Set Your Table With Flair--A Shockingly Manic Panic Halloween

Welcome, spooks and specters!!  Thank you for visiting my blog!  Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, bar none, right behind Christmas!  I absolutely love it!

If you have been here before, you are aware that I am a Music Manic Fanatic.  I also am a firm believer that music unites and brings people together.  I have always been a person who appreciates people of all different kinds and from all walks of life; with music being a strong contributing factor of how I connect with those people.  Whether if it was discussing composers with band friends, or dancing the night away to Cumbia, Rock en Espanol, Reggae-Ton, or even BANDA! in my twenties with gal-pals, or taking in a show of a local rock, punk, or ska band, I have always enjoyed it! This was especially true in my youth; I was much less serious and much more carefree.  I was heavy into the music scene, and I especially loved (and still love) alternative rock. 

When I was younger, being an alt-rock goddess meant sometimes you might dye your hair different colors if you wanted to make a bold statement.  One color I had always admired then but never had the guts to try was Manic Panic's Shocking Blue.  If you are a rocker or even a savvy stylist, you know that Manic Panic is the authority on awesomely alternative hair color. 

Here is a peek.  Sooo gorgeous!!!  This one is a classic.  You can order it via their site here.

I only went as far as a purpley-burgundy, because I was a little too chicken quite frankly to push the limit (and test my mother's patience) more than I already had, lol. So glad I've outgrown those days...but I've never outgrown the whimsical idealism of youth, especially during the holidays.

My favorite type of Halloween décor usually includes some sort of gothic or Victorian element, and when I was perusing the internet, I came across this fabulous damask fabric.   Isn't it beautiful!!?  It's also quite close to Manic Panic's Shocking Blue.  This wonderful damask fabric has now become the perfect topper for a gothy-themed tablescape!

For this year's Halloween, I thought it might be fun to pay homage to this amazing color.  Blue has always been my favorite color, so why not a blue Halloween!!?  I hope you enjoy the post!

I placed these midnight blue chargers to begin the plate stack.

The chargers were followed by these fantastic melamine (shhhh, don't tell) plates.

Super cool!

 

Large smoky goblets, blue flutes, and skully mugs were added for spooky spirits,

and to complete the setting, black napkins held with sparkly skulls and silver flatware.

If you would like to view the tutorial to make these sparkly skully napkin rings, you may visit the post on my blog The Crafting Table here (this photo was snapped with my IPad, and doesn't showcase the true color of the topper or napkin rings, however, it does show the detail of the sparkly skulls).

A more accurate depiction of the color:

To add dimension and a bit of victorian elegance, black candelabras outfitted with elegant blue tapers were placed at either side of the table.

Aren't these gothy-good!!?

I also added silver candlesticks with black tapers at either side of the table setting.

For a spooky-inspired siorée, you can never have enough candlelit romance!!  A centerpiece made of more candles, a silver dish, and an abundance of black and blue prettiness brings all the elements of the setting together and completes the tablescape.

 

Closeup.

Completed Tablescape.

Tablescape details.

Place setting.

This setting works just as well in the outdoors, and here are a few examples:

For a little more spooky charm, I added these standing wrought iron elements to either side of the table, also outfitted with flowers and candles.

What a SHOCKING scene!

I used this fabulous batty stand to set my delicious cauldron cakes upon:

Love it!!

If you would like to view the recipe for my Bubbling Brew Cauldron Cakes, you may do so on my blog Parsimonious Pabulum here.  These are such a fun baking activity for kiddos, my girls loved making them!

 

No Halloween party would be complete without spooky sips shared between friends.  My Manic Panic Shocking Blue Toxic Punch is a great beverage to serve this Halloween, and is also kiddo-friendly!

 

If you would like to view that recipe, it is on Parsimonious Pabulum here.

 

You can view my tablescape with all of these elements added alongside the wonderful music of Bach on my Instagram feed here:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYt-qdxg_rh/?taken-by=parsimoniousdecordarling

I feel that Toccata and Fugue in D Minor sets just the right atmosphere for Halloween!  It's a classic.  If you are looking for music inspiration, have no fear.  I have comprised a list of fabulously frightful favorites of mine for this Halloween, and you can pin it if you like as well!  This is a completely comprehensive list with a little bit for everyone!!  I hope you enjoy it!

 

I hope you are cozy, warm, and due to the events everywhere across the United States and its territories, SAFE wherever you are.  Remember, enjoy the playfulness of Halloween, and never be afraid to let your frightfully fabulous freak flag fly!!

Until next we meet--

From my collection:

Blue chargers, generic, CV Linens

Skull "Dead Earth" melamine plates, custom made for Zazzle by Spooky Things

Black candelabras, found on Amazon

Silver dish used in centerpiece, Wallace Silversmiths Baroque Collection, Local Antique

Silver flatware, Wallace Silversmiths Antique Baroque Collection, Horchow/Neiman Marcus

Smoky crystal goblets, Shannon Crystal Collection by Godinger

Black Skull mugs, Williams-Sonoma

Cobalt blue flutes, generic

Batty Cake Stand, HomeGoods

Black napkins, generic, HomeGoods

Wrought iron outdoor candelabras, Ross Stores

Blue floral, all, Walmart

All candles with the exception of the black tapers were ordered from Amazon.  The black tapers are from Hobby Lobby.

Please feel free to join me and other FABULOUS bloggers as we Happily Halloween HOP along with Amber from Follow the Yellow Brick Home !  Such a fun party full of fantastic Halloween inspiration, and I hope you'll join us!

If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives!  You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling.   You might like to visit my other blog hubs,  

The Marvelous Maison, a lifestyle blog hub and 

Frugal Fab Fashionista, my fashion blog hub. 

Follow me on Pinterest!!  Please be sure to kindly follow the board guidelines, as it takes time and effort to find fabulous pins across the Internet and Pinterest!  Thank you!  

Thank you for stopping by! ❤

Set Your Table With Flair--An Elegant Vampy Día De Los Muertos Halloween

Hola, mis amigas y amigos preciosos!  I hope all is well with you and yours!

It's almost Halloween yet again....time for fun with kiddos, spooks, and specters!  When I initially began planning my 2015 Halloween tablescape a few months ago, I wanted to set an elegant table with a vampire theme.  However, sometimes, like the seasons, things change. 

If you have been following along here with me, you know that recently, we lost a very dear friend of ours.  He was one of the kindest people I have ever met, truly salt-of-the-earth. My husband and I were fortunate to have known him.

Have you ever heard of Día de los Muertos?  It is a lovely Mexican tradition that commences at or near Halloween time and lasts until November 2. During this time, family and friends celebrate and pray to their dearly departed and wish them well in the afterlife.  What a beautiful thought! 

In honor of our recently departed friend who happened to be Mexican-American, this year for Halloween, I wanted to combine elements of a Día de los Muertos celebration along with some vampire-esque nuances I had previously planned.  I hope you enjoy the post!

For this tablescape, I began on bright white linen that has a subtle shimmer. Dark and vibrant red chargers

were followed by simple white plates

and dark saucers.

Blood red napkins

were topped with mini coffins.

Each coffin was held upright by a tiny black stick leftover from the centerpiece flowers.

It almost disappears, doesn't it?

Names were written in red marker onto black paper,

before being placed inside each coffin.

To view the tutorial to make these mini coffin place settings, please visit the post on my blog The Crafting Table here.

Building the Centerpiece

I wanted the centerpiece of this table to incorporate elements of both Día de los Muertos and Vampires, Muah ha ha....

I started with a simple candelabra.

Two cans were placed strategically (as level as possible) and on top of them, two blocks of floral arranging foam.

I covered everything with a large black napkin.  My platform is set.

I clipped and trimmed a few bunches of faux flowers in black and red

and placed them all around the bottom of the platform I created.

My Mr. and Mrs. Sugar Skulls joined the centerpiece

followed by white candles with dripping blood (yikes!)

Close up.

To make the dripping blood effect, I held a lit red candle and let the wax drip onto plain white candles.

Quite macabre!

If you would like to read the tutorial about how I made my sugar skulls, you may visit the post on The Crafting Table here.

Here are a couple of shots of the centerpiece by itself, which could also be used as a vignette if desired.

Crystal goblets

were followed by elegant silver flatware on black napkins folded length-wise.

You'll notice here that I've broken the rules a bit in how I've placed the silver, but I sort of liked the gothic-looking spike they seem to form when placed this way.

I thought the goblets added just the right amount on gothy charm.  Almost complete.

For the final step, I poured some of Vette's Vampy Tea in each glass.

 A perfect sip for a spooky soirée.

 

If you would like the recipe for Vette's Vampy Tea, you can view it on my blog Parsimonious Pabulum by clicking here.

Completed tablescape.

Closeup of the place setting

and centerpiece.

A few more shots.

Left.

Right.

For an even more macabre effect, consider dimming your lights....it might make the vampires at your soiree more comfortable as well!  :)  Note how everything has a darker, more somber effect and the colors appear richer when I did so.

Are you ready for Halloween?

From my collection:
White plates, Ralph Lauren Club Collection
Dark saucers, Tai Pan Trading
Chargers, generic
Flatware, Wallace Silversmiths Antique Baroque Collection, Horchow/Neiman Marcus
Crystal goblets, Godinger Dublin Collection, Horchow/Neiman Marcus

If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives!  You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling.   You might like to visit my other blog hubs,

The Marvelous Maison, a lifestyle blog hub and 

Frugal Fab Fashionista, my fashion blog hub. 

Follow me on Pinterest!!  Please be sure to kindly follow the board guidelines, as it takes time and effort to find fabulous pins across the Internet and Pinterest!  Thank you!  

Thank you for stopping by! ❤