# Scarecrow's Revenge/Vintage Halloween party



## handfulofrubies (Sep 3, 2010)

Last year we had our first annual mid - summer halloween party. It was a Hotel Manderley theme. This year we're changing our venue to a friend's barn. We wanted our theme to compliment the barn so I think we're going with a vintage black and orange theme, and incorporating the harvest look with scarecrows. It's a large red barn, two levels. It has a large rolling door that opens at one end. 2nd level has a square window that opens up top. At the other end is where food and seating would be. It is a working barn so other than having the stalls clean, probably wouldn't use them. I'm considering showing a movie with a projector at the end as well. I do want to bring in a scary vibe, and i want to build in a story of some kind that ties everything together. We have a big pumpkin head scarecrow to use some where.

Other than a few funkins and my paper mache ones, we'll be lacking on pumpkins and cornshocks. I want to make sure it still has that harvest fall look. 

As far as parties go, I know it usually goes eat, drink and hang out but have y'all had any success with other activities? I love the movie on a big sheet/screen idea. 

At our last hotel party we played a couple of games that went over well. One was we pulled out pieces of paper and they were different embarrassing dares we all had to do. The hosts of the party, 4 of us, all had characters we played and we acted out our roles pretty heavily the first hour of the party, and the guests still talk about those characters. We also had a costume contest. The last couple hours we ended up around the fire pit telling scary stories. 
I'd love to have something revolve around the scarecrow. Something fun, something scary. There won't be a way to build a haunt but a lot of us love haunted trails/houses, so I have to have a spooky or scary aspect. 
I want each party to unfold a little different so if you guys have any ideas, I'd love to hear them.

I loved my invites last year and want to have something equal in design. I thought about incorporating pumpkin seeds somehow.


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## mamadada (Aug 18, 2008)

show the movie outside against the barn wall. bring the movie party outside and it will open up the barn area for dancing or something. i like different stations for food and entertainment. consider karaoke inside with halloween songs only. nothing better than a movie under the stars on a summer night especially if its a scary movie about a creature coming out of the woods!!!!


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## handfulofrubies (Sep 3, 2010)

I really like the idea of moving the movie outside and karaoke is good idea too


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## mamadada (Aug 18, 2008)

For my sons H party we bought one of the bluetooth karoeke machines from Sams. It has a laser light show on the top. It reflected the light very weel all the way to the top of Sam's warehouse. I didnt think it would do much outside but it reflected off of anything it hit -trees included. it was really cool and we were more than the instructed 100 feet away controlling the music party from our Iphones with bluetooth. best $129 ever spent and i split it with my neighbor and we will share it but we think we got our money's worth using for two parties. That would look cool in the barn!!!


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## mamadada (Aug 18, 2008)

what are u doing for invites i saw a perfect one on google images that would be barnish! Is this an all adult party?


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## handfulofrubies (Sep 3, 2010)

Haven't decided on invites yet. Maybe something with red barn wood. Maybe something with an evil scarecrow. I'd like to include pumpkin seeds maybe.
I think it will be mostly adults. Could be a couple of 13/14 yr olds but their parents are fine with them being at the party.


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## handfulofrubies (Sep 3, 2010)

I'm really trying to brainstorm on something creepy and scary. Last year in the group there were people who were afraid to walk up my long, dark driveway. I like to creep out the ones who are easily scared. I haven't fully thought any of this out, but I want something that revolves around a scarecrow. I know you can cover a plastic skull with burlap and make a creepy face with stitches, paint/stain, staples and add a straw hat and random clothing depending on how detailed you want it to be. I'm a big fan of pumpkinrot scarecrows and paper mache too, but that style takes a lot of time if you're making more than one. 
So, what if I made several scarecrows, sewed their mouth shut, but within the mouth, there are pieces of paper that can be retrieved? The papers could have some kind of clue/dare on them that leads to something else. I haven't got the something else yet. It needs to build up to something that ties into the whole story I'm telling with the scarecrow. (My co-party planner roles her eyes at this point and tells me I'm over thinking it.) But, I like to do things that make a party memorable. I don't want the same ole thing.
I love games, and riddles, and I'm wondering how far I can push my guests to participate in something. You always have those people who won't even dress up, so ...


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## 3pinkpoodles (May 2, 2012)

I agree with moving the movie outside. Rent some hay bales to sit on and set up an actual "theater". Your invites could be movie ticket themed? What is the possibility of incorporating a hay ride? I know I may be stretching it! How about s'mores around a fire pit some where? Maybe incorporate a fun DIY photo booth inside? Using the scarecrow idea, can you make some of those pumpkin rot type scarecrows to flank each side of the barn door entry way? They are creepy as hell, and add some foggers and cool lighting to them... Wham, instant creep factor.


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## offmymeds (May 26, 2010)

Maybe you can make some really tall scarecrows from branches. You can find something large to use for the heads, cover that with burlap and paint the face on it. Use them for sentinels at the door of the barn. Old jeans and flannel shirts stuffed, dollar tree gloves and cover the heads with burlap. Even scarecrows without faces are pretty creepy. 
I think crows and rats would look good. 

You can always add some loose pumpkin seeds and some hay in your invite. Maybe a barn and the doors open up. Maybe something like the Harvest has come home. 

Are you planning to have the movie at the end of the party as it winds down or playing the whole time? 
Dark Night of the Scarecrow is a great older movie and of course Pumpkinhead is a given. 

we made this scarecrow from limbs, styrofoam head, burlap


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## mamadada (Aug 18, 2008)

Add Content


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## mamadada (Aug 18, 2008)

The invitation idea I was going to suggest to you is a creepy scarecrow on google images. It has a noose around its neck so thats why i asked u about kids. its really creepy but definately a good way to set the theme. BTW , your friend is wrong ... you can never over think things. Don't throw a party if you are not going to do it right! It's not a frat party!


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## MC HauntDreams (Jun 6, 2013)

I found this pic on Pinterest recently. No instructions because it was from a scarecrow contest. If you live where you can get palm fronds, some huge crows like this could be really creepy to add in. 
We want to make a few and I know the rustling sound from them in the wind will be creepy as heck!


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

I love the idea of adding pumpkin seeds to the invites. Id love to go to a party with an invite like that. How cool to have a barn to have a party in, this theme is perfect for that setting.
Im seeing a lot of scarecrows , maybe you could show the scary movie scarecrows, I know there are a few of those type movies. Roast some marshmallows and make it into kind of a scary movie scarecrow theme night. You could also show jeepers creepers


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## Pumpkinhead625 (Oct 12, 2009)

My suggestion for the perfect old-school scary movie for this would be "Dark Night of the Scarecrow". It was a made-for-TV movie aired in 1981, starring Charles Durning. It's available at Amazon on DVD and Blu-ray.










Maybe you could make a costume identical to the scarecrow in the movie.












As the movie comes to an end, have an actor in that costume take the place of one of your static scarecrows, then give your guests a good scare.


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## Pumpkinhead625 (Oct 12, 2009)

I saw this video from Stiltbeast Studios (Allen Hopps) a few weeks ago. This would be an easy and inexpensive way to make a lot of crows to complement your scarecrow theme:


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## offmymeds (May 26, 2010)

Wow, Mchaunt that crow is awesome! looks kind of like Mexican fan palms

I suggested that movie too, it is a great old movie. & great idea for the scare


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## handfulofrubies (Sep 3, 2010)

I love the palm frond crow, scarecrows and movie suggestions.
I'm about to send out my invitations.







This is the barn where the party will be held. The invite doesn't scream scarecrow (i'm keeping that more of a surprise), but the main decorative theme will be vintage and I love old, sheet ghosts. I also love how at a lot of vintage parties, they used mirror games to predict their true loves. I wanted to combine all those elements into the main image. The pumpkin head is a large paper mache mask that I made a couple of years ago. I know I'll have it out on display somewhere. All the party information will go inside the invitation. When I have that designed, I'll put it up here.


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## offmymeds (May 26, 2010)

Nice! Wished I had a barn to party in!!


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## Deadna (Oct 19, 2002)

handfulofrubies said:


> I love the palm frond crow, scarecrows and movie suggestions.
> I'm about to send out my invitations.
> View attachment 197555
> 
> This is the barn where the party will be held. The invite doesn't scream scarecrow (i'm keeping that more of a surprise), but the main decorative theme will be vintage and I love old, sheet ghosts. I also love how at a lot of vintage parties, they used mirror games to predict their true loves. I wanted to combine all those elements into the main image. The pumpkin head is a large paper mache mask that I made a couple of years ago. I know I'll have it out on display somewhere. All the party information will go inside the invitation. When I have that designed, I'll put it up here.


I love this! I started out doing parties in my husbands barn and they were the best. 
I had never heard about the mirror games/true love thing until I found this book a couple years ago. It is from 1912 and every game ends with...."and you will find your true love". I still don't get how halloween and finding a husband goes together


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## handfulofrubies (Sep 3, 2010)

I finally came up with the rest of the invitation. Since the party is vintage themed, I based the whole design around that.

View attachment 198186


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## handfulofrubies (Sep 3, 2010)

Shew, two weeks left until party time. So, there may be an extra room in the barn, at least 15x30, maybe larger that's clear to use. If it is, I'm thinking about making it spooky. I really don't have it in the budget to do much with it as far as buying/making props. I'm already working on some decor for the main party area. But, we have colored spotlights, strobe lights, old sheets, and a lot of black vinyl that we could hang from the ceiling. This is a party for adults that won't be drinking, so I'm thinking about making it maze-like, hanging vinyl/fabric, and sending them with a glow stick. I might have a couple of guests that will get in there and scare the others. We're going to have other games going on in the night. This may be another chance to add in a game element. Instead of just scares, 1-2 people at a time could have a limited amount of time to find some specific object. I have a lot of people invited that are easily scared, so having to search for something in the dark seems kind of perfect. It's also vintage Halloween themed. I love those old pics of creepy kids in masks. I could make up some child size scarecrows that would sit in chairs in the corners, wearing their homemade masks. Add in sounds of kid's laughter or crying and some heavy breathing.
This is all off the top of my head. If you have any suggestions of how to make it creepy, or how to add to the game element, please do share.


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## printersdevil (Sep 7, 2009)

Sounds great! I love Summerween. Wish I could go to a party like this.

I would love to know more about the mirror games. I am doing fortune tellers and have several sets of love prediction cards and a spell book of love spells. Please share here or PM me some info.


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