# Any thoughts on an Edgar Allan Poe themed Haloween party?



## ChrisW (Sep 19, 2006)

We were thinking this is the theme this year and have been racking ourr brains (ouch!) foe ideas. There are some great gothic ideas in the old Martha Stewart Halloween books. Of course there'll be the raven perched on a bust, I'm doing a styro wall of bricks with an opening, put in a figure with a dim light, ala The Cask of Amontillado or the Black Cat. Trying to figure out how to do the tell-tale heart - a beating hesrt in the floor... A favorite is "Hop-Frog", not quite sure how to tieit into the party...and most people don't know the story anyway.

I'd probably dress as Poe, and my wife has a nice gothic dress and may be "the lost Lenore"
Any additional ideas are welcome!


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## printersdevil (Sep 7, 2009)

There are some great threads on her from a few years ago of Poe themes for parties. I remember thinking the ideas were great.


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## ChrisW (Sep 19, 2006)

I searched "Poe" and didn't have any hits. I'll try again.


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## Stochey (Sep 22, 2009)

Found one of them!

http://www.halloweenforum.com/party...ted-love-story.html?highlight=Edgar+Allan+Poe


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## CHEFJULI (Jun 3, 2012)

I saw in Better Homes and Gardens Halloween edition that they did an Edgar Allen Poe party. It was all black and white, ravens, etc. You may want to watch the Raven as it has a lot of period props! You can do a lot with POE! Post the pictures when you do it!!!


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## 3pinkpoodles (May 2, 2012)

Check out this haunted house where about halfway through the video they have a TELL TALE HEART scene set up. The skelly has a heart beating inside, and the actual Tell Tale Heart story is being read by a freaky sounding voice. They also do something with the floor boards, like a flashing light coming up through the cracks. Anyhow good for some ideas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A57Kw9CKn5Q


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## 3pinkpoodles (May 2, 2012)

Do you watch The Following? Lots of creepy POe stuff on that show!


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## ChrisW (Sep 19, 2006)

Wow, thanks for the input! All of the rooms in the Haunted House video is impressive!
No, haven't seen the Following - I'll see if I can catch up online.


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## Atomic Mystery Monster (Jul 29, 2003)

Recreating the "Black Room" from "The Masque of the Red Death" would be a nice touch.


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

ChrisW I have a ton of ideas for you, ive been collecting poe things since 5th grade! heres my pinterest link and ill add some pics, I have more in my 2013 album

http://www.pinterest.com/berniceeast/edgar-allan-poe/


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## ChrisW (Sep 19, 2006)

BTW threepinkpoodles, the section with the telltale heart was inspirational. I want to find that recording of Vincent Price reciting the Raven, and may borrow their idea for a beating heart underneath the floorboards...somehow.
There was an LP (look it up, kids) by a group called the Glass Prism (coincidentially from my neck of the woods near Wilkes-Barre, PA) who did an album called "Poe Through The Glass Prism". I have a copy so I think I'll burn cd's to include in the goody bags..


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## joblack83 (Sep 22, 2013)

I don't have any ideas but I know Martha Stewart did an article either in her magazine or on her website about an Edgar Allan Poe theme.


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## Gym Whourlfeld (Jan 22, 2003)

Here at The Ravens Grin Inn we have nice Orange with Black lettered bumper stickers for possible party gifts.....A life-mask/bust of Vincent Price is available ... somewhere? My Father-in-law got us one a few years ago....


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## printersdevil (Sep 7, 2009)

The party threads that I remember were for a party for a group of teachers or something. For some reason I seem to remember them calling this intellectual something or the other. I will look back during the next few days and see if I can find something. This is a great theme to use. I remember seeing the Tell Tale Heart in 7th grade at an all school party and I can still "hear" that beating heart. It was in our huge auditorium at night and was awesome.


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

http://www.ghoulfriday.com/painting_faux_wooden_boards_cardboard

http://www.spirithalloween.com/prod...ighting/?w=heart&UTM_campaign=Search:SC:heart

this is what I did for the Tell Tale Heart....a pallet probably would have been easier but I was pretty happy with my box and spirit heart. 

I didn't have it on the floor, I just had it on a buffet table. I painted the cardboard to look like wood planks, cut the box to look like broken shards of wood and put the heart inside. It was pretty cool. I didn't have a real haunt set up just a dinner party.


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

This is what I wanted to do for Annabel Lee, depending on how in depth you wanted to go. 

put out a low glass bowl with sea shells and sand, a flower hallo with ribbons-you see her wearing this in a lot of the pics and a copy of the Poem framed behind it, play some ocean waves music very low right by the display, maybe even a fan blowing up from the floor would be a nice touch, the cold wind chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.... If you wanted to go bigger you could dress a skelly and make a funeral bed for her with with sand and sea shells, a veil over her face with the music and the fan.


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## Saki.Girl (Aug 22, 2012)

great theme I need to do this one year


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

Saki you know I have a gazillion Poe ideas


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## SaraB! (Jul 11, 2012)

Gah, we did this last year, I have to see if I can find some pictures. A couple of ideas that were a hit at our party- we "bricked up" (carved pink foam to look like a brick wall with a few missing) a closet and put a skeleton arm coming out of it (for "the Cask of Amontillado"), I built the clock from "Masque of the Red Death" (again out of pink foam) and painted it black with a white dry-brush on top, then lit the room red so it looked like it was glowing. Also we took big sheets of brown craft paper and had a friend of ours take black paint and write out most of "The Raven" in BIG crazy-person handwriting, then hung it so it covered a whole wall of our living room. That was the most effective I think, and one of my favorites. I'll see if I can find pictures (I'm at work right now) and post them if I do...


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

SaraB can't wait to see your pics!


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## Alleydweller (Jan 18, 2013)

The $6 t-shirt site has a few Poe-themed shirts: http://www.6dollarshirts.com/product.php?productid=11564


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## diggerc (Sep 29, 2005)

Wiki's description of the pit and the pendulum is much creepier than I remember reading about.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pit_and_the_Pendulum
But what to do?


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## diggerc (Sep 29, 2005)

use this in a picture frame on a tablet.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLSmhpwLdEQ


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## diggerc (Sep 29, 2005)

diggerc said:


> use this in a picture frame on a tablet.
> www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLSmhpwLdEQ


Sorry meant this one.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lusiEjl_YI


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## ChrisW (Sep 19, 2006)

Booswife2, you've collected some outstanding ideas on your pinterst page. 
I already have the color changing heart, I could gut it (gut a heart?) put in a light attached to a thunder FX machine with a heart beat recording and do the opened floor boards. I think the insulation board brick wall would work great.
A few years ago our theme was the movie, "The Birds". We bought a few dozen black birds and i cut out about 120 bird silhouettes that I stuck on the ceiling and walls. Of course...I sold them all on ebay! Oh well, don't want to repeat...and there are so many ways we could go with this.
Coincidentally, This past Winter we visited the Poe House and Westminster Burial Grounds (Poe's final resting place) in honor of his birthday.
Again, thanks for all of the creative input.


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## Trinity1 (Sep 5, 2009)

Last years party had a vintage theme,so of course we had to do a little Poe. We decorated the bathroom with ravens. I also wrote a quote from the story on the mirror. We kept it very simple, just added a few candles and voila! 

I think an Edger Allen Poe themed party is a great idea! If you are going to be utilizing more then one room in your home for your party, you could even pay homage to some of your favorites by having a different theme in each area. 

I'll try and find a pic of our bathroom and post it.


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## joblack83 (Sep 22, 2013)

Saw this picture online and thought it would fit your theme if you were doing a dinner.


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## CHEFJULI (Jun 3, 2012)

You have a great Pinterest board for Poe! Just followed it!!! Awesome ideas!


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

Here are some random things I've collected that I have pics already on my phone. 
I made the sign, gotta fix the e in Allen to an a. 
I saw the banner on pinterest followed the link to etsy and it was sold out. I messaged the lady and she made me one! She has 1 more if you're interested.


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

I made these lanterns from an old Poe book that was messed up and mason jars they look cool on my front porch steps at night with ravens all around. On one side I put the story title on the other I put a paragraph from the story.


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

I got this framed 8x10 pic and amazing Anabelle Lee poem album from my winter reaper Saki.girl


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

My typewriter and ink bottle. Still looking for a black raven feather to put in the ink bottle


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

My Poe Mantle from last years party


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## printersdevil (Sep 7, 2009)

booswife, your Poe mantle is so nice. I love the typewriter. I will keep an eye out for a black feather. It may be a crow. LOL


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

Poe Décor


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

tea that I served from Victorian trading company







my family dollar curtains, $12.50 a pair!!!!!!best deal ever!!! the sheers are even attached!!! they are black and silver , they still have these available


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

printersdevil said:


> booswife, your Poe mantle is so nice. I love the typewriter. I will keep an eye out for a black feather. It may be a crow. LOL


haha...okay Printer, thanks! I don't mind crow


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## printersdevil (Sep 7, 2009)

We used a lot of turkey feathers in crafts for Scouts.


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## LoveAndEyeballs (May 17, 2014)

Such wonderful ideas! I love a good Poe theme. 

You could create tombstones/ash vases for Poe and his fictional characters. 

I always find that watching movies and TV inspire me when working with a theme.
Have you seen Twixt? It's not solely about Poe, but he plays an interesting part in Val Kilmer's dream sequences. Haunting and inspiring imagery. 
http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70212150?sod=search-autocomplete

There's also The Raven: http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70211389?sod=search-autocomplete


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## dawnski (Jun 16, 2012)

Ooh I love the whole gothic period! Here's a link to many Poe (and Lovecraft) pics I've been saving http://www.pinterest.com/zim2/horror-lovecraftpoe/ and a link to gothic Halloween ideas. http://www.pinterest.com/zim2/halloween-gothic/

When I think of a Poe theme, I think of black swag over doorways, dark roses in vases, maybe a person dressed as Poe reading The Raven next to a crackling fire in the hearth. That kind of musty, dark atmosphere where the horror is hiding just beyond in the shadows. Sounds like you need a visit to a thrift store and a can of black spray paint!


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## diajoh (Sep 25, 2010)

Hop-Frog is one of the best revenge stories ever. Well, both it and Rue Morgue star the Ourang-Outang. Perhaps you could get one (or eight) stuffed ones and see who gets it? Do you have a cupola or skylight and a rope-climbing friend? Perhaps you could suspend a rope from the ceiling, build a crippled dwarf and put him on it?


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## ChrisW (Sep 19, 2006)

Diajoh - we have high ceilings and a chandelier, so hanging something lightweight is a possibility.
BoosWife - why don't I just back a truck up to your place and fill er up? You've got some wonderful Poe inspired decorations there!


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

Thanks Chris. I do love Poe! haha....what state are you in?


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## diajoh (Sep 25, 2010)

Found a piece of clip art with both human and ape skeletons. Maybe a Rue Morgue clue? http://thegraphicsfairy.com/wp-cont...IplMo/s1600/1skeletons-graphicsfairy005bw.jpg


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## Dulcet Jones (Jun 27, 2013)

This is kind of "out there" but I couldn't stop laughing.....
http://boingboing.net/2013/10/28/best-sexy-costume-2013-edgar.html


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## melissa (Jul 23, 2004)

ChrisW: I'm still reading, son these might be dupes.

1. I have some recordings of Price (& Lee, I think) reading Poe. Get with me if you're still looking.
2. Check out goreydetails.net - they had some fun things last I checked.
3.There was a 3-cent stamp (US) that would be a cool addition to your invitations.

The party sounds amazing!!


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## printersdevil (Sep 7, 2009)

OMG, Dulcet Jones that is priceless. Booswife02, you should have hubby do that!


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## melissa (Jul 23, 2004)

Ooh! There is a 3-cent stamp _and_ a 42-cent stamp!
















I already had several of the first, and just ordered a sheet of the second.


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## printersdevil (Sep 7, 2009)

Those stamps are awesome!


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## B Scary (Sep 8, 2007)

We did this theme last year. Here is the link to some of our indoor decor and the invites. I still need to upload the outdoor pictures and the nightime photos with the lighting. I will send you the link when I have them up. 

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd208/kimb1023/Nevermore/DSC_0305.jpg


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## B Scary (Sep 8, 2007)

Sorry I don't think that link lead to the whole album. Let's try that again. You have to go through the party pictures before you get to the decor. I was in a hurry when i uploaded them and didn't seperate them. 



http://s224.photobucket.com/user/kimb1023/library/Nevermore


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## printersdevil (Sep 7, 2009)

B Scary, your decorations were wonderful! TFS


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

B Scary Beautiful Pics!!


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

Not sure if you have a home goods but I found this snow globe today that I thought was very Poe. It's a Raven sitting on books.


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## diajoh (Sep 25, 2010)

Want Poe to attend your party? Here's a Poe standee! https://www.cardboard-cutouts.com/H79002-Edgar-Allan-Poe-Cardboard-Cutout-Standee#.VCAzwvldXwY


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## Stochey (Sep 22, 2009)

Ugh this thread is great. 

2015 - Hollywood Horror (including a 'The Birds' bathroom)

2016 - Edgar Allan Poe / or just scary works of literature in general

2017 - Harry Potter ... because it will be right before my 30th and I'll need something to feel young... lol


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## printersdevil (Sep 7, 2009)

Stochey love your upcoming themes. Hmmm... might have to do a Witch's Library of some type. Of course Poe would be a favorite. It is a way for me to continue to branch out, but keep the focus on witches and conjurers. Also very true with HP. I am a true Potter head.


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## riggscend (Oct 4, 2011)

I did this theme last year. Had a maniquin dressed in black standing next to a memorial registry, lots of ravens scattered thruought the house and reformed a black formal dress with feathers for a costume. Better homes and gardens had an issue last year with this theme as well. Some good ideas from there.


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

I found some really cool LED Raven candles and a Raven book box at Barnes and Noble.com. The plastic cover comes off of the Raven candles. The ink is imprinted on the candle not the plastic. I just didn't remove it yet.


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## Xode (Oct 19, 2014)

In 2011 the HHN had a Haunted house has dedicated Allan Poe. I found the video I hope it can help !!  Good luck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G7F9L04n9s


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