The party table I made for a Laboratory Theme Halloween Party was a huge hit with family and friends. They loved the homemade brain cupcakes, personalized Halloween Lab Water Bottle Labels, and a mad scientist bubbling beaker centerpiece.
Possibly, one of the overlooked details of the table was the eye-popping DIY paper garlands I hung as the backdrop. They helped tie the whole look together by bringing in the party’s colors (bright green, yellow, blue and white) while also drawing the eye upwards. Overall, the polka dot garlands gave the table a fun finished look – my advice, the tiny details are important! The garlands were easy to make (check out my tutorial below), and they look great with many of our other Mad Scientist Laboratory Halloween Ideas, too! Looking for a ready-made background for your party table? Our Halloween Lab Theme Banner is a fun alternative.
Materials
2-3 sheets of paper in each color (blue, green, yellow)
6 sheets of white cardstock
1 1/2 inch circle paper punch
Sewing machine with white thread
Brown craft paper
Directions
First, I cut circles from craft paper and cardstock using the punch. I ended up cutting twice as many white circles because of the pattern I used for the garlands. (Two white circles and then a color circle.)
I put the circles off to the side and then cut long 2-inch wide strips of brown craft paper, which I used as backing for the circles when I began to sew.
To make the garlands, I sewed the circles onto the brown craft paper, leaving one to two inches between each circle. (I used about 15 per garland.)
After the garland was 5-6 feet long, I cut the thread, and ripped the brown craft paper off of the garland.
I hung the garlands by just putting a piece of duct tape on the back of the top circle and sticking it to the wall. They did a great job hiding the tape I used to hang the green plastic sheet, giving the backdrop a polished look.
Have fun making your own DIY decorations, and don't forget to take a peek at my other detailed posts on this amazing Halloween Lab Theme Party:
The candy buffet I made for a recent Spooky Lab Halloween Party was a big hit with all of our young guests. They loved filling Halloween Lab Party Favor Bags with goodies that matched the theme’s colors – green, blue and yellow. We had sour ropes, Mike & Ikes, and even rock candy - the variety of desserts managed to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.
Try a few of my candy buffet ideas below at your next party, and don’t forget to take a look at our other Mad Scientist Laboratory Halloween Ideas for more inspiration, too:
I filled beaker shaped jars and vases with a variety of candies. Not only did the containers match our lab theme, but they held just the right amount. Small tongs made it easy for guests to pop a few pieces into their Halloween Lab Party Favor Bags.
Make labels for each candy based on the Periodic Table of Elements. Blue rock candy can be labeled “Rc²” or sour ropes can be “Sr³”.
Don’t forget that the spooky lab at your Halloween party belongs to a mad scientist! Brain and eyeball gummies along with other gross candies are a must.
Try to borrow or purchase candy containers that fit the science lab theme. Test tubes filled with Skittles, a graduated cylinder packed with pixie sticks, or flasks filled to the top with gum balls will make your buffet stand out.
Remember, your buffet shouldn’t just be about the candy. Don't forget to decorate! To create an exciting bubbly decoration, fill scientific glassware with colored water and throw in a few chunks of dry ice. Watch as fog rolls out of the jars, around beakers of candy, and across your buffet!
Enjoy designing your Halloween Lab Theme Candy Buffet, and check out more detailed posts on my spooky lab party table below:
These ooey-gooey brain cupcakes were a “no brainer” when I threw a Laboratory Theme Halloween Party! Every mad scientist needs a few brains hanging around the lab, right? The pink cakes popped against the green, blue and yellow party table I set up, and they also perfectly matched our Halloween Spooky Lab Invitations and Party Favors.
I’m a baking and cake decorating amateur, so I was at first a little intimidated about piping a design on each cupcake. But, it was a piece of cake (literally)! I used a tip #8 along with pastry bag to first pipe a mound of icing in the center of each cake. (The “brain” needs to pop up a bit.) I then squeezed continuous lines of brain squiggles down either half of the cupcake, using an imaginary line down the middle as a stopping point. (Check out this tutorial from Shop Bakers Nook for help.)
To achieve that wonderful pink brainy color, I just added a few drops of rose food coloring gel to the white frosting as well as the cupcake batter. Pink cupcake liners matched the frosting and gave the desserts a delicious finished look. Along with several other Mad Scientist Laboratory Halloween Ideas, these brain cupcakes ended up being a big hit with guests – kids and adults alike!
Don’t forget to check out the other detailed posts on my amazing Spooky Lab Party, too:
I loved designing this green, blue, and yellow party table for our amazing Halloween Spooky Lab Party! Kid friendly and colorful, this theme is perfect for anyone who wants to throw a Halloween bash that will delight your guests (rather than cause a fright).
Not only did I run with the color scheme, I included many “mad scientist” touches, like a bubbling dry ice centerpiece and “beakers” filled with candy and lollipops. Plus, our Halloween Spooky Lab Invitations and Party Favors made the table “come alive”! Take a look at all my table close-ups below, and don’t forget to check out our Mad Scientist Laboratory Halloween Ideas for more spooky inspiration!
From the ceiling to the floor, a lab theme party should be all about color! I layered yellow, green, and blue table covers as an easy and eye-catching way to dress up the table. And guests couldn't help but be drawn to my colorful backdrop. I hung easy-to-make confetti garlands in the theme's colors over a bright green table cover. A bunch of clear and white balloon "bubbles" rising from my smoking blue beaker centerpiece finished off my mad scientist laboratory look!
My party table was all about bright colors, creepy desserts and candy favors! Eye-popping Halloween Lab Lollipops burst out out of green and yellow "beakers" topped with white foam (just Halloween spider webs). Guests grabbed these fun favors as they passed by.
I personalized our Halloween Lab Theme Candy Bar Wrappers with a message for our guests! And organizing all of the treats in neat rows (just like these candy bars) and displaying them on clear or white trays, gave the table a "scientific" look that carried the theme well. The neatness only lasted until guests helped themselves to all the delicious goodies, however!
It's Aliiiiiivvvveeeee! Every good mad scientist needs a few brains around the lab, so I cooked up these goofy cupcakes for guests to enjoy throughout the night. Even as a (very) amateur baker, I found these desserts easy and fun to make. Family and friends couldn't help asking for some more braaaaaiiiinzzzz!
On one side of the bottle we warned guests about the potential safety of our lab water, and on the other was our little Frankenstein friend.
I paid homage to everyone's favorite lab-created monster with these easy-to-make Frankenstein pudding cups. Green colored vanilla pudding and crushed Oreos was all I needed to make this tasty treat. (Notice the bubbling fog from my beaker centerpiece in the background? Awesome!)
The undeniable highlight of the party was the bubbling and boiling beaker centerpiece! I filled a large glass jar 3/4 of the way with warm water and mixed in blue food coloring. By adding just a few chunks of dry ice, I had a boiling beaker that spilled a delightful fog over the table! Don't forget to keep adding dry ice and warm water throughout the party to keep up this great look.
What did guests do with all of their delicious treats? They put candy bars and other goodies in Halloween Lab Party Favor Bags I had lined up on the table. There was even a cute message from the hosts on the personalized label.
Give your guests something with which to fill their favor bags! I piled yellow, green, and blue candies into small beaker shaped jars. I used Mike & Ikes and sour ropes, but pixie sticks, gum balls, pops rocks, and rock candy would be other great options, too.
The decorations didn't stop at the table top. The balloon "bubbles" added height to my centerpiece and coordinated well with my garland backdrop. Heavy cardstock, a round paper punch, and a sewing machine were all I needed to make the colorful garlands.
I loved all the little details about this party, too. From the DIY "measurements" on the lollipop beaker stands to the yellow, green and blue confetti scattered on the table, everything came together in one eye-popping statement!
Enjoy planning your Halloween lab theme bash this year, and don't forget to check out my more in depth posts about many of the party ideas you see above:
My grandma’s milestone birthday is quickly approaching, and my sister and I knew we had to come up with some pretty impressive 90th Birthday Party Ideas. Because grandma is such an avid Indians fan, we decided to have a huge family lunch at a local Cleveland restaurant, and then head over to the stadium to catch an Indians game. Go Tribe! We’ve incorporated a bunch of awesome Baseball Party Ideas from Party411.com into this celebration. Along with the invites, take a look at some of the wording options I added below to help make your planning process easier!
My mother-in-law suggested I make these luau rice krispie desserts for my sister’s annual luau party. With teddy grahams swimming in peach ring inner tubes and sunbathing on the beach underneath umbrellas, this dessert is sure to be a favorite with both children and adult guests. Plus, they’re easy to make! Follow my how-to below, and if you need more Ideas for a Luau Party, jump on over to Party411.com. We have tons of Luau Party Ideas to peruse.
In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add rice krispies and stir thoroughly.
Using a greased spatula, press mixture into a 13 x 9 pan coated with cooking spray. Cool and cut into 2-3 inch squares.
To make the icing, mix the water, powdered sugar, and food coloring in a bowl. (Put in food coloring until it reaches desired color.) Dip the top and sides of each rice krispie square and place on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper.
Before the icing hardens, decorate with crushed graham crackers (“sand”), peach rings (“inner tubes”), teddy grahams (“swimmers and sunbathers”), and an umbrella pick (for “shade”).
Remove the treats from the sheet once they’re dry and display on a tray. Enjoy!
I made an awesome luau umbrella wreath for my sister’s upcoming summer luau, and I thought I’d make a few candle centerpieces to put on her tables, too. Not only are these centerpieces easy to make, but they are also beautiful during the day and at night! Plus, these centerpieces cost me almost nothing to make. I used leftover supplies from the luau wreath and glassware I had around the house. To make your own, follow my tutorial below and take a look at our Luau Party Ideas for more inspiration!
Materials
Square or rectangular glass vases
Spray adhesive or modge podge
Umbrella picks (find them at your local GFS)
Scissors
Directions
First, make sure your glassware is clean and dry. A dirty vase will prevent the umbrellas from adhering properly.
Next, open the umbrella picks you’re planning to use and cut out the wooden pick and any supporting cardboard strips from the bottom of the umbrella.
Then, spray the backs of the umbrellas thoroughly with adhesive (one by one) and press them onto the glass.
In order to have an umbrella “go around” the corner of a vase, cut it in half and glue each piece separately.
If an umbrella hangs off the top or the bottom of the vase, first glue the entire umbrella to the glass, allow it to dry, and then cut off the extra bits.
Variation: Try using modge podge instead spray adhesive for a more permanent and glossy look.
After making your centerpieces, don’t forget to follow our other luau party tips and tricks over at Party411.com:
This easy to make luau umbrella wreath is a perfect themed decoration for an upcoming luau party my sister is throwing! Umbrella drink picks (which you can find at your local GFS) are not only cheap but can be incorporated into a bunch of decorating Ideas for a Luau Party.
Apart from this wreath, I also made a simple candle centerpiece and luau rice krispie desserts using these umbrellas. Check out my tutorial below on how to make this wreath, and make sure to take a look at our other Luau Party Ideas for dozens of party tips and tricks!
Materials
Foam wreath form
Umbrella picks (50-100 depending on size of wreath)
Hot glue gun and glue
Thin ribbon (for hanging)
Directions
I started off this wreath by first opening all the umbrellas I thought I would need. I used about 70 umbrellas for my tightly packed wreath.
Next, put a dot of hot glue about halfway up the wooden pick and poke the umbrella into the wreath form until the glue touches the foam.
Continue around the wreath, adding umbrellas as you go. I made my wreath tightly packed, overlapping umbrellas sometimes half of the way.
Finally, add a loop of 3-4 inch ribbon to the top of the wreath in the back (secure with hot glue), and hang with a tack or on a hook.
Enjoy the bright colors of your wreath at your luau, and follow some more of our party advice over at Party411.com:
When you're coming up with Summer Block Party Ideas for this year's event, make sure to choose a theme that both the kids and adults will enjoy! Watermelon! Our bright new line of Summer Watermelon Party Invitations and Favors will give a pop of color to your block party, and there is nothing easier than creating a menu, activities, and decorations that revolve around everyone's favorite summer treat. Make sure to take a look at some of our other fun watermelon theme party ideas below for more inspiration, too!
Five Watermelon Summer Block Party Ideas
Mail your invites in a bright green envelope to match the paper, and don't forget to include a packet of watermelon seeds as a way to get guests ready to party!
Instead of a traditional spiked punch, serve your favorite cocktail in a watermelon keg! Make the keg by cutting off the top of a watermelon. (You'll put it back on when you're done.) Clean out the inside of the watermelon, cut a hole near the bottom, and attach a spigot in the hole. Add your favorite punch for a watermelon treat!
Order bunches of pink and green balloons, and add "watermelon seeds" to the pink balloons with a black permanent marker. This fun themed decoration is cheap and easy! Make sure to place the balloon bunches on buffet tables and at the entrance of the party to draw guests' attention.
Try making easy watermelon cupcakes for the dessert table! Add red food coloring to white cake mix until it turns a watermelon pink, and put a cup of chocolate chips in the cake mix as "watermelon seeds." Then, dye vanilla frosting with green food coloring and spread them over your cooled cupcakes for a tasty themed treat.
Instead of serving the kiddos regular slices of watermelon, cut fun shapes from large chunks of watermelon using cookie cutters. Stars are a fun and easy option and would work well for a Memorial Day or Fourth of July block party. (Very patriotic!)
Have fun planning your watermelon theme summer block party, and make sure to save a watermelon coctail for the Party Girl!
Celebrate the graduate in your life by hosting a travel theme graduation party complete with a Graduation Travel Boarding Pass Invitation! Help the new grad “hit the road” and start their new life by including travel elements throughout the party, and don’t forget decorate your venue and send guests home with travel favors, too. (Check out our Graduation Travel Invitations and Party Favors for inspiration!) To help you get started, take a look at a few decorating tips that incorporate a travel theme below.
Hang green and blue balloons along with inflatable globes (similar to a beach ball) near focal points, like the buffet and sign in tables.
Instead of a traditional sign in book, frame a picture of the graduate on vacation (with high school or college friends if you can). Have guests leave well wishes on the matte.
For table signs, use mini road signs of places the graduate has been/wants to go (i.e. Paris, New York, Tokyo). Another fun alternative is placing a picture of the grad at each location as a table tent.
For table coverings, use large maps. Place a clear plastic tablecover over them to protect the maps from spills.
Tie balloons in the party's colors to the handle of a small suitcase and scatter them throughout the venue. For the sign in table, leave the suitcase open so guests can place their gifts and cards in it.
Enjoy planning your travel theme graduation party, and good luck to the grad from the Party Girl!
