Be the Host with the Most  

Making your party memorable and starting traditions!

 

Even adults enjoy games and games bring about laughs and make for a truly memorable evening. Below are some examples of games I've played during my years of parties hosting and attending, and yes, the most memorable to me for sure.

 

1) Pumpkin Carving is a no brainer for sure! - Ask your guest to bring a small hand carved pumpkin with them. Prior to the party I would set up a table outdoors so that arriving guest can park their carved little friends until all guest have arrived and you're ready for the judging. I might also make sure all pumpkins come complete with a candle that can be lit prior to the judging. Do gift the winner.

 

2) Halloween Rhyme Time -  Ask guest to partner up into groups of 3 or 4 and provide paper and pens to each group. The groups have 15 minutes to create a scary Halloween Rhyme. Again, prior to grouping choose two judges and off to rhyme time they go. After 15 minutes the judges read aloud all the Poems or Riddles and choose a winner! A little gift per group member is always a good thing.



 

3) Ghost Story Time -  Another simple and always thrilling time at any haunt is Ghost Story Time! It always brings the kid out in all of us not mater what age! Get the party goes together, pass out some hot chocolate, tea or coffee and let story time begin. You will be surprised at how many guest have actual experienced some kind of unexplainable event in their life.  Always fun and always a party goers favorite time.

 

4) What's in the Halloween poop pie people??? Any game surrounding food is always a winner! You can create an wonderful delicious pie, quiche or dip and after your guest sample have them try to name the ingredients. The closest guesser is the winner! Gift Please!

 

5) And what's your number?? Super easy and lots of fun! Before the party I fill out little slips of paper with numbers. Each paper is numbered (from 1- how ever many guest I'm expecting, averaging is fine) and as the guest arrive they pick a folded piece of paper from my witch's cauldron. When ready,  after guest have settled and enjoying their eats I call out the winning number and the winner always wins a little something. Last year I ordered some orange velvet Halloween Throw Pillows, but a trip to the thrift store or dollar store is a great way to finding something cute and useful and useful or eatable is always a good thing. 

 

Note Hostesses- little gifts and remembrance's will bring a smile to your guest faces for sure. Get creative and have some fun!   

 

Being the hostess with the most is really quite simple! Provide a fun hauntingly and entertaining night will ensure a successful event. I always make sure my guest have lots of eats and drinks by staying on top the food dishes by refilling dishes and Witch's Brew when needed. I make sure I not only have easy finger eats but also something hot and soupy like my traditional Witch's Tit Gumbo. This is always a smashing success and a party favorite from year to year.

 

Another cool and unique idea is having little recipe cards next to each prepared dish so that your guest can take a recipe card from their favorite dishes.

 

Last but not least and tradition in my home is I always come up with strange and unique names for the dishes I serve. Example: You R2 Choke on These Balls (artichoke balls)  or Bat and Bird Brain Dip (cream cheese and crab dip)  this always makes for great conversation!  I type the crazy names out, print and cut them to fit in small dollar store picture frames. Each frame is placed in front of its dish, the rest is a sure knee slapper! 

 

Start Your Tradition!

 

Engage your creative side to create party traditions! You only need one good one and friends & family will look for it year after year. For my crew our little Cemetery Jaunt is not only scary but really quite fun. Face it, we all have some sense of fascination with death if you want to be honest? We are always respectable and very well mannered during our visit and I also call ahead and let the Police Department know what we're up to.

 

Traditions can also include food, games, Halloween Contest, Ghost Story Time or even better,  what about including a Halloween Cookie Swap Contest.  Have guest bring one or two dozen of homemade cookies with them, display cookies on a table and just pass out boxes! What you brought (in terms of the amount) is what you leave with. If  you brought one dozen then you leave with one dozen of any mix and match cookies from the table. We walk the table choosing from the large selection of cookies and every one goes home a winner! Too fun!

Another fun tradition is having your guest from year to year drawer/paint a Halloween picture. Assemble a few judges are choose away! This is not fun and creative but it makes for a great Halloween Tradition.

 

Do keep in mind when planning these fun contest, please do include clear instruction on your invites to insure all who want to participate have a full understanding of what's expected.

 

Get inspired, have some fun and make Halloween one of your Favored Annual Parties! There's nothing like a great Autumn/Halloween Party to welcome in the most wonderful season we are gearing up for, The Holiday's.

 

Any ideas or feedback is always welcome.

 



 

 

 

 



Devilish Décor Ideas - Inside and Out

 

Set the stage for a spooktaucular Halloween Party throughout  your home with some  eerie Halloween decorating ideas. I have been able to transform my home into an enchanting candlelit cottage that looked amazing on a shoe string budget.

 

 

Here's my 5 simple steps:

1)  Look at your home though guest eyes starting at the curb. Lighting is key! I always help to identify my home with something welcoming at the base of my driveway or curbside mailbox. My favorite is lanterns lite with candles that lead my guest down the walk,  up the porch stairs and to my door and remember your front door is the portal to your home so dress it to the nines!

 

The lawn: I love displaying little playful witches dancing their way around the garden. Whether your goblins are store bought or you take the creative route,  witch's and ghosts always bring a smile to my guest faces,so whatever theme you choose continue the haunt all the way to the front door!

 

Easy and Inexpensive: Using some Styrofoam balls for the ghost heads an old sheet (or gauze)   and a craft stick or yard stick creating ghosts is simply and fun. Try grouping them or scatter them about they're always spooky. 
Now for creating your little witches,  just start at a Goodwill store, flea market or junk store and purchase some old used plastic dolls at different heights and the rest is "anything goes". A little face paint, some black gauze/sheet or fabric for their clothing and a witch's hat made of heavy plastic or vinyl just pinned to the head makes the perfect witch. Even creating a lawn pumpkin patch with hay from a feed store and different size pumpkins and orange lighting sets the perfect presentence.   Just have fun and even get the kiddies involved! 

 

 

 

 

2) Once your guest enter the fun begins! Starting at my front door I have candles (some real and some battery operated depending on safety)  I love decorating my chandeliers too! I purchase tulle in black & orange and adorn the chandeliers with it. I also love using black and orange Christmas shinny ornaments hung with black ribbon from the chandeliers for a more elegant touch. Sprinkle a little Halloween everywhere from Halloween throw pillows to black furniture throws, the skies the limit so don't be afraid to experiment. Another tip is creating little creepy vignettes for your guest to sit at using two chairs (dinning is perfect) a borrowed small table and lamp from another room and even some creepy crawls for the table makes for the perfect vignette.  Think about lots of eye candy and visual stimulation!

 

3) Choose a Focal Point!  For me it's unusually my fireplace that works the best because after entering my home it's what drawers you in. In the photo above I used a simple approach as not to detract from Griselda! The mantel is layered with lots of black gauze,feather boas, spiders, vines and everything but the kitchen sink. If it's black I use it...lol
The photo is bad but on the mantel ends I have large glass  apothecary jars filed with more black & orange shinny Christmas balls and  Halloween ribbon. The bell of any ball is always the candles inside and on top the mantel they truly do light the way into the next dimension. Even a large skull and bones made their way to the fireplace, but my favorite has to be the antique Yellow Glass Eyed Owl Andirons I purchased off Ebay some years ago that really bring this look full circle.

No Fire Place you Say? - No worries, just pick or choose a place towards the center back area of the main party room and go to town! Create a vignette using furniture pieces or even an old rocking chair or a bench. Make it cozy and inviting so people will want to linger or perhaps, "sit for a spell".  

 

4) Goblins Grazing Grounds -  Grazing around the food table is an understatement...lol Yep, where you have the eats you'll find the Peeps!

 Start with linens by choosing your table cloth, napkins (cloth or paper) and drink ware. I personally like to set up dishes, napkins and silverware on  both ends of the table to allow a constant flow of movement.
The second step is the most important step! Create visual interest on your table starting with your centerpiece. From floral arraignments to gruesome "night of the living dead" creatures, have fun and create big!
The evening before my party I plan where each dish will be placed. This will allow my candle placement, creepy crawlers and crawling electronic hands to be perfectly placed..lol  There's nothing like having a bloody hand trying to grab you while you're reaching for a finger sandwich! Have fun!
 I also love using glow sticks around the table top for interesting colored lighting or a Witches Cauldron filled with hot ice to add to the eeriness. Big Black Crows and Paper Bats hanging from the Dinning Room Chandelier is a must to add to the mood.

Third - Do think height when it comes to displaying your eats! I like to use pedestal cake plates, inverted bowls and even black spray painted boxes to get that staggered look.
Once your table is planned then observe other areas of the room that need attention. I love to dress mirrors by draping them with black fabric like they did one hundred years ago when a family member died. During the Victorian Era when a loved one passed away it was believed that in order to prevent their soul from being trapped in the mirrors they would drape them in black fabric. This was also during the time when loved ones were laid out in their homes for people to come by an pay their respects. Wild but true.
Another wonderful idea that I plan to use this year is draping black tulle and a morning wreath around the case opening leading to the dinning room for a little added drama and darkness.
Have fun and plan early this will ensure the creepiest table scrapping!

5) Music & Entertainment - Music is a must and one of my all time favorite Halloween Party CD' is the Rocky Horror Picture Show CD. People love singing along to the songs! I also have a few cd's of recorded music that is perfect for the party that include "Monster Mash" and The Worms Crawl in and The Worms Crawl Out song...lol Anything fun and creepy!
As for Entertainment I am so about gathering the troops together for a late night stroll through a near by cemetery that does not have closing hours. Of course we're respectable and I even call our local police dept. to clue them in on our intentions so that they will know we are there.
One year we had a five vehicle caravan and had the time of our lives (no pun intended), but if that's to creepy, then come up with something fun and interesting like a Halloween Trivia Question Game, or costume contest, anything to engage your guest.  I also love giving my guest numbers when they arrive and before the night drawers to a close I pull a number and the winning ticket receives a bag filled with goodies! Last year my lucky guest received two beautiful Velvet Halloween Throw Pillows! Anything fun or even a basket of homemade Halloween Cookies in a ceramic Halloween Bowl.
Everyone loves party favors so this is another fun thing you can do, again, be creative and make something memorable and start a tradition.

Halloween 2011 - Photo taken in the oldest Cemetery in Covington, LA. -  

 

See the Orb - Creepy

 

A Few of The Gang - We heard what sounded like running and it was not us.

 

Me

 

My little Sister Linda and Me

 

 

 

 

 

Do Not Miss A Trick Party Planning 101

Do Not Miss A Trick Party Planning 101

 

 

Not being the most organized person I find it mandatory to work from a list of things to do, so out with a note book and off I go! Whenever planning for any kind/theme event party keeping a note book is a great source for jotting down ideas and notables all to keep you organized and inspired. I've put together my party planning steps, but I encourage you  to please post any ideas or tricks to the trade you may have picked up along the way to make the planning stage more efficient. After all knowledge is power!

 

1) Make a list of invites and keep in mind should you want to host a party for 30 invite 50 to ensure a successful turn out. The rule of thumb is about half the invitees with show.

 

2) Choose your Invitations or not~ Today, with social media all you need to do is post your haunt  information weekly on facebook and the word will spread like "bats out of hell"! I myself have very successfully used this method, however, if a more traditional method is what you choose then by all means choose away. You can either create your own unique idea for your party invite or send standard Halloween invites. When sending invites the traditional way, via snail mail it's important to keep in mind that proper etiquette dictates that invites should be received by potential guest about three weeks prior to the event. This will insure a successful party turnout. (below please find some unique invite ideas)

 

3) Planning your Party Theme! Now this is where the true fun begins! I gather inspiration through magazine articles, books, the internet, nature and the supermarket. Autumn fruits and vegetables and some candles on a felt handmade table runner is not only easy but really economical. Do keep I mind from year to year this note book of ideas and taking photos is a wonderful way to ensure no duplication your party theme. At this point I'm off to Halloween Town with my tablescape planning.   The focal point of any table should be the centerpiece, so get creative and don't be afraid to express yourself.  Just have fun! (below you'll find some inspiration for your centerpiece)

 

4) Hauntingly delicious  Eats   This is where I start my menu planning! Once you've decided how many food dishes you'll offer, you can move to the tablescaping step. (later I will post my favorite recipes and share some other table ideas)

 

4) Tablescaping~   Once your centerpiece has been decided it's time to look at the big picture! When planning your food table think in terms of  what will be visually pleasing.  Think fabric for tablecloth or even just a basic black or orange felt handmade runner can be a perfect foundation to build upon! Personally, creating different heights for your food dishes creates visual interest and adds drama.  Some very inexpensive dollar store spider webbing or gauze over wooden blocks or other inverted objects will give you just the height needed to create that one of kind look. (See Below some cute examples of Felt hand made table runners)

 

Once the basics are decided it's time to think about table lighting and table trinkets! I love to use bleeding candles which I order these via the internet. Lots of candles are so elegant and play a big part in your mood setting, but do plan carefully where the candles will be used especially if children will be in attendance.   For my table adornments I love using plastic bloody fingers on the finger sandwiches, large black rats running amuck on the table and lots of creep crawlers ...anything eerie works great.

 

At this point your plan is set and creativity time has arrived!

 

 

 

 

 

 

To Come Next is:  Devilish Décor Ideas - Inside and Out

 

 

 

   Invite Ideas: Handmade:    

                                          

"A wrapping on my window
A tapping at my door
Who could it be this Hallows Eve?
It chilled me to my core
The darkness seemed to close right in
Could this be my awful fate?
Then suddenly I realized
It's you here to celebrate!"

Need: construction paper, markers, ribbon, tissue (goes over invite before ribbon is secured)

 

Halloween Centerpiece Ideas

Hand embellish a Pumpkin!

 

Decorate a plastic(found at any craft store) witch boot!

 

 or Decorate a Witch Hat! Either way get creative!

 

Handmade Felt Table Runners

 

 

 

 



Do Not Miss A Trick Party Planning Ideas!

                       Do Not Miss A Trick Party Planning!

 

Halloweenies: Over the following weeks leading up to Halloween, I'll be posting lots of Party Ideas including some Devilish Décor Ideas and Tantalizing Treat Recipes that I hope will inspire and motivate you to plan a Spooky Evening yourself for your family and friends.  Entertaining is making memories and memories last a life time. Now let's make some memories!

Table of Contents for your Spooktacular Time!

1) Do Not Miss A Trick Party Planning
2) Devilish Décor Ideas - Inside and Out
3) Be the Host with the Most Ideas - Making your party memorable / starting traditions
4) Tantalizing Treats, Hors d'oeuvres and Drink Recipes
5) Frightfully Fun Party Adult Games

A Few of My Favorite Halloween Tablescapes! Tell me what you think?

 

My personal 2012 Halloween Table

 



My Personal 2011 Halloween Table

 

My Halloween 2012 Fireplace Scape

 

Inspiration for us all! Check these out!

We Love Our Guest to Death!

 

White and Black Halloween Theme!

 

Host the Perfect Halloween Coffee!

 

It's all about Quality and Not Quantity when it comes to Eats! 

 

You can use anything from dollar store spider webbing, thrift store décor to items found in your fall backyard to create a truly one of a kind centerpiece so make a plan and get creative~

 

 

 

Favorite Halloween Poems

Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen, Voices whisper in the trees, "Tonight is Halloween!"

When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers,‘tis near Halloween.

Greetings all my Halloweenies!  My name is Marilyn Baudier, my husband and I reside in the wonderful little sleepy town of Covington, Louisiana which I'm proud to say just celebrated our 200 year anniversary. Halloween in Covington is just wonderful! I'm not certain if its the crispness in the air or all those beautiful autumn leaves that line our streets from the mighty oaks that stand watch over our homes, but it seems contagious to the entire town looking at all the Halloween Decorations that are proudly displayed starting late September.  Personally, I'm simply gaga over Halloween and hopefully together we can conjure up some great ideas for your next Haunt!

Annually I host a Haunt that delivers amazing food and lots of spooky visual stimulation but it's our annual trip to the Historic Old Covington Cemetery that proves to be an interesting end to a successfully haunting evening. Over the next few weeks I intend to post photos from my 2012 Halloween Party and post some amazing Halloween Party Favorites and lots of decorating ideas. Hope you enjoy!

A Short History on Halloween

 

Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity, life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. It is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints and martyrs; the holiday, All Saints’ Day, incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows’ Eve and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a secular, community-based event characterized by child-friendly activities such as trick-or-treating. In a number of countries around the world, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people continue to usher in the winter season with gatherings, costumes and sweet treats.

Halloween Superstitions

Halloween has always been a holiday filled with mystery, magic and superstition. It began as a Celtic end-of-summer festival during which people felt especially close to deceased relatives and friends. For these friendly spirits, they set places at the dinner table, left treats on doorsteps and along the side of the road and lit candles to help loved ones find their way back to the spirit world. Today's Halloween ghosts are often depicted as more fearsome and malevolent, and our customs and superstitions are scarier too. We avoid crossing paths with black cats, afraid that they might bring us bad luck. This idea has its roots in the Middle Ages, when many people believed that witches avoided detection by turning themselves into cats. We try not to walk under ladders for the same reason. This superstition may have come from the ancient Egyptians, who believed that triangles were sacred; it also may have something to do with the fact that walking under a leaning ladder tends to be fairly unsafe. And around Halloween, especially, we try to avoid breaking mirrors, stepping on cracks in the road or spilling salt.
But what about the Halloween traditions and beliefs that today's trick-or-treaters have forgotten all about? Many of these obsolete rituals focused on the future instead of the past and the living instead of the dead. In particular, many had to do with helping young women identify their future husbands and reassuring them that they would someday—with luck, by next Halloween—be married. In 18th-century Ireland, a matchmaking cook might bury a ring in her mashed potatoes on Halloween night, hoping to bring true love to the diner who found it. In Scotland, fortune-tellers recommended that an eligible young woman name a hazelnut for each of her suitors and then toss the nuts into the fireplace. The nut that burned to ashes rather than popping or exploding, the story went, represented the girl's future husband. (In some versions of this legend, confusingly, the opposite was true: The nut that burned away symbolized a love that would not last.) Another tale had it that if a young woman ate a sugary concoction made out of walnuts, hazelnuts and nutmeg before bed on Halloween night she would dream about her future husband. Young women tossed apple-peels over their shoulders, hoping that the peels would fall on the floor in the shape of their future husbands' initials; tried to learn about their futures by peering at egg yolks floating in a bowl of water; and stood in front of mirrors in darkened rooms, holding candles and looking over their shoulders for their husbands' faces. Other rituals were more competitive. At some Halloween parties, the first guest to find a burr on a chestnut-hunt would be the first to marry; at others, the first successful apple-bobber would be the first down the aisle.
Of course, whether we're asking for romantic advice or trying to avoid seven years of bad luck, each one of these Halloween superstitions relies on the good will of the very same "spirits" whose presence the early Celts felt so keenly.

Halloweenies: Over the following weeks leading up to Halloween, I'll be posting lots of Party Ideas including some Devilish Décor Ideas and Tantalizing Treat Recipes that I hope will inspire and motivate you to plan a Spooky Evening yourself for your family and friends.  Entertaining is making memories and memories last a life time. Now let's make some memories!

Table of Contents for your Spooktacular Time!

1) Do Not Miss A Trick Party Planning
2) Devilish Décor Ideas - Inside and Out
3) Be the Host with the Most Ideas - Making your party memorable / starting traditions
4) Tantalizing Treat, Hors d'oeuvres and Drink Recipes
5) Frightfully Fun Party Adult Games