Monday, October 29, 2012

Masked Ball

It's THAT time of year again ...
that mysterious time when we
slip behind a mask and become
~ just for a night ~
someone else.
Who would you be?





There's something so magical
about dressing up for a masquerade ball.
Perhaps you've been invited to a
Halloween dinner ... maybe one not
quite as elaborate as a ball,
but so much fun, just the same ...

I'm not attending a Halloween party this year
but I have found enough time to go out to buy
enough candy for the 200-400 ghouls and goblins
that I've been told by our new neighbors
that I should expect come October 31!

Are you dressing up for Halloween?
I'd love to hear what you
chose as your costume!

~ A TALE OF TWO PARTIES ~
I believe I may have mentioned before
two Halloween parties
we gave several years ago for the
neighborhood that we lived in at the time.
Come with me ...

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~ The First Party ~
For the first Halloween party,
as the fifty guests began to enter the house
they were greeted with music, candlelight
and scariness at every turn.
After each guest had their photo taken for the album
and were handed a cocktail, they
joined the growing crowd gathering in the living room
 for hors doeuvres and treats.
Once all the guests had arrived,
my husband and I trotted upstairs
and stood on the upper stairway balcony that was
overlooking the living area below, looking
down on the guests as they had a good time.
That's when we made the announcement ...
that a BUS would be arriving soon to take us all to an
unknown destination!
On the half-hour ride to the city,
scary stories were told on the darkened bus.
When we arrived at the city, we divided the party
into teams and each team was given a camera
and a typed page that contained rhymed clues to ten things
to look for in the city.
Each group was to set off to discipher each clue
and when they found each destination,
snap a photo of themselves in front of it.
All of the members of the
first team to make it back to the bus
would win prizes.
It was a blast.  After the teams all made it back,
we boarded the bus to go back to the house
to a waiting bonfire and s'mores.
I not only had the photos of everyone
in costume that I took at the beginning of the party,
but also had the photos of the groups
in front of the destinations
that all went into that year's
Halloween Party photo album.
Well, that party was a huge hit, so the next year
there were 70+ people that attended.

~ The Second Party ~
The next year, everyone wondered
what we had in store for the second party.
On this invitation, everyone was instructed to
bring a carved pumpkin to light outside the house
and that we'd take votes for best pumpkin.
We had the beginning of the party much the same ...
darkness, music, candles, cocktails, food ...
then when we crept up to the upstairs balcony again
and called out to the crowd, they knew something was up!

For this second party, we turned our garage
into a scary FRANKENSTEIN lab.
Everyone grabbed a beverage and headed to the garage.
It was dark, lit by candelabras, scary music.
We had divided the garage up into four "labs,"
separating each one with white sheets hung from wire.
Everyone was divided into four teams
and taken to one of the four labs.
Each lab had a lab table and lying there on each table
was a wood structure we had made in the shape of a skeleton.
The arms and legs of the wood skeletons could move.
In each lab there was also a big box of
"monster making materials" ...
masks, stuffing, clothing, wigs, eyeballs, blood,
gloves, shoes, everything.
Each team was to create their own "monster"
by applying the monster materials to the
wood skeleton.
You never heard a crowd of adults laugh so much
in their own little Frankenstein lab.
They all thought that the best monster
would win the prize.
But, noooooooooo .... we had another plan.
Once the monsters were created,
what pulled up outside but ...
ANOTHER BUS!
Everyone was to bring their monster onto the bus ...
the bus was packed, standing room only.
There was so much laughter and everyone felt like a kid again,
heading off to a destination unknown.
We went to the same city for this adventure  ...
this time, each team was given a camcorder.
They were given instructions that each team was to
make up a movie scenario starring their monster and
that they could film their movie anywhere
 they wanted in the city.
They were told to meet us
back at the bus at a specified time.
HILARIOUS!!!!
After everyone laughingly returned to the bus,
we again were taken back to our house.
Now, our garage had been turned into a
movie theatre, where each of the monster movies
would be shown to the whole party.
The team that made the best "movie"
won the prizes!
I have to tell you the movies were fabulous and hilarious.
To see these teams filming themselves taking their
"monsters" into restaurants and coffeehouses,
talking to people on the street, dancing with others,
it was just the most fun.
Even a few local celebrities happened to be in the city
and actually stopped and shook hands with one team's monster!
Everyone was dying of laughter watching what the other teams
had filmed. And at the end, EVERYONE won a prize.
The party ended with a best pumpkin vote
and the bonfire.
Another Halloween album was made.
I still have the videos to this day.

In closing, if you can't get enough of
Halloween fun and
feel like attending a fantasy
Halloween party,
you may want to go to
last year's Halloween post
and relive it.

Have a wonderful week,
lovelies! 


Ooh La Frou Frou
is the blog of illustrator
SANDY M.
If you're interested in inquiring
about a custom illustration,
contact Sandy here.

Image sources via:
Photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

13 comments:

classiq said...

Hi, Sandy! I must admit I am not that into Halloween, although I would love to attend a masquerade ball. However, I spent this past weekend in a mountain resort attending a special event and on Saturday night we had a party and we had our face painted; so the painted masks felt very Halloween-like. Have a wonderful week!
Ada

High Heeled Life said...

Oh my friend .. your post was brilliant eye candy for the gloomy grey, rainy, damp day in our part of the world (Southern Ontario - Canada ..lol) .. Oh to attend a masked ball ... maybe in Paris!!! A girl can dream. I would dress as Cleopatra or Marie Antoinette .... Hugs to you and wishes for a brilliant week.. xo HHL

Sam said...

Loved this Halloween tale of two parties, such fun! We don't celebrate the holiday here, so I am hoping I can find another excuse to host a masquerade ball...all these creative ideas have inspired me!

Myrtha Meadows said...

No Halloween for me. Have to work :( BUT - I've been invited to a huge burlesque masked ball on New Years! Since I love both burlesque and masked balls, I'm really looking forward to this! It feels pretty nice to already have plans for New Years too... :) xox

A Very Sweet Blog said...

Sandy, no one can throw a party like you! HAHAHAHA You have ADVENTURES! Not parties! HAHAHAHA Those sounded spectacular. I know they miss you! GOSH, that's a lot of children! I saw all of the candy you bought, so they will be thrilled too :) Have an awesome Halloween. I love to see kids faces light up with excitement. Not sure if I'm doing anything, but I have Halloween within :) Great post!
http://www.averysweetblog.com/

The Little Flapper said...

Your posts always have the most beautiful pictures! I love reading them because it feels like a mini escape :)

Fashion-isha said...

You've created another fabulous and unique post! I love your creativity. On a different note, I hope you're staying safe in this storm!
Thinking about you,
xo
Sharon

Unknown said...

Loving this images Sandy. You know one of my wishes is to one day attend a glam masquerade party. Halloween has always been a favorite for me however, this year our plans have been changed due to Hurricane Sandy. The village parade in NYC has also been cancelled. As unfortunate as it is, safety comes first.

Thanks for the fun post! HUGS for you doll!

Maria
http://onestyleatatime.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Love all your gorgeous Halloween inspiration Sandy! I hope you have fun treating all your visiting ghools tonight!

xoxo Mary Jo

camille @ wildfleur said...

I've always wanted to attend a masquerade ball!! Thanks for the inspiration, darling! P.S. Your blog is looking lovelier than ever :)

xo camille @ wildfleur

Vannessa@Luxuria said...

Gorgeous images Sandy
Wow! can't believe you will get 200-400 little ghouls visiting you. I do love how the Americans get into the spirit. Halloween is only "just" taking off in Europe.
Have a lovely weekend Sweets xx

Margarita Bloom said...

Your parties sound fabulous Sandy! I've always wanted to attend a masquerade ball...people should really throw those more often!! :) oh, how I love decadent costumes....what fun it would be! I'm thinking maybe next year I'll get all dressed up and post pics to my blog!

FASHION TALES said...

I absolutely love masquerade balls, only have been to a couple hosted by friends, but just loved getting dressed up for them. This Halloween we had a quiet one, nothing extravagant, but went out for a bit and watched films. Thank you for sharing your wonderful inspiration Sandy. Hope your weekend is going well dear. -xx/Madison