One Valentine's Day, Two Different Looks. Which is Better Traditional o...

We are trying out two different looks for Valentines Day decorating to see which we like the best. These are very easy crafts that you can do with the kids, and they cost very little in time, or cash, but they still look great. Let me know what you think.

If you wish to see more inexpensive decorating ideas for the Holidays, or everyday, please subscribe to the YouTube Channel!!!

The Making of a Christmas House. French Country Style Decorating.

This year the Old Haunted House takes on a simpler, brighter French Country theme, with more white, and lighter colors in the Christmas decorating.
Join me for this step by step video of how I achieved the look.

We have brought everyday pieces from around the house, and some of the white, and light Christmas peices that fit, along with a few new handmade craft pieces for the look we wanted.

A Discarded Table Becomes An Old World/French Country Treasure!

This is a very easy project for those of you who have furniture you no longer like, but cannot afford to replace it. It also doesn't have to be what, or how I am doing mine. You could just look up the look you like, and mimic that in paint. The rules/methods are going to be similar. Just dissect what it looks like, and transfer that look to your piece.

For my table, I started with a leftover from the previous home owners...discarded in the basement. I had cleaned it up, and used it in this bedroom, as I had other dark pieces, but I have now been changing the look of the room over this past year, and it was time for this table.

We began with a base coat of off white, and after letting that dry I painted a cream color here, and there. Top, bottom, sides, and the legs. I then followed that with strokes of black, grey, and gold to give it the appearance of being an old piece, painted over several times.

For an additional decoration I used one of my French stencils on the bottom, and gave it a coat of polyurethane to seal, and protect it, and I finished in one day! I am quite happy with how this turned out, and hope you take a little inspiration away, and begin a project of your own soo.! Let me know if you do, maybe even send along a photo of yours!

Remember to subscribe for more, another project in this very bedroom will be happening soon, and you don't want to miss it. Subscribers are notified when the new videos come out!

Scare up a Primitive Sock Ghost or two this Halloween

In no time you can have this happy little primitive ghost prominently displayed in your home for Halloween, along with your other cherished things. All you have to do is watch the video below to learn how to make it, or read the instructions below the video. You will be proud to add this new addition to your Halloween Collection.

All you need for this slightly spooky ghost will be an old white sock. I always seem to have those, and with more than a few holes. You will also need a little coffee, or tea, filler for sock, a small stick, some twine, acrylic paint, and a thin marker.

Step One: Dip your sock in coffee, or tea, and let dry overnight. This is to give us that aged look, and it will smell very good for a little while. :)
Step Two: Stuff your sock with some sort of filler (cotton, old rags, whatever you have). This is to form the body of your sock ghost, and will be on the inside of the sock, so it won't be seen.

Step Three: Place your stick in the top, and tie it with twine. I'm not sure why, but it gives the ghost a nice look, and we're after a nice finished look. At this point you may wish to adjust the body of your ghost to give it a nice oblong shape. Unless you want a short round ghost. That would be nice too, or even a few with a variety of shapes.

Step Four: Choose the facial features, and colors you would like, and paint it on your sock ghost. If you notice, I chose eyes to resemble small buttons, but if you like, you could sew on real ones as well. Allow the paint to dry before going on to the next step. It won't take very long.

Step Five: Take your marker and simulate sewing lines. This is to also add to that old primitive look.
That's all! You are now ready to find just the right place in your home for your new Ghost to live. At least for a little while.
This is another project that would be easy enough for the kids, and still look very good in the home. Happy Haunting!

Make New Ghostly Friends for Halloween!

How to make a Primitive Halloween Ghost Trio for your Home!

You can view the You Tube Video, or read the steps, and see the photos below. Either way you are going to love making these easy little Ghost for your home.

There 3 little ghost are fun and easy to make for you, and the kids. They don't take very long, so the little one's are sure to stay interested, and you will have New/Old Halloween Decorations!

We begin with 3 strips of old lattice. We have sanded off the dirt. We wouldn't want to paint over dirt. We have also cut notches, and slants into the wood for our ghostly shapes.

Now we paint them white. I first tried white spray paint. The spray paint did not hold, so I used white house paint. Live and learn.

Next we paint the eyes, and mouths. They are already looking ghostly, but we still have more to do! Next we move on to giving them a more primitive look.
We begin sanding the ghost here and there to resemble wear. See how it gives them an "Old" look. These are 3 happy fellows! I think we are almost done!

With the sanding all finished, we are now ready to pick out just the right spot to display them... I almost forgot, I rubbed on a coat of sealer at the end, and let that dry over night.

Here we are in out new ghostly haunting spot! They can't wait to greet all of the little Trick or Treaters! See how easy that was!
Please hit the "Like" button on You Tube, and don't forget to Subscribe for more!

Make A Primitive, Spooky Halloween Trio!

It's that wonderful, magical, and haunting time of year again, and I have come up with a very quick and easy project to help get you in the Halloween mood.

Just follow the easy step by step instructions below, and you will be haunting in no time!

Begin by choosing your piece of wood. Draw the desired Halloween shapes you would like. Choose the colors, and begin painting. Remember, it's a primitive piece, so you don't have to be perfect.

One by one the project begins to take shape. As you fnish painting the base color you can begin to see what it is going to look like. Now we can begin putting in the details!

Give your ghoulish creature eyes, nose, and a mouth. A little touch of red on their eyes adds to the spookiness. I dipped a tooth brush in white paint, and spattered the entire piece with it. It adds to the look.

I also outlined the cat with white paint to bring him out of the background. Add a little string to hang your piece by, and it's all ready to put out! Happy Haunting, and Please Subscribe to the You Tube Channel for more!!!

A Fall Home Decorating Ideas Documentary

Fall is finally arriving, and it's time to get busy thinking of all of the ways you can decorate your home this year.


I have put together a few of my own ideas that I am using in the old Haunted House for Fall this year. Maybe you will become inspired by a few.
Below is the video with all of my ideas currently for this year, and a few photos just to fill up this page. Enjoy!




In the Kitchen

The Dining Room

The Living Room

No Cost Low Cost Exquisite Easter Crafts you can make Yourself. Primitive Rabbit

Looking for an easy DIY Craft for you and the kids?

How about this primitive Rabbit? It looks great, it's very easy, and may cost you nothing to do. Also, if you have kids, it's simple enough that they will find it fun too!




A Primitive Easter Rabbit, or even for an everyday decoration in the home, that you can make by yourself in about an hour. This is a very easy no cost, or low cost craft that is fun, and quick for anyone to try out.

Begin by drawing your selected image onto the piece of cardboard. I know, it's cardboard, but don't worry, it's going to look great when you are finished. You won't believe your eyes.

Paint your image. Don't worry about the areas that show through underneath, it will only add to the "aged" look of the piece. After all, it is a primitive, and that is what gives them their charm.

Next you can add your shading, and spots of "wear" to the piece, and cut it out. Note: For me, cutting it out was actually the hardest part of the entire prokect. Now the fun part! It is ready for a little fancy decorating, as you see fit. I used a few twigs from the yard, Spanish moss, and left over ribbon for mine.

You are all finished, and ready to put it on display. These pieces are very fast, and also easy enough for kids to do as well.
Below are a few more Rabbits that I have added to my collection, and as you can see, they are wonderful, fun, and festive! I hope you try this project, and as always, if you do...let me know!

The Dining Room Table Rabbit

Rabbit in the Fireplace

Two Bunnies in a Bedroom

How to make a Primitive Wooden Valentine Heart DIY Craft

I don't know about you, but I like easy, quick to make craft projects, that also look good.


This Primitive Wooden Valentine Heart is certainly one of them. It's so easy that your kids will have fun making it as well.


Just a few items that you need, and most probably already have, and you are on your way to having a lot of Valentine's day fun!

The Old Haunted House is all Decorated for Valentine's Day

Now is the time to be thinking of what you will be doing for Valentine's Day, and how you want your house to look. You could come home to a very happy, and romantic place with just a little embelishing. Doesn't that sould like fun.
Join me in this Valentine's day House Tour, and maybe walk away with a few DIY ideas of your own!

A Christmas Home Tour of the Old Haunted House

I welcome you to this unique Holiday House Tour for a very special time of the year. See all of the sights of Christmas in my home, and maybe even pick up a few ideas that you can use in yours. Take a few minutes to join in the fun.



It's beginning to look a lot like Vintage Christmas

The living room is dressed up in a bygone era with simple swags of greenery over the fireplace mantel, and doorway. Old pieces decorate the mantel, as well as large ornaments, and a pine swag. The wreath seemingly suspended in the air over the fireplace is accompanied by floating snowflakes that add to the magic of Christmas.

"Vintage" handmade Christmas Stockings hang from the fireplace, and a simple pine wreath was placed in the center, with additional embellishments surrounding the hearth. Last year the stockings hung on the front door, but you have to change things around from year to year to keep things fresh.

In the dining room a Christmas Cone Tree dominates the table, and that piece was also handmade. It's very easy to make, and if you wish to see that process you can Check out the Video on Youtube. I am certain you would be very happy with a few of these for your home.
The table is also decorated with flower filled vases, as well as old outdoor garden pieces, candles and bowls, and a hand painted raven by a local artist.

A little tree in the corner of the dining room.

Nutcrackers fill a side table in the dining room too!

On top of an old sewing machine is another vintage Christmas scene.

As you will see in the video, Snowmen fill the kitchen.

Even the bathroom downstairs gets into the Christmas Spirit.

How to make your own Cone Christmas Trees. Quick, Easy and Inexpensive

Have you ever wanted one of those Cone Christmas trees that you see in the stores, but you really don't want too spend $19.99 and up? Well I am going to show you how you can do it for the cost of a $2.00 piece of poster board, and a few other items, many of which you may already have at home.
1: Take your poster board, and a pencil with a string tied to it, the length equal to the length (shorter) of the poster board. You will be using this to draw your curved line on the poster board. This is going to give you the flat bottom of the cone to sit on...so it's not a crooked tree.

2: Place one end of the string in the top corner (hold it there), and stretch out the string with the pencil attached to the bottom corner. Draw on the poster board the curve that the pencil will follow.
3: Cut the curved line that the pencil has drawn, and tape the 2 edges together to form a cone. I also taped the inside just to make sure that it would not come apart.

4: Now that you have your cone shape the fun can begin. You can decorate it any you with by using glitter, lace, Christmas wrapping paper, or what ever you can think of. I would suggest searching Google for "Cone Christmas Tree" and look at all of the ways they are decorated. In no time you will have found your favorite, or favorites.

For decorating my tree I had chosen lace that I had left over from another project. I hot glued the lace in three rings around the tree starting from the bottom. I then hot glued some wood shavings, a jute cord bow, and some pine cones to the top for an added rustic touch. For the finished I glued a few glitter snowflakes around the tree, and I thinks it looks just as I had wanted it to, but as I said...you can do what ever your little heart desires.

I plan on doing another with Christmas Songbook sheets glued to it, and stained with coffee for an aged look. As you will find out...the possibilities are endless, and you will probably end up wanting to do more than one of these since they take about an hour and a half to do. Let me know if you do, and Happy Holidays!