While we were waiting for our first adoption referral, I busied myself with getting the spare room ready for our daughter. I’m not sure how it all started, but I decided to decorate in a jungle theme. Since I love to draw and had done a few murals for people, I saw lots of potential in the plain white walls. The whole room was my canvas.

One night as I was deciding on what animals to draw, it occurred to me that I could use the whole wall space from top to bottom. The next thought I had was, why stop at only one wall? I shared my ideas with my husband who looked really leery.

A friend and I started drawing with pencil. The whole room was sketched out in pencil first. It took several weeks. Then, we started going over our pencil marks with black markers. We soon learned that black markers work temporarily, but paint pens works the best!

After a month of drawing, we finally got to start painting. So far, we hadn’t spent any money on the room and it looked like a giant coloring book. I rummaged through my paint supplies, and chose colors according to what I already had. Eventually, I had to buy some more paints. I maybe spent $10 in paints. I got really good at mixing paint and creating new colors, especially for the leaves.

The painting process took about four months, and when all the characters and scenery was painted the white space just wouldn’t do. So I started the tedious process of filling in all white space with blue sky. This was the hardest part because there was so much space, and it wasn’t as much fun as painting the creatures. The last month of the six month process meant going back over every line with the paint pen again. I have to admit that I enlisted my family in helping paint “blue” and retrace with paint pens. Memorial Day 2004 we finished the room, and I always remember this project each year around that that time.

The final product is amazing. It took 6 months total from start to finish. It is a very stately room that gets plenty of attention from guests sleeping over.

To complete the room, I used an old apple tree branch from our tree to screw to the wall for a 3D effect. I found some realistic bananas to hang from the ceiling, and used stuffed animals to fit in with the painted animals for more interest and fun. While I didn’t keep track of the costs of designing this room, I know I didn’t spend much. I did add a bamboo shade to the window, so I’d guess $25 total?

My 10 year old daughter decided she wanted to host a HalloTween party this year. We decided the garage would be the best place, since it’s big and we wouldn’t have to worry about spills, make-up smears, etc. To make it more fun, we decided to decorate the garage to make it creepy (not gross). We dug through the Halloween tote and took out all the saved decorations, lights, and masks that we could use. Then we got creative.

First, we took some black garbage bags and cut them into strips width-wise to create long black streamers which we taped up. We also put blankets up on a clothes wire to separate the “excess garage stuff” in the third stall.

We also used fake spider webbing all over the garage walls. It sticks great to rough plywood, and there’s plenty of nails and other stuff to wrap it around. I also replaced the ceiling light bulbs with red colored bulbs for a creepier look ($4 spent thus far).

We also used white sidewalk chalk to draw spiral patterns all over the garage floor for a really funky-fun look on the dance floor. We borrowed a disco ball from friends so that there will be colored lights twirling by the dance floor. We strung streamers and decorations across the ceiling, right above the dance floor for a festive look.

Next, we brought in all the patio furniture and created a seating area. I found an old white plastic patio table that the kids can all sign and write on during the night.

I moved our electric fireplace out for heat, as it is expected to be very chilly this week. Plus, the flames add extra “creepiness” and the top of the fireplace is a great place to set up the music and speakers. Our friends have another fireplace, which we are going to borrow for a second source of heat and place on the other side of the garage.

I brought in our wood sculpted bear, gave him a cape and a mask, and we have an instant monster by the fire place.

You can’t escape having a large garbage can for plates and candy wrappers, but who wants a plain one? I found an old pair of green tights, stuffed them with plastic bags, and then tied them to the garbage can so it looks like a pair of legs are sticking out. I know the kids are going to get a kick out of this one.

I contemplated putting ruby red slippers on and crushing the legs under our giant bird house with a “wicked witch of the west” sign. I opted for practical, since we needed the garbage can in there and I was running out of room.

Then we raided the adult winter snowsuits, stuffed them with stuffed animals, duct taped some gloves on and we had some more creepy monsters for the garage. Oh, need something to fill out the masks? Use your soccer and volleyballs. They work great!

Next I built a mummy. My daughter and I visited one of those fun, but very expensive Halloween stores for ideas. We loved the mummy, so I decided to make one. I used two giant stuffed dolls my girls had and wrapped them in a white table cloth. I used a rubber band to define the neck/head. Then I wrapped it in toilet paper and used some medical gauze to wrap the head. I used some white spider webbing and added a black spider to the body. I bought a  styrofoam headstone at the dollar store ($1 dollar spent). Then we laid it by the entrance to the garage, which we decorated in a wall of glittery streamers.

Next, we moved the patio table inside, gave it a new table cloth that my friend picked up at a second hand store and donated to the cause! We replaced batteries in the “monster hand” bowl and strobe light which will add extra fun to the dark space. The batteries are definately an expense!

I moved my card table and chairs out, along with a light for a game table area. We put a black lightbulb in the lamp so the cards will glow. (another $4 spent)

We are going to serve decorated cupcakes we made and froze ahead of time, pizza, nachos/dip, and of course, candy. I am going to make a green sherbet and ginger ale punch in my large punch bowl, which we will call chilled slime.

I know these pictures don’t do the space justice. It is much scarier without the light that I needed to take these pictures. So without further adu, here’s the rest of the pictures.