Giveaway Announcement: Winners of The Christmas Guide to Upcycling, by Mahe Zehra Husain

If you liked our review of Crafty Cans and Perplexing Plastic, by Mahe Zehra Husain, then I hope that you entered our giveaway, in which Mahe offered a copy of her e-book, The Christmas Guide to Upcycling, to a whopping 25 winners!

Are you one of our lucky winners? Read on to see:

The winners of the e-book, The Christmas Guide to Upcycling, are:

Beth (the one who loves peanut butter)MuireannRobinLindaMarilynLauraKavitaLynnLaura BMarilynnBeth SCherylJoAmyMxfitzauShannonMariaJazzRaDonnaMattBettyEdurMichelleEveMaria (the one who discovered that our Facebook link was broken)

If you’re a winner, keep an eye on your email, because you can expect to hear from Mahe shortly. Congratulations, y’all!

View the original article here

One Of A Kind Halloween Costumes for the Budget Conscious

There are over thousands of Halloween outfits to choose from but what makes it unique is totally up to you. You can look online to see one of a kind Halloween costumes you can use for a Halloween event or you can always make one out of everything you can find in your house. Take for example your dirty clothes, you can always improvise it by smudging ketchup, mustard and paint to give you that murky and foul look. Let someone else do the make-up for you then you are on your way to becoming a zombie from Walking Dead.

It is the little things that create one of a kind Halloween costumes like the one I mentioned above. For me, you don't need to buy one for you to have fun. And if you still crave for more, here are some ideas for you to look unique in your upcoming Halloween party.

Costumes for Women

Most of the one of a kind Halloween costumes for women I can find are actually online. You can buy most of them in general, but there are other costumes that you can rent if you are out of budget. Most of the costumes you can find can be sexy outfits and you can always wear them if you want to. The devil costume is quite common so you may want to stay away from it. You can also wear skimpy clothes and go out all sexy.

In my experience, what makes a costume unique is when you run out of money and you really want to join a Halloween event. Here are few examples of what I mean about one of a kind Halloween costumes.

- The sleepy and lazy housewife. Wear your pajamas, mess up your hair or put curlers in it and yawn most of the night. Wear those furry bunny slip-on slippers and do not put on makeup. You can even bring a toothbrush if you want.

- The Victim. If you really want to get noticed, include this on your one of a kind Halloween costumes list. Wear torn office clothes and spread ketchup or fake blood on them. To enhance the ragged and paranoid look, mess up your hair and start screaming all over the place.

Costumes for Men

Again, there is no other accessible place for you to find unique costumes but online. From costumes like Top Gun, Elvis Presley, sailor-look to Spongebob, Freddy Kruger or a mad scientist, you can always find these as an all-around type of outfit. These costumes can be very pricey and does not necessarily make you stand out most of the time, especially when you find out a person or two is wearing the same outfit as you are. And that's a problem.

As for men, here are some of the one of a kind Halloween costumes you should think about:

- The stereotype tourist. This can be a wrong time and wrong place to be or not, but try wearing a floppy hat, flip-flop sandals, Hawaiian flowery shirt and long brown shorts. To finish off that typical tourist and nerdy look, wear glasses, get a camera, bring a map and walk around as if you are lost.

- The good ol' Cupid. I would recommend this for bigger, heftier people as it fits the whole concept of an exaggerated Cupid. Simply wear a diaper, or if that's too much for you, get a toga. Attach tiny wings on your back and get yourself one of those bargain bow and arrow you can find in a toy store. Stick a heart-shaped paper at the tip of your arrow then wear the ribbon sash with "Cupid" written on it.

Costumes for Couples

What about one of a kind Halloween costumes for lovebirds? That is one unique concept right there. I don't see a lot of couples do this but if you are thinking of doing it, you can always try the following:

- Samson and Delilah
- Bonnie and Clyde (though you might have to emphasize this)
- A teapot and a teabag
- A key and a padlock

This list can go on forever but simply think of two things that belong together and you'll be fine.

Costumes for Groups

For me this is the most fun simply because you are having a good time as a group and the costume will not matter anymore. The group costumes also has a long list of one of a kind Halloween costumes you can ponder, and I am sure it going to be fun to wear and watch. Think of M&M's, your favorite boy band in the 90's, a rock band or a group of lost Spartans.

Wearing a one of a kind Halloween costumes isn't difficult if you just take the time to think about it.

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How to Create Halloween Costumes to Scare Your Friends!

Halloween is without doubt the perfect holiday occasion for admirers of the scary, horror movie genre. With some many people having seen these scary movies and horrifying special effects, some of these people think they are now scare-proof when it comes to Halloween Costumes. Nonetheless, advances in technologies have kept pace with the motion pictures, such that genuinely scary Halloween costumes can be found on the internet for sale. Let's look at a couple of concepts you'll be able to use to scare the pants off these folks. who think they are just 'too cool for school'.

Masks are more often than not the element that makes a truly scary Halloween costume. Plastics technology has evolved to a point that some of these masks just look so realistic. Get the right mask and your movie-jaded buddies may well be shocked and afraid. They'll believe you do indeed know what they did last summer season! Possibly worse but, they'll believe you're a movie nightmare come to life. The most effective scary masks would be the high tech ones, with the look and feel of a nightmarish face composed of rotting skin, bones and perhaps a few maggots to finish the effect. There is no doubt a mask can make or break your scary Halloween costume.

I blame it on Stephen King, but nowadays all scare movie fans realize that clowns are associated with serial killers. These kind of clowns aren't the funny Ringling Brothers kinds. They are morbid, obsessed and totally scary characters, the sort you want to get well away from. At Halloween you are able to capitalize on this image with an nice deviant clown costume.

Using the mask is another great way of pulling off the scary Halloween costume. A bit fake blood on an otherwise innocent costume also helps, along with a fake hunting knife tied in the waist helps your gruesome image as well.

Attending a Halloween party as a head on a platter is sure to evoke distaste from even the most hardened of horror fans. Here's how it works: Find a cardboard box that is just large enough for you to fit with just the ends of your legs showing. Carefully cut a hole that permits you to stick your head out of the opening. Use face paint to create the pale bloody look of a head that was decapitated a few hours ago. Cover the box with a satin tablecloth and arrange meals around your head. This scary Halloween costume is best displayed on entry to the party.

Latex physique suits are ripe with possibilities. While you can uncover an ordinary latex physique suit intended for Halloween use, you can embellish these with all sorts of gruesome additions. Stab wounds, fake blood of the most realistic sort and plastic bugs permeating the suit will produce disgusting and horrifying imaginings.

Last, but not least will be the headless Halloween costume. Remember the Legend of Sleepy Hollow? The trick with this costume would be to hide your real head, whilst holding a fair facsimile.

If you're intent on a scary Halloween costume, you've got to become prepared to go the extra mile to achieve the truly gory terrifying effect!

Halloween is one of the great holidays for those who, like David, love a costume party. Halloween offers the oppourtnity to get really creative with some wonderfully scary halloween costumes or if you are that way inclined sexy Halloween Costumes.

Harry Potter Halloween Costume - Making Your Halloween Magical

Costumes make Halloween very special for children. Kids can get dressed as different characters from movies, comics or books during Halloween and there is no dearth of choices. But the costume which is by far the most popular with kids is the Harry Potter Halloween costume.

Lately, homemade costumes are out of fashion, therefore buying a readymade Halloween costume is a prudent choice. Readymade Harry Potter Halloween costumes are long-lasting and also cheaper than home-made Harry Potter Halloween costumes.

The great thing about Harry books and movies is the number of characters. So now you can dress up as Harry Potter and ask your friends and family to dress up as other characters in Mr. Potter's franchise! Your friends can dress up as Harry's friends: Ron Weasley or as the smart Hermoine Granger by adding Griffindor accessories like scarf, hat or a tie to their costume. Or they can dress up as the wicked Dolores Umbridge who makes kids write 'I must not tell lies' with their blood. Your Dolores Umbridge costume would look believable if you wear a bright colored cape decorated with frills. Also wear a retro wig to round up your Dolores Umbridge look. There are also other 'evil' characters like Voldemort and creatures like Dementors to dress as.

If you want to dress up as the boy wonder Harry Potter himself you can get hooded robe, similar round framed spectacles and lantern and, of course, the wand, as any sorcerer would be incomplete without his wand. There is a scar kit to make the Halloween costume more convincing. Adults shouldn't be disappointed as Harry costumes are also available in men's sizes. You can also purchase Harry Potter quidditch robes but note that you will have to buy the broomsticks separately.

Dressing up as Lucius and Draco Malfoy can be fun too. To dress up as Lucius wear long black robes, a long blonde wig and carry a walking stick, and wear a short blond wig with long black robes if you want to dress as Draco.

The Harry Potter deluxe Gryffindor robe looks very authentic as it is made up of fleece while other Halloween costumes are made up of tissue paper. Therefore it serves as a Harry Potter Halloween costume as well as a sweater by protecting you from cold.

Luna Lovegood is another interesting and fun Harry Potter character you can dress as. It includes robes, wig, cork necklace and quirky plastic spectacles. Young girls like to dress up as Bellatrix LeStrange as she has a very cool look. Bellatrix LeStrange's costume includes a black corset, leather pants, boots and black gloves. Mess up your hair to make the Bellatrix LeStange look more convincing.

Recently it was announced that the seven part Potter has come to an end but, rest assured, it will always have a special place in young muggles' hearts and be a popular Halloween costume.

For more Harry Potter Halloween Costume Ideas click here on CLICK HERE.

Choose A Hot New Halloween Costume Design By Valentine's Day

We've barely reached Valentine's Day yet Hollywood Halloween costume distributors are talking about what 2011's top-selling costumes are projected to be. With Halloween reported to be the largest sales-generating holiday -- second only to Christmas -- it's no wonder that costume and novelty manufacturers are getting the jump on Halloween decorations and costumes so early in the year.

2011 Halloween Costumes Are Said To Be Scarier Than Ever

According to marketing manager Daniel Song of "Leg Avenue" -- an L.A. costume manufacturer -- the costume Halloween costume designs in 2011 are going to be a bit darker and bloodier than in most previous years. Song states that the 2010 fascination with film producer Tim Burton's adaptation of "Alice In Wonderland" and the recent Vampire fascination among "Twilight" viewers has created a demand for more dark and Gothic style costuming among consumers of all ages.

Sexy Halloween Costumes And Adolescent Wear

A major focus for costume manufacturers this year is offering variety. With Halloween festivities comes a tidal wave of women taking advantage of the one day a year we can wear sexy and revealing costumes in public. While sex appeal and plunging necklines are a focus in the women's costuming industry, many "PG" versions of traditionally sexy costumes will be made available for adolescent girls age 10 and up.

Costumes Designed For Warmth

The Halloween costume manufacturers of sunny California certainly haven't left out the mid-western ghouls and goblins who have to endure bone chilling Autumn temperatures. Several companies have designed monster, monkey, cat and mouse costumes that are aimed to keep trick-or-treaters warm with faux fur sleeves and leggings. An ideal alternative to covering your costume with a thick and bulky overcoat.

Best Selling Halloween Decorations

Some scary movie monsters never go out of style. This year, 2011 Halloween shoppers will find the usual varieties of Halloween decorations modeled after notorious fictitious serial killers like Michael Myers, Jason and Freddy Kruger with a welcomed new addition. Somewhat of a newcomer to the Halloween horror scene, expect to see a lot of the creepy, masked tricycle riding villain from the "SAW" series. And of course no scary scene is complete without a carefully constructed crime scene, and no crime scene is complete without police tape.

One the biggest selling items last year was "over-the-counter" police tape with sayings such as "enter at your own risk" or "fresh bodies". As always, bloody hand-print tablecloths and window clings are expected to be in popular demand again this Halloween season.

You can find a wide variety of Halloween costumes and decorations online year-round by visiting the Fright Catalog website. Satisfy all of your Halloween horror needs in one place from the convenience of your home. Free shipping for orders over $100.

Cheap Superhero Themed Batman Halloween Costumes For Adults

When it comes to costumes for the Halloween, the first thing that would come to mind is what theme to wear. But if you have the will for crime fighting and you are an advocate of justice and honor, then with no doubt, you have the heart of a superhero, sadly a frustrated one.

Whether you have the will of a crime fighter or the wickedness of a villain, you are bound to wear the superhero themed Batman Halloween costume. Now that you have a theme, the only problem left is that if you are on a tight budget. If you really want the superhero theme but you're out of cash, here are some useful tips on what to do and where to find a cheap Batman Halloween costume.

The easiest way to find a costume is through the internet. Search the internet for cheap Batman Halloween costumes. There are sales and bargains especially on holidays like the Halloween, it means you have a big chance to find costume shops that sells cheap Batman Halloween costumes for adults.

If you have the time you can actually make your own Batman Halloween costume. Get a picture of Batman, Robin, The Joker or any of your favorite Batman character and try to get a sketch based on their costumes. List all the materials you need and check out your nearest department store. Customize your Batman Halloween costume by adding your own style or by choosing your own color. You could actually save a lot by just buying the materials and you could choose your style by customizing your Batman, Robin or The Joker costumes. If you don't have enough time and you are still planning to create a Batman costume instead of buying one, your option is to find a tailor shop. There lots of tailor shops that offer cheap tailoring services. Just give the tailor your costume specs, the materials and your body size then off you go.

The cheapest costume from the Batman characters is Alfred Pennyworth's and Commissioner Gordon's costume. You could borrow a butler's uniform from a friend or rent one. Grow a mustache or wear a fake one, dye your hair white and wear eyeglasses. For Commissioner Gordon's costume, a coat and tie with a mustache and white hair will do. Tell your friends at the Halloween party that you are Batman's butler or Batman's ally and surely they will recognize the costume and the character you are portraying.

Another option is to rent a ready made Batman themed costume. Search the internet or your directory for costume rental booths and shops in your area. Ask them if they have the Batman themed costume that you are looking for and tell them to reserve it for you.

Superhero themed Batman Halloween costumes are not that hard to find specially on Halloween. The Batman series has lots of characters to choose from. Don't settle yourself with Batman, Robin and Bat-girl, there are also villains and supporting cast that could fit your taste. You will never have a hard time choosing one. Just be wise enough to spend your budget to enjoy the Halloween with your crime fighting, superhero themed Batman Halloween costume.

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Adult Halloween Costume Ideas - Dress As Your Favorite Fantasy

Halloween isn't only for children; it has becoming increasingly popular with adults as well. Costume parties are not limited to Trick-or-Treaters below the age of twelve as more and more costume parties are organized for adults. During the week before and after Halloween these parties take place at office functions, hotels, night clubs, and people's homes.

Halloween has become a time for children and adults alike to let their hair down and dress up as any of the fantasies they day dream about. Halloween isn't only about being spooky and scary and the costumes shouldn't be confined to scary monsters and creatures of the underworld. Aside from being spooky and scary, you can also be sexy, silly, funny or enchanting! Couples can even dress up together like Gomez and Morticia Addams or a master and sexy French maid.

When coming up with a costume, do not think of the ordinary. Be creative! If you're short on ideas, here are some suggestions for your own adult Halloween costumes.

Costume Ideas for Women

Did you love fairy tales as a child and have always wanted to revisit that old Disney princess costume you once wore in third grade but were afraid of being called too kiddie? Then dress up as Tinkerbell, the naughty and sexy green pixie. Dressing up as Betty Boop can also be a sexy costume with a slight nostalgia of childhood.

If you love superheroes and comic books, you can dress up as Super Girl, Batgirl, Wonderwoman, or Catwoman.

For those who like history and literature, some costume choices for you are a Renaissance queen or peasant, Cleopatra, Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, a Greek goddess, The Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz, or Arwen from The Lord of the Rings. Queen Gorgo from Frank Miller's graphic novel 300 can also be a good choice.

But of course, there's nothing wrong with the traditional costumes. Why not a witch, a temptress, a Playboy bunny, or a sexy she-devil? They can still guarantee the head turns.

Costume Ideas for Men

Men also have a wide array of adult Halloween costume choices. There are the superheroes and villains like Batman, Robin, The Joker, Superman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Captain America, and all the superheroes from both Marvel and DC Comics.

If you want references with pop culture, you can dress up as Frodo the Hobbit, King Leonidas and Xerxes from 300, Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, or Neo from The Matrix.

Count Dracula, the Grim Reaper, Mad Scientist, Playboy and the basketball jock still remain a popular choice of Halloween costumes for men.

Costume Ideas for Couples

Couples also enjoy dressing up during Halloween because this is the chance for them to dress up together. Most of the popular couple costumes are Playboy and a Playboy bunny, a doctor and a sexy nurse, a master and slave, Barbie and Ken, and Greek god and goddess.

Characters from different movies and stories like Romeo and Juliet, Big Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood are also very popular costume choices for couples.

David Lawson writes for ShopCompareCostumes.com and shares his interest in dressing up with internet readers. He's been writing for costume and Halloween blogs since August 2007 and has been a blog author since September 2005. He loves playing characters and his creative side is most active when he's sharing his ideas with others. He shares his ideas and recommendations about Adult Halloween Costumes and other holidays at http://www.shopcomparecostumes.com Visit our costume price comparison site for more Halloween costume ideas. Have a safe and Halloween!

Star Trek Halloween Costumes Are Always a Great Choice For a Sci-Fi Party

Star Trek Halloween costumes are the perfect way to show your devotion to this fantastic program. Halloween is one of the most celebrated holidays so it makes sense to get your costume ready early. Remember, you are no longer limited to dressing as zombies and witches.

People are always looking for affordable and comfortable alternatives when dressing up for a Halloween party. If you are a Trekkie fan, you are in luck. There are a number of Star Trek Halloween costumes available because the show had a variety of interesting characters. You could choose to dress up as any character, but everyone has their own favorite.

Halloween costumes, are very easy to find in stores or online. They are the most effective sci fi costumes on the market. You can choose to make your costume and then accessorize by searching through Star trek party supply stores.

You can easily find the perfect costume and accessories when you shop at one of these suppliers. They provide many options regarding character ideas and costume choices.

Men and boys have the choice of being Captain Kirk, Spock or even bones and woman can choose from the sexy look of Uhura or counsellor troi. The costumes are comfortable to wear for the whole evening and party, with the added bonus of no painting yourself green required.

The actual uniforms that the crew of star trek wore can be achieved very easily. You may have to find a star trek party supply store for the accessories such as Spock's pointy ears as these could prove difficult to make.

The basic look of the crew's uniform is always the same; black t-shirt, black pants, and a dark blue or mustard colored -v-neck jumper. It's really the accessories that make Star Trek Halloween costumes look so great. Don't forget the details like the silver cuffs, three silver bands, and Enterprise badge that adorn Captain Kirk's uniform.

Other Halloween costumes will need gold name badges and cuffs to complete their look. Hairstyles are a big part of a Star Trek costume. You can achieve many of the looks with some styling and a bit of hair gel. If you aren't prepared to start a new fashion trend and get a bowl-cut like Spock's, you can simply wear a wig.

For the female costumes, a red or blue short style dress will be needed and then accessorized in the same way as the men's costumes, adding the badges and cuff designs.

Star Trek Halloween costumes are always a favorite. Individuals wearing these costumes are usually remembered as having the best costume at the party. If you want to make a really big hit, get 4 or 5 friends together and wear some of the available group costumes. It will be hard to ignore a group entering the party dressed as the crew of the Enterprise.

Because the show has such a huge following, wearing one of the many available Star Trek Halloween costumes will give all the party goers something to talk about and give you something to talk about with other fans.

spookynite.com will help you with all your Star Trek Halloween Costumes and party supplies. We have information and resources on Halloween decorations and other Halloween Costumes for you to choose from.

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Batman Dark Knight Halloween Costumes - 3 Tips to Stand Out on Halloween

Halloween may be one of the festivals that you are looking forward to throughout a year. You may want to throw a party with your family. You may want to enjoy a crazy night at a bar with your friends. But if you want to stand out on Halloween in this year, one thing you must do is to put on a special Halloween costume, like Batman Dark Knight Halloween costumes.

It is really easy to stand out from the crowd because most people do not know the power of Halloween costumes. They just wear the traditional Halloween costumes. For example, they dress up like pirates, witches or pumpkins. Some of them even wear a white cloth that has two holes cut for their eyes only. They are good but not trendy. What do you think about seeing a hundred of pumpkins hanging around? It is boring.

Although most people dress up in a traditional way, you need not follow them. On the contrary, you may think that it is a chance for you to stand out.

There are many people on the streets. Simply playing or singing with them is not enough. You need a special Halloween costume. You should look different. It requires a little bit creativity. Many people just buy a Halloween costume from stores and then wear it. Actually it is just the first step. To be different, you may need to have more additional accessories.

For example, it is obvious that Batman Dark Knight will be one of the most popular Halloween costumes this year because of its new movie released. There may be lots of people wearing Batman costumes. So if you decide to buy a Batman Dark Knight Halloween costume, probably you will also have to buy a pair of gauntlets to complete the costume. It may only cost you $10 but you will be unique.

 

You may not want to spend much money on Halloween costumes because the costumes are rarely worn. I understand and I used to do so. I once wore a cheap Halloween costume. On that day, I stood out. But it was because I looked weird. People around me laughed at me.

The quality of Halloween costumes is really vital. Buying a high-quality Halloween costume may cost you about $35. But it is worth because you will have people laughing with you (not laughing at you.). So buy the costumes from famous and reliable stores or websites.

The most important thing is you need to be bold. Be what you want to be. You can be scary. You can be sexy. And you may wear Batman Dark Knight Halloween costume and challenge the others who wear the same kind of costume (remember the gauntlets?). Halloween is the day to show your creativity and braveness. Do not miss this chance.

I have found some websites talking about Batman Dark Knight Halloween costumes. If you want to buy one, you may visit Batman Dark Knight Halloween Costumes 2008.