Party ideas Help!!

[Samhain]

Hey y'all
I'm throwing a bit of a halloween party this year as I finally have my own home to do it in and I need ideas to make it not a complete disaster.
If anyone has any ideas regarding decorations (I really want to build my first prop, but keep it simple, I'm poor and not a great builder), food, music, invites etc please please please let me know!
I have a great idea for a prop that I have posted here somewhere and I live in an apartment in a great spooky old mill with its own resident ghostie
I've also got an idea for my costume, I'm going to age myself with liquid latex using instructions from a great website I found, I'll post the link when I find it.

There's some fantastic minds on here and I look forward to seeing what you churn out.

Thanks all!:D

[Spooklights]

Is there a certain theme you want to use, or are you looking for general ideas?

[Fangs]

I've got an idea for ya for your invitations. :) Take some black poster board and cut out toe pincher coffin shapes. Then use a metallic sharpie (marker) to add your "What, When, Where, Who" etc. information on them. Cheap and easy when your on a budget.

[Lilly]

Sam...
check out the party recipes on here to for ideas..
plan about 1/8 to 1/4 pd per person per item usuallyif you have a lot of variety peeps will take smaller portions to sample everythng.
(I have made chili, hot dogs, meatballs ,chicken wings. Then about 5 pasta salads, a potato salad..trays of deviled eggs,cheese and sausage,taco tray,
stuffed cherry tomoatoes,chips, pretzels ect,ect)
anything you like you can make
Simple invites..make up a flyer on your puter print out and hand out.
for decorations depends on if you doing a certain theme throughout /or I do dif themes in each area I am using.
so give us a hint on what you are leaning towards

[Samhain]

I think I want sort of a gothic, sophisticated theme. I hate cutesy halloween stuff, all smiling pumpkins and cute ickle witches and vampires. I want a sort of dark silk and lace look. Lots of dried flowers and candles. I have a beautiful bunch of black and dark red wooden roses that I'm going to make a centre piece from.
It's that sort of thing I'm looking for, grown up halloween, not childish sorta thing. I can visualise the general idea, but can't get any specifics. It's a bit.... grrr!
Help LOL!

[Lilly]

well for starters you can do some sheer curtains in either red or black..you can leave them all one color or if you want that lace look..find a doily or a pattern you like and then use that as template and spray paint it on.( i think turtle did something like this on wood)
use them as wall coverings.tablecloths, chair covers ect whatever looks good. find a fancy type chandelier or make one
use candles for ambience..
maybe a big cross for wall hanging..
some pics to hang
mirrors for light reflection
maybe some wood, or gold or silver candle holders
goblets for drinking
just some ideas for you if this is kinda what you going for
hope it helps

[Samhain]

Thanks Lilly, some great ideas yesterday, there's a really cheap fabric place near-ish to where I live and I spend half my life in there anyway. I shall make a date with them and have a look to see what they have
Keep these ideas coming guys
Thank yooooooooouuu!!! :D

[Lilly]

one more thing how about a fake fireplace unless you have a real one!!
heres a site for a fake brick one but you could do a wood look also
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10160
there may be one on haunt forum also I'm not sure ...but there is some fake fire looks on here. somewhere.

[Samhain]

Oo I like that cos it looks easy LOL
That could be quite cool, I can see a place where it would look pretty good, would just need to move a book case, but that thing weighs like 4lbs anyway, so it's no big deal

[Lilly]

or you could build it over the bookcase unless it would stick out to much...i will be doing something like this over a piano we have down in our bar.
good luck

[Samhain]

I was thinking I could do that, I shall have to think about this one, because I really like that idea
Thanks Lilly!
Have some halloween cheer from me *sprinkles halloween cheer*

[Samhain]

Does anyone know of any sites that have ideas for victorian gothic style decorations and things?

[Lilly]

Just do google search for each one victorian decor/ gothic decor..there are alot and so it be easier for you to go thru them.

[jodi]

whatever you end up doing, I'm sure it will be fun!

[The Haunter]

with the look your talking you could do a vampire bash or a ghost hunter type theme.I think its cool if you run a theme.We've do come as your own origional superhero masqurade ball(Venitian style) Come as your fav dead person come as your fav villian.All I can think of for now.

[Samhain]

Oooh a vampire bash, I like that, vampire costumes are fairly easy to do/make/find so my guests will be happy, plus I love all things vamp anyway. Could serve quite vampy foods, (no garlic) and do a quite eerie candles, dull lighting and haunted music soundtrack!
Thanks guys, keep 'em coming!

[Bone Dancer]

Found this site with a couple of neat food ideas, just thought I would pass it on.

http://imakeprojects.com/projects/halloween-supper/

[Samhain]

Thanks BD
I love that sight, I think the bleeding heart may be on my list this year

[Samhain]

I've just bought the coolest thing for my party, and I got it for only 14.99 (british pounds)
http://www.firebox.com/pic/p1582b.jpg
I'm so amazed by it. It might spend all year hanging around. I think I'm going to change one of the bulbs though. At the moment it has one red and one yellow bulb, think I might try and replace the yellow one with a blue one, or at the very least another red one.
Weeeee cheap cool things!

[Lagrousome]

Where did you get that? Do they Wal-Marts over there? I'm gonna have to see if I can find something like that (for that type of price). The simple punch bowl with the frozen hands is becoming a bit redundant! Besides, the fingers keep breaking off! (Nothing like having some "obscene gestures" staring back at the guests! LOL

[Samhain]

They don't have Wal-Marts on this side of the pond I'm afraid Lagrousome. It was from a store called Netto (which is a cheap nasty store to say the least) and they just get random stuff in. I'm sure if you searched the net for a bit though, you could find something similar in the US. I'll have a look round for you too

[Samhain]

They do sell a slightly cooler one with phasing lights on http:iwantoneofthose.com but they are like $90, that's without p+p which will probably be quite a lot as I think they ship from the UK. I'll keep looking for you though

[Samhain]

Aha
http://cgi.ebay.com/Lighted-Party-punch-bowl-3-tier-drink-Fountain-NEW_W0QQitemZ180133662621QQihZ008QQcategoryZ67143Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Think you might like this, thank my other half
There are more as well that may be cheaper, just have a look around =)

[Lagrousome]

Thanks Samhein!
It's a bit pricey so I think I'll do some looking around.
The store sounds like Odd Lots and some like that around here.
I'll keep my eyes peeled!

[Samhain]

i have seen them on ebay for like $20, if you do a search for drink fountain it brings up quite a few results

[Lilly]

Sam ..that will look cool for your decor ...
maybe put another red bulb in and then have a blue down light on it.
or you can try and see how blacklight shows the plastic up, that may work too.

Lagrousome...why not make a fountain, pumps are pretty cheap !
I made this one a few yrs ago and it can be changed to fit your needs.
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/imdiamondlilly/things%20ive%20made/wapaghoulietable2dayshot.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/imdiamondlilly/things%20ive%20made/wapaghouliefountain1.jpg

[IshWitch]

Found this site with a couple of neat food ideas, just thought I would pass it on.

http://imakeprojects.com/projects/halloween-supper/

This is a good site. Lots of good ideas. HOWEVER, the site suggests using latex gloves for the punch. NEVER EVER use latex gloves to hold food. If someone has a latex allergy it could be seriously bad. Use the plastic or vinyl kind if you want to make ice hands. (plus in some cases you can taste the latex and it can really ruin the food)

Your party looks like it is shaping up quite nicely!

[Lagrousome]

Thanks Lilly!
I think I may go that route!

[Samhain]

Thanks for all the help guys. Keep 'em coming!

[Ghoulbug]

For food...Lilly and i made a body out of meat spreads..(example: ham salad,raw beef,liverwurst) She may even have a picture of it but i am not sure....We may have even used bread sticks for bones and such but i don't remember. As for that fountain..i think i saw them at wal-mart this year after christmas. Don't remember the price though but i am thinking $29.00 or so.

[Samhain]

Thanks Ghoulbug. That sounds pretty cool, and if I can make my guests not want to eat anything, it means more for me! Yay.
You and Lilly have the best ideas

[Lilly]

Sam..
I made the bones for the thing ghoulbug is talking about out of salt dough..
you can see it here.
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=5801
If I ever do this again I will make it different...maybe standing ribs ect
I do have some of the bones still that didnt get wet from the spreads.
I'm working on my meathead now here and there, but prob won't be done with that for a while yet.