Halloween Mantle and Amazing Costumes from the party

My mantle stresses me out.  Maybe because its so big (random problem).  Maybe because I want to paint it white.... who knows!?   Anyway, I put off decorating it for Halloween until the very last minute.   The only things I bought for the mantle came from Dollar Tree... the rest I had.   Cheap, easy, fast mantle.  I didn't love it but it will do!  Now I am so beyond ready to get Halloween out of here and move on to fall!

We had the best time ever at our First Annual *Adult Only* Halloween Party.  We truly have some of the most creative friends ever.  I didn't do a great job of snapping pictures that night (shame, shame) but here are a few of the costume contest winners and honorable mentions!

American Gothic and Will and I were Where's Waldo and Wenda

The Mad Hatter and Alice.... seriously!  Have you ever?  She made these costumes!

Homer and Marge

Lance and his doping Dr.

I had to add this one because it is the only one with a potato head in it.... and there were actually 4 potato heads total!  They both did great jobs making the costumes and I can't believe I do not have better pics!

That is just a sampling... there were so many more amazing costumes and the camera just escaped me!  I'll do better next year...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Kandi

More Halloween here, here, and here.

Halloween Project: Paranormal Portraits Tutorial

I have to begin this post by saying 100% (well... 97%) of the credit of this project goes to Will.  It would have been one of those great ideas that never came to fruition if he hadn't taken it on and gotten it done! We originally saw this idea on Country Living but had to figure out how we could make it work.  I remembered this stack of antique negatives I got for FREE at a yard sale and they were the perfect jumping off point.

Step 1:  Gather Supplies

-Old Pictures.  If you do not have anything old like this check yard sales or go online and print something off.  Graphics Fairy has tons of things that would work.
-Wood or a frame
-Foam board
-Spray adhesive or double sided tape
-Finger lights (like these)

Step 2:  Have your pictures blown up.
I suggest to a standard size so you do not have to build a frame!  We took ours to a little print shop in town (Hey NC Printing!  They were fast, fun and did an amazing job!)  They only cost us around $7-$8 per print!!)

Step 3:  Mount to a piece of foam board using spray adhesive or permanent double sided tape.

Step 4:  Carefully cut out holes in the back of the foam board to hold the finger lights.Trace the exact size of the end of your light and cut the hole a tad bit smaller. Prick a small hold with a pen to help the light come through. This {freaky} picture is from the back and shows the holes for the lights and also the tiny holes on the picture for light to come through.

5.  Mount your lights (we used electrical tape to hold them in place). 

6.  Add your frame.  We also had to add small wooden spacers on the back to help hold it off the wall because the lights stick out a good bit.

7. Hang and be prepared for your guests to ask where you bought them!

Later this week... Halloween mantle and our Adult Only Halloween recap (prepared to be WOWED by some amazing costumes!!)

See other Halloween posts here and here.

Happy Haunting!

Kandi

More Halloween Decor

You know those people with the cutesy Halloween decor.  Happy little ghosts and adorable smiling jackolanters.  We aren't those people.  We aren't the blood and guts type people either.... but Halloween is Halloween.  It's supposed to be spooky and creepy!  Atleast in my book (and the book of my 6 year old boy who was super pumped to be hanging spiders from the chandelier and putting plastic rats on my crystal candle sticks! 

Here is a snip it of our Halloween decor so far.  Later this week we will get to carving pumpkins and adding a spooky banner (and another free printable). 

Menacing Mummy Window Panels from Grandin Road

 Some shots from the entery way.  Antique negatives I got for free at a yard sale spook up the mirrow.  Some of my sons rubber snakes and some dollar tree spiders and eye balls fill up the candle holders.  A steal of a deal is my $14 Halloween pillow (with a down insert!) for the entry bench.

 More dollar tree goodness with the rats, eye balls, black cloth, and black roses.

The mantle got a few skeletons and bats.

Who doesn't love a 6 foot tall talking pirate with blinking red eyes.  Well, me, but that is a whole other story...

This chandelier makes it easy to just hang little creatures all around the metal work.

All is all I only spent about $14 for my Dollar Tree Halloween supplies and $14 on my Trick or Treat pillow from TJ Maxx.  I think I got a lot of bang for my $28!

Click the picture below for the 5 minute Halloween lamp shade tutorial with a link to the free printables!

 

I will actually be glad when November 1st rolls around and I can change this out for real white roses and mercury glass pumpkins.  But, for now, we will enjoy the spooky!  We are having our first annual ADULT ONLY Halloween party... come back for lots of spooky/wacky details!

 

Kandi

Growing "pains" and my most favorite Halloween project EVER!

I put "pains" in quotations because it sounds kind of negative.  It's not meant negative at all.  But, that is the best description of what has been going on here at Woven Home. Coming off of a huge sale at Finders Keepers and in the midst of our flagship store opening in Lynchburg, VA, on top of everything we were doing before those two projects came busting onto the scene.... growing pains.  More on all that to come! So, if we seem sporadic, we are.  Even if our blogging isn't super frequent for a while you can bet we'll do our best to at least make it awesome!  Now, for the awesome part!

Can I start by saying this idea just came to me.  I'm sure I'm not the first one to do it.  Positive, in fact.  But, I didn't see it on Pinterest or another blog and go do.  I thought of it and did it.  Am I the only one who feels completely unable to come up with an original idea these days?  And, like this one, even if I think its original...I'm sure its probably just not.  But, that doesn't take away from how thrilled I was when I thought of this and executed it!

I was perusing Graphics Fairy and came across this excellent skull.  I originally printed it and was going to Mod Podge it onto white salad plates... it was too big.  I threw it down and kept throwing plastic spiders and skeletons everywhere.  As I walked by my white lamp I stuck the image behind it... magic!!!  I absolutely LOVED it!  Although we were late for a birthday party I had to go print one more for the other lamp shade. 

Directions for this project.
1. Print your graphic of plain white printer paper
2. Cut out
3. Tape to inside of lamp shade (just scotch tape will do)
4. Turn it on and ogle at your creative genius!

Skull link
Spider link (I used the second graphic and cut off the branch)

That's it!  5 minute project tops!  HAPPY HAUNTING!

Kandi

Table Runner Tutorial

Wow time really does fly!  It feels like just yesterday I promised you a table runner tutorial, and here we are weeks later and I am finally getting the chance to upload pictures and write a how to guide for this project!  If Allen my sweet husband had not insisted on taking me to D.C for a weekend get-away, this project may never have been posted :(  

Here I am relaxing for the first time in weeks with a few extra minutes what do I decided to do....that's right....spend a few moments with you!  After all my DIY friends have waited long enough for this project. 

 

 

You will need a straight stitch sewing machine, an iron, scissors or rotary cutter & board, fabric of your choice with matching thread and pins to make this table runner.

Step 1:  Choose your fabric.  When we originally designed this runner we used pretty fabric on the front, and lining on the back.  Then Kandi had the great idea of using coordinating fabric on the back so one runner, two great looks.  She is pretty smart!  I like my runners between 15-20 wide.  I think this number can be very flexible.  We make runners from the left over fabric from our pillows so they vary in width.  More important than the width is the length.  Our first runners we 54" long.  I think they look good, but the new trend is to have them overhang the table by 4" so if you are making this project for your home, measure your table and then add 9 inches. (1 inch for the seam allowance). 

Step 2.  Cut two pieces of coordinting fabric.  Pin right sides of fabric together.  (Notice my bottom fabric is a little wider because I use scraps...if you find yourself in the same position just pin fabric so your larger piece is on the bottom.

Step 3:  Sew fabrics together. 

Step 4:  Make sure you leave a large enough opening so you can pull the fabric through to it's right side.

Step 5:  (OPTIONAL) If you do not have a Serger use a zig-zag stitch and then cut the remaining salvaged edge.  I like to have nice neat seams so I serge my edges before I reverse the fabric.

Step 7:  Reverse fabric and press with iron. 

Step 8: Top stitch the table runner. (Use a thread that works well with the fabric.)  See how close my needle is to the edge of the fabric?  I do this to save the step of whip stitching the opening (remember how we reversed the fabric) closed.

Step 9:  Enjoy!!!

Thanks for spending some time with me today!

 

Rebekah