# My first halloween party... please help!!!



## Gemima (Aug 26, 2009)

Heyy all,

I need some help on a few things as this will be the first halloween party I am thowing! I'm excited but nervous too 

First of all I am quite young... only 21 and therefore the majority of guests are around the same age. I want it to actually be scary but at the same time... not tacky/corny. I want to really get into the theme with halloween themed music, games, food and everything. The only problem I have is working out how to get everyone open minded and into the games part. I host parties all the time and everytime I have a theme. People are always excited about the dress up part but from then on they don't really care if the actual party is in the theme. Though they always do appreciate it when they arrive and see the place. Sorry for the long introduction... I am just wanting helpful hints on how to get people more enthusiastic about it all.

Firstly, I'd like some decorations ideas. I have came up with one idea where we have a fake grave yard with the names of guests on the grave stones (We live on a very big block of land in the country). Anyway I love this idea but can't quite figure out how to actually make this grave yard (like the grave stones and everything).

Secondly I would really love some game/activity suggestions. 

Thirdly some help with the invitations like what to say and what design to use (Keeping in mind that I want it to actually be scary and not corny)

and last but def not least... the costume!!! 
Ok... I know what I want to do. I am going as a Scary porcelain Doll... I already know what makeup and hair I am doing... just not too sure about the costume part. Plus I need some suggestions for girl costumes... I have a bunch of girlfriends that want to come as something scary but they still want it to be attractive in some way. Any suggestions. We already have Black Angel, Female Devil, and Black Cat as some ideas

So any help will be greatly appreciated. In the mean time I might go read some blogs and see if people have already answered my questions


----------



## savagehaunter (Aug 22, 2009)

The Bride of Frankenstein, Elvira mistress of the night, a scary doll, a vampiress, any sexy costumne that Spirit sells, a 1920's flapper. I have lots of ideas


----------



## savagehaunter (Aug 22, 2009)

For your grave yard may I suggest custome tombstones. I make my own from styrofoam and thay are much better than anything store bought. Lots of haunters can give you advise on their particular recipe for tombstone making, but I use two inch thick styrofoam insulation panles from Home Depot. they are big so I cut them so I can get several out of one slab. I base paint them black and let dry. Then I print out an epitaph on word making sure the font size is large enough to be in conparisone to the size of stone. I use spray on adhesive to put the letters temperarily on the stone. I use an exacto knife to trace the letters. The foam will just pop on when done forming a nice letter. Then when all the words are carved, paints over with a light gray. the letters will just look great. let dry. then use a sea sponge to dab on a darker gray paint. and let dry. Then use a greenish gray and dab that on. then use a watered down black paint to paint inside your letters. then use the watered down black and a rag and create drips from the letters down the stone. use the rag to dab and blend the black lightly into the greenish gray making a devine weathered look. See Davisgrtaveyard.com to look at their tombstones. They use the same technique because they taught me how and see what results. It takes time, but the results are a thousand times better than store bought. of couse a few store bought interspirsed with your creations can be a nice effect.


----------



## katyr58 (Sep 22, 2009)

We make spooky trees for our yard haunt by using tubes that come from carpet rolls (tubes), the carpet stores are glad to get rid of them. They are very sturdy and best of all FREE!! and come in 12 ft and 14 ft and sometimes 16 ft lengths...With a circle saw or hand saw I cut them to different lengths...We make a T frame with vantech flooring approx. 18x24 inches and a screw a 2x4 approx 12-14 inches for support standing it on its end. I slide the tubes over top of the 2x4 and then drill holes randomly up and down the tube (trunk), then I go out in the woods (we live in a very rural area) and snip branches from some of the trees or you can use and old christmas tree branches, I then remove all the leaves and place them inside the holes I drilled earlier. Then using the spary foam that comes form your local hardware I then bulk up diferent areas of the trunk and make roots and knot holes. Then I spray paint everything with a cheap $ .99 cent can of black spray paint. Then using small ties I attach orange or purple lights outlining each branch and trunk and run the wire down through the tube out the bottom on some of the taller ones I drop an extension cord and cut a small split to help hold it at the top. I then add black ravens, owls or some I have vultures in. Drill 2 or 4 holes on the vantech board and use regular tent stakes to hold in ground. I the rake up leaves and place around the bottom to hide the board frame. These are really cool and are cheap to make and don't take a whole lot of time. The carpet tubes are very strong and sturdy, but again they are cardboard so they can't take a whole lot of wet weather.


----------

