Let's Make a Doily Ghost...

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 ...and put it on an upcycled cutting board.  That's right, this post is a 2 for 1!  Fall is here and our thoughts turn to the pumpkin patch, the apple orchard, and Halloween.  

Welcome to the 'Do It Over' Designers blog hop. We are a group of bloggers who love to recycle/upcycle/DIY. I'm happy to host this hop and I hope you'll visit everyone to see what they have to share with you. The links will be listed at the end of this post.

This post may contain affiliate links.

Let me share how to upcycle a vintage doily into cute decor for Halloween.  

This is the doily I chose:
Since I wanted a little of the bottom edge to 'drape', I grabbed a votive holder and a golf ball that were the right height.  Since the golf ball fell right in the votive holder, I crumpled up some paper and rested the golf ball on that.  Covered with plastic wrap to prevent sticking, we were all set.
I made a 50/50 mixture of Mod Podge and water.
It was brushed on both sides of the doily.  You need it wet, but not dripping.
The doily was draped over the golf ball, arranged, and left to dry overnight.
The next day, all that was needed was a little twist and the doily was free.
Two eyes were cut from black felt and glued on.
Realizing this little ghost needed something, I found this little pumpkin in my stash.
One Doily Ghost all ready for Halloween!
Still thinking it needed more, I grabbed a battery-operated tea light and turned out the lights.
BOO!

What do you do with your vintage doilies?

Now my little ghost needed a place to sit...introducing this well-worn cutting board.
Looking a bit 'worse for wear', I got out my orbital sander and got to work.
In no time flat, the stains and cut marks were a thing of the past. Since I didn't need another cutting board, I decided to stain this one and use it for display.
When the stain dried, it was given a couple of coats of clear sealer.
And it was done.
The perfect spot for my little ghost to sit in the kitchen!

If you haven't stopped by lately, you may not have heard we bought a new cottage.  I've started a series of posts on the work being done here and I hope you'll take a minute to read them...so much going on!

Charming New Cottage:  The Bathroom

Creating a Charming New Cottage

Now, don't run away.  This is a blog hop and the rest of the team has some wonderful ideas to share with you.  
Their links are all listed below:

Sum of Their Stories

Color Me Thrifty

Vintage Style Gal

The Apple Street Cottage

Birdz of a Feather

Exquisitely Unremarkable

Modern on Monticello

Pandora’s Box

Purple Hues & Me

Unique Creations by Anita


Comments

  1. Kim September 27, 2025 at 7:42 AM

    Well he is just darling, Ann! I love that fringed doily, it's perfect for your ghostly friend. This DIY is on my holiday list, but I bought Mod Podge Stiffy. Sounds like I don't need it...I have regular Mod Podge. I'm going to try your way and see what happens!! Thanks for the tip!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sum of their StoriesSeptember 27, 2025 at 7:51 AM

    This is such a fun way to use one of those doilies with so much going on around the edge. I'm sure I have one in my stash somewhere, it can be hard to know how to put them to good use as they are hard to sew flat onto other things. I love this idea. Now I'm hoping I didn't use the doily I have in mind for something else - fingers crossed I still have it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Vintage Style GalSeptember 27, 2025 at 8:12 AM

    Isn't it amazing when you sand wood, and how the grains come to the surface? Your cutting board came back to life, and looks great. Now, that ghost Ann? Well, adorable of course. I never come across doilies, but I sure wish I did. Too cute! It's like a little Victorian ghost sitting in your kitchen. You may laugh, my sister sure does, but I use doilies in our home. She calls me old lady... but that's my vintage heart. I will have to keep an eye out for one like this, I want a dainty little ghost here too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gail @Purple Hues and MeSeptember 27, 2025 at 8:42 AM

    I love your doily ghost and stand, Ann! Too cute and adorable and perfect for this time of year! Stiffy must be having a moment this week! I did a post for this hop using a stiffening product and tried a few which didn't work for me. Mod podge was one of them and I love using it! I think it must be the fabric and color that's being used as to how stiff the items will become and what it will look like once dry.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sara (birdzofafeather.ca)September 27, 2025 at 9:39 AM

    Wow, that is one cute display for your kitchen Ann! And you really brought that cutting board to life again; I hope we see it again in different seasons.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tania PelletierSeptember 27, 2025 at 11:19 AM

    Awww, I love him!

    ReplyDelete

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