BBC Essex Radio + Halloween Ideas

Yesterday I popped along to the BBC Essex Radio studio to chat with Etholle about weddings and Halloween. I’ve been on BBC Essex many times over the years but I especially love Etholles show as we have a lot of fun, maybe we just like a gossip like most women!

There were some interesting callers throughout the show including one lady whose daughter was having a Halloween at Hogwarts themed wedding, my two favourites things, wonder if my invite is in the post?

I promised listeners to post some of my advice and tips on Halloween on my blog so here it is. If you want to listen to the show you can do so via i-player  

DÉCOR INSIDE

• Create or buy silhouettes for the windows
• Use the webbing to drape on mirrors, picture frames, banisters – basically anywhere it can stretch and hang
• Buy cheesecloth from somewhere like Amazon  , attach to the ceiling by tape. Then start cutting the cloth into strips, finally rip & tear. The effect is similar to ancient cloth disintegrating over the years.
• Cover furniture with white sheets to give the effect of the house is ‘unlived in’
• Fill a variety of clear pots & jugs with spooky spiky plants or vegetables then fill with water and use food colouring to give the effect of ‘specimen’ jars
• Fill a vase with black organza before filling with water, and place a little light inside (most florists will have them) then use something like calla lilies or roses, you can’t get black but you can get a very dark burgundy. Speak to your florist to create something spooky for you. You could add a few black feather as well.
• Or if orange is more your theme use a pumpkin and place orange chrysanthemums or similar inside.

DÉCOR OUTSIDE

• Create a graveyard in your front garden. Paint old bits of wood or cardboard and write RIP on them. If you have luminous paint then even better. Position in the garden and cover with spider webbing and fake spiders. Perhaps play spooky music you can download via Spooky Soundtrack 
• Line the graveyard with lanterns and lit pumpkins or you could hang small pumpkins from shepherds crooks

 GAMES

• Create a giant pumpkin on the wall by sticking lots of orange balloons to foam board. Fill balloons with sweets and confetti before blowing them up. The children then have to pop the balloons using little pins or darts. – Martha Stewart
• Apple bobbing, this classic is always popular
• Flour sweets – do a mound of flour, put sweet on top, beavers have to ‘cut away’ part of the flour until it then collapses. That person picks out sweet with his teeth.
• Tell a spooky story and use sound effects & turn lights to a low setting
• Donuts on a string – hang ring donuts from the ceiling using string, the children have to eat the donuts without using their hands and without breaking the strong.

Credits

Window Silhouette – Make it With Me

Pumpkin Balloons, Specimen Jars, Cheese Webbing – Martha Stewart

Graveyard & Mummies – Better Homes & Gardens  

Calla Lillies – Mark Bothwell