Halloween Week 2011: Arachnophobia Party Concept

The Concept

When I saw this cocooned man (also below), I knew I had to do a spider-themed Halloween post. I've titled it the Arachnophobia party concept, in honor of the Jeff Daniels movie (I'll never forget those pulsing larval sacs), but it could easily be a Black Widow party, or for the nerdy, a Shelob's Lair or Aragog's Nest party. Repetition is key here: you need a volume of webs, fake spiders, and ensnared victims to get visitors' skin tingling.

The Host

Simple costumes are better if you're hosting. Just dress in all black and add some of the following spidery touches:

Spiderweb fake lashes makeup by Erika Uhl. Here's a better D.I.Y. version (better only because it's more visible).
Spider lace hose, $9 at Sock Dreams.
Cheese cloth spider web wrap (scroll down) from Martha Stewart.
Spider sunglasses (scroll down) from Martha Stewart.
More spider web eye makeup by Daisy Van Winkel.

Other ideas include drawing a spider on your mouth to go with the eye webs, gluing fake spiders onto your face and neck with eyelash glue, and creating a black widow-infested beehive per the urban legend. Martha Stewart also has a spiderweb shawl, a sock spider costume for babies, and a black widow spider costume for Fido.

The Food

For whatever reason, spidery Halloween foods tend to be sweet, so you'll need to balance these out with some savory dishes of your choice (or not):

Pumpkin spider pancakes with black cinnamon syrup from Tidy Mom (variation idea: make crepes & use Nutella)
Black spider lollies from Jackie Boucher & Ohdeedoh.
Halloween spiderweb cupcakes from Little Birdie Secrets.
Itsy Bitsy Spiderwebs cupcakes from Country Living (photo by Con Poulos).
Pumpkin chocolate spiderweb tart from Martha Stewart.
Along Came a Spider cake from Country Living (photo by Con Poulos).
Spider devilled eggs by Joanie Pimentel at Sunset Magazine (photo by Leigh Beisch).
Spider ice cubes (with blood red punch!) from Noble Pig.
Chocolate spiderweb cake-in-a-jar from I Am Baker.

Not pictured: spun sugar spider nests with choux eggs, creamy tomato soup with web topping, hairy leg spider cookies, licorice spiders, chocolate cake spiders with Pocky legs, & orange-eyed spider cookies.

The Decorations

Spiderwebs & Egg Sacs

More important than the spiders, in my opinion (also, cheaper). Use an array of cheesecloth, glue gun webs, yarn, and the fake spiderwebbing from Halloween stores:

Hanging cocoon man and larva balls, $29.00-$49.00 at Grandin Road. This was the inspiration for this party concept, because I find it so creepy! Here's a D.I.Y. version, too.
Web-covered window with trapped bats from Good Housekeeping (photo by Gemma Comas).
Spooky lamp by The Yellow Cape Cod/Sarah Macklem Interiors.
Quick spun webs from hot glue, from Martha Stewart.
Spiderweb door photo by Sister72.
Coffee filter cobwebs from Mega Spooky.
Webbed chandelier from Better Homes & Gardens.
Spider house from Apartment Therapy.
Webbed typewriter from Poetic Home.
Cobwebbed candles from Martha Stewart.
Spiderweb balloon tutorial from Crafty Crafty.
Giant spider web from Target (in-store only).

Not pictured: spider egg sac tutorial.

The Mother

This part is optional & expensive, but big on impact: have a giant spider mother to greet your guests. On the one hand, you'll definitely get a reaction; on the other hand, I don't think I could sleep with that thing in my house. From left:

Monstrous 6" long Halloween spider, $148 at Walmart.
Gigantic tarantula, $59.99 at Target
D.I.Y. Halloween spider with PVC legs from Halloween Forum.

The Babies

Spiders, spiders everywhere! On the walls, in the sink, guarding the cookies, in the flowers, and on the furniture. Which means you'll need a lot of fake spiders. Luckily, they're cheap: the Oriental Trading Company has 144 plastic spiders for $4.00; the Dollar Tree has velvety tarantulas for $1 (in-store only); and Martha Stewart suggests using ink pad spider stamps for glass surfaces. Other options and inspiration:

Cheesecloth chandeliers and wall spiders at the Curious Sofa (click through for all the images, it's amazing!).
Spooky spider-covered door & web sign from Martha Stewart.
Window webs & giant spiders from Better Homes & Gardens.
D.I.Y. glitter spiders from Sweet Something Design.
Spider vinyl clings (click through for templates) at Pretty Handy Girl.
Haunted tablescape from Good Housekeeping.
Spider pumpkin from Brooklyn Limestone. Martha Stewart has spider stencils.
Realistic D.I.Y. spiders by moGuyver on Instructables.
Spider vase filler (sold out) at Pottery Barn. I love the way this arrangement conveys motion.
Balloon spiders from Martha Stewart.
D.I.Y. small spiders from Born to Haunt.
Spider plates designed by Lisa Storms for Fiskars.