Happy Halloween from Coastal Mister!
Halloween is that time of year when you can be whomever you want. Since it’s expected for everyone to act out of character, the Coastal Mister team wishes you a bug-infested day! Not in the gross way you’re probably thinking, though. All these fabulously bug-inspired Halloween must-haves will make your house appropriately creepy and crawly.
Creepy, Yet Tasty
Many bugs are edible, and popularly consumed as reliable sources of protein in communities worldwide. On this crawly Halloween, we encourage you to be adventurous and enjoy the following goodies inspired by common insects. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and place them on a slice of baguette with a black olive at one end (for the head), and you’ve got cute ladybug crostini. You can spread soft garlic herb cheese, like Boursin, on the bread first to give it a nice, creamy addition and help the ladybug stay in place. Use black decorator’s gel to make dots on the tomatoes if you’re feeling ambitious. If that sounds like a bit too much work, slather some celery sticks with peanut butter and top with raisins. Voilà! Ants on a log. PB&J sandwiches are easily transformed into spiders if you cut them with a round cookie cutter and stick pretzel rods in the sides to make the legs.
Critter Crafts
There’s no shortage of creative craft ideas inspired by insects! Try to pick some that the kids will enjoy putting together and make a family fun day out of it. Here are a few of our favorites. A few colorful pompoms, googly eyes, and a little glue can quickly transform a clothespin into a fun caterpillar chip clip. Add a magnet to the other side, and it can be used to display photos or your kids’ artwork on the refrigerator. Use pipe cleaners as legs to turn leftover plastic Easter eggs or toilet paper rolls into spiders, or twist and shape them around the end of a pencil to make a beautiful butterfly pencil topper. Make spiderwebs by gluing yarn onto the back of a paper plate, and add a pipe cleaner spider to finish it off. All of these crafts can be done pretty quickly without a big mess or special equipment, and even younger children can enjoy making them safely.
Insect-Inspired Décor
Whether you’re hosting a party or not, it’s still fun to decorate the house to get into the Halloween spirit. Put up some stretchy spider webs in the top of your doorways or in the corners for a creepy touch. Don’t forget the plastic spiders! Glue magnets to the bottoms of some fake spiders or rubber cockroaches and use them on the fridge. If you’re throwing a party, plan ahead and freeze some smaller plastic spiders into ice cubes and use them in everyone’s drinks. You’ll do a double take every time you go to take a sip! Pick a few different spider or bug designs and carve them into pumpkins to welcome trick-or-treaters to your home. Decorate your windows with vinyl window clings that look like insects, spiders, and spiderwebs. Some of them are so realistic these days, it’s startling!
Tricky Treats
Remember eating “dirt and worms” dessert as a kid? Top chocolate pudding with crushed Oreo cookies and hide some colorful gummy worms in there. Not only is it tasty, this easy dessert can be put together in minutes. You can also make worms out of grapes! All you need to do is skewer them onto wooden toothpicks or kebab sticks. Mini chocolate chips make up the eyes; make sure to use small dots of vanilla frosting to make them stick to the serving plate. Halved strawberries topped with melted chocolate dots and frosting eyes are an easy way to enjoy “ladybugs” for dessert. For a fun party snack, try making “cockroach clusters” by adding halved pecans into the any recipe for popcorn balls.
Creepy-Crawly Costumes
There’s a wide range of costumes available inspired by the insect kingdom, ranging from cute and colorful to sophisticated to downright creep-tastic. Choose a ladybug or butterfly if you want something pretty, or seek out a spider ensemble if you’re feeling scarier. There are tons of bug-inspired makeup looks to check out on Pinterest, from beginner to “hire a professional” levels of difficulty.
Creeping Should Only Come but Once a Year
While it’s fun to invite bugs into your home for Halloween, after the celebration is over, make sure your house is entirely clean and free of pests again. Be especially careful to get rid of any stray crumbs of food, spilled soda or punch, and misplaced sweets, since insects are drawn to these things. Leaving behind a mess is a quick way to find yourself face to face with insects of the non-plastic variety. Fake bugs are fun, but real ones are anything but! Coastal Mister is available to help eliminate bugs from your home and ensure that the only insects sticking around your house are the ones made from Elmer’s Glue and pipe cleaners. Contact us today, and remember to have a creepy, crawly, bug-inspired Halloween!
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