[NewbieHaunter]

For the past few years Ive done a haunted house, no problem I can do that but Im entering new territory this yr and Im kinda lost. Im hosting not one but two Witches Wingdings!! One is for my 12 yr old daughter and friends the other is for my sisters, myself and some cousins. Im confident I can do the food and drinks I can even do the games my worry is in decorating the house. I really want to stay away from cheesy, cutesy stuff Im thinking creepy but not gorey. Hopefully things I can use for both parties. I have a few ideas.... white sheets on the furniture, my wooden coffin for the coffee table, creepy cloth and spanish moss hanging around, silhouettes on the windows, lots of candles etc. BUT...What do I do about my walls?? Can I decorate them somehow? Also the pictures on the walls, do I take them all down or cover them or replace them? Im open to any and all suggestions and ideas.

 

[Frankie's Girl]

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.

 

[christmascandy1]

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!!

 

[NewbieHaunter]

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.

 

[NewbieHaunter]

Is there a place to download spooky portraits??

 

[Dragonomine]

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?

 

[wandererrob]

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.

 

[Finn]

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

 

[wandererrob]

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.

 

[aman018]

*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

 

[Elza]

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.

 

[NewbieHaunter]

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??

 

[aman018]

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

 

[Ghostess]

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.

 

[chartreusechaos]

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.

 

[NewbieHaunter]

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

 

[dippedstix]

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

 

[Ghostess]

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.

 

[NewbieHaunter]

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.

 

[Ghostess]

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.