanging on the wall. Would it have to be behind the glass to look right? Im sure it would look better behind the glass but that would be a job! lol maybe if I drape some spooky netting or moss or webs on it. I dunno its just a thought.


I wouldn't think you would need to put them behind the glass, especially if the lights are going to be turned low. At the most you could probably print them out on glossy photo paper so there is a bit of a reflection. I might try using some of that blue clay-like sticky tack, rather than double-sided tape. It'd be easier to clean off of the glass. JMHO


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## wandererrob (Aug 21, 2007)

Oh, I know what I forgot. If you have the time and inclination, you could always temporarily repaper your walls with something like this: Cobblestone Patterned Corrugated and Flat Decorating Paper - ShindigZ-4W055D10

We did our garage with the paper and it looked pretty cool. If you plan to reuse it, you might consider spending a bit more for gossamer, which I'm told withstands being put up and taken down a bit better in the long run.


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## aman018 (Mar 5, 2009)

*Alert*

Do Not Use Spanish Moss inside not only is it flammable its the breading ground of chiggers if you dont know what they are they are almost microscopic red bugs that once on skin they burry them selves into your skin and lay eggs this creates an irrating red rash and has a burning itching feeling


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## Elza (Jun 21, 2004)

I used the scene setter paper for an old house look. This was my mortuary waiting room. So I didn't spook it up too much ...it was my workplace.










Old books, some rubber rats, candles (or fake if worried about fire), Cheese cloth curtains or some old curtains. Baby powder on tables to look like dust.

bags your sheets up in a plastic sack with some moth balls for a week before the party...adds that old musty smell.

There's lots of ideas.


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## NewbieHaunter (Sep 6, 2007)

great ideas! Im more accustomed to corpsing, building TCT clowns and spitting lizards but I with the suggestions here I think I can do this!  

oh and aman018 I definately know what chiggers are, Im from the hills of tennessee! haha I was thinking of using store bought spanish moss, surely that wouldnt have chiggars would it??


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## aman018 (Mar 5, 2009)

well it depends where its bought but now heating it hair drier letting sit outside in the hot sun would run the out the dont like heat mut soft moist places


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## Ghostess (Sep 8, 2005)

A light misting of 10:1 water:bleach solution and drying in the sun will eliminate the little nasties from harvested Spanish moss. I live in Florida, and use it a lot in my display (and for other projects). Never had a problem with redbugs/chiggers. 

The gossamer from Shindigz does hold up really well, and is more durable and cost effective than the paper, if you plan on using it over again in the future. I've used the same gossamer for 4 years now, this year will be the 5th and it still looks good.


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## chartreusechaos (Jul 7, 2009)

I tea-stained cheesecloth and draped it over all the mirrors in my house. Two reasons - vampires won't be intimidated, and it was customary way back when to cover mirrors after someone passed away in the house.


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## NewbieHaunter (Sep 6, 2007)

Awesome pic Ghostess and thanks for the tips. 
Chartreusechaos covering the mirrors is a great idea. I have a huge mirror in my living room and I plan to use a coffin containing a body for a coffee table so that would go together wonderfully! Thanks


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## dippedstix (Jul 2, 2009)

Do you guys take down your regular drapes/curtains too? Thats a lot of work! LOL What do you put on the windows?


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## Ghostess (Sep 8, 2005)

I take down almost everything that is normally up and replace it all with more appropriate stuff, like black shredded cloth for curtains, cheesecloth on light fixtures and mirrors, gossamer throughout the house, beef netting spider webs, haunted portraits, etc. There's not a corner in the house that doesn't get transformed, except the kids' rooms.


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## NewbieHaunter (Sep 6, 2007)

Good question Dippedstix!! Ghostess, how long does it take to do all that?? This is my first party and Im afraid I'll wait too late to start decorating.


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## Ghostess (Sep 8, 2005)

From start to finish, if I don't sleep or go to work... it takes me about 2 weeks to put most of it up. Of course, that includes putting the gossamer up, which means cleaning under and behind furniture at the same time, which is time-consuming, but I have it all down to a science now. The gossamer is cut to perfect measurements to fit the walls, and I have it all bagged and labeled as to which walls so it's easier finding the right section. Same goes with the fabric for the curtains, I label everything so I know exactly where it all goes. But I'm talking an entire house here... and 37 Rubbermaid tubs + a bunch of other boxes, bags and storage containers worth of stuff - doing it all by myself. 

I'd start now. LOL I'm getting my stuff down out of the attic Wednesday since I'm off work Wed and Thurs nights so I can get started on getting the walls done. Should take 3 days to do that part.


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## Mizerella (Aug 6, 2009)

I started using black vines on the wall last year and I really like how it turned out. Michael's sells them.


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## NewbieHaunter (Sep 6, 2007)

how do you guys get stuff to stay on the walls and ceilings without damaging them?


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## Ghostess (Sep 8, 2005)

I love the vines... and I have the same female bust! She sits on my buffet in the formal dining room all year.

I use staples on my walls... I paint every other year, so it's not a big deal to me to have the tiny holes. I just try to use them sparingly and at the edges of the walls and in corners so you don't see them. Double sided tape is popular as well, but I don't use tape if I can avoid it.


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## Dragonomine (Sep 28, 2008)

Ghostess I'm looking forward to you hopefully posting pics on here.


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## Ghostess (Sep 8, 2005)

Eh, the decor this year will be pretty much the same as it was last year, and the year before... you can see it here:

http://www.theghostess.com/2007interiorpage1.htm


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## dippedstix (Jul 2, 2009)

Ghostess said:


> Eh, the decor this year will be pretty much the same as it was last year, and the year before... you can see it here:
> 
> http://www.theghostess.com/2007interiorpage1.htm


Wow- your decorations are amazing. You have got it covered from head to toe, don't you!! Wish I could pull that off but i'd need another 1000.00. LOL!


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## witchiepoo (Oct 4, 2006)

i agree about the portraits - i change my usual pictures every year for 'family' portraits - but if you are doing a witch theme then you could use well known witches. i also found a great tip on this forum - can't remember who from - but i printed off sheets of bare brick walls - then cut them, laminated & stuck them up to make it look like peeling plaster(pic 2) - used white tack. also for a withc theme - you can't get enough potion bottles & jars - save them now & make your own - loads of ideas on the craft section in here. Skulls, shrunken heads, spell books (use ordinary books & cover them with your own home made covers), candles and of course - cauldrons


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## savagehaunter (Aug 22, 2009)

I would go gothic like one of those old horror films and stick to cobwebs, spooky pictures and lots of candles.


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## Dr.Ghoul (Sep 6, 2009)

Ghostess said:


>


Ghostess, did you make those spider web designs yourself with the store bought webing, or did you buy those webs already in that design, and if so where. They're awsome.


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## Ghostess (Sep 8, 2005)

Dr.Ghoul said:


> Ghostess, did you make those spider web designs yourself with the store bought webing, or did you buy those webs already in that design, and if so where. They're awsome.



It's beef netting, I cut it into sections and then cut slits in it and staple while stretching. 

Halloween Decoration Cobwebs


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## NOWHINING (Jul 25, 2009)

If you are doing witches theme type, my sister and i, last year were looking at goodwill for bottles. Seasons bottles, wine bottles, what ever bottles that would strike our ideas to make up potions themes.
Here is a few potions ideas

hair of a mad woman
dead man's toes nails
fairy dust
troll pee
rat posion
spider's venom
dried moss
brittle bones
dragon's skin
shark teeth

fun part is making potions names up


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## Super_Freak (Sep 6, 2009)

I would definitely remove any artwork that does not corresond with your theme. I ususally hang whatever halloween artwork (gortraits) I have, and then I use the remaining nails/screws on the wall to attach spider webbing. If you hook your spider webbing to each nail and stretch it to the next and really make it thin and play with it - it can look very realistic. and you can always hang a rubber spider over any nails that aren't well hidden and it looks even better. Good luck!


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## dippedstix (Jul 2, 2009)

Thanks to you ladies I had to buy black curtains yesterday. I lucked out and got a good deal on ebay (13.87 total for 4 panels). I still need more though because of the open floor plan on our house.


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## Super_Freak (Sep 6, 2009)

Hey dippedstix - good deal on the curtains. Last year I had a ton of windows to dress (open floor plan also) and not a ton of cash, so I used black party streamers. I removed my everyday curtains, leaving the rods, and just draped streamers over the rods. I found the trick was to make it thick enough - overlapping even and to tear the ends at staggered lengths. This created a 'tattered' look. I liked it so well that I even used it to seperate adjoing rooms by scotch-taping lengths of streamers to the top of doorways. 
I know that this is not as desirable as real cloth curtains, but for a large space and on a budget it created a unified look and was effective in dim lighting. If I can locate some pics of this - I will get them posted. Have fun!


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## dippedstix (Jul 2, 2009)

Super_Freak said:


> Hey dippedstix - good deal on the curtains. Last year I had a ton of windows to dress (open floor plan also) and not a ton of cash, so I used black party streamers. I removed my everyday curtains, leaving the rods, and just draped streamers over the rods. I found the trick was to make it thick enough - overlapping even and to tear the ends at staggered lengths. This created a 'tattered' look. I liked it so well that I even used it to seperate adjoing rooms by scotch-taping lengths of streamers to the top of doorways.
> I know that this is not as desirable as real cloth curtains, but for a large space and on a budget it created a unified look and was effective in dim lighting. If I can locate some pics of this - I will get them posted. Have fun!


Superfreak- that is a great idea! I think I just might do that on the kitchen and dining room doorways! I'd love to see your pics. Thanks!


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## slaz (Aug 18, 2008)

I just love all of the set-ups everyone posted. I think they all look so creative.
Does anyone ever wish they could leave it up all yr long? hehehehe


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## christmascandy1 (Aug 19, 2009)

I sure would..but my mother would have a cow...for real!! not to mention my dh!!


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## Witchie Woman (Sep 25, 2008)

NewbieHaunter said:


> I wonder .....if I took a large white poster board (the size of my pictures on the wall) and cut out a square in the middle, like a mat and print out a smaller 'haunted' pic to put in it, then used double sided tape to put it on the pictures I have hanging on the wall. Would it have to be behind the glass to look right? Im sure it would look better behind the glass but that would be a job! lol maybe if I drape some spooky netting or moss or webs on it. I dunno its just a thought.


Great idea! I'll try tea staining the posterboard to make it look old. I did that to my invites and they look great. Like the other poster said, try using the blue tack stuff or I find blue painters tape works great for projects like this.


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## Finn (Aug 2, 2008)

christmascandy1 said:


> I sure would..but my mother would have a cow...for real!! not to mention my dh!!


My SO was fine with all of my stuff being displayed throughout the year, until we bought a house. Now, I'm not allowed to even hang my steer horns.


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## Noelle (Aug 21, 2009)

Ghostess said:


> A light misting of 10:1 water:bleach solution and drying in the sun will eliminate the little nasties from harvested Spanish moss. I live in Florida, and use it a lot in my display (and for other projects). Never had a problem with redbugs/chiggers.
> 
> The gossamer from Shindigz does hold up really well, and is more durable and cost effective than the paper, if you plan on using it over again in the future. I've used the same gossamer for 4 years now, this year will be the 5th and it still looks good.


Can I move in with you?


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## NewbieHaunter (Sep 6, 2007)

Witchie Woman said:


> Great idea! I'll try tea staining the posterboard to make it look old.


OH! tea staining is a great idea! Im going with a classic black n white theme, Im using black poster board so it wont work for me but its still a great idea.


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## NewbieHaunter (Sep 6, 2007)

The curio cabinet in the living room is a thorn in my side. Its my husbands and its full of NASCAR cars and memorabilia. Its huge (7 ft tall) and I dont have enough 'interesting' things to fill it and honestly I dont want to empty the silly thing! lol 

I was thinking of spraying the glass with that fake snow stuff, covering ALL the glass and wiping 'peep holes' in the snow and displaying a few creepy things in the 'holes' I think if I put a piece of black paper behind the item I wanted to display it would hide the other stuff in there... Of course Id drape creepy cloth and spider webs on it too. oh oh!! I could put a head on the top shelf.. hands in the middle shelf and feet at the bottom!! Sorry Im rambling.. thinking out loud haha 

Has anyone tried that? Do you think it would work? Any better suggestions?


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## xkwisit (Sep 12, 2009)

I've always covered large empty walls with spider webs & carried it to the ceiling or corner. I do spider webs thru out the entire house. I love the flourecent green too. It looks awesome with black lights. This year I bought a ton of cheese cloth that I am going to stain & put holes in to use as curtains & put on the walls. I also have alot of hanging moaning creepy guys that I hang on walls as well as talking pictures & such. I'm thinking this year of making bats of various sizes to put on the walls too. Last year I put my kids to work~ I bought a bag of 100 spiders & tied string of various lengths & straight pinned them to the ceiling thru out the house. Some were so low people were walking into the & freaking out. I also hang the orange & purple Xmas lights thru out the house & on the walls. That is our main form of light in the house besides the candles, strobe lights & black lights.


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## Spirit_In_The_Night (Aug 8, 2008)

That is really impressive Ghostess. I looked at you 2006 interior pictures on your site, and I have a question for you. What material did you use for your hanging ghosts? With the black light, they looked fantastic.


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