Last-Minute Superhero Costumes

Whether you're indulging in Ghostbusters nostalgia or gearing up for the release of Dark Knight Rises, here are some last-minute Halloween superhero costume ideas.

And in case that's not enough, here are 20 last-minute sci-fi costumes for the procrastinating SF fans.

Leafy Pumpkin

From Good Housekeeping

This leafy pumpkin from Good Housekeeping's seasonal decorating slideshow is so pretty!

Normally I don't go in for the more artsy pumpkin decorating ideas, even when I find them really lovely (no lacework pumpkins for me -- sorry, Martha).  I tend to be more of a straight-forward spooky face kinda girl.  But I really like this one. 

It would look nice, indoors, as well, so it wouldn't necessarily have to replace a more traditional  pumpkin on the front step.

If you're in a pumpkin state of mind, Good Housekeeping also has a fuller list of no-carving-required pumpkin ideas (the little ribbons are my favorite) and instructions for a pumpkin candy dish and pumpkin picture frame.

DIY Gothic Votive Candles

 I love these elegant candle decorations by Julie Ann Art.  They'd make a great addition to any well-turned-out haunted house.  The tutorial, as well as some links to other great Halloween craft projects (including cookie-cutter jack-o-lanterns and a bat-printed table runner), is here.

6 Homemade Kids' Costumes

Rookie Moms has links to six great DIY children's Halloween costumes, and if this marvellous Max costume from Where the Wild Things Are isn't enticement enough to check out the list, then I don't know what it.

Cooking Light on Halloween

Cooking Light

Cooking Light has a slideshow of tasty-looking Halloween recipes for grown-ups, including cinnamon-cider candied apples (using Red Hots!), bittersweet chocolate skeleton cookies, and spicy cashew brittle. 

And if that doesn't whet your appetite, there are also slideshows on healthy Halloween food and making your own caramel apples.

Halloween Advent Calendar

I'd love to make a Halloween countdown calendar.  I don't know if I need an elaborate self version stuffed with treats like this one by restlessrisa, but it would be a great way to build anticipation for the long-awaited day.  So until I make one of my own, here are some other Halloween advent calendars for inspiration.

(c) Futuregirl_LeahRiley, via Flickr

I think this spooky house calendar by Futuregirl_LeahRiley is my favorite.  Inspired by this advent tutorial on Crafster, it uses a foam slab to create little cubbies to hide surprises in.

Not only are there lots of great prints going on, but the wonderful silhouetted windows at the top remind me of the animation from A Series of Unfortunate Events.  I think this calendar is cute without being too kistchy - or too goofy-looking, which is my complaint about a lot of of Halloween merchandise.  There's an eerie vintage feel here that I really like, and I'd love to come home to see it on my windowsill every evening.

Sadly, I think this pattern is a bit too involved for me.  I'm crafty, but not exceptionally handy, and I think a 3-D version with so much cutting of holes and laying out of paper would probably be my undoing. 

From Woman's Day

On the other hand, this handsome riff on the Halloween tree from Woman's Day would be much simpler to make.

All I'd need for this one would be a shapely tree branch, black spray paint, and moderate sewing skills (which I have!).

I like the idea of hanging the treats in these little sachets (one could even embroider them with the days of the month), and I think advent element adds a nice sense of purpose to something I've always considered a kind of silly Halloween decoration.  In my opinion, the absurdity of the Halloween tree is surpassed only by the truly ridiculous Easter tree.  I mean, at least dead trees are part of the iconography of Halloween, but nobody will convince me that hanging eggs from a tree makes any sense at all.  [Via Ucreate]

Via Rhinestone Armadillo

Even simpler still is this cabinet-style countdown calender.  The one at left, which includes the Halloween tree pictured, is available from Christmas Traditions - nothing simpler than buying it new, after all.  But it would be fun to create one's own version, using a little set of drawers, or a jewelry box of some kind.  Imagine repurposing a full-size library card catalog to this task!  [Via Rhinestone Armadillo, including several more calendars at the link]

These have given me some good ideas, but I don't think I'm quite ready to decide on any one style.  I'll keep thinking and report back if I ever some up with something good. 

Apple Mouths

From Family Fun Magazine

Although these cut-apple mouths look a little labor-intensive for me, they would make a great healthy alternative to sugary wax lips at a children's Halloween party.

I love the use of almonds for the teeth, and I bet if you used a really bright Red Delicious apple, you'd be able to achieve a very striking gothic effect.  But best of all, I think they'd be just as much fun to play with as they would be to eat. 

 Family Fun has many more healthy Halloween recipes here, including dried fruit eyeballs, pizza mummies, and a watermelon carved to look like a brain.  You can also browse their entire Halloween archive here.

Oh, and if almonds sound too healthsome for you, here's another version that uses peanut butter and mini marshmallows.  Yum!  [Via Best Friends For Frosting]

Halloween Crafts With Kendra

The gumball machine costume tutorial in this video is, admittedly, genius, but what makes it an absolute winner is the stop-motion skeleton host.  I wish all craft how-tos were hosted by skeletons!

Lucky for me, there's a whole series of skeleton tutorials from Holidash, including owl, highway, and mad scientist costume tutorials, and some easy decorations instructions.  You can also check out the whole Holidash Halloween archive here.

Halloween Wreath Cookie Recipe

One of my favorite Christmas cookies is a pretty green wreath made of cornflakes and marshmallows that uses red hots for holly berries.  I love these easy no-bake treats so much that I decided to retool them for my favorite holiday -- Halloween.  So here's a recipe for what I'm calling . . .

Halloween Wreath Cookies
Adapted from a recipe in Rose's Christmas Cookies by Rose Levy Beranbaum

You will need:
4 oz unsalted butter
3 cups marshmallows
orange food coloring (or red and yellow mixed)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups of cornflakes (I used Special K because it was on sale)
Halloween-themed sprinkles (I used ghosts and bats)
flat work surface covered in wax paper
nonstick cooking spray
large saucepan
wooden spoon
spatula

In your saucepan, melt butter over a low heat.  Add the marshmallows and stir them until they're completely melted and smooth (about 6 minutes).

Remove the pan from heat and whisk in food coloring and vanilla.  Add more food coloring than seems necessary; you really want the color to be deep and bright so that it doesn't wind up getting diluted when you add the cornflakes.

Stir in the cornflakes, making sure they are well coated in the orange marshmallow goop.  (At this point, Berenbaum recommends keeping the mixture warm by placing your saucepan in a larger saucepan of hot water.  I've never found I needed to do so, but it might be helpful if you're meticulous or are working with young children.)

Spray your fingers with non-stick spray and pick up a handful of the cornflake-marshmallow mixture.  Plop this down on the wax paper and mould it into a donut shape using your hands.  (Berenbaum recommends using two greased spoons, but my hands always get covered in marshmallow anyway, so I don't see any point in making even more dishes.) 

Sprinkle each wreath with a smattering of sprinkles while it's still sticky.  (You may want to pat them into place so they stay put.)  Continue working until you've used all the cornflake mixture.

Let the wreaths cool and solidify, then store in an airtight container.  I find it helps to use a greased spatula to slide the wreaths off the wax paper, as they can be a bit fragile and hard to handle even once they've firmed up.

Since this recipe is essentially the same as a Rice Krispie Treat, you can also pack the cornflake-marshmallow mixture into a baking pan and cut it into bars, which would be a great, easier-to-transport alternative for a seasonal bake sale.  Either way, it makes a tasty treat that's always been a hit at my holiday parties.

Pregnant Skeleton Costume

 

This awesome pregnant skeleton costume is one of the best riffs I've seen on the classic skeleton T-shirt.  The link includes a tutorial for what would certainly make an excellent and easy last-minute costume for an expectant mother.

Make It and Love It also has several more Halloween crafts (including some great Disney costume how-tos) amongst their holiday freebies.

Oh, No! A Pumpkin Shortage!

"pumpkin farm" by sevenblock, via Flickr

The Washington Post is reporting that, as a result of Hurrican Irene, much of the Northeast may experience a pumpkin shortage.  It seems that the storm destroyed a lot of crops, which may drive up the price of pumpkins or cause avid decorators and parents of young children to fight to the death over seasonal squash.

[Via Jezebel]

Face Pumpkins

In response to the troubling trend of portrait Jack-o-lanterns I have been noticing in seasonal craft magazines . . .

 

 Via BoingBoing

DIY Halloween Magnets

Modge Podge Rocks!

These little magnets would make great favors for a Halloween party, or you could just keep them for yourself to add some seasonal flair to your refrigerator.  Read the full tutorial by Modge Podge Rocks! at the link above.

Last Year's Pumpkins

Daphne examines last year's pumpkins

Eighteen25's Spooktactular

A Bit of Sunshine

Check out eighteen25's annual "spooktacular" craft series, which features great projects like Jack-o-lantern in a jar cookies and the bat lantern above.  You can browse the whole ongoing series here.

Halloween Paper Dolls

Check out these super-cute Halloween paper dolls from babalisme!  You can download a free PDF of the cut-outs above (and its little boy equivalent), and be sure to check out the blog's other free downloads, including party invitations and adorable little monster mini-cards.

[Via Babble]

DIY Decor Links

It Works For Bobbi

It Works For Bobbi has a great collection of links to DIY decorations, including this excellent pumpkin made from a paperback book.  I love it!

A Parent's Halloween Trial

"Scary Ghost" by celebdu, via Flickr

While kids can't seem to wait for Halloween to arrive, I suspect that most parents dread it.  Store-bought costumes are hellishly expensive, you have to buy a metric ton of candy, and then you have to take your child out in the dark and try not to lose them, all the while hoping that no one will TP your house while you're gone.

Tracy Beckerman of Lake News Online describes one of the most frustrating aspects of Halloween parenting, costume selection: 

My head was spinning. The room was spinning. We were shopping for Halloween costumes and my daughter didn’t know what she wanted to be. But I did. I decided I should dress up as the devil because I was definitely in hell.

I know my mom endured a lot of this from me as a child.  I was an especially opinionated child, and my opinions were especially fickle.  She made many a gorgeous costume, only to hear me refuse to wear it when the time came.  It's a good thing the woman is a saint, or else my ghost costume might've been a permanent one.

Lifestyle Crafts Halloween Projects

WhipperBerry

I Heart Naptime has a collection of links to some very cute Halloween projects.  They all use Lifestyle Crafts' Halloween die cut products, which look pretty neat.  My favorite, I think, is the skull-and-crossbones treat box pictured above.

The Haunted Tea Towel

As I was browsing Sur La Table's Halloween offerings, I came across this cute tea towel, which I misread as "Haunted Tea Towel."  Then I realized it was called "Haunted House Tea Towel."

It was kind of a let-down, to be honest.  I definitely would have bought it if it was actually haunted.

DIY Applique Halloween Tees

Sew Homegrown

How cute are these homemade Halloween t-shirts from Sew Homegrown?  Why spend twenty bucks on a store-bought shirt when you can use half a yard of seasonal fabric to spruce up a shirt you already have?  Great for kids -- and adults.  Check out the full tutorial at the link above.

Go Green This Halloween!

 

Crafting a Green World has some advice for celebrating a greener Halloween, including some links to recycled Halloween costumes.  At a time of conspicuous consumption and millions of tiny plastic-wrapped candies in plastic buckets, it's important to be mindful of the consequences of our actions, and I'm not just talking about the 700 Snickers minis I plan on eating come October 31^st.

[Photo via The Funtimes Guide to Weather, which also has many meteorologically themed costume ideas]

The Awakening

 

Rebecca Hall as a turn-of-the-century ghost hunter in an isolated English school? Yes, please!

DIY Graveyard Fence Cupcake Wraps Tutorial

I love these little graveyard fence cupcake wrappers from Wilton, so I tried my hand at making some of my own.  Here are the results, in case you want to give them a try yourself. 

You will need:
Black construction paper (about 3 sheets for a dozen cupcakes)
Ruler
Pencil
Scissors
Non-toxic glue or tape
Cupcakes!

You may also want:
Matte knife or X-Acto knife
Measuring tape

Cut the construction paper in 8 1/2" x 2" strips.  You should get 5 strips for every sheet of paper.

On your strips, use your pencil to mark out 8 pairs of lines.  These will be the "pickets" of your fence.  I made mine about a 1/4" of an inch wide and spaced them 1" apart, but you can make them as fat or as skinny as you like.

Mark out another pair of lines parallel to the other lines.  Again, I made mine a 1/4" apart, about two thirds of the way up the strip.  This will form the "stretcher," or the horizontal part of your fence.

Cut out between the lines.  I found it was easiest to use scissors on the vertical parts of the pickets and a matte knife on the small horizontal parts between the pickets.  Don't worry about cutting too neatly -- this is a spooky fence, after all, and a little bit of crookedness will add to the atmosphere.

Once you've cut out each of the pickets, cut the top of each one into a point.  When you're done, you should have a perfectly spooky wrought-iron graveyard fence.

Now it's time to affix your fence to the cupcake.  I tried two different approaches to do this, with mixed results.  First I tried gluing the fence to the cupcake paper with a food-safe glue.  This yielded a result that looks more like the wrapper pictured at the link above, but it required at least three hands (one to apply the glue and two to hold the pickets down while the glue dries) and was a bit more labor intensive -- not to mention perilous, if you've already frosted your cupcakes.  The second method was much simpler: I wrapped the fence around the cupcake and applied a bit of glue to the very end of the fence.  This way, the fence stands straight around the cupcake, instead of conforming to the angle of the cupcake paper, but it saves on time and might, in fact, look more like a literal fence.  The jury's out on which approach is better, so I'll let you decide.

These paper picket fences are also a great way to turn an empty jam jar into a Halloween decoration.  Just glue one of the fences around the outside of the jar and plop in a votive candle for a spooky candle holder that casts a subtle fence-shaped shadow.

Candy Corn Brownies

Who wants some candy corn brownies?

I've never been a huge fan of candy corn (although I inevitably get a hankering around the time the season starts), mainly because there's not enough chocolate involved, but these scrumptious-sounding candy corn-topped mini brownies solve that problem quick-smart.  Plus, it's a great way to get rid of leftover candy corn once November rolls around.

Candy Corn Bracelet

Candy corn bracelet by Chica and Jo

  

This cute candy corn bracelet is a delightful version of the candy necklaces of my childhood, and it's easily made with a needle and some elastic thread.

Check out the full tutorial here, via Flickr.

DIY Chevron Bat Wreath

I love this bat wreath from Tatertors & Jello! Check out the full tutorial here.

[Via Twisted Sugar Twine]

Cart Before The Horse Halloween Freebies

© Cart Before The Horse, via Etsy

My mother introduced me to Cart Before The Horse many years ago, and I love it when she sends me links to the charming folk art dolls they have for sale.  One of my favorite things about Cart Before The Horse, though, is their wonderful Halloween creations, like the adorably creepy skeleton couple at left.

Their blog, in addition to featuring new work and process photos, offers a few fun, free how-tos, including some Halloween treats: Let's Make Witch Hats and Treat Box tutorials and Dem Bones skeleton template.

I'm looking forward to more sweet and spooky dolls from Cart Before The Horse as the season unfolds.

Pier One Halloween Ideas

I don't know if I'd call Pier One's Halloween party ideas "to die for," but the puns they've come up with do tickle my funny bone, particularly A Nightcap on Elm Street.

I guess any excuse to light one of their bleeding candles would be good enough for me.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

 

The pumpkin spice latte is back at Starbucks, yet another sure sign that Halloween is on its way, but if you don't feel like shelling out four bucks for a coffee, try making one at home with this recipe from Daily Nibbles. 

I made one for breakfast yesterday (pictured above, along with a slice of this weekend's banana-pumpkin bread), and I have to say: Yum!

Halloween Hiring

Just in case you thought this whole Halloween wasn't really that big a deal, Forbes is reporting that Party City is hiring 14,000 seasonal employees to deal with the Halloween rush.  Talk about an economic stimulus package.

Banana-Pumpkin Bread

Inspired by a surplus of overripe bananas, I wanted to put a Halloweeny twist on some banana bread.  A quick Google search yielded this recipe for scary-good babana-pumpkin bread, so I mixed up the batter and threw in some pecans for good measure.

Because I'd used several more bananas than the recipe called for (which I balanced out with a bit of extra oatmeal), I had some batter left over when I'd filled my bread pan. Since there wasn't quite enough for a second loaf, I threw in some chocolate chips and made a batch of muffins, too.  I baked to muffins for about half the time recommended in the bread recipe.

Both the bread and the muffins came out tasting great -- chewy and moist and very flavorful -- although I have to say the muffins have been rather more popular.  Because, let's be honest, there's almost no baked good that isn't improved by the addition of a little chocolate.

And if you're wondering where the little fence around the muffin pictured above came from, check back on Tuesday for a tutorial on DIY graveyard cupcake wraps.

Lindt Halloween Chocolates

Like everyone else, Lindt sells Halloween-themed chocolates.  My only regret is that they don't make a seasonal pumpkin truffle filling.

Skeleton Notecards

I love these skeleton notecards from petitpaperie on Etsy. And be sure to check out the shop for more vintage-y stationery items, like black cat tags and Halloween postcard downloads.

2010 Halloween Party Playlist

Here's a playlist from last year's Halloween party:

1. They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back From The Dead!! Ahhhh! - Sufjan Stevens
2. The Ghost Who Walks - Karen Elson
3. Cities in Dust - Siouxsie and the Banshees
4. Walking With A Ghost - Tegan and Sara
5. Six and Three Quarters - Ipso Facto
6. Superstition - The Kills
7. For Real - Okkervil River
8. Dead and Lovely - Tom Waits
9. I Ain't Superstitious - Howlin' Wolf
10. I Put A Spell On You - Roxy Music
11. Spooky - Dusty Springfield
12. Ashes - Dark Dark Dark
13. Ghost Town - The Specials
14. (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
15. Psycho Killer - Talking Heads
16. Ghosts Under Rocks - Ra Ra Riot
17. Thriller - Michael Jackson

Wishcraft Halloween Costumes

Via Jezebel, here are some truly outrageous Halloween costumes from Wishcraft.

As ridiculous as some of these seem, I have to admit that I would have killed for some of them as a child.  I was lucky as a child to have an enormously talented seamstress as a mother, who made me many, many costumes over the years.  I forget that not every child has someone so skilled in their Halloween costume corner.

On the other hand, some of them harken back to Gawker's helpful litmus test from last year, Is Your Halloween Costume Racist? If you have to ask yourself this question, I think you've already lost.

A Beetlejuice Sequel!

 

It seems that Warner Bros has struck a deal to make a sequel to Beetle Juice, one of the classics of my childhood.

Frankly, I'm not sure if this is good news, or, like the ridiculous-looking Battleship movie, decidedly bad news.  But Seth Grahame-Smith (of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) is on board, so I guess that could be promising.  Like a lot of these prospective films, it may never even come to fruition, but I have to admit that the prospect is exciting.

Orange Vintage Apron

It was a dark and stormy night . . .

. . . when I bought this adorable vintage apron from WhiteBarnVintage on Etsy.   I'm going to use it to spice up my perennial witch costume this year, and when Halloween is over, it can hang in a place of honor.

Castle Halloween Museum

The fantastic-looking Castle Halloween Museum is only about five hours away from where I live, and I am determined to visit this year!

The museum houses a collection of more than 35,000 items, including vintage costumes and decorations, folk art, TV and movie memorabilia, and lots more crazy Halloween collectibles.

Best of all, you can take a virtual tour! But wouldn't it be better to see it in person?  Tours are by appointment only and can be scheduled by filling out the online form.  Road trip, anyone?

Skull Nickels

 If Halloween were a country, I suspect these skull nickels would be the coin of the realm.  

 

[Colossal, via BoingBoing]

Jack-O-Lantern Cookie Cutters

I've seen plenty of Jack-o-lantern cookie cutters for sale, but what I like about this set from Williams-Sonoma is that you can give each cookie a different face using a variety of smaller cutters shaped like the pumpkin's features.

I'm sorely tempted to buy these, and I'll report back with the results if I wind up getting them.

Williams-Sonoma also have some cute little pancake molds, which I would love to fill with pumpkin-pecan pancake batter.

The Addams Family Goes To School

Since it's still back-to-school season, here's the first episode of the Addams Family TV show, "The Addams Family Goes To School."  The whole series, as you surely know, is up on Hulu.

My Favorite Jack-o'-Lantern

Here is a picture of my favorite Jack-o'-lantern ever, which I carved a couple of years ago.

I hadn't even been planning to carve a pumpkin that year, but it just so happened that my friend Rachel had a spare one, a massive thing I promptly named Big Bertha.  Normally, I'm not too handy with a carving knife (so sleep easy, paranoiacs), but that year all the stars aligned to create what is, I must say, a beautiful Dia de los Muertos-inspired pumpkin.

Brach's Candy Corn

Candy Corn, by Kurt and Sybilla, via Flickr

I bought my first bag of candy corn of the season the other day, and the bag offered this incredible piece of trivia:

Americans buy enough Brach's candy corn every year that, if laid end to end, it would circle the earth 4.25 times.

I don't know whether to be terrified or impressed.

Your Halloween Headquarters!

 

Always makes me smile to see this banner appear in the window of my local Michaels. It means the season is officially here.

Spiderweb Shirt How-To

Jezebel has a tutorial up on how to make your own spiderweb shirt, inspired by this photo of model Rosemary Ferguson from a 1993 issue of the fashion magazine The Face.

All you need is an old T-shirt and a pair of scissors and you've got your very own designer knock-off, perfect for grunge-era reminiscence, or a high-fashion Halloween ensemble.

It's not exactly my style as street fashion, but it'd make an excellent DIY spiderweb costume.  Just place a few of those little plastic spiders strategically about your person and you're set.  Or you could take it in a more Sid Vicious direction with a mohawk and some safety pins.

Full instructions are here.

Martha Stewart Halloween 2011

I never thought I'd say it, but Martha Stewart is wonderful!  I resisted the Martha phenomenon for so long because I don't buy into the cookie-cutter brand of creativity that is dominates craft and housekeeping magazines.

But the Martha Stewart Halloween special issue, with those ridiculous moth wing eyelashes, enticed me in, and I was not disappointed!  The 2011 Halloween issue is marvellous, full of imaginative DIY decorations and costumes, and tasty-looking food.  The art design is very inventive.

Sure, it promotes a senseless model of consumption just for the sake of decoration, and gives us all unreasonable expectations about how polished our lives should be.  But used correctly, it can be a great source of inspiration.  And it's so pretty!

And best of all, Saint Martha has lots of Halloween projects online, including: indoor decorations, costume ideas and activities (both billed as for children, although I beg to differ), pumpkin carving suggestions, and recipes. I'm sure I'll be featuring more of these in the future, and maybe even testing some, but we have to start somewhere.

At My Local Goodwill

Meager but delightful Halloween offerings at my local Goodwill yesterday.

October's Bright Blue Weather

This gorgeous reproduction WPA poster from Zazzle combines two of my favorite things: reading, and Halloween.  A good time to read, indeed!