# My Halloween Theme



## Spookyboo (Dec 7, 2007)

Hi guys sorry I haven't been around much but I have been busy as usual!!
its just about 6 months out now and I am going to try my best to do a Haunted Carnival-Circus theme. I was going to do it last year and I had a bunch of problems...I am going to go for it this year!!!! I would love to hear any ideas you might have and if you have done this before any problems I might not see coming...I have been brainstorming alot of ideas but I would love to hear from you guys!!!! Thanks... Oh and please include some cake ideas 

Spookyboo....

P.s. For those who know me...I will be coming up with some new poetry soon to start off the countdown very soon!!!


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## Dragon (Oct 31, 2007)

Midway games. Spin the wheel for candy and prizes or... whatever.


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## Spookilicious mama (Feb 27, 2008)

P.s. For those who know me...I will be coming up with some new poetry soon to start off the countdown very soon!!![/QUOTE]

Ok I don really know you but I cant wait to hear that countdown of yours. I love that stuff.

Carnival huh, Im sure everyone here will give you great ideas for props, but it might be nice if you can rent a cotton candy machine and popcorn machine, the really big kind that stand, maybe a snow cone one as well, to help with the carnival feeling. You can have really creepy carnival guys serving the food to help the theme along. Of course dont forget the music, must have carnival music.


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## maleficent (May 20, 2007)

How about a penny pitch cake? Get a bunch of different small plastic glasses and put them on the top of a sheet cake add some plastic pennies around and on the cake and a couple in the glasses.


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## tallula_g (Sep 19, 2006)

Do you have a Dollar Tree store where you are? I was in one the other day and they had tons of carnival/circus party stuff. They had little games, paper goods, clowns. Would be great for game prizes or favors. Are you going for a twisted circus with scary clowns, etc? It would be cool to make up some sideshow posters, bearded lady, lobster man, etc.

This is a link to a site with a Cotton Candy Martini recipe. Just scroll down the page a bit: Martini of the week


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## tallula_g (Sep 19, 2006)

Back again. This is such a fun theme it got me looking for stuff. I found this:
Wells Halloween Sounds Scary Circus
Scary circus sounds for a haunted house.
I also found this if you like to play games at your party:
Murder Mystery Games and Parties
You could give out cheesy horror movie DVD's as prizes a few good ones:
Carnival of Souls, Freaks, The Funhouse and Killer Clowns From Outer Space! Oh and don't forget: Something Wicked This Way Comes!

You could also make some story up to go along with your theme, such as the ghost of a girl who died when the ferris wheel malfunctioned haunts the carnival or fairgrounds. Or the angry ghost of the trapeez artist who fell to his death is now stalking the circus.


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## yellow_moon (Apr 21, 2008)

I think I've decided on this year's party theme. While visiting a museum this past weekend, i was totally overflowing with ideas for Egyptian halloween. 
This will only be my second halloween party and i've decided to start early so i can pace myself. I love luminaries for Halloween and I thought instead of reusing last year's white bags with black cats, witches, and the like on them, I'd create pyramid luminaries to go along with the theme. So, with some heavy card stock that my graphic designer friend gave me, I fashioned this little mock up. I'm envisioning that I'll make these quite large, since the paper is oversized, maybe three of them clustered together in the party room for ambiance...stay tuned, the creative wheels are spinning...will continue to post my party progress in this topic... here's a pic of the mock up

pyramidluminaries.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


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## Madame Turlock (Nov 2, 2007)

Those are great luminaries Yellow Moon. I have been saving the containers that Cyrstal Light comes in. We drink Peach Tea....by the gallon I think. It just seems like a waste through these little beauties into the recycle bin. Anyway, I want to use them to make luminaries but I'm not sure how to light them. LED make the lost sense because the don't produce heat, but I need to find an easy way to turn them on and off. Does anyone have ideas to share?


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## Spookilicious mama (Feb 27, 2008)

Madame Turlock said:


> Those are great luminaries Yellow Moon. I have been saving the containers that Cyrstal Light comes in. We drink Peach Tea....by the gallon I think. It just seems like a waste through these little beauties into the recycle bin. Anyway, I want to use them to make luminaries but I'm not sure how to light them. LED make the lost sense because the don't produce heat, but I need to find an easy way to turn them on and off. Does anyone have ideas to share?


Hey Madame,
Are you going to use a string of LED's and putting the luminaries over each light. If that is the case you can use a remote. All of our lights for Halloween and Christmas are turned on and off by remote. You can buy them in the light sections during the holidays. Thats all I can really think of for now. Good luck.


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## yellow_moon (Apr 21, 2008)

Chrystal light tubes are the best! I've fashioned a few things from those myself!
Let's talk luminaries;I think the easiest way I've come up with is using a string of lights (you have your pick of bulb color and if they blink or stay constant). 
A sting of small lights is a must have for luminaries because you can use the same string for every holiday and/or season and just change the plastic decorations that slip over the lights.

I have also made use of those light bright pegs too! If you have any lodged in your floorboards from the 80s or find them at a garage sale or what not. Using a hole puncher or a sewing needle you should be able to get through the lightweight plastic of the chrystal light tubes. You don't have to make a huge hole, just a point of weakness by which you can shove the light bright peg in. The colors of the pegs will catch the light quite nicely. I have a picture somewhere of ones I made for a 4th of July cookout that I gifted to a friend, I'll try to dig that up...I made a simple star on each of them alternating red, then white, then blue pegs in each tube using the light bright pegs and the method I mentioned.


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## yellow_moon (Apr 21, 2008)

Here's a picture I just took of one I had left over from the 4th of july project. I never put the light brite pieces in this and I can't find them right now, but I'm sure you can use your imagination...

You can use the crystal lite lid to stabilize the light source and then all I did was use a size 18 cross stitch/needlepoint needle to create the weak points/holes for the light brite pieces. Cinco de Mayo is on monday and these would actually look good with a Mexican theme like cinco or even dia de los muertes halloween party...

crystallightlid.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


So good idea Madame Turlock, use those crystal "lites" as "lights" for your next party!


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## Spookyboo (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks so much for responding to my thread I am saving all your great ideas
I really appreciate it... Someone always has an Idea you have never thought of before!!! 

One more thing to add I need a motorized cake stand...any ideas for that?
I have looked and the only ones I found were 300 dollars....

Thanks again....


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## yellow_moon (Apr 21, 2008)

A motorized cake stand? I never heard of such a thing!

How big will the cake and stand be? Why will the cake be moving?I don't know what your intentions are but could you use a remote controlled toy car or something that you could attach the cake to and disguise the toy under? Maybe that could be a cheap way around spending 300 bucks?


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## yellow_moon (Apr 21, 2008)

I just looked online for motorized cake stands and if you want one that is going to make the cake turn in a 360, why not use an old record player? What movement do you want your cake to make?


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## MHooch (Jun 15, 2007)

How about a rotating Christmas tree stand? They are around $100 bucks new, but here's a link to ebay and the bid is currently $19.99...

ROTATING CHRISTAMAS TREE STAND - eBay (item 300222320241 end time May-10-08 08:30:40 PDT)


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## Spookyboo (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks guys I guess I should have given a bit more information as to why I needed a rotating cake stand...I want to make a haunted carousel cake and I think it would be so cool if it would spin....not sure about making it go up and down at the moment but Thanks Yellow moon and Mhooch great ideas ..I already saved the stand to my ebay and the toy Idea might come in handy for another rotating desert lol....


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## BadTableManor (Sep 8, 2007)

Spookyboo said:


> Hi guys sorry I haven't been around much but I have been busy as usual!!
> its just about 6 months out now and I am going to try my best to do a Haunted Carnival-Circus theme.


Excellent theme choice, Spookyboo. 
I did an Edwardian Sideshow-themed party for a friend last year, and it was my favorite theme EVER. Here are some ideas for ya:
sideshow "freak" banners. I used some old sheets, acrylic paints, and a wooden dowel. "Spidora", "Rubber Skin Man", and "Tattooed Girl (over 1037 designs!)" were all copied from artwork I saw on ebay, or just by googling in "Sideshow banner". 
Creepy Ticket booth. We put a GID skeleton inside the booth, lit by hidden blacklight. He greeted everyone at the door.
"Wheel of Torture" game. Spin-the-wheel game with various circus-themed topics (Ripley's Believe It or Not! book has more info than you'll ever need).
Freakshow room. Imagine lots of weird things in jars.
Dangling foam-core signs reading, "Why?" and "Alive!" from the ceiling. 
Great circusy music: Virgil Franklin's "Klown" has some of the best circus-music I've found. Also try Michael Hedstrom's "Midnight Circus". I believe Nox Arcana also has some good circus music.
Gypsy's tent with tarot cards dangling from the ceiling, voodoo dolls, fog, and a talking gypsy-head in a crystal ball from Michael's. We threw a tarp over the swing set, it worked out great.
As for a cake, there's a book called, "The Whimsical Bakehouse" that shows how to make these crazy tilted cakes. An easy and fun technique.
Themed drinks are also fun. Webtender.com is good for that stuff.

Hope that helps, and keep us posted, and have fun!


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## ylbissop (Sep 6, 2007)

you gotta include the sideshow it's the best part of the midway. I'll be looking forward to this one as my sister in law type person is deathly afraid of clowns and i'll never get to do it myself.


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## DeadTed (Aug 12, 2007)

Are you having this party primarily inside?

Some ideas that first came to me (If I can convince my wife to have another Halloween party this year, this theme is on the list of options).

*Peanuts* -- Either having peanuts on the floor (I really have no regard for my house staying clean during Halloween parties, so throwing peanuts on the floor is absolutely an option)... having a room dedicated to the 'animals' of a circus - peanuts on the floor or in barrels. Though, if any guest has a peanut allergy, you might have a real scare.

*Fortune Teller *(as BTM mentioned) -- My first thought for this was picturing my house, of course, and having the fortune tellers tent in the backyard behind the detached garage. Somewhere 'far' away from everything else. I always think of TV shows or movies where the one lone tent is separate from everyone else... you have to walk through the dark to get there - secluded.

I really like to utilize as many of the senses as possible because I think it makes for a more complete experience for the guest. Visuals are pretty easy - all the decorating stuff... things like smell, sound, and touch are tougher ones. Someone mentioned popcorn/cotton candy machine - those are great for smells! I like doing something in the bathrooms that is usually sound... it's the time of night where people are (usually) alone, and the best time, imo, to use sound. For a circus theme I would have a looping tape of creepy carnival music and children giggling. Kids giggling can be the most joyous and terrifying thing!

If you have a fog machine you are using, you could construct a cannon that a clown would shoot out of... just have the fog roll up through a pvc pipe.

I also picture a lot of carnival 'advertisements' on the walls -- maybe just a piece of cardboard or sheet painted to look like an ad for the carnival coming to town. Also, posters for the attractions (I think of the old timey posters with the bearded lady, strong man, etc - from the 30's or so).

I don't know... I could come up with more, but I'll stop for now. How in depth are you going to be? Do you build things or try to keep it simple?


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## Muffy (Sep 25, 2006)

I was just thinking and am not sure they would work but there's a web site called "Pumpkin Lights" & they sell those battery operated lights that go in your pumpkins. Its just a little round device, I'm not sure how much light they give but I do know they have blinking ones too. It may be to large for luminaries but then again it might work.

Muf


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## Spookyboo (Dec 7, 2007)

Dead Ted thanks you have really been thinking about this...right now I am thinking outside in a tent and I am going to be making props... I need to keep the budget down but not on a shoe string. I hadnt thought about another tent just for the fortune teller...good Idea... I am starting on a few props...as soon as they are completed I will be sure to post ... Keep those Ideas coming I want this to be the best Halloween yet... You all have wonderful ideas!!!!!


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## Spookyboo (Dec 7, 2007)

*my Halloween theme*

Hey you guys have really been thinking about this and thank you!!! I want it to be the best party yet!!!!! I am going to do this outside in a tent ...also some inside 
I plan to make some props I want to keep the budget down but I am not on a shoe string. Muffy do you have a link to that site...? If I havent said it before 
Thank god for this site I would go out of my mind if I couldnt talk to friendly talented people like yourselves!!!!


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## Spookyboo (Dec 7, 2007)

Not sure what happened there I wrote a response and it disappeared so I wrote a new one and now the first one is there oh well lol...


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## DeadTed (Aug 12, 2007)

No problem Spooky,
You're absolutely right about this site... I feel the same way. There just aren't enough people around me in my everyday life that could stand listening to me talk about Halloween so much.

More ideas:

When I think of haunted carnival, I usually go straight to the old time carnivals that traveled by trains, stopping at towns along the way. I was trying to think of an idea to incorporate that and it really depends on the area you are working with, but the idea is:
To make a mock train car -- hear me out now, it really doesn't have to be expensive or in depth...

Look at this picture first... that middle car... 









Just the facade - you've got the top section, some bars, and a bottom... that's it -- that's a matter of some plywood and PVC pipe. I picture it outside in your backyard, recessed a bit into the bushes or something (obviously on a bit larger scale than that picture). Cut out the plywood, paint it all up however you'd like... PVC pipe for bars, but have a handfull of the pipe in the middle be broken, bent, and ripped open like an animal escaped.

If you want to go further, you could create another car, similar, and have the "cage" broken a bit with a person inside, torn up. Imagine the tiger and lion got a hold of the trainer or broke loose... It looks great in my head 

For more ambiance:
Space fillers for rooms and empty/blank corners = *wooden crates* labeled with carnival supplies (maybe 2 or 3 crates stacked up with worn, old text on it for "Roller Coaster Parts," "Tent Repair," "Trapeze Netting," etc, etc).

I'm trying to think of everything that could be a part of a traveling carnival. Have you ever read _Something Wicked This Way Comes_ by Ray Bradbury? Novel from the 60's about an evil traveling carnival that comes to a Midwest town. (Disney made it into a movie as well). Anyway, that's what I think of with your theme, but I usually go for the classic stuff in my themes - I love the older, less obvious adaptations to Halloween themes (example: if someone were to say, lets do a theme about movie characters, I'd immediately want to do it about old, classic characters, instead of modern movie characters). So that's the way I lean towards... just to give you a better idea.

Ok, back to ideas - sorry for the tangent.

For your front door (or whatever door guest come into) I was thinking of a facade similar to a trailer at a carnival. Lets say a carnival is set up and they have trailers for the workers to live in. One of the trailers is for the bearded lady, another for the trapeze artist, etc... you could craft a large 'sign' (carved similar to the top of one of those train cars) and hand above the door -- or even better maybe -- in each room or entry way, have one of those hang above with different text (Freak Show, Animals, etc) and on the front entry way have a large sign above saying something like "Main Circus Tent" or something.


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## ylbissop (Sep 6, 2007)

DeadTed said:


> When I think of haunted carnival, I usually go straight to the old time carnivals


awesome idea:
I think of wagons same design but dark evil ramshackle and dirty like the ones in Todd Browning's freaks. I looked back at the movie again when you posted the facade idea and was reminded of the awesome scene at the end where they all crawl out from under the wagons. maybe you could incorporate evil circus folk climbing out as well.

OOH!! and perhaps some omage to :
YouTube - Dumbo - pink elephants on parade


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## BadTableManor (Sep 8, 2007)

Love the train idea. 
About the gypsy tent tangent. One fun thing we did was made several copies of some tarot cards, hung some of them by filament inside the tent, and passed out the same copies to anyone who wanted their fortune read. They'd go inside the tent, and find the matching, floating copy of theirs, and on the back of the floating one, would be a written interpretation of the card. Could be the actual meaning, or make up your own, silly one.


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## IshWitch (May 19, 2006)

If you have a tree to hang this from it would help. For the gypsy tent I was thinking yards of cloth (or a big sheet or two, like queen or king flat sheets) overlapped, folded over and pinned around a hula-hoop and staked out. Hang by 3 or 4 cords and then cover them with another piece of material to make a point and make a nice layering effect.

Use lots of colors and enough cloth to make the tent tall enough and wide enough to hold a couple of people with a round table and chair or two. 

That is what I see when I think of a fortune teller's tent.


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## natascha (Jul 21, 2004)

We did a Kissing booth with a Bucky in it, used a beach tent that had circus colors. Also Oriental trading has colored pendents that are good to hang aound!


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## GDfreak (Jul 11, 2006)

Maybe instead of cotton candy on a stick have it on a bone?


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## GDfreak (Jul 11, 2006)

ylbissop said:


> awesome idea:
> I think of wagons same design but dark evil ramshackle and dirty like the ones in Todd Browning's freaks. I looked back at the movie again when you posted the facade idea and was reminded of the awesome scene at the end where they all crawl out from under the wagons. maybe you could incorporate evil circus folk climbing out as well.
> 
> OOH!! and perhaps some omage to :
> YouTube - Dumbo - pink elephants on parade


You must HAVE to be on something to create this.


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## Spookyboo (Dec 7, 2007)

You guys are the best I am quickly filling up my notebook with ideas you have my husband groaning and that means...This is going to be great!!! Thank you all
I love that cotton candy bone idea GD freak thanks!! 
oh and I always leave enough room for more ideas...hehehe I am so excited!!!!

Have a Spooky DAy!!


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## Muffy (Sep 25, 2006)

I'm a little late with this Spookyboo but here it is:

Halloween Safety Lights | Pumpkin Lights | Scary Halloween Products | Pumpkin Carving | Pumpkin Paterns

I found a site not sure where it is but they had a concession stand they made & thats where I got some of the ideas for my Cadaver cafe......this stand was made out of plywood & a person could stand in there. They had body parts hanging from the ceiling on hooks & they made these breaded corn rats instead of corndogs, rotten cotten candy & creepy caramel apples. I just could not get all these done this season but i got one done, one 1/2 finished, & one not started but I got all the stuff to make it. Plus I'm adding more to this collection for my kitchen. This stand had blood spattered too.......it was real neat. 

Some of these projects are in my misc section, under 2007-2008 projects. As time goes along here I am working on these projects so I'll keep adding pictures. Maybe there is something in there you could use along with Spookilicious' idea to have a popcorn machine, snow cones & cotten candy.......you could make cotten candy & hang these fakes ones(they are so cute the way ya make them) from the ceiling. The corn rats were hanging by their tails.

Misc Section:

tmiscprojects

I just wanted to say thanks too.....we are gonna try & have a fortune teller tent this season...will all depend if we can round up some help. Lots of ideas here for that!

muf


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## turtle2778 (May 22, 2006)

Here are some other options for sound. Personally I would go with Virgil he has some amazing stuff and he's a part of our halloween community. I always try and support those who support us. CD Baby: VIRGIL: Klown here he offers samples so you can listen to them. And then you buy them from various retailers. Definately listing to the one called circus hell.


Or i found these which i have no clue on but they could be good. Id ask the seller for a sample of it. ..Halloween Props Digital Audio Sound EFX CD - eBay (item 320257940586 end time Jun-05-08 18:09:31 PDT)

Halloween Props Digital Audio Sound EFX CD - eBay (item 320257940613 end time Jun-05-08 18:09:38 PDT)


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## turtle2778 (May 22, 2006)

OOH you definately need an organ grinder. You could use a creepy guy with a dead monkey like Buckineer Babe did for her pirate theme. I thought that was amazing.


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