WebSpinstress

 

bloodycupcakesNot for the faint of heart, these recipes might have you seeing red if you dare to slaughter an attempt at recreating these creepy treats. Looks like a ton of bloody dripping fun to me…

Surprise your guests with a few gross Halloween treats this year, such as Blood and Guts Potatoes and Blood Drip Martinis.

Cut out and then…um…cut up a few batches of Zombie Cookies. They are just dying to lie in a pool of red icing, and may sever an extra limb or two along the way.

Most importantly, you cannot skip over the cupcakes recipes that I have featured above in the photo! Blood Clot and Brain Cupcakes are definitely winners in the grossness and gore category. Almost enough to freak your guests out enough to lose their appetites. At least they’ll be plenty of ahem…leftovers?

 

specimenjars, specimen jarsTo create your own specimens, you need a good assortment of clear glass containers. Use canning jars, potion bottles, apothecary jars, wine bottles, or rinse out the spaghetti sauce jar from last night’s dinner. The concept is simple – refill the jars with colored water, add a slimy and creepy specimen, and embellish with labels, paint, and twine.

Wilton makes a Halloween drink-coloring dye set with green, orange, red, and black already mixed for you, available at your local craft store. Hard-boiled eggs, cauliflower chunks, mini skeletons, and light-colored creatures work well in dark colored dyes for the added appeal of not being able to distinguish clear details apart from each specimen.

I found a very inspiring display of potion bottle specimen jars arranged on an antiquated bookshelf with a full tutorial included. Create your own Witches’ Kitchen this Halloween for a unique party theme that will have your guests brewing and bubbling over (with anticipation, I mean. I certainly hope you don’t plan to stuff them into the cauldron…).

Use vintage-style potion bottle labels for added authenticity, such as this beautiful set from the talent behind Love Manor: Bottle Labels.

For more apothecary jars, potion bottles, and specimen jars ideas, visit my complete list here: Halloween Apothecary and Specimen Jars

 

skeleton flamingosHalloween yard decorations and props are difficult to find in retail stores this year. Luckily for me, I’ve been stockpiling a whole home full of spooky decor for many years or I would be joining every one else in tripping over the excessive amount of Christmas trees and wrapping paper that has already flooded stores for the past 2 weeks in SEPTEMBER. October starts tomorrow!

I have found a few items online worth mentioning though. There’s still time to have these shipped and set up for Halloween…these are spooky props that won’t scare the complete BOO out of you. I’m saving those links for later!

* Skeleton Arm Stakes
* Skeleton Flamingo pair
* DevilMingo Pair, Flamingo Devils
* Full 28-piece Bag of Bones Set
* 6ft Inflatable Carriage Hearse
* Standup Halloween Witch Decoration
* 5ft+ Standing Metal/Glass Lantern

 

dreary-centerpieceA Dark and Dreary Halloween Arrangement

Midnight Dreary is the first Gothic Halloween arrangement I have created this year, to begin my soon to be over-crowding series of spooky adornments.

Ravens and silk black roses surround an elegant “Boo” word statue with silver skulls, LED pillar candles, and a tall candelabra. This arrangement is set up alter-style, to be placed on top of a bookcase or on a thin side table.

dreary2At night, the LED candles flicker in dark orange hues, dancing around the figures and casting shadows on the wall. For added ambiance, I have an additional set of orange Halloween lights set in front of the arrangement.

Black LED pillars are available HERE for only $5.99 to $9.99 and are definitely my favorite find so far…

halloween-arrangement

 

halloween party decorThe Many Themes of Halloween

Sort your Halloween decorations and props by theme and throw a unique Halloween party this year that no one will forget…

Here’s 9 creative themes to get you started, including:

* Traditional (festive)
* Modern or Contemporary
* Halloween from the Grave (spooky Halloween decor)
* Wicked Witch
* Things that go Bump in the Night (Scary props)
* Masquerade / Carnival
* Creepy Castles
* Fantasy and Mythical Beasts
* Pirates – Creatures of the Sea

Halloween Party Decor

 

pumpkin cupcakesQuick Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes:
(Makes 12 cupcakes)

1 box spice cake mix
1 egg
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups pure pumpkin puree
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup oats

Stir together spice cake mix, egg, and pumpkin. You can add nuts, dried fruit, or any other additions to the batter. Pour the batter evenly into cupcake pan. In a separate bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, oats, and flour. Spoon your brown sugar mix over the top of each muffin. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Need a few more festive cupcake ideas?
Try these Creepy Crawly Cupcakes for Halloween!

 

spidercakesSpiders to Kill For…

An elegant Halloween treat, and who wouldn’t want to rip into these 8-legged Raspberry and whipped cream filled chocolate spider cakes?

Tutorial: Spider Cakes

spidereggs

Forget the deviled eggs this Halloween, these spider web eggs are much more creepy and fully cracked up to be all they can be…a little bit of food dye goes a long way!

Tutorial: Spider Eggs


spidercookies
Classy, intricately designed little spider web cookies. Brush up on your icing skills, and get ready to decorate…it’s ok, don’t forget you get to eat all the rejects to hide the evidence. lol

Tutorial: Spider Web Cookies

 

traditionalhalloweenSome of the most festive Halloween decorations can be found in your backyard. With only a few extra craft supplies and a little creativity, you’ll have one-of-a-kind Halloween that can’t be bought in stores…

Twigs:
Thin branches can be arranged with flowers and leaves to create a festive centerpiece. Intertwine them together in circular form to create a base for a wreath. You can spray paint branches or dip them glue and glitter for a modern twist. A large branch can stand up in a tall floor vase for a natural Halloween tree.

Leaves:
You can keep them natural, or add a clear spray sealant on the leaves to make them last longer. String them to hang around your home, either by themselves or on a long string together. You can also use Fall leaves on your Halloween dinner table around your centerpiece and dishes.

Other findings:
You may be able to find stones, berries, seashells, or pinecones that will stand out with your natural Halloween decorations. Don’t forget about the little things – spray paint or glue and glitter them to match the rest of your accessories.

Food items such as fruit and vegetables also complement Fall and Halloween settings. Use pumpkins, gourds, apples, corn, grapes, squash, berries and nuts to create arrangements for guests to feast their eyes on.

 

Name that candy barIf you are searching for fun Halloween party games that are fun for all ages, play Name That Candy Bar.

Sit together and read the clues out loud, tossing the first person that calls out the correct answer the winning candy, OR you can print out lists and have your guests write their answers for a scavenger hunt. Whoever gets the most winning answers then receives a larger prize (keep multiple prizes available so everyone wins).

Clues:

Large heaping piles – Mounds
Slightly stifled laughs – Snickers
Rescuers – Life Savers
Slippery hands – Butterfinger
Busy buzzing bees make this – Bit O’ Honey
Gear for felines – KitKat
The galaxy – Milky Way
Time to collect the green – PayDay
5-pointed blast – Starburst
Can’t remember what it is – Whatchamacallit

My larger collection of adult and kid-friendly Halloween games are here:
Halloween Party Games

 

alice in wonderlandWith the new release of Tim Burton’s rendition of the movie on 3/5/10, I’m excited to see the new line of Alice in Wonderland costumes available this Halloween. It took me a few days, but I think I’ve included the best selection of Alice, Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit, Mad Hatter and Queen of Hearts costumes available as well as your other favorite Wonderland characters.

There’s no reason to grab a last-minute Halloween costume, with these great options available this year!

Alice in Wonderland Halloween Costumes


 

pumpkincenterpieceFall is creeping closer!

Several of our leaves in New England are turning their fiery shades of orange and red, to welcome the cooler days and prepare for the night of the dead…

It’s almost time to decorate your table with festive Fall and Halloween centerpieces. Will you go traditional or spooky it up a little this year?

Here’s 2024 possible centerpiece ideas and a few tutorials to get you started:

Halloween and Fall Table Centerpieces

 

halloweencandyjars

These apothecary jars filled with black and white Halloween candy create a very unique and elegant display. The full Halloween display is very simple, elegant, and inspiring:

halloweencandyjars2

The photos are from last year’s Pottery Barn Halloween selection, but there are apothecary jars available at many retailers online. I have several listed here for specimen jars, candy displays, and centerpieces along with other glass bottle uses for Halloween: Apothecary Jars

 

Bento boxes are a perfect Halloween lunch for the kids, but would also be a unique addition as Halloween party food. You can combine your favorite sushi and vegetable arrangements on large platters in between the olive and egg eyeballs for an elegant touch.

halloweenbento
A cat chicken sandwich with skull and crossbones hard-boiled egg combo. Source

hellokittybento
Halloween Hello Kitty – steamed carrots and sweet potatoes used to create the pumpkins. Source

nightmarebento
Nightmare before Christmas – a very cheesy Jack Skellington with macaroni au gratin and ham & cucumber rolls. Source

ghostbento
Spooky rice ghosts and carrot pumpkins. A simple and boo-tiful Bento. Source