A Shakespearean Halloween

A dark Cave. In the middle, a Caldron boiling. Thunder.

                Enter the three Witches.

  1 WITCH.  Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
  2 WITCH.  Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin'd.
  3 WITCH.  Harpier cries:—'tis time! 'tis time!

 

   

 1 WITCH.  Round about the caldron go;

  In the poison'd entrails throw.—

    Toad, that under cold stone,
    Days and nights has thirty-one;
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmed pot!

       ALL.  Double, double toil and trouble; 
    Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

      
2 WITCH.  Fillet of a fenny snake,
    In the caldron boil and bake; 

    Eye of newt,

 

and toe of frog,

 

Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,

 

    Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
    Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,—

    For a charm of powerful trouble,
    Like a hell-broth boil and bubble. 

       ALL.  Double, double toil and trouble;
    Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

    3 WITCH.  Scale of dragon; tooth of wolf;
    Witches' mummy; maw and gulf 

 

  Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark;
    Root of hemlock digg'd i the dark;



    Liver of blaspheming Jew;
    Gall of goat, and slips of yew
    Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse;

   Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips;

 
Finger of birth-strangled babe
    Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,—
Make the gruel thick and slab: 

Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
For the ingrediants of our caldron.      

ALL.  Double, double toil and trouble;
    Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

       2 WITCH.  Cool it with a baboon's blood,

Then the charm is firm and good.

—Act IV, Scene 1, Macbeth, by William Shakespeare

The cast:

Witches Brew Linens and Salad Plates:  Pottery Barn Online
Black dinner plates:  The Dollar Tree
Water and wine glasses:  The Dollar Tree
Short candlesticks:  The Dollar Tree
Tall candlesticks:  Wedding gift from Marshall Field's, 30 years ago
Flatware:  Treble Clef by Gourmet Settings
Dessert glassware, candles:  Bed, Bath and Beyond
Black tablecloths:  Bed, Bath and Beyond
Mercury glass pumpkin and crow:  Pottery Barn
Mini salt and pepper shakers:  Crate and Barrel
Slate servers:  Crate and Barrel

I'm linking to the following parties:

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Let's Dish at Cuisine Kathleen
 

Featuring Patti C.

Patti and I came together for the first time as room mothers for our then 2nd graders - her son, Joey, and my son, John - and in the process, I found a kindred spirit in the art of entertaining.  We were so awesome as room mothers, all modesty aside, that parents began asking, not who their child's teacher was going to be for the coming year, but who the room mothers were going to be.  We gave those kids some wonderful parties and Patti and I had a blast.

Each of us, I think, could be creative and resourceful, but together we were simply dynamite.  Patti brought the fun to the team:  From Santa hats at Christmas, to personalized cakes that read "Happy Birthday, Jesus" (this was Catholic school, so we were able to do that); from an ice cream and candy buffet at the end of the school year- which we did even before ice cream and candy buffets were the in thing, to huge bouncy balls for everyone.  There wasn't a holiday in which she and I didn't put something together that was unique and slightly over the top. 

My own contributions, in light of Patti's exuberance and energy, were rather mild.  I was the funds keeper for a little while, until our money ran out, which happened, oh, I don't know . . . around Halloween, I think.  Oh, I also contributed the idea of putting together a tea party for the kids on Valentine's Day, complete with silver service (one of the parents caught our enthusiasm and volunteered her set). 

This was also the year in which our sons made their first communion, so Patti and I seamlessly continued our newly begun tradition of comparing our plans, and borrowing good ideas from each other.  We have never stopped.

Here is a picture of Patti with her two amazing children, Joe (alas, he's no longer Joey), and Francesca.

So, it wasn't all that unusual when Patti called me last week to brainstorm.  She was giving a Halloween party for 20, taking advantage of the fact that her daughter, Franki, was going to be home from college.

With less that a week to plan and shop, and putting in countless hours after work, these are the tables she somehow managed to put together:

This was the kitchen table, set up for Franki and her friends.  Yes, indeed, this was only the kid's table.

It looks like the first guest has arrived . . .

This was the adult table, or rather, "The Witches Table" . . .

A closeup of the place setting . . .

Treats for all visiting witches and warlocks . . .

Her beautiful collection of orange serving bowls . . .

This one was used for polenta . . . Did I mention that Patti is also a terrific cook?

My favorite . . .

And last, but by no means least . . . dessert.  Pudding shots, cupcakes, cookies, candies of all sorts . . . These treats look delightfully wicked!

So . . . Budget:  Ridiculously low . . . Creativity:  Endless . . . Fun:  Oh, yeah.  This is one for the books.

Here are some of the details:

Zebra Plates:  Anna's Linen

Orange Chargers:  Michael's

Tablecloths:  K-Mart and Target

Black Plates:  Dollar Store

Napkin Rings and Napkins:  Anna's Linen

Thank you, Patti, for letting me feature your deliciously ghoulish table on my blog.  You are such an inspiration to me!