A Not So Spooky Halloween Party-Inspiration Board/DIY Ideas

::I warn you..feeling especially sarcastic right now. maybe it's because as I start writing this both girls are napping at the same time. i'm in a good mood..and my snarky side is coming out.::: ok. you've been warned.

Since having kids, holidays are even more fun than before!

I'm not one to get into the creepy super scary parts of Halloween..

but I want to take the fun part of it and create special memories with my girls!

What I could live without during this time of year is when horrified/confused sophia asks at the store what is that?!? and it's a 'bloody thing' and you are wishing you cut through a different isle....even the toy/drag them out before they touch everything isle would be better than this.

If you are in the same boat as me..and want to make Halloween a fun and imaginative time for you and your family/friends..without going too scary/wierd.........
then this inspiration board is for you!

The veggies that look like chopped off fingers are on another blog.........sorry. :) haha.

I've covered everything from food to decor to games!

All DIY. Hope this post inspires you!

Enjoy Picking and choosing ideas to incorporate into your own

'Not So Spooky Halloween Party'

1. Party Table Display via Better Homes and Garden & The Celebration Shoppe

2. Owl Cupcakes via One Charming Party

3. Pumpkin Bowling via Jeanetics

4. Pumpkin Costumes via Living with Lindsay

5. Boo Letters via Eighteen 25 - Guest blogger Jen Johnson

6. Mini Caramel Apples via Allyson Baker Design

7. Ritzy Halloween Spiders via Sprinkled with Flour

8. Sand Witches via Lisa Storms

9. Ghost Smore Favor via Southern Vogue

10. Bats across Wall via Made

11. Pumpkin Balloons via Martha Stewart.com

12. Veggie Dip Pumpkin via Pinterest

13. Boo Pumpkins via pinterest/ohhowposh.com

14. Pumpkin family via all you.com

15. Donut Tower via One Charming Party

Trick your kids...then they get the Treats!
Veggies and Fruit are more likely to be eaten if displayed cute/fun- it's been proven.. by a series of very professional studies.

Veggie Cups and Fruit Kabobs via Annie's Eats
Fruit Cups via bit-o-me Vegetable Display via My Bride Story

I like the idea of using popsicle sticks rather than skewers...Fruit Kabobs are always nicer when you don't have to worry about injuries.
Fruit on popsicle sticks via delicate construction

Cute and Clever Pumpkins - I love pumpkinnns! going to pick them out..decorating them..the whole deal. And I love these ideas. Plus they make great props in photos with cute babies.
Smiley Pumpkins via Good Housekeeping

Masked Pumpkins via Good Housekeeping Black and White Painted Pumpkins via country living
Funny Faces Pumpkins via Family Fun Pop Pumpkins via Happy Mundane

Fun Party Favors/Activities
Milano Cookie Ghosts via blonde-designs
Halloween Play Dough via The Idea Room


Goo! Because what parent doesn't want their 3 yr old to have that in their hands?! sounds awesome. (It's a party!! let them live a little. you'll survive the goo. your car seat might not..but it's washable.)
Goo Tutorial via dollarstorecrafts.com
Pop goes the Pumpkin game via marthastewart.com Favor Bag (Decorate and Fill!) via laJollamom

DIY Invites- I love these designs! I'm all about e-vites..but if you want to do something extra special these would be so fun to get in the mail!
Bat Ribbon Invite via Parents.com Paper Bat Invite via One Charming Party



More Sweet Treat Ideas-
Candy Corn Krispy Treat Pretzel Pops via Love from the Oven
Owl Cupcakes via One Charming Party
Candy Corn Cupcakes via The Curvy Carrot
Halloween-Push-Pop-Peeps via Love from the Oven
Happy Halloween Cake Bunting via Every day is a Celebration & Domestic Charm
Smore-Ghost-Marshmallows via Blondie and Brownies

Mini Caramel Apples via Allyson Baker Design


My Sophie would be happy with 1 marshmallow for halloween...She thinks they are just amazing. even the tiny tinyyyy ones. haha. (I make those a big deal. don't judge.)
Halloween Marshmallow Peep Treats via Love from the Oven

Pumpkin Cakes with Nutella Filling
via Kirbie's Cravings

And because I will use any party to have an excuse for cute striped paper straws..
i love these black and orange ones together.
via Domestic Charm

Found on:
The Busy Budgeting Mama: A Not So Spooky Halloween Party-Inspiration Board/DIY Ideas

Kitty Litter Cake for Halloween Recipe

Recipe for Kitty Litter Cake for Halloween. This clever Halloween cake recipe, that frightfully resembles a well used kitty litter box, is actually delicious, despite its appearance. Worth a click for the photo alone.

Ingredients

• 1 spice or German chocolate cake mix
• 1 white cake mix
• 2 large packages vanilla instant pudding mix, prepared
• 1 large package vanilla sandwich cookies
• green food coloring
• 12 small Tootsie Roll candies
• You'll also need:
• 1 new kitty litter pan
• 1 new kitty litter pan liner
• 1 new pooper scooper

Directions

1. Prepare cake mixes and bake according to directions (any size pans).
2. Prepare pudding mix and chill until ready to assemble.
3. Crumble white sandwich cookies in small batches in food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but about 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, add a few drops green food coloring and mix until completely colored.
4. When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble into a large bowl. Toss with half the remaining white cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding. Important: mix in just enough of the pudding to moisten it. You don't want it too soggy. Combine gently.
5. Line a new, clean kitty litter box. Put the cake/pudding/cookie mixture into the litter box.
6. Put 3 unwrapped Tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until soft and pliable. Shape ends so they are no longer blunt, curving slightly. Repeat with 3 more Tootsie rolls bury them in the mixture. Sprinkle the other half of cookie crumbs over top. Scatter the green cookie crumbs lightly on top of everything -- this is supposed to look like the chlorophyll in kitty litter.
7. Heat 3 Tootsie Rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake; sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Spread remaining Tootsie Rolls over the top. For the coup de gras take one Tootsie Roll and heat until pliable, hang it over the side of the kitty litter box, sprinkling it lightly with cookie crumbs. Place the box on a newspaper and sprinkle a few of the cookie crumbs around for a truly disgusting effect!
8. Further notes: I had a reader write in saying this recipe only needed half the amount of pudding. I personally liked the cake with the amount given in this recipe. But feel free to use this as a loose guideline, use more or less as you see the need. Also, since the layer of cookies (with the chloropyll green specks, covers the top, you could really use any flavor or flavors or cakes underneath. Last but not least, you can also opt not to crumble the cakes, but rather layer them in the pan with the layers of pudding in between (much like you would layer a trifle into a trifle dish), sprinkle the top layer of pudding with a heavy layer of crumbled cookies. Same effect, different texture entirely to the dessert.

Recipe created by FabFood on Jul 23, 2007

Kitty Litter Cake for Halloween Recipe

Mini Mummies

Mini Mummies

I like to come up with funny & original Halloween crafts for my kids – this project is super easy and perfect if you’re looking for a party activity…

Mummies made from rubber coated flexible wire and strips of muslin are easy to make and a look cute hanging around the house for Halloween.

The bendable wire frame allows you to position your mummy any way you like.

Relaxing Dude Mummy.

Yoga Mummy.

To make these you will need: flexible wire (I used a flexible garden tie that I picked up in the dollar spot at Target - but I have seen these at dollar stores too. If you can't find this - look for any flexible wire at craft stores), wire clippers and muslin.

Using the flexible wire, make the frame for your mummy body.

Tear muslin into 1/2-inch strips. I do the "snip and rip" method to speed this up; make a small cut and then rip the rest of the fabric.

Wrap your wire form with muslin strips. Add strips by tying ends together. End muslin with a knot and trim ends.

Let your mummy hang out.

Mini Mummies | Family Chic

Ghost Poop

Here is an easy craft. You deserve it after making the costumes, carving the pumpkins and staying away from the candy. This is fun and just disgusting enough to delight any seven year old boy (even if he is 35).

Download the label here. Print on cardstock and cut out one label (there are 4); fold in half lengthwise. Fill a cellophane bag with miniature marshmallows and staple label over the open end.

You may never look at marshmallows the same way again.

Halloween Table

check out the witch's boots: Cute idea :)

Frightfully Good Halloween Cupcakes

Spider Crawler Cupcake

This creepy-crawly cupcake is a classic Halloween favorite. To make it, follow these steps: 

1. Start with frosted store-bought or homemade cupcakes.

2. Place purchased truffle in middle of a frosted cupcake for spider head. 

2. Use melted chocolate to adhere two red mini candy-coated chocolates to truffle for eyes. 

3. Cut eight pretzel sticks in half. 

4. Dip pretzels in melted chocolate to adjoin broken sticks for spider legs. 

5. Insert pretzel sticks in cupcake around the truffle for legs.

Individual s'mores using Halloween peeps.

Halloween Peeps in a Jar

Source: southernvogue.com via Peg on Pinterest

Individual Peep Smore Kits

1 graham cracker

1 fun-size Hershey bar

1 ghost Peep

Place in a clear cello bag with a pretty orange ribbon. Voila!

eighteen25: Today's Project: Spirit Jugs

Spirit Jugs

what you'll need:

• clean gallon milk jugs
• black permanent marker
• craft knife
• string of clear low-wattage christmas lights

step one: draw some spooky faces on your milk jugs.

step two: let your kids color in the faces while you bake a batch of cookies.

step three: using the craft knife (mom), cut a hole in the lower backside of the jug. about the size of a half dollar (or maybe a little bigger since i couldn't picture a half dollar).

step four: line all of your ghosts up and stuff several lights in each one.

step five: place your group of glowing spirit jugs along your walkway or front porch to welcome those cute little holiday guests.

eighteen25: Today's Project: Spirit Jugs

Break open a glow stick, dump it in a jar, shake it up and you have an instant glow stick lantern! I'm thinking Halloween on the patio.

Source: lilblueboo.com via Peg on Pinterest

Halloween Finds / Break open a glow stick, dump it in a jar, shake it up and you have an instant glow stick lantern! I'm thinking Halloween on the patio.

Yummy spider webs.

Source: momendeavors.com via Peg on Pinterest

Halloween Finds / yummy spider webs.

Halloween Cake Pops

Source: google.com via Peggy on Pinterest

Watch the video
Halloween Cake Pops

Haunted Forest Centerpiece

Source: parents.com via Peggy on Pinterest

Haunted Forest Centerpiece

Black licorice, threaded with wire and shaped to make a forest of spindly trees, makes this creative nonedible Halloween table topper. Snip off the ends of six pieces of black licorice and push heavy-gauge wire through the holes of each piece. Holding the pieces together in the middle, bend the ends to form a tree trunk. Bend the opposite ends to form gnarled tree branches and wrap black wire around the center of the pieces to hold it all together. Repeat for each tree. Place each tree atop a chocolate-frosted graham cracker, add a candy-corn fence, and arrange mini artificial pumpkins under the trees to complete the landscape.

Hanging Spiderwebb

Source: arsenicwitchery.blogspot.com via Peg on Pinterest

Hand in Punch Bowl

Fill a powder-free latex glove with water or cranberry juice and freeze it. Most definitely adds to a creepy factor to your punch.

Source: simplystated.realsimple.com via Peggy on Pinterest

Apple Smiles cute!

Source: family.go.com via Peggy on Pinterest

Halloween. Super cute!

Source: onecharmingparty.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest