Phase 2 of The House Behind The Trees ~ The downstairs #TeelsBuildaHouse

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So we are starting the downstairs ... I HATE to say basement because we had a basement in our old home, where you opened a door and went down stairs separated from anything else. It was a finished basement complete with a bedroom, craft room, family/game room and we spent a lot of time there ~ our oldest son moved down there in jr high and stayed through high school ... until we finished the master suite in the attic then he moved back up to the bedroom floor with his brother and sister.  So here our downstairs is open to the rest of the house, you can see through to the outside from the top of the stairs going down because we have a wall of windows down there as well.  We really didn't plan to have a kiddo down there but since we are having to do a switch-a-roo with rooms (I'll explain later) he is moving home soon and will be downstairs. Anyhoo, our downstairs will house our main family room, our middle sons room, a full bath and kitchenette.  I thought it would be fun ...
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Halloween Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

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Pumpkin Greeting ~ Spell out your greeting in mini pumpkins gathered at a prominent location. Step 1: Pencil letters on hollowed pumpkins (carve out the opening from the bottom).
Step 2: Using a drill with a half-inch bit, bore holes to form each letter. Step 3: Hang strings of Christmas-tree lights, gathered in small bunches, to illuminate each pumpkin (unscrew bulbs where the string descends to the next row).

Veiled Beauty ~ Part cobweb, part creeping vine, the effect of black lace on painted pumpkins is thoroughly macabre. Begin by painting pumpkins (or faux Funkins, from $18; funkins.com). Once they're dry, use a photo as a guide to cut out pieces of lace; brush matte Mod Podge onto the back sides, and adhere to your pumpkins. Finish by sealing each with a topcoat of Mod Podge.


Pumpkins in Disguise ~ This way of decorating couldn't be any easier and the resulting pumpkins have a cool, vintage vibe if decorated with masks of yesteryear.

Spooky Stairwell ~ A smart alternative to pumpkin carving: Spell out a message with paint.

Creepy Crawlers ~ Scooped-out mini pumpkins become spidery votives, thanks to tealights and pipe cleaners.

A Way with Words ~ Teach a pumpkin to recite Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" by spelling out a few lines with stick-on letters ("The Raven" quote decal set, $25; wgwalldecals.com), affixing them in a spiral pattern that starts at the top. To give the dark words even more presence, first use a foam brush to cover your pumpkin with two coats of white or pale-gray acrylic paint, as we did, allowing 30 minutes of drying time per coat. For the accompanying raven, simply apply the decal ($3; wgwalldecals.com) to a second pumpkin.

Decorated Tree ~ Bare-limbed trees provide the perfect ghostly perch for jack-o'-lanterns, candle lanterns, and a flock of faux black crows (don't be surprised if a few real ones alight). Make sure the tree limbs are sturdy enough to support the weight of the items you are hanging and take care not to overdecorate, which can lessen the overall effect. Funkins (styrofoam pumpkins) are an especially good choice for this project, since they're lightweight and won't rot.

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