Hell Freezes Over: Fire & Ice

Posted in Props, Themes & Party Ideas on October 30, 2009 by reverb99
The Dining Room 
Dining Room Flames

Blue flames spray painted on a white sheet

We know that if Hell actually froze over, there wouldn’t be any flames, let alone white, blue or silver ones. But we wanted the iconic hellish flames to convey the idea, so we’re hoping our guests can suspend disbelief when they see the inside of the house.

Left, we used cardboard templates to spray paint blue flames (both the flame and the inverse/edges) on two white twin flat sheets. We finished this room by placing our old entertainment center (recently replaced by the console for the new plasma) against the back wall with an old tv in it, then covering it from ceiling to floor with black tablecloths. (Pictures to come).

The TV plays  Big Scream TV’s Terror Eyes DVD, a giant eye ball that floats in mid-air and looks around the room. This room is topped off with a blue light bulb in the overhead light and some snowy white stalagtites to drive home the “ice cave” look we’re going for.

How to Make Stalagtites

Snowy Stalagtite

Snowy Stalagtites

Roll a 1-1/2 foot piece of aluminum foil into a conical shape, secure with scotch tape (use a larger piece of foil for bigger results). Fold edges of the icicles over small pieces of cardboard and secure with duct tape. I used cardboard with a white paper on one side and white duct tape to save time. Then spray paint the icicles. We’re using Command Adhesive strips and thumbtacks to hang the cardboard.

More photos to come… Tomorrow will be a big day.

So far, so good!

Hell Freezes Over: Invitations

Posted in Halloween Related, Themes & Party Ideas with tags , , , , on October 10, 2009 by reverb99

The invites are made from colored paper and light cardstock, just cut and glued together, and hand-written in Sharpie. The front is the flame side, and flips vertically to reveal the icicle side with party details.

Front and back of Hell Freezes Over party invitation (flips vertically)

Front and back of Hell Freezes Over party invitation (flips vertically)

Hell Freezes Over…

Posted in Halloween Related, Props, Themes & Party Ideas with tags , , , , on October 10, 2009 by reverb99

The theme for the 5th Annual Bonnie Haunt is “Hell Freezes Over”.

Invitations: ..are awesome! Hand-made out of colored paper and cardstock… One side is red and yellow flames that say “This Halloween, HELL…” and you flip it veritcally and it’s snow-capped icicles and reads “…FREEZES OVER.” And the rest is the details of the party. Will post photos soon.

For the exterior, I’d like to turn the flower bed into the River Styx, but I am not sure many people will get it. So we’re going with flames and red flood lights. Found a grim reaper door cover with motion-sensor and sound effects… some hanging skulls and creepy cloth there… And of course the trusty fogger.

Inside, we’re going with icicles (from the Christmas aisle), with bloody tips… BLUE flames and frosted pitchforks… fake snow flakes sprinkled on tables and counters… blue lights everywhere and the rolls of fake snow (batting) draped on furniture. Trying to find just the right wall covering… stone, maybe? Flecked with spray snow, perhaps?

The misting skull will be right at home…  my three new strings of blue leds…  And the ice shot glass molds… fun!

Ice Shot Glasses

Ice Shot Glasses

Just picked up a couple more of the hanging flame lights at Spirit and am planning to change out the yellow fabric for blue… woo hoo! :)

Hanging Flame Lights

Hanging Flame Lights

Bought a couple different pitchforks, too… will probably paint them frozen and fleck on some fake snow.
Busy weekend ahead! :)

Neat Lighting Project

Posted in Themes & Party Ideas with tags , on July 26, 2009 by reverb99

I have some solar garden lights that won’t really do much in my yard because I have a lot of shade. I’m thinking of using them to create some cool blue lights for the party. This DIY project looks pretty easy.

DIY Light Jars

DIY Light Jars

New Theme: Arctic Isolation

Posted in Themes & Party Ideas with tags , , on July 19, 2009 by reverb99

The hotter-than-hades temperatures here in Texas make me wish for a cold front of massive proportions. Perhaps that’s where this idea came from. Regardless, we’re hooked on the idea. Inspiration photos:

Arctic Lounge

Arctic Lounge

Ice Sculpture / Drink Luge

Ice Sculpture / Drink Luge

Frostbite

Frostbite

Ice Cave

Ice Cave

Icicles

Icicles

Lighting

Lighting

http://www.bobgail.com/graphics/catalog/Arctic%20Ice%20Hotel/low/Software%20Summit%20At%20Century%20Plaza-%20ice%20arctic%20lounge%202.19248.jp

Bayou Theme Creeps Onward…

Posted in Themes & Party Ideas with tags , , on May 31, 2009 by reverb99

There’s a great thread on Halloween Forum about the Bayou theme and I’m getting some ideas from there. Turns out there won’t be a conflict if I have the party on Halloween night, so that is an option again.

I think the voodoo theme will be pretty easy. Found these on Oriental Trading that will get me started:

Skeleton Garland
for doorways
Mini Skulls, used as confetti… unless I can think of something else to use them for… ideas?

I’ll start collecting bottles and nik-naks to create the “Tia Dalma shack” look in the living room:

Tia Dalmas Shack

Tia Dalma's Shack

I also found a few recipes that will be interesting to try:

Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Cold Crab Dip, Shrimp Dip, Crawfish Puffs, Chicken Creole Deviled Eggs, Grilled Wing Zingers, Beignets (will be a tricky one), Mini Bacon Quiches, Stuffed jalepenos (I’ve made these before and they aren’t really cajun, but they’re spicy and a big hit).

I think for the main dish, we’ll do Brochettes, which would be pretty easy.

guess who’s coming to dinner…

Posted in Uncategorized on May 23, 2009 by reverb99

In light of the fact that many of my primary guests will be torn between two parties on Halloween night, I am considering moving my event to the weekend prior and doing more of a dinner with the theme of a haunted bayou… cajun food and hurricanes.

A few inspiration photos:

Haunted Moss

Haunted Moss

Tia Dalmas shack from Pirates 2

Tia Dalma's shack from Pirates 2

Swamp Entrance

Swamp Entrance

Projects I’d Like to Try

Posted in Props with tags on March 1, 2009 by reverb99

Floating Head in the Window

Winner: Best Creepy Use of Television Set

Winner: Best Creepy Use of Television Set

Outdoor Chicken Wire Ghost

Whos That?

Who's That?

Zombie Grave Escape

Zombie Grave Escape

~HR~

Videos for a Halloween State of Mind

Posted in Halloween Related, Videos on February 28, 2009 by reverb99

America’s Next Top Zombie Idolzombie

Check out this five-part online series from VH-1, “hosted” by Carrie Keagan.

America’s Next Top Zombie Idol
Clever. And a nice stab (pun intended) at reality shows. Good stuff…

Depeche Mode: Wrong

Wicked. Like the song, too.

Year 5 Begins…

Posted in Themes & Party Ideas on February 1, 2009 by reverb99

This year’s party will actually be ON Halloween, since the 31st is a Saturday! I think it’s really fitting, since this will be the 5th Annual Bonnie Haunt. I’ve started working on a theme so I hope to have something fleshed out in the next several weeks. :)

I found a new podcast today: www.HauntCast.net