last week we threw a little costume party in celebration of lily’s 6th birthday.

she loves to dress up but hates being scared, so we didn’t go for a typical halloween party or decor.  we decided on fun fall colors with punches of pink and turquoise.

easy, simple decorations and really fun food!

lily and i spent a ton of time on pinterest, looking at fun halloween food ideas.  so basically, this was a pinterest party!

 we found silas’ pirate costume (or clostume, as he calls it) at a garage sale a year or so ago.

i made the girls’ poodle skirts loosely following this tutorial, found on pinterest.  seriously, pinterest is the crafty girl’s google.

oh baby jack!  my mom and sister whipped up this amazing turtle costume for the babe in just a few hours.  crazy cute.

 the spread.

the grey gauzy stuff under the food was from the dollar store, as were the cauldron bowls holding snacks.  not pictured were mummy hot dogs.

 dipped and sprinkled oreos.  we opted out for the stick, and only did a half dip.  super easy.  just warm some store bought frosting in the micro for a few seconds and dip the cookie, then dip into a bowl of sprinkles.

 again with the dipping and sprinkling.

 i just got coffee stirrers, cut them in half, and hot glued a strip of paper to the top, the poked them into marshmallows dipped in melted chocolate chips.  we were out of sprinkles at this point!

borrowed the cake idea from  here.  more coffee stirrers and a tiny sewn paper garland attached.

 witches hat cookies.  yum.

 the fall mantle, plus a little party bling.  glittered pumpkins from last year.

 entry way set up, with a pack of fake mustaches for any un-costumed guests.  didn’t even open the pack – everyone came in costume!

 a last minute front door wreath – my mom brought me a black feather boa and i had a grapevine wreath.  i just tucked a few feathers under some branches and it stayed put!

 a simple centerpiece – more dollar store gauze and random candles and sticks from around the house.

 more paper banners.  i love sewing paper banners!  so very easy, anyone could do it!

also from pinterest - here.

 our one and only activity, besides eating a ton of sugar and bad-for-you foods – bobbing for apples!

 the kids went nuts over it!  they were very persistent because, as it turns out, bobbing for apples is really hard!  the kids were fully dunking their heads in!

 a collection of most of our guests – love all the costumes!

 a quick how-to on the cake:

2 boxed cakes in 4 round pans = 4 layers.  icing between layers and around edges.

heat store bought frosting in microwave until its runny, then slowly pour over the top.  i would’ve stopped sooner, but i ran out of orange frosting and didn’t fully frost the top layer, so my chocolate needed to cover it.

i’ve covered a whole cake like this before and its as pretty as ganache.

 we let lily choose her flavors of cake inside: strawberry and red velvet.  we called it “flesh and blood cake”!

 my pretty girl.