Last week we posted about my Haunted Mansion inspired wall:
And this week for $5 Friday we are going to share how we made 5 of the items from the wall for less than $5.
So let’s get started.
The very first thing I made for my wall was my two old crows picture:
I had this weird old picture of two bath tubs…like I said weird…
So I pulled the mat and pictures out of the frame:
That’s when I discovered the tubs were glued to the mat. Oh well, that didn’t really bother me. I still went to town painting.
I used Americana brand acrylic paint that I bought at JoAnn and used several coats of Ivory to paint over the tubs and Black to paint over the rose colored mat:
After the paint dried I popped the empty pictures and mat back into the frame and then using hot glue glued some kooky dollar store crows into the white space.
And I was done.
Super easy and super cheap! I used supplies I already had on hand (the wacky frame and last years crows) and with just a few new supplies (paint and hot glue) I had a new Halloween decoration!
*****
This next project is the brain child of Grace:
A few weeks ago we went to the dollar store where she found the worlds UGLIEST, green, plastic, Dracula door knocker thingy…and she was convinced it was “just like at Jack’s house” (during the holiday’s The Haunted Mansion is decorated with A Nightmare Before Christmas theme and so she calls it “Jack’s house”).
I wasn’t as sold on the thing but one day while she was at school I started messing around with it:
The first thing I did was paint almost the entire beast black…I did leave a little of that crazy green peeking through in spots:
Then I took some white paint (both the black and white paint I used was left over from the crow picture project) and did a dry brush technique over the top of the raised portions of Dracula’s face:
When the paint had dried I brushed on a very light coat of Americana brand gloss:
And finally I glued Dracula onto some upholstery fabric that I had purchased at JoAnn and had placed over the top of an existing picture in a black frame.
(When I am done I can just remove the fabric with the plastic door knocker attached and have both my family picture back and save my little vampire to be used again next year.)
As it turns out I really like this piece. And again it cost next to nothing to create.
I used a frame I already had and the crazy Dracula from the dollar store. Then I just used the same supplies from the crow project (the paint and the hot glue). The only new supplies I purchased were the fabric (on the clearance aisle at JoAnn) and the gloss.
*****
This is one of my favorite pieces on the entire wall and it was by far the easiest to make:
I tacked this handmade awesomeness (purchased at an estate sale) to a piece of that upholstery fabric from JoAnn (used for the Dracula doorknocker) and then inserted it into a frame on top of another picture.
This is another project that I can remove from the frame, get my picture back and save the project to use again next year.
Love it.
*****
This piece happened by accident.
I had removed the photo and backing from this frame my husband made and loved how the wire on the back looked hanging there inside the frame.
Luckily Elizabeth happened to have this cool set of keys…which she let me borrow and wah-lah! This project was done.
But I don’t have any keys like that you say?
Well you could always hang up a dried rose or something similar in it’s place…or I even think it’s pretty cool just left empty…
Well you could always hang up a dried rose or something similar in it’s place…or I even think it’s pretty cool just left empty…
*****
The fifth and final project that we are sharing today is by far my kids favorite part of the wall:
In Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion there is wall paper that has eyes…it used to fascinate me as a little girl so I knew I wanted to make something for the wall that was a nod to that great wall paper.
And that is how I ended up with the framed Damask fabric with googly eyes.
Easiest project ever…take some damask fabric (again, from JoAnn), stick it in a frame and hot glue on some googly eyes in strategic places.
Done.
*****
I really am a Disneyland Haunted Mansion nut, always have been…so I love this wall. I wanted it to be a modern take on the feel of that iconicly spooky ride…but I also didn’t have a lot of money to spend….and I really didn’t spend a lot. I just purchased a few key supplies: paint, fabric, and glue and then used those helpful supplies to spruce up items that I already had around the house.
Now that it is finished I am already thinking of how to add on to it again next year…I think I’ve created a monster….
-liZ
PS—Yes, this was the world’s longest post…but there is still one more to come where I finish the rest of the how-to’s from the wall.
PS—Linked here: Tatertots and Jello
Really a great wall and considering I hate decorating for Halloween I love this wall! Great, creative work. And just yesterday I did break out the white pumpkins that spell Happy Halloween to put across the mantel on the main level and a black and orange fabric flag banner/bunting from a window in the lower level. STOP you say? I know–such a great mom.
This could NOT BE MORE AWESOME!! I too am a huge haunted mansion fan. It’s the only haunted house I’ll go in. That door knocker is outta this world! The whole thing is just amazing!