3rd Annual Halloween Party - Costumes

I hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween!  

We saw many creative and spooky 

costumes this year.  

Being one of the party props however, left me with little time to play photographer :(  

The Dead Bride

Skin: Dermablend Leg & Body Cover in Ivory (a little goes a long way) / White eyeshadow was used as powder to seal the foundation in place.

Eyes: Black, white, maroon eye shadow and black eye liner / White out contacts

Mouth: White and Black eyeliner and foundation - cover mouth with the Dermablend then outline with white liner.  Draw crack marks with black liner and blend slightly.

Hair: Farrah Fawcett wig I used last year for my Princess Peach Costume

Dress and Accessories: Aunt's Wedding dress circa 1977 and Wedding veil purchased from Hobby Lobby

 

 Fiona

A Lawn Jockey and his Southern Belle

Twisted Santa Clause

Dead Bride and Victorian Hostess

 Design DNA

3rd Annual Halloween Party - Food & Spirits

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Halloween Treats

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 Red Velvet filled Halloween Cake (professionally made)

Mini cupcakes and Brownies

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 Halloween Snacks

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Cheese Balls in the shape of a brain 

Ingredients:

• 2 - 8 oz pkgs of cream cheese (room temp)
• 1 small onion diced
• 1/2 tsp. hot sauce
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• crushed pecans  (no nuts were used for these brains as so many of the kids had nut allergies)

Directions:

1. Place a piece of Reynolds Wrap with Saran Wrap on top of it on counter so you are ready to transfer cheese ball to it to store.

2. Place a ll of the above ingredients in a lg. bowl. 

3. Mix all ingredients together with hands, folding cheese over and over until all the fluids are absorbed and all color is worked in.

4. Place mass on Saran Wrap.  Sprinkle with crushed pecans (or not)

5. Shape into a brain.   

6. Wrap tightly and refrigerate (best if made the day ahead) 

Other snacks 

Veggie Pizza

Apples and Carmel

Waldorf Salad

Veggies and Homemade Dill Dip

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Click here for recipes

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 Spirits

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The "Zombie Virus" Margaritas were a huge hit this year! 

Halloween Martini Glasses * Toilet Paper Roll Candles * Thrift Store Plate

**One of my favorite adult treats this year were the pudding shots!  

3/4 cup of milk
1 (3oz) small box instant pudding mix
1 (8oz) tub extra creamy whipped topping, thawed
3/4 cup of alcohol

Mix milk and liquor together then add pudding mix and whisk together or blend on low speed for 2 minutes.

Fold in whipped topping.
Pour into 3/4-ounce plastic cups with lids.
Best if frozen overnight.
Each recipe makes about 20 servings.

The best combination = white chocolate pudding, mocha Kahlua and Peppermint Schnapps!!

3rd Annual Halloween Party - Inside & Outside Decor

Inside

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Carved Gourd

Clear wine bottles were collected over a period of time to make this elegant center piece.

Creepy Mantel

Foyer Accessories

A white faux pumpkin was tattooed with spider decals

Outside

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Front Yard Cemetery

Haunted House - Rooms # 5 & 6 - "What Goes Bump in the Night...?"

The kids that made it out of the Bloody bathroom were guided into a black room.  Inside the room rested a large mirror and a strobe light.  The guide advised the children to look into the mirror to see something special....  behind the children a masked man appeared in the mirror scaring the holy crap out of them!!

I wasn't able to capture this on film or even see it with my own eyes as I was busy playing my part in the "white room" for several hours.

White Room Prisoner

On to the next room!  The kids were guided into the dark abyss. Taped to the floor, several helium filled black balloons were set up to distract the kids.  An oscillating fan was used to bounce them back and forth as black masked people hid in the corners.... 

....as I sat in the "White Room" I heard a few kids say how "lame" it all was and how they weren't scared at all.  Once the children left the balloon room, cries and screams were all that could be heard. Muahahahahahahahaha!!

Haunted House - Rooms # 4 - "The Bloody Bathroom"

The Next room doesn't need much explanation.  The children found the Mad Scientist's latest victim...

• Spray blood was used to splatter wash cloths, hand towels and a thrift store bath mat.

• The spray blood was used to spray the inside of the shower walls.

• A jug of fake blood was poured into the bottom of the bathtub and sink.

• Bloody gel foot prints were placed on the tile (warning: this stained the tile!)

• Bloody gel prints were also used on the wall and mirror (these left no marks)

Amber and Red light bulbs were used in the bathroom to add more drama.

***A drama student showed off her incredible acting ability.  Submerged in blood she sat in the tub sobbing and shivering.  Once the children came close, she extended her hand to reveal her bloody heart that she explained was ripped from her body.   Scary!

Haunted House - Room #3 - "The Laboratory"

Around the corner from the Spider Room lurked the Mad Scientist...

...Spell Books, Body Parts, and unique ingredients were scattered throughout the Scientists' Laboratory.  The smell of sulfur and flesh were evidence of experiments gone wrong...the last thing the children wanted was to become the Dr's next victims.

Jars were filled with various household items:

• Tree Frog Spit = Palmolive Dish Soap and a few drops of green food coloring (it glows under the black light).

• Toe Jam = tear cotton balls into tiny pieces.

• Sneezing Powder = Pepper

• Bat Wings = Cut up black tissue paper and add to oil and water

• Tincture of Toadstool = Poppy Seeds

• Maggot Milk = coffee creamer and rice (warning: this exploded so go easy on the rice)

Lemon Fiz Experiment (instructions from About.com)

• baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
• lemon juice or a lemon cut into quarters
• liquid dishwashing soap (e.g., Dawn or Joy)
• food coloring (optional)
• spoon or straw
• narrow glass or cup 

1. Put a spoonful (about a teaspoon) of baking soda into a glass.
2. Stir in a squirt of dishwashing liquid.
3. Add a drop or two of food coloring, if you want colored bubbles.
4. Squeeze lemon juice into the mixture or pour in lemon juice. Other citrus fruit juices work too, but lemon juice seems to work the best. As you stir the juice into the baking soda and detergent, bubbles will form that will start to push up and out of the glass.
5. You can extend the reaction by adding more lemon juice and baking soda.
6. The bubbles are long-lasting. You can't drink the mixture, but you can still use it for washing dishes.

How It Works

• The sodium bicarbonate of the baking soda reacts with the citric acid in lemon juice to form carbon dioxide gas. The gas bubbles are trapped by the dishwashing soap, forming fizzy bubbles.

Haunted House - Room # 2 - "The Spider Room"

After leaving the abandoned "White Room" the children entered the Enchanted Forest.  Creepy sounds of the night bounced from wall to wall.  

The first thing to greet the eager children was this motion activated  JUMPING SPIDER.  This was the hot item of the year - we had to be placed on a waiting list as every Spirit Costume in the States sold out of this terrifying arachnid.  Well worth the wait I must say!

Spiders of every shape and size crawled up and down the spiderweb encased walls.  I hated it - mission accomplished!

 Upon leaving the Enchanted Forest of Spiders, the children came face to face with a life sized cocoon - it was time to leave before the spiders got a hold of the the kids!!

Haunted House - Room # 1 - The "White Room"

Three long months of collaborative preparation resulted in another successful Halloween Party!  Please take the tour through our spooky weekend of tricks and treats...

This year's big feature was the Haunted House (located in the basement).

As you walked down the basement stairs, you were greeted by various hands of darkness...

Unfortunately the only picture captured of the stairs was the next day, after we started to take the hands down.  (Imagine lime, black and purple hands randomly placed up and down the stairwell walls).

The children lined up the stairs around the hall and out the back door eagerly awaiting their turn.  

Their journey began by entering the "white room".  The tour guides warned the children to be quiet as to not wake anything up.

 

The newlyweds slept peacefully - until the children disturbed their resting place.

Creepy Scene Setter covering the big screen TV

LED tapered candles & paper towel roll candles (tutorial to come)

The baby on the left was a baby doll purchased at Goodwill - she was spray painted white and doctored up with red and black acrylic paint.  Vampire fangs were hot glued inside of the baby's mouth.  Layers of hot glue were added to the tops of the baby's ears and formed into a point.

 Before and After picture - special effects were created by using Picnik.com