Last Minute Halloween Party Ideas!

Are you interested in throwing a Halloween Party but don't have the time or maybe the budget?  Here are some easy and affordable ideas for food, decor and music this Halloween!

FOOD

Pumpkin Cheese Ball 

You can change your traditional cheese ball into a pumpkin!  All you need to do is cover it with Dorito chips and make the face with black olives and the stem with a pickle!

Pretzel Fingers

Also if you look to the left of this picture you will see "finger food"  You can cover pretzel rods with white chocolate and add chopped almonds for the fingernails.  Then for the container you can cover a cup with an old shirt sleeve! So Easy!

Spooky Dips

An easy way to make your dip more festive is to just add food coloring!  Here you can see not only did we dye the dips but we also placed them in small plastic cups and cut out the top of the pumpkins to display them in.

Ear Wax Sticks

This snack is creepy and fun!! These sticks are made to look like used q-tips. Place a small marshmellow on either side of a small pretzel, then dip the marshmallow's in butterscotch!! So Yummy!

Worms

Buy a few different types on gummy worms and arrange them all on a platter.  You can add a few fake spiders for decor! 

DECOR

Spiderwebs 

No need to go out and buy a bunch of decorations  Just cover your current decor with spiderwebs! You can find bags of fake spiderwebs at the dollar store.  A little goes a long way...literally.  Stretch the spiderwebs all around your home. Add tiny plastic spiders for a finishing touch.

Lighting

Everything looks scarier in the dark.  Change out some of your traditional lights and replace then with black lights.  You can find these in the Halloween section at most stores.  Or also check the local hardware stores.

Candles are also great to create that haunted look.  Stop by the dollar store and get some black or white tapers to light throughout your home. 

MUSIC

Satellite Music

If you have digital cable you probably have a series of music channels. You can turn on the seasonal channel and listen to spooky selections all night!!

AOL Radio

You can stream the AOL Radio Halloween Station from your Computer for free!

Ipod

You could also make a fun playlist for your party on your IPOD.  Some of the songs that are on my playlist include:

"The Monster Mash"

"Thriller"

"The Witch Doctor"

"The Time Warp", and

"Ghostbusters"!!

Happy Halloween Everyone!!!

Operation Give Thanks

Interested in hosting a party and giving back to a good cause?  Have you heard of Operation Give Thanks?


Here is all the information for you to get the know this great charity:
Operation Give Thanks is a nation-wide fundraising campaign to help Operation Shower continue their mission to throw amazing baby showers for military families to ease the burden of deployment.

Operation Shower gives back to our military families through parties, so can YOU !
Operation Shower is asking people across the nation to host a party, big or small, between now and the end of the year to raise money for Operation Shower. What a wonderful way to express your gratitude and thanks at this special time of year — and have fun!

Their long-term goal is to reach every military base in the nation. Their short-term goal is to raise $50,000 through Operation Give Thanks to enable them to shower over 200 more moms-to-be ! That’s right, if you raise $250 for Operation Shower, that helps them to throw a full amazing baby shower with gifts for a military mom to be whose spouse is deployed!

If you decide to host a party, please email  lena@operationshower.org or amy@operationshower.org and they will help guide you and provide more information!


Download their Fundraising Event Handbook here for more ideas.


To help you get started with a party theme some of the top party professionals have joined to offer free Printables!

Their last shower for military moms was in Washington, DC was their first “ A Star is Born” themed party. Whether it is a baby shower, dinner party, birthday party or bake sale everyone wants to be a star! So,they have provided ways in which you could provide your own “star” related event on behalf of Operation Give Thanks.

If you are interested in this theme, follow the links for Paper & Cake, Paper & Pigtails, or Parties By Hardie. They are offering free printables for this theme!

These free printables give you a great start on your next event.  The printable designers are asking that you please donate whatever you can afford in return for using the free printables.

Happy Planning!!

Halloween Parties to die for...

I think I mentioned before that Halloween is one of my favorite Holidays.  So this month I will continue to share easy Halloween planning ideas!

Interested in throwing a Halloween Party but don't know what to do?  Pier 1 Imports has done all of the work for you!  They have developed two Halloween Party Themes with step by step party planning instructions. 

Theme number one: Nightcap on Elm Street

 Theme number 2: Vampire Dinner Party

Jump onto their site here to start planning your Halloween Party! 

Halloween Party Labels

Can you believe it is already October?!!  I have to admit, I LOVE Halloween, and I was so excited when I came across this!! Marishortstuff is a Couture Wedding shop on Esty, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that she is making these custom labels for your Halloween Drinks and Treats!!

I just love all of the scary names!!!  Get in your orders fast!!  Halloween is only 30 days away!