Olioboard Inspiration: Creative ‘Grown-Up’ Halloween Party Ideas

Entry #2945, October 31, 2013

Happy Halloween! Today we continue Stagetecture’s feature ‘Olioboard Inspiration‘. Last week you enjoyed – ‘Spooky Halloween Porch Ideas from Connie Parker. Today I feature Nanette Reynolds who is a member of the Facebook Olioboard Fan Room group and who says Halloween is only for kids? She shows how adults can have the festive Halloween spirit too with these creative party ideas!

If you’re interested in being featured see details here: How to be featured on Stagetecture’s Olioboard Inspiration‘ series.

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Olioboard Inspiration #44

‘Creative Grown-Up Halloween Party Ideas’    Nanette Reynolds

Throwing a Halloween party for grown-ups is an opportunity to pull out all the stops. It’s a time when children and adults play let’s pretend. So decorating for this event can be as imaginative as you want to make it.

To begin with, pick a theme. You could simply go to a local store, buy a general selection of Halloween themed items, spread them around your house and invite some friends. Or you could plan a party based on a specific theme that will be sure to treat your friends to an event they will not soon forget.

My Halloween design is a haunted forest made with readily available art supplies and products from party stores, as well as natural “found “objects. The trees are a combination of flat silhouettes cut from black craft paper and real branches collected from outdoors. Silhouettes can be easily put on walls with tape and do not take up much space. And placed in windows, silhouettes set a spooky tone for arriving guests. The real branches are placed around a room and overhead with wire or string, making ideal anchors for stringing cobwebs, crows, owls, and bats, as well as crawling rats, snakes, or any other creatures native to your woods. The liberal use of “creepy cloth” (known by many names), masks and adds a disheveled look to furniture. Tuck some inexpensive rubber snakes or bugs into the seams, and watch the forest come alive with the squeals of your friends.

To enhance this forest feel, the room is lit with shafts of colored lights. And to complete the atmosphere, a fog machine or dry ice can be used: even just a little mist creates wonderful ambience for a spooky haunted forest evening. However, when using special effects always keep in mind your guests’ safety. For example, you don’t want to start a fire with untended flames especially when friends are wearing fanciful outfits. For dramatic lighting effects, consider using colored bulbs or fake candle bulbs in place of your usual ones. And if you do use real candles, do so in controlled areas, say on the food table to enhance the creepy rodents and bugs crawling there.

With a little artistic ingenuity, you can decorate any space to fit any budget. Remember keep your theme in mind, consider your guests’ comfort, and have fun! After all, Halloween is not just for kids anymore.