Enter if you Dare!

So a few posts ago I told you about my random obsession with Halloween this year. I don't know what came over me but I wanted it to be super fun and to throw a huge bash and have amazingly fantastic costumes, etc.  Excited enough that I couldn't sleep once my mind got rolling. So, we built a spook alley (kid friendly) in our basement. Here are some of the ideas I came up with and, with the help of some friends (THANK YOU-THANK YOU-THANK YOU), was able to put together.

The tour:

(insert scary music and noises here)

First, we descend down the creepy dark stairwell (not so dark in this photo) with a flickering candle and apprehension of what might possibly be on the other side of the door. DUN DUN DUN. . .

these pictures didn't turn out without the flash so none of them look dark but keep in mind it was dark, and creeeeeppyy. . .  :)

We round the corner and come upon who?

An evil looking mad scientist looming over his latest victim. Who could it be?

He urges you to reach under the sheet and feel what you can--oogly eye balls, sticky guts, spongy brains, bones and altogether ickyness.  Bleck!

Next, we shuffle through a dark doorway and come across Count Dracula in his cave full of creepy bats. Don't get too close, he "VANTS TO SUCK YOUR BLOOD" (said in dracula accent)

(Here's one of him in the dark with our red light--it gives you a general idea of how cool it really looked)

You must peek under some dark plastic to see our next ghastly sight. Hovering and floating and looking for someone to haunt are 5 frightning ghosts. 

(They were literally flying around with fans underneath--soo fun)

A creepy cackle takes us into our next corner. A witch with a gleam in her eye is brewing up some special potions in her cauldron. Eye of newt, unicorn hairs, bat's blood. . . Better stay away before she needs some part of you in her concoction!

picture dry ice smoke coming from the pots and swirling and smoking. . .

Sliding through another dark doorway is a passageway filled with stringy spider webs with eight-legged creatures in every nook and cranny. Be careful where you step and keep a hand on your hat!  Ew Ew Ew!

Super creepy huge spider ready to grab you as you duck under his web. Don't get stuck

(we actually had a black light in this hallway making all those stretchy, stringy webs light up. They were EVERYWHERE!  ICK!)

Around another corner and you see an ominous graveyard filled with creepy (and funny) headstones, a dead tree with sinister crows, and a full moon. Watch out!  Looks like someone's come back to life! 

(See the fog from the borrowed fog machine--totally put it all together)

Caution tape and a skeleton with creepy bugs crawling all through it makes my skin crawl. Anyone dare to crawl through the pit full of creepy crawlies! I DON'T THINK SO!

(it was actually a blow up pool filled with googly toys, balloons and weird hairy/feathery things. You couldn't tell in the dark, you just knew it felt really disgusting.)

There you Go!

Everyone who went through got a special prize! 

We sure had a good time putting it up and I'm pretty sure everyone liked to go through. 

We had a good turn out for our party and some wonderful food and good times talking and laughing. Thanks everyone who helped out and came trick-or-treating to our house. It was fun.

Now, I'm loving the relaxation of the whole darn thing being over!

Who wants to come to our house next year on Halloween?