Parties and Luncheons and Sewing, Oh My!

So once again I have been missing in action for a few days but this time for a good reason! I have been participating in the fun that autumn brings!

This past weekend I hosted a small luncheon for some teaching friends from years gone by. For these gatherings I usually set up my centerpiece ( is it still a centerpiece when it isn't in the center of the table? ) at the end of the table. We can then sit on the sides and other end with the food in the middle. This just makes reaching things so much easier not to mention seeing each other!

It was very simple by my standards because this has been an especially hectic year, but we had just as much fun as ever and literally sat and talked until it was time for dinner!

I couldn't help myself - I bought another one of those skulls from Family Dollar but I didn't like the gold color glitter that covered it so I gave him a nice new coating of MS orange-my favorite. Then I put him under a cloche and filled in with 2 small tombstones, another skull, the obligatory raven and some moss. I used my spooky candleabra, some flowers and another one of those creepy photos. I was missing some candle light ( as I don't like to burn the tapers since the one luncheon where we left the room and they burned completely down and totally ruined everything with melted wax ) so I threw in a votive the kids and I made several years ago. We simply covered a clear glass holder with ripped pieces of printed Halloween tissue paper and then let black puffy paint drip over the edges. This was a quick to throw together vignette and although it may not be what I would have done if I had had more time, it more than worked for the occasion.

I also had the privilege of attending the party that daughter #3 threw for her oldest sons class - plus some siblings and parents. They have recently moved back here to her home town and she thought it would be a good way to meet some new people.

Thank goodness the weather decided to co-operate. After the very real threat of rain and a LOT of wind, the sky became a crisp blue and the temperature hovered around 75 degrees. The party ranged through dinner time so the menu included mummy hot dogs, witch finger veggies and dip, bubbling cauldron cheese dip and orange and black corn chips, spicy black bean dip for the parents, fruit kabobs ( can't remember their "spooky" name ), ghost mix munchies, ogre eyes, and decorate your own cookies. Plus there was a yummy slime punch full of squirming worms!

The kids really loved the ogre eyes and they were probably the simplest thing to make. She just took a marshmallow, topped it with a gummy lifesaver and filled the hole with a chocolate chip.

There were all sorts of things to keep the kids busy. This is the "decorate your own cookie" station. Always a favorite and always a contest to see who can load the most icing onto one cookie!

Here we are playing "wrap a mummy". These are 2 of the younger siblings. Notice that Presley never missed a beat with her drink of slime juice! The older kids had some pretty good mummies but I can't show you all of the pictures because they would give away some costumes and the BIG, FAMILY reveal isn't until Saturday night! That is also why you won't see any pictures of Harrison at his own party. He loved his costume so much that he kept it on the whole time and there are some snoopy eyed people who read this blog. Names are not necessary-you know who you are!

The kids always love the doughnut on the string game. These 2 apparently got tired of waiting and just grabbed them and ate away!

There was also an ogre eye relay race, bobbing for apples. weave a web game, mask and glittery bat craft station and Halloween decals-plus, goodie bags for all! It was a really fun afternoon and all of the moms commented about how much fun it was to attend a good, old-fashioned kind of Halloween party. That always makes me feel good because sometimes the old stand-bys are still the best.

Lots of other fun things happening this week as well. Stay tuned.