Another year older...

Every day is an opportunity for another beginning of a better tomorrow. How wonderful to be on the threshold of of another 365 new beginnings where everything is possible! May 2008 bring you many adventures that fill your heart. Peace

The Dos and Don'ts of Regifting

How to give gifts with past lives — without getting caught

C'mon, stop being such a goody two-shoes. Everybody's doing it. Well, maybe not everyone, but according to a recent Harris Interactive survey, more than half of us admit to regifting — that is, passing off unwanted gifts as if they were being bestowed for the very first time. For years considered a clear social no-no, regifting is shedding its stigma. Here are some ‘rules of regifting’, and tips on the right way to regift from msnbc.com (by way of The Motley Fool).

The rules of regifting

There are plenty of obvious "tells" that a gift has been resurrected from one of your holidays past. To avoid them...

• Don't confuse "barely used" with "brand-spankin' new": If there are any signs of wear and tear — a broken seal, scratched part, pit stains — the item's a no-go for regifting.


• Do not pass off items that were clearly purchased for you: If it's monogrammed, sorry, you're stuck with it.


• Don't give away anything handmade by someone you know: Handmade items are off the list of possible regiftables for two reasons: First, it was likely given with much more sentimental intentions than, say, a coffee grinder. Second, such gifts tend to be extremely recognizable.


• Don't use different sentimental criteria for regifts: Re-circulating a problem gift just to get it out of your sight is bad form. Same goes for slapping a new bow on an old tchtotchke just to check someone's name off the holiday gift list.


• Don't give unused (or even "lightly loved") gift cards: A gift card with a $43.22 balance is an obvious regift.


• Don't declare "It's vintage!" when it's really just plain bedraggled: Just because it's old doesn't mean it's a cherished collectible.


• Don't regift an obvious giveaway: Skip the office- and trade-show schwag — you know, key chains, coffee mugs, and outerwear with some random company's logo emblazoned upon it. If it was free in the first place, it's worth even less in round two.


• Do not bestow a white elephant re-gift out of spite: Funny, sure. But that flicker of sheer horror on the recipient's face will come back to haunt you.

The right way to regift

Follow these regifting tips to come off like a sentimental big lug during the big reveal.

• Keep track of the flow chart of gifting: There's no bigger horror than returning a gift that was bestowed to you back to its original giver. Avoid this by keeping track of each item's past (formally, on a spreadsheet, if you want to be a regifting pro). In fact, regifting pros suggest that to play it safe, its best to repurpose in an entirely different social circle than the one from which original item was bestowed.


• Make sure all original packaging is intact: Does it pass the shrinkwrap test? If the item originally came hermetically sealed from the factory, it should move up the gift chain in the same condition.


• Triple-check for all telltale regifting signs: Gift tags stuck in the bottom of the box's folds, gift receipts, the whiff of someone else's perfume, an actual picture of someone you know in the frame (and not the standby camera-ready studio family shot) — remove all signs (dust for fingerprints if you must) that the gift has a past. Finally, before you present it, step back and re-evaluate the regift from the recipient's perspective to make sure it passes the test.


• Wrap it like it's new: Repurpose the gift, not the wrapping paper, bow, or heaven forfend, the card.


• Give with good intentions: The sentiment behind your regift should be the same as the thought behind any new gift: You're passing it along because you think the recipient will appreciate it.


• Give it away anyways: If you received something in the past that doesn't pass the regift test, you're not necessarily stuck with it forever. Pass it along without the guise of the "new gift" (minus wrapping paper, bow and card) and give the recipient an easy out (e.g. "I wore this once and was told it made my complexion come off as puce. If you like it — or know someone else who would — it's yours.").


• Finally, we all know that when it comes to gifts, that whole "it's the thought that counts" yarn really doesn't fly with anyone but your parents. For all others, it is all about the gift (though no one will cop to it, at least on the record). So put some thought into your gift — er, regift — and pat yourself on the back for finding it a permanent home.

Merry Mischief

If you ever see a crow with a bucket of snowballs I'd turn and run the other way. I hear they have pretty good aim.
For more details on how to acquire this little mischief maker click on my ebay link.

I'm back!

Although the calendar date says that the holidays are behind us, I believe that it is possible for the spirit of the season to live on when you surround yourself with holiday pieces that touch your heart. This little holiday ornament just posted on ebay. Click on the link for more details.

End of the Year Sale at AnniesCostumes.com

End of the Year Blow Out Sale on Costumes!

Select costumes up to 60% off. Look for the red SALE tag and SAVE!

After Christmas Sale at SantaSuits.com

Save 25% Off on Selected Santa Suits and Christmas Costumes!

Merry Christmas from SantaSuits.com

Merry Christmas from our family to Yours!

Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas

Ok, I admit that I am a huge procrastinator. My motto: "Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?"

Luckily for me, I am actually done with my holiday shopping this year, so I thought I would help out my fellow procrastinators with some last minute Christmas gift ideas. I took a little help from The Food Network and came up with a great idea: "Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen!"

• Home made cookies baked with love are always a winning gift, sure to bring a smile to recipients of all ages.
• Chocolates, and chocolate covered pretzels are another great and yummy gift. Place them in a gift box with parchment paper or wax paper, add a bow or ribbon and you're all set!
• A beautiful basket of wine, crackers and cheese is sure to please!
• A huge theme on The Food Network website is holiday treats and customs from all over the world, so what about a special treat from your ancestral lands?
• Everyone loves those candies nuts! Choose then recipient's favorite nut or mix a bunch together and coat with sugars and spices - YUM!
  

Moment of clarity

Sometimes clarity can be found in the most unlikely of places. My moment came while shooting the annual and often dreaded Christmas photo last year. My focus was on controlling the perfect shot, with the lighting just so, hair in place, soft smiles, straight postures, no blinking, etc. While taking a break to regroup and rethink of yet another naturally forced pose I caught this shot of my daughters quite by accident. It wasn't posed and it's slightly out of focus, therefore not making the cut for the desirable Christmas card but it is the shot I cherish the most. Not simply because it is of my daughters who bring me great joy everyday of my life but because it is a reminder to me that often times we stumble upon success. It can come at us sideways or we can back into it. We can pursue it with the best of intentions and yet not see what is right in front of us if only we were to change our focus.

With all my planning and hard work I think that I can safely say that this year I have stumbled upon success (convincing my accountant of this will be another story). My focus was constant, my steps were in flux. There is no way of knowing how to factor in the impact of the artists and collectors that I have encountered throughout the year but what I do know is that each and every one of you has inspired me to continue on this path and for that I am truly grateful. May all your small moments of success bring you peace and happiness now and always!

Exclusive Cloverfield Video

What kind of Cloverfield costume do you think will be popular next Halloween?

Still Time for Delivery by Christmas!

Procrastinator Alert!

There is still time to get your holiday costumes and last minute gifts delivered in time for Christmas. Just place your order by 3pm EST on Friday, December 21, 2007 and choose next day delivery. Your package will arrive on Christmas Eve - December 24th. Feel free to contact customer service (1-877-413-8747) for details and confirmation.

So, no worries if you waited to the last minute, just had another gift added to your list, or just opened up your holiday costumes from last year to discover a problem. Extreme Halloween and SantaSuits.com has got you covered!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Over the Top Christmas Decorations

This should get you into the Christmas spirit!

Check out these over-the-top Christmas decorations (the lights on this house are synchronized to music!) in this YouTube video.

And remember, celebrate Christmas with an authentic-looking Santa costume from anniescostumes.com.

Annie’s Costumes Seeks to Raise Donations for the Broward Children’s Center

Holiday season is a season of giving. With the launch of the Christmas Village at our Second Life Costume Store, Annie’s Costumes is holding a fund raising event in Second Life on December 20th at 6pm SLT (9pm EST) for the Broward Children’s Center. The event will include music, ice skating and photos with Santa Claus.

Broward Children’s Center specializes in helping infants, children and young adults with physical and developmental disabilities, including some of the most fragile children in the nation. Founded in 1971, our nonprofit facilities in Pompano Beach, Florida, offer a range of health, wellness, education, recreation, therapeutic, daily living and advocacy services. During more than three decades of service thousands of children and their families have benefited from the Center’s programs.

We invite you to visit the Broward Children’s Center and make a donation to this worthy charity.

Bloggers Night Out at Mystere in Las Vegas

I have just returned from PubCon 2007 in Vegas - more on PubCon in another post, because this post is about the awesome opportunity I had to see Mystere, the fabulous Cirque du Soleil show at Treasure Island. Extreme gratitude to Joe Marin who was instrumental in setting up this night out for bloggers to see different shows around Vegas and review the shows on our blogs.

The Cirque du Soleil shows have been one of my favorite things in life since I saw Mystere for the first time 10 years ago. I have seen many different Cirque du Soleil shows since and found it rather poetic when I realized it has been 10 years since I first started loving this brand of entertainment. I had not seen Mystere again since July 1997, so this was a sort of anniversary for me.

The creators of this show and the performers bring such joy to so many people in this world. It is absolutely amazing to me. Just hearing the intro music on the web page while grabbing the link above invoked such emotion in me: memories, joy. . . . even peace. If that doesn't make sense to you, then SEE Mystere and you will KNOW what I mean.

Not only is the show visually amazing, it is also some of the best live music you will ever hear. If you have never seen a Cirque show, I have one word for you, GO! Even if you think you don't like that sort of thing, even if you think you won't like it, YOU WILL! I cannot imagine any human being not liking this show, it is just that amazing.

Mystere is an assault on your senses from start to finish. It brings forth so may emotions, joy, laughter, happiness, romance. . . a whole spectrum of feelings & thoughts. So many things happening at once: up, down, all around, left right, even behind you. I wonder how many hundreds of people it takes to put this show on nightly. The performers are amazing. There are acrobats, contortionists, and performers that I don't even know what to call, other than uber-talented. There are singers, musicians, comedians, this show has everything.

Out of everything this show encompasses, of particular interest to me is, of course, the costumes of Mystere. Add the costumers to the above list of superb, creative talent associated with Mystere. The vibrant colors, the glitter, the glitz and the odd shaped costumes all add to and enhance the drama of the performers. Each aspect of the show is an invaluable piece of the puzzle that is needed to put on the magic. Each aspect adds to the visual, the music, the emotion and completes the dramatic and welcome assault on your senses. Before seeing the show, one could never imagine the significance of a single feather perched on top of a headpiece. The way it moves when the performers bob their heads and stick their necks out makes a single feather such a significant part of the individual costume and the show itself. Only in a Cirque performance does a costume with a rounded, protruding belly and bottom transport your mind to think of an alien world rather than someone who gorged too much at the Vegas buffet line.

And then there is the makeup. The makeup used in Mystere transforms the performer into something surreal. It is so unusual and yet recognizable as "Cirque" at the same time. How does one accomplish that? Magic, plain, pure and simple, it is magical. The combination of talent attached to one project is astonishing.

How so many aspects of this show come together in such a perfect blend is just beyond me. The costume colors, the lights, the smoke, the music, the voices, the movement of the performers, and planning of hundreds, if not thousands of people come together to bring to Vegas one of the most spectacular things I will ever see.

I was so happy to share my Mystere experience with Amanda Stewart from Print-It-Quick.com. We were both amazed and thoroughly entertained! What an awesome time.

Christmas Village Displays Come to Second Life

Annie's Costumes has added a virtual Christmas Village to our Second Life costume store where avatars can explore Santa's workshop, skate on a lake and shop for Christmas decorating ideas and clothing.

Second Life is a 3-D virtual world with millions of residents registered from around the globe. As a member of this virtual community, Annie's Costumes created these Christmas village displays and holiday themed costumes, such as life-like Santa suit, a sexy Mrs. Claus, and Male and Female Elf costumes, with the Second Life residents in mind.

Ten Golden Rules and LeftBank Studios were instrumental in helping Annie's Costumes expand the Second Life Store for Christmas. Additionally, we were able to partner with ChristmasTreeforMe.com so we could offer virtual Christmas trees for avatars looking for holiday decorating ideas.

Auction...take two

3 more pieces post tonight on eBay. If your searching for something out of the ordinary to hang on your tree, you may have just found it!

Tried, tested and true Christmas recipes

Looking for tried, tested and true (and interesting!) Christmas recipes?
Here’s a taste of the articles from allrecipes.com!

Cookie Countdown 2007. Visit their Cookie Countdown from December 1st until Christmas, as they reveal a new cookie recipe every day.

Christmas Drinks and Cocktails. Fruity and fun, warm and wonderful. No matter what strikes your fancy this holiday season, you’ll find an exciting drink recipe that fits the bill.

Recipes for Christmas Dinner. Whether its prime rib, turkey or ham you're after, find recipes here to help you plan your Christmas dinner menu.

And remember, have an authentic-looking Santa show up at your holiday gathering, with a costume from anniescostumes.com.

Lights... camera... Auction!

This little Pumpkin Head ornament, from my new Halloween/Christmas collection, will post tonight on eBay as a 5 day auction. For more details click on the photo for a direct link to my auction!

Be sure to check back later in the week...
Due to popular demand, I'll be posting more Pumpkin snowmen as well.

Sexy Christmas Costumes for Holiday Parties

SantaSuits.com offers sexy Christmas costumes for women. With holiday parties right around the corner, sexy Christmas costumes, including sexy Santa outfits and naughty Santa's helper dresses are the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit.

The sexy Christmas costumes include:

• Cutie Claus
• Naughty Santa's Helper
• Christmas Gift

A complete list can be found at http://santasuits.com/costumes.htm.

Trinkets and Treasures

Today's the day! Now available on Glitter and Grunge and a few more stocking stuffers for sale on my blog.

Extreme Halloween Donates 3,101 Meals to Needy Families in South Florida

Right before the Thanksgiving weekend, Extreme Halloween Network announced a Black Friday/Cyber Monday Promotion. Many shoppers took advantage of the sales, and Extreme Halloween Network was able to raise over $500 for the Daily Bread Food Bank, which equals to approximately 3,101 meals to needy families in South Florida.

A big thanks to all the shoppers that participated in the event!

Holly Berry

Something to crow about. Stay tuned...

Glitter and Grunge December Posts

I have some fun, new, one-of-a-kind holiday decorations going on sale this Saturday, Dec 1st on the Glitter and Grunge site. Hop on over and check them out. You can see more photos and details by clicking on the Available on Glitter and Grunge, link at the top right hand side of this blog below On Sale Now. But remember, you have to wait until Saturday!

10 Things to Do with All that Halloween Candy

According to an article at parenthood.com, here are 10 things to do with all that Halloween candy:

Every family has its own methods of getting through the post-Halloween mounds of joy. Some let their kids gorge themselves for a day or two. Others dole it out a little at a time. Some parents even ban the candy bars altogether. For some nutritionists (and dentists!), Halloween candy is downright scary.

Whatever candy camp your family falls in –– there’s more to do with candy than eat it. If your Halloween candy is still sticking around, check out these ideas of what to do with leftovers:

1. Recycle it. Practice instant recycling. Screen the candy your kids bring home. After throwing away any unwrapped goodies, take out any candy your children don’t like or you don’t want them to have and then send that candy back out the door with other trick-or-treaters.

2. Freeze it. Put the chocolate bars right in the freezer to save them for later. Frozen chocolate takes longer to eat, so children can’t wolf it down so quickly.

3. Bake it. You don’t have to freeze the candy to keep it fresh. Kept in an airtight container, it will last long after Halloween. Later, you can bake surprise cupcakes. Push a soft candy into the middle of the batter in each cup before baking. Decorate the icing with more candies. You can also substitute bits of chocolate bars in your favorite chocolate-chip cookie recipe.

4. Melt it. Save chocolate to bring a taste of summer into your home long after you’ve put away the sunscreen. Melt chocolate for s’mores any time of year. Place a chocolate bar and a marshmallow between two graham crackers on top of a paper towel. Microwave for about 20 seconds.

5. Stuff it. Gather the leftover goodies and stuff them into a (homemade or store-bought) piñata. Crack the piñata open at Christmas or wait until your child’s birthday.

6. Create it. Professional artists create sculptures from candy, why not kids? Make mosaics with hard candy. Cover sturdy cardboard with wax paper, aluminum foil or paper. Then instead of tiles, use candy to create a design and “grout” it with stiff icing. To make sculptures, stick soft candy, apples and marshmallows together with toothpicks.

7. House it. After Halloween, kids can’t wait for Christmas. Save Halloween candy for gingerbread houses.

8. Wear it. Make a candy necklace. You’ll need an assortment of lollipops and colorful candies with twist-wrap ends to make this idea from the National Confectioners Association. Cut a 14-inch strand of thin twine or fabric ribbon. Tie one end of a wrapper of candy or lollipop stick tightly to one end of ribbon or twine (leave about two inches of ribbon free for tying at the end). Attach candy by knotting the ribbon around the wrapper ends or lollipop sticks until the necklace is complete. Leave two inches at the end. Tie the ends together and wear the latest in edible jewelry!

9. Decorate it. Create Christmas ornaments from candy. To make a train, take a long pack of gum and glue on round candy for wheels, a square piece for a smokestack, and something round for the bell on top. Attach a loop of gold thread or ribbon for hanging. Look at simple geometric illustrations (such as are in coloring books) for other ideas. Coat your ornament with an acrylic sealer so it won’t deteriorate and you don’t draw bugs.

10. Share it. Take your leftover candy to the office. Even if your co-workers who are parents are sick of the stuff, chances are your younger colleagues will relish childhood memories as they reach for another Mary Jane or Butterfinger. Or better yet, fill a coffee can with candy and bring it to your local nursing home, homeless shelter or a charity for the staff to enjoy. Add a note that says, “Thanks for all the good work you do.”

Twice in One Day

Tag... I'm it. I have been asked to write 5 random things about myself by my fellow EHAG artists Kim and Carolee. And after doing so, I am to tag 5 other people. Oh dear... do I know 5 other people?
1. Sketching in my studio in the wee hours of the morning before the house awakens brings me joy. 2. If I could be Alice for a day, I'd fall into an Arthur Rackham illustration and have a great adventure with Solomon Crow. 3. Hot chocolate and rainy days are a heavenly combination. 4. I have a bad case of wanderlust. 5. There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly. B. Fuller

Take a Break from Online Holiday Shopping with a Free Christmas Game

Don't let online holiday shopping stress you out! Go to SantaSuits.com and check out their wacky holiday game, Santa Dress Up. The free online Christmas game lets players dress up old St. Nick as wacky characters for the holidays with such styles as "Sumo Santa", "Elvis Claus", "Super Santa" and more. Just drag and drop a variety of shirts, pants, shoes, hair and accessories onto Father Christmas to create a unique Santa of your own on this fun holiday site.

"Everyone gets so stressed and wacky during the holidays that we wanted to create a free online Christmas game to let people have fun with our holiday site," said Shari McConahay, marketing director for SantaSuits.com and the Extreme Halloween network. "We hope our customers have so much fun playing "Santa Dress Up" that they'll want to dress up as Santa this year themselves!"

If you're inspired to dress up like Santa Claus yourself, go to SantaSuits.com and select a santa suit of your choice.

Full Moon Art Challenge

It's time again for the EHAG artist group to post their whimsical Full Moon Art Challenge holiday pieces on ebay! Crow in Wonderland auction will go live tomorrow at 7:00pm. Jump start your holiday shopping and support the handmade industry by logging on Nov. 24th.

Christmas Celebrations 2007

This fun website on Christmas Celebrations is just for those of you who love Christmas and the favorite customs that are honored, year after year. They have all kinds of fun stuff and goodies to help you make some very merry memories, including articles on office Christmas parties, history of Christmas cards, Christmas party activities and more. There’s even an article on regifting etiquette!

And if you’re having your own Christmas celebration, don’t forget to have Santa make a guest appearance! Check out a full selection of Santa suits at www.santasuits.com.

Spread Goodwill and Charity by Shopping on the Extreme Halloween Network

From November 23 - 26, shoppers on the Extreme Halloween Network can buy anything from unique kids costumes to Santa Claus suits, and a portion of the sales will go to the Daily Bread Food Bank. Can you think of a better way to give back to the community?

"It's important to everyone at Extreme Halloween to give to those less fortunate," said Shari McConahay, marketing director of the Extreme Halloween network. "We hope when customers are thinking about purchasing their unique kid costumes, Santa Claus costumes and other holiday dress-up items they'll think of visiting Extreme Halloween, knowing that a percentage of their purchase will go to such a good cause."

Last month as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Extreme Halloween Network raised more than $1,500 for Susan G Komen Foundation with our "Think Pink" costume promotion. So mark your calendars and help Extreme Halloween meet or beat that amount during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend.

After Halloween Sale Extended!

Our After Halloween Sale has been extended until November 21, 2007, so while you are getting ready for Thanksgiving, you can take advantage of the sale before the Christmas holiday shopping rush that ensues the day after Thanksgiving!

Here are some ideas:

• The obvious: SAVE BIG on next year's Halloween costumes, accessories and decorations.
• Increase your Thanksgiving celebration by having dinner in costume! Make a fun new tradition out of it: reinact the Pilgrims and Native American Indians Feast or maybe just some silly Turkey Hats for some holiday fun!
• Get a jump start on the holiday with our Santa Suits and holiday costumes.
• Pick our some early holiday gifts: many children ask Santa to be a princess or a super hero for Christmas (HINT HINT!!)
• Magic makes a great holiday gift whether the recipient is a novice magician just starting out or a seasoned professional, Wizards Apprentice Magic has magicians supplies for any age or level magician.

Digital Picture Contests for Best Santas

SantaSuits.com is sponsoring digital picture contests for the best adult Santa suits, funniest Santa suits and even the best pet Santa.

Categories for the digital picture contests include "Santa of the Year," "Most Original Santa," "Funniest Santa," "Jr. Santa," and "Pet Santa." The Grand prize "Santa of the Year" winner receives $500 in Extreme Halloween Network Gift Certificates that can be used at any of the networks 11 websites.

For more information on SantaSuit.com's digital photo contests, visit http://santasuits.com/entryform.htm for official rules and entry information.

After Halloween Costume Sale!

Our biggest sale of the year! 20% OFF

After Halloween Sale Details

Featured Baby Costumes on Sale

Featured Boy's Costumes on Sale

Featured Girl's Costumes on Sale

Featured Women's Costumes on Sale

Featured Men's Costumes on Sale

What to do with all that Halloween Candy??

So Halloween night is over and your sugar rush is still on high speed! Here's an awesome idea for using up some of your Halloween candy and still keeping the Halloween spirit and celebration going strong:

Make a chocolate and candy Haunted House centerpiece for your Halloween party this weekend!

• Chocolate Hershey bars made great walls and roof.



• Nonpareils make great shingles on your roof.



• Line up a Candy Corn fence



• Jelly Beans create a stone pathway effect.



• "Fun Size" candy bars like Snickers and Baby Ruth make great coffins in the graveyard.



• Orange slices can be the headstones.



• Pumpkin and Ghost Marshmallow Peeps and gummy worms are a haunted addition to the graveyard.



• Mix and match from whatever candy you have leftover- be creative and have fun!
  

For more details, see the full recipe and instructions on the FoodNetwork.com

Clinton vs. Giuliani, Halloween Matchup

In a fun article on Halloween costumes, Americans were polled on the leading presidential candidates:

The Associated Press and Ipsos asked Americans to pick which candidates would make the scariest Halloween costumes. Naturally, frontrunners Senator Hillary Clinton and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani won in their respective political parties (there were separate polls for the two parties). Clinton led Democrats with 37% while Giuliani had 14%, and no other candidates broke 6%, giving them resounding wins. And we found this interesting: "While a predictable two-thirds of Republicans picked [Clinton], she also was the choice of 18 percent of Democrats. Among members of her own party, that made her second only to Giuliani as the scariest costume."

Take the poll yourself here.

Moviefone's Best Horror Movies Countdown

Picture from www.best-horror-movies.com

The Movie Fone Website has been running a countdown all October of the 31 scariest movies of all time. Their #1 was just announced yesterday and here is a countdown of their top 10 scariest horror movies of all time:

10. 28 Days Later (2002)
9. The Haunting (1963)
8. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
7. The Thing (1982)
6. The Sixth Sense (1999)
5. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
4. The Shining (1980)
3. Psycho (1960)
2. The Exorcist (1973)

and the #1 Best Horror Movie of all Time:

1. Halloween (1978)
Oft-emulated but never equaled, John Carpenter's moody masterpiece is as terrifying today as it was 29 years ago. Vacant-eyed Michael Myers is soulless evil personified, the score bone-chilling, the cinematography eerily sublime and the overall impression unshakeable. Put simply, it is horror perfection.

See MovieFone's entire list of the Best Horror Movies

Nothing like the mention of the Christmas Holidays to get your head spinning faster than the morning after Halloween candy buzz.
It's hard to think about the winter Holidays when I'm sitting here, writing to you with pumpkin goo still in my hair from last night. But this is what I do... celebrate the holidays by creating small bits of silliness. When you get a moment, hop on over to the Glitter and Grunge site and check out my new winter holiday pieces that went on sale this morning. And if all goes as planned, I'll be posting another eBay auction by the end of the week as well. Peace!

Spookout! - Halloween Costume Contest

First off, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

There were two entries for the Halloween Costume Contest. Come on people! I know you're out there. Tonight before you take off the makeup take a picture and send it in for the costume contest!

Here's what John Kinde wrote about Halloween Humor -- Get Dressed To Thrill! posted at Humor Power, saying that it's "A fun article on planning your Halloween costume."

Also our Halloween Costume Contest contestant Michael posted his Halloween Costume Contest posted at MySpace Comments for Halloween, saying that it's "An awesome idea!"

Click here to enter into the Halloween Costume Contest.

Tags: halloween costume, halloween costume contest

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

We wish you a very HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

From our Extreme Halloween Family to yours, a SAFE and Very Happy Halloween!

Sexy Halloween Costumes for 2007

Halloween is the time when we have the license to wear what we like. Halloween costumes are now more like a display of innovative designs. While some people like to dress up in funny Halloween costumes, others prefer something scary and horrific. But the newest trend seems donning outrageous or sexy Halloween costumes. Whether it is for women, men, or couples, Halloween costumes now come in all the hottest colors, cuts and designs. Adults generally go for a sexy Halloween costumes to attract everybody's attention on a Halloween party.

For women, the sexiest Halloween costumes for 2007 are:

• Sexy Chef costume
  
• Genie In A Bottle costume
• Santa's Sweetie
  
• Beer Girl
• Queen of Hearts Costume
  
• Catwoman
• Pretty Peacock costume
  
• Evil Queen
• Princess Leia
  
• Adult Minnie Mouse
• Magic Spell Witch costume
• Dirty Martini costume
• Sexy Bee costume
• Sexy Cop costume
• Pirate Wench costume
• Mermaid costume
• Killer Bee costume
• Japanese Doll costume
• Naughty Nurse costume
  

Get your choice of Halloween costumes from any Halloween shop online, or buy them from any Halloween store in your locality. You can even get discounts and quick shipping on each order. Other than that, you will get costume accessories, lingeries, pantyhose and stockings, to go with your sexy Halloween costume.

For men, the hottest Halloween costumes for 2007 are:

• Superman costume
  
• Policeman
• Pirate costume
  
• Gangster
• Robin Hood costume
  
• Ultimate Bachelor
• Naughty Dentist
  
• Army Sergeant
• Sugar Daddy costume
  
• Dr. Phil Good
• Men's Chef costume
  
• Gothic Vampire
• Hugh Hefner costume
  
• Vampire King
• Pirate Captain costume
  
• Executionist
• Captain Hook
  
• Barbarian
• Captain Jones
  
• Charming Prince
• Gunslinger costume
  
• ATM Guy
• Mailman
• Captain Fetish Air
• Disco King
• Swashbuckler
• Bandido
• Firefighter

Tonight(October 31st) is Halloween. So select a Halloween costume of your choice and get ready to thrill everybody around! Happy Halloween to you all!

Tags: outrageous Halloween costumes, sexy Halloween costumes, women Halloween costumes, men Halloween costumes

Happy Halloween One and All!

Backward, turn backward,
O Time, in your flight
make me a child again
just for to-night!
~Elizabeth Akers Allen

From the archives: 2 of my older sisters Halloween costumes from the early 50's.

Merry Making

Putting the final touches on six new pieces going up for sale November 1st on the Glitter and Grunge site. If you haven't stopped by the site lately, now would be a good time to check it out. There are some exciting new additions to our family of artists.

Vincent Price Inducted into the Halloween Hall of Fame

That's right folks, Vincent Price has been inducted into the Halloween Hall of Fame this week. The Halloween Hall of Fame is an organization dedicated to honoring people who have contributed to the popularity and the history behind Halloween, Halloween costuming and other related fields. After the board selects a group of nominees, they open it up to the public to select who gets to be in the Halloween Hall of Fame. This year, Vincent Price was the 2007 winner with 58.8% of the votes, beating the other nominees by a landslide.

Next year's list of nominees include Halloween greats such as:

• Jamie Lee Curtis - Curtis' film debut was in the classic 1978 horror film Halloween, playing the role of Laurie Strode. Curtis was subsequently cast in several horror films, garnering her the title of a "scream queen".


• Ed Wood - Wood is known as the "worst director of all time." He went down in Halloween history with recognition in the Michael Medved book The Golden Turkey Awards.


• Mary Shelley - Shelley wrote the novel "Frankenstein".


• Rick Baker - Baker was the very first recipient of the Oscar for Best Make-Up for "An American Werewolf in London" in 1981.


• Wes Craven - Craven has secured a place in Halloween history as the "king of horror." The director and writer is best known as the creator of many horror films.


• Tim Burton - Burton is an Academy Award-nominated film director, writer and designer known for the quirky and gothic atmosphere of his films.


• Sam Rami - Raimi came onto the radar of film fans with his low-budget, dark humor horror film The Evil Dead (1981), and has since entertained horror audiences with subsequent Evil Dead movies.


• Vlad III The Impaler - Vlad was a Romanian ruler best known for the exceedingly cruel punishments he imposed during his reign and for serving as the primary inspiration for the vampire main character in Bram Stoker's popular Dracula novel.


• Fred Gwynne - Gwynne is best known in Halloween history for his character in "The Munsters" (1964) as the Frankenstein-like patriarch Herman Munster.


• John Carpenter - Carpenter is considered one of the most accomplished and influential horror and science fiction directors in Hollywood. Some of the classic and most famous horror films he has directed: Halloween (1978), The Fog (1980), The Thing (1982), Christine (1983).

Vote for your favorite nominee at http://www.halloweenhalloffame.org/halloween-nominees.html

Re-Release Of The Nightmare Before Christmas

Folks, to spice up your Halloween fun here is a BIG news! Disney is re-releasing the forever enchanting 1993 kids classic horror movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3D technology. This cult movie created by Tim Burton, has hit the theaters on October 20, in its new updated version. So, if you are planning a fun-filled Halloween, this one's a great treat for your entire family! I am dying to see this movie once again this Halloween. Watch this 3D video and enjoy!

Tags: Halloween horror, Halloween fun, Halloween celebration, The Nightmare Before Christmas

How To Make a Halloween Spider Cake

Halloween is all about fun! So why not try and create some fun Halloween recipe that'll surprise your guests? Since Halloween means creepy and scary costumes and masks and midnight parties, try this Spider Cake which will attract everyone's attention. The best part is, this spider cake oozes green slime when you cut the cake!

SPIDER CAKE

Ingredients: For the cake batter you need: 18 ¼ oz box of white cake mix, 4 packets of green gelatin, for the black frosting you need: blue food coloring and chocolate frosting, and for the decorations you need: 4 black licorice whips, 2 big green gumballs, 6 little gumballs.

Directions: Take two 9-inch round cake pans and prepare two separate cakes with the cake mix. Cool the cakes, once you remove them from oven. Now prepare the gelatin according to the package directions. It is better if it is little softer. On a foil-covered cookie sheet, place one layer of cake for the spider's body. Now cut a smaller circle out of the center of the cake. Place this smaller portion of the cake as the spider's head. Fill the hole in the center of the cake with the green gelatin. Now place the other layer of cake on the top of the body. For the frosting, take a mixing bowl and add blue food coloring with the chocolate frosting, until it turns black in color. Frost the entire cake black. Cut the black licorice whips in half and insert as eight legs of the spider. Insert the gumballs as eyes. When you cut the cake, watch everyone squeal with delight!

Tags: Halloween cake, Eerie Halloween recipe, Spider cake, Gruesome treats

Scariest Halloween Short Stories

In my last post about spooky Halloween stories, I mentioned some of the scariest novels written till date. Most of them have been made into films, like The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty and The Shining by Stephen King. Halloween is the perfect time to read horror stories and supernatural tales. However, people have become busy and have very little time to read a lengthy novel. Most people want to read short stories which are interesting to read and take less time. The same goes for horror stories. Horror short stories sell like hot cakes in book fairs and exhibitions. People of any age love to read supernatural, bizarre, Gothic and bloodcurdling incidents in the form of short stories. Check out here for some amazing collection of short and spine chilling horror stories which are befitting for a cold Halloween night. These short stories are just in time for Halloween and can unnerve even the bravest ones!

Read Ed Gorman's Different Kinds of Dead, Vampire from the Pit by M.L. Morris, 215 by Marshall Moore, The Crying Room by James V. Viscosi, The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe, Childe by Michael Burnside, The Mall by Bentley Little, Dead End by Keith Kekic, or They by David Morrell. These short stories are already bestsellers on this Halloween and are available as hardcovers and paperbacks. You can even get a discount and a free shipping in many of these books.

If you get bored with a single story, try reading compilations of several horror short stories like 40 SHORT STORIES OF HORROR AND THE SUPERNATURAL by Brian Wright, The 13 Best Horror Stories of All Time by Leslie Pockell, Horowitz Horror: Stories You'll Wish You Never Read by Anthony Horowitz, and Lisey's DEATH DREAMS by Chris, Robertson. This Halloween I'm planning to get some of these titles by ordering them online and have a “fangtastic” night! Share your short story with other fellow writers and get a review from other writing buddies and experts, if you have a chilling tale to tell! You can even enter writing contests and befriend other short story writers here.

October 26 is Frankenstein Friday. Send this gripping and spooky card to someone who you wish to scare!


Send this Scary Halloween eCard !

Tags: Halloween short story, Scary story, Horror story, spooky short story

Its Not Too Late! You Can Still Get Your Costume in Time for Halloween!

Did you wait til the last minute? Just get invited to a Halloween party you didn't know about? No worries!

Delivery on October 30th in time for Halloween is no problem!

There are thousands of costumes still in stock on http://www.anniescostumes.com/. Select "Delivery on Oct 30th" to receive your costumes in time for Halloween. On time delivery is guaranteed! The express shipping charge is just $20.00 for rush delivery if you order today. The Halloweem shipping information page will be updated with any shipping and price changes as it gets closer to Halloween.

You will be able to order all weekend and on Monday up until 6pm EST for Tuesday delivery and you can even order on Tuesday up until 6pm EST for delivery on Halloween day!

Happy Last Minute Costume Shopping and Happy Halloween!

Halloween Safety Tips for Your Pets

NO SCAREDY CATS THIS HALLOWEEN: TOP 10 SAFETY TIPS FOR PET PARENTS

Attention, companion animal caretakers! The ASPCA would like to call your attention to these common-sense cautions that’ll help keep your pets safe and stress-free this time of year.

1. No tricks, no treats: That bowlful of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms can be very dangerous for dogs and cats, and tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed. If you suspect your pet has ingested a potentially dangerous substance, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, yet they can produce gastrointestinal upset should pets ingest them. Intestinal blockage could even occur if large pieces are ingested.

3. Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise extreme caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don't put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). For pets who prefer their “birthday suits,” however, wearing a costume can cause undue stress.

6. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal's movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe or bark. Keep a look out for small, dangling, or easily chewed-off pieces on the costume that your pet could choke on.

7. Take a closer look at your pet’s costume and make sure it does not obstruct her vision in any way. Even the sweetest animals can get snappy when they can't see.

8. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room during peak trick-or-treat visiting hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn't dart outside.

10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and become lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip increase the chances that he or she will be returned to you.

Red Cross Halloween Safety Tips for Children & Adults

Safety Tips from the Red Cross

With witches, goblins, and super-heroes descending on neighborhoods across America, the American Red Cross offers parents some safety tips to help prepare their children for a safe and enjoyable trick-or-treat holiday. Halloween should be filled with surprise and enjoyment, and following some common sense practices can keep events safer and more fun.

• Walk, slither, and sneak on sidewalks, not in the street.


• Look both ways before crossing the street to check for cars, trucks, and low-flying brooms.


• Cross the street only at corners.


• Don't hide or cross the street between parked cars.


• Wear light-colored or reflective-type clothing so you are more visible. (And remember to put reflective tape on bikes, skateboards, and brooms, too!)


• Plan your route and share it with your family. If possible, have an adult go with you.


• Carry a flashlight to light your way.
  
• Keep away from open fires and candles. (Costumes can be extremely flamable.)


• Visit homes that have the porch light on.


• Accept your treats at the door and never go into a stranger's house.


• Use face paint rather than masks or things that will cover your eyes. [Or make sure that your mask eye holes are wide enough for visibility.]


• Be cautious of animals and strangers.


• Have a grown-up inspect your treats before eating. And don't eat candy if the package is already opened. Small, hard pieces of candy are a choking hazard for young children.
  

Free Pumpkin Stencil Maker

Design and print your own jack-o'-lantern patterns at Better Homes and Gardens website—FREE. Choose from thousands of possible faces or let them create one for you! In five minutes or less you’ll be ready to print out your pattern and carve a Jack-o-Lantern that’s truly one-of-a-kind. Click here to get started.

And for great Halloween costumes and accessories, remember to visit anniescostumes.com.

Get Into the Spirit of Halloween

It's almost time...Halloween is just less than 1 week away and if you're looking for ideas to get into the Halloween spirit, then visit Annie's Costumes. Over the past month, our ghouls and goblins have been working hard to expand our multimedia offerings by creating another Halloween-themed video and new online Halloween Movie Trivia quiz.

"At Annie's Costumes, we really do love Halloween. So, this year, we created a couple of fun videos and even a Halloween trivia quiz game," said Shari McConahay, Vice President of Marketing for Annie's Costumes. "The latest video, called "Meet the Couple", shows some of our funny and sexy costumes, which are great Halloween costume ideas for adults. The trivia quiz game, which focuses on classic scary movies, will stump even the most knowledgeable Halloween fan and can be passed on to friends via email."

We hope you enjoy all the Halloween fun. Do you have any additional ideas for Annie's Costumes? Send in your comments so we can add more ghoulish tricks and treats to next year's Halloween season.

Halloween Coolest Pumpkins and Jack O' Lanterns

Pumpkins get maximum attention during Halloween:) Wondering why? Well, the most sought after props and décor items during Halloween are Jack O' Lanterns, and they cannot be made without pumpkins. Jack O' Lanterns are carved pumpkins, made by cutting off the top of the pumpkin and then the flesh scooped out. In the ancient times it was tulips and other squash that was carved out. This was done by the ancient Celts who started the tradition. The lanterns were to ward off evil spirits.

The image of a face is carved on the outer surface of the pumpkin and a candle is placed inside the pumpkin, to make an illuminated effect. Pumpkin crafts are widely popular during Halloween and funny as well as scary pumpkin faces are carved using a sharp knife or some other instrument. You can even carve famous faces and emoticons in pumpkins. There are techniques by which you can preserve your Jack O' Lantern and make it last longer. After all, you don't want your art of work to be destroyed soon! Though there are different varieties of electric and simulated candles to light up your Jack O' Lantern, there's nothing like a real flamed candle. It makes your lantern look real and is most cost effective. However, due to the weather conditions on October 31st, many people find it hard to keep the candles inside their pumpkins lit up all night. The solution is vegetable oil candles which do not burn out and the oil adds fuel to the flame throughout the night. Check out some interesting and bizarre facts about pumpkins here, which is simply amazing!



Send this jack_o_lanterns ecard!
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Tags: Halloween pumpkins, Jack O' Lanterns, Halloween Decorations

Halloween Night Slumber Party Ideas

Halloween is celebrated by people in their own different ways, with the commonest ones being Halloween costume parties and dinner parties. Some Halloween parties are just couple of hours long, while some are overnight slumber parties. If your child is having a Halloween birthday, plan a sleepover birthday party for their friends. Slumber birthday parties are cherished childhood memories; hence, you need to take extra care in preparing invitations, decorations and food for the kids invited to your party. It is always a treat for your child to have their friends spend the night together amid fun and frolic.

Make your Halloween slumber birthday party look spectacular by selecting any fun themes like outer space, movie night or a masquerade. Have enough space to make your guests comfortable and spread their sleeping bags. For more adventure, you can have the kids sleep in tents in your yard. Keep fun food and decorations to keep the kids engaged. For Halloween slumber party, you can have fun themes like Scavenger Hunt party or Midnight Mystery. Stuff Halloween games and tricks in the treat bags for the little guests. Decorate the inside of your house with spider webs and dark foliage. You can even decorate your front porch like a graveyard and make a home made scary video to spook your guests. Include cute Halloween crafts like pumpkin carvings and painting glow-in-the-dark T-shirts as part of your Halloween slumber party. To top it all, don't forget to bake a Halloween sleepover party cake. For extra fun, you can leave the cake unadorned and have it decked up by your guests with Halloween special candies, icing and candles. A great way for kids to enjoy Halloween slumber parties, would be innovative and spooky decors. You can do this by floating helium-filled balloons draped in white cloth, with eyes and mouth drawn with black markers. Create fog with dry ice in a container of warm water. Keep wacky Halloween recipes like Witch's Brew, Brain Salad, Eerie Eyeballs and Fried Spiders as part of the Halloween slumber party celebration.

Check out this Halloween horror site which is simply fantastic to wish someone dear on Halloween. What is great about this site is that it lets you choose your favorite Halloween card from the different categories. The cards are divided according to their respective sections and you can view all the cards at the same time. So go ahead and send a spooky or funny card to a friend or loved one on Halloween!

Tags: Halloween Party, Halloween Birthday, Halloween Fun, Halloween Slumber Party

Second Life Virtual Halloween Party Tonight!

You are cordially invitied to our Second Life Haunted Halloween Party!

It begins at 9:30PM EST (6:30PM Second Life Time) Tuesday, October 23, 2007 in http://www.secondlife.com/. There will be plenty of tricks and treats. In the virtual Haunted House you can experience trap doors, secret portals, catacombs, blood on the walls and all the other fun things you would experience in a real life Haunted House. Search for costumes or haunted house in world and you will find us!

While at the party, make sure to pick up a costume for your Second Life Avatar at Annies Costumes' Virtual Costume Store. There are many fun virtual costumes: vampires, pirates, wizards and princesses! Deck out your avatars for Halloween!

The third attraction in Second Life is the virtual museum for the Halloween Hall of Fame.

Scary Halloween Quotations and Poems

Folks, Halloween season is in full swing and you can have a blast by sending scary Halloween quotes and Halloween special poems to your friends and dear ones. There are thousands of Halloween poems and quotations that aptly express the spirit of this annual festival. There are many traditional activities that are associated with Halloween, such as costume parties, trick or treat, horror films, visiting haunted houses, horror theme parties, traditional autumn activities and so on. Several Halloween quotations and poems are based on these activities. Halloween imageries like death, magic, mythical monsters and spooky characters like skeletons, ghosts, ghouls, witches, vampires, bats, owls, crows, vultures, haunted houses, pumpkin men, black cats, aliens, spiders, goblins, zombies, mummies, skeletons, werewolves and demons find their expressions in several Halloween poems and quotations.

On a spooky Halloween night, have fun with your friends by watching some classic horror films like Dracula, The Frankenstein, The Mummy, and Psycho. The quotes from the central and pivotal characters from these movies are simply unforgettable. Especially in America, fictional characters like Frankenstein's monster, Count Dracula, The Wolf Man, are quite popular among audience of all ages. Who can forget Norman Bates in Psycho as he says,“She just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?” or Chucky(Child's Play 2) the evil doll saying "Close your eyes and count to seven, when you wake you'll be in heaven." Modern day horror antagonists like, Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, Leatherface, Chucky, Jason Voorhees, and the Jigsaw Killer continue to scare people with their eerie dialogues. There are also funny Halloween quotes, scary Halloween quotes, Halloween sayings that are quite popular during Halloween. See here for some popular Halloween quotes.

Halloween poems on the other hand, have different categories. There are Halloween poems for kids, Halloween poems for children, short Halloween poems, scary Halloween poems, funny Halloween poems, vintage Halloween poems, fall poems and some other categories that are instant hits during Halloween. You can create your personalized collection of Halloween poems and thrill everybody on Halloween night party.


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Tags: Popular Halloween quotations, Halloween poems, Halloween quotes and sayings

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World

Looking for some Halloween fun for the little ones? Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL is just the Halloween Party for you!

Event Highlights:

• Mickey's "Boo-to-You" Halloween Parade!
  



• Trick-or-treating throughout Magic Kingdom® Park at numerous locations.
  



• Happy HalloWishes fireworks spectacular — where the Disney Villains go trick-or-treating in the sky!
  



• Characters decked out in their favorite costumes — so wear yours, too.
  



• Some of the most popular Magic Kingdom® attractions.

Buy tickets online* now or call (407) W-DISNEY (934-7639)†

See the Walt Disney website for details.

Fantasy Fest Costume Contests 2007

TravelVideoTV.com reports on this year's Fantasy Fest festivities:

Entries in previous years have included a group of gigantic dancing Chinese takeout containers and a sea hag driving a 10-foot-tall blue and pink sequined replica steam engine, and competitors in the 2007 Pretenders in Paradise costume competition are expected to dream up equally elaborate and flamboyant ensembles.

A highlight of Key West's annual 10-day Fantasy Fest celebration, Pretenders in Paradise is to take place at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, on an outdoor stage beside Key West Harbor at the Pier House Resort & Caribbean Spa, 1 Duval St. The costume competition is celebrating its 25th year in 2007, and features a theme of "Somewhere Under the Rainbow" to complement the overall Fantasy Fest theme of "Gnomes, Toads & White Rabbit Tea Parties."

Each year, Pretenders draws over-the-top costume entries ranging from solo efforts to multiperson collaborations. Entrants put on full-scale performances, complete with lights and music, to entertain standing-room-only crowds.As well as being a lavish display of the costumer's art, the contest can be extremely lucrative for its winners. Judges award cash prizes totaling $10,000 in categories for professional, amateur and group entries.

Tickets for Pretenders are $28 per person, available beginning Oct. 1 at the Pier House Resort & Caribbean Spa.Exotic as it is, Pretenders is just one of Fantasy Fest's lively lineup of masking and costuming challenges. Set for Oct. 19-28, the festival offers creative spirits a wide variety of opportunities to explore their taste for glitz and glitter, offbeat originality and exuberant design excess. For example, "Mad Hatters" can strut their stuff at the 25th annual Headdress Ball. Set for 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, the Headdress Ball traditionally draws entrants sporting elaborate masks, cowls, bonnets and other headgear -- all vying for cash prizes awarded by local celebrity judges.Themed "Shrooms, Blooms & Mad Hatter Plumes," the gala is to take place under a gigantic tent in the parking lot of the Southernmost Hotel, 1319 Duval St.Between headdress presentations, attendees can enjoy a nightclub-style talent revue featuring top local entertainers. Tickets for the headdress happening are available at www.keystix.com

At least 10 other costume competitions also are scheduled for Fantasy Fest 2007, including the annual "Red Night" Wednesday, Oct. 24, at Fogarty's, 227 Duval St.; and the Southernmost Masked Mania Costume Contest at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, poolside at the Southernmost Hotel, 1319 Duval St.

For more on the happenings this week at Fantasy Fest, check out the official Fantasy Fest website: www.fantasyfest.net

Marvel Costume Contest Ends Oct 22nd

This article comes from the Comicbox Web Site:

Marvel tells us: Do you spend every Halloween dressed up as your favorite Marvel super hero or villain. Well, Marvel wants to see you in your costume and they’re handing out prizes to the best-dressed Marvel fans. All you have to do is head over to www.marvel.com/costumecontest right now to enter Marvel’s Costume Contest!
The deadline for submissions is October 22. Then, from October 23 through October 29, Marvel fans will be able to vote on Marvel.com for their favorite Marvel Costume Contest entry. Then, before you go trick-or-treating, check Marvel.com on Halloween day to see if you’re one of the winners of Marvel’s First Annual Costume Contest and Marvel Costume Contest Voter Sweepstakes!
The Grand Prize Winner will receive a personalized “handbook style” page to appear in a Marvel comic book and be spotlighted in a feature article on Marvel.com along with a signed Captain America Omnibus by Ed Brubaker! Plus, one randomly selected voter will win a signed Captain America Omnibus by Ed Brubaker for helping judge the competition.
What are you waiting for?? Grab your Marvel costume, your digital camera and head to Marvel.com right now to enter Marvel’s First Annual Costume Contest!
For complete rules visit www.marvel.com/costumecontest/

Costumes for Kids In Iraq

I came across this article last month about Hunter Hotaling, a 6 year old boy [pictured above]who undertook the challenge of sending 100 superhero costumes to the children of Iraq. Even though, they did not ask me, I love this idea and sent some super hero costumes to help out Hunter on his mission.

Hunter's mission is to help his father, Capt. Andrew Hotaling, and the captain's military transition team bring smiles to the faces of Iraqi children.

According to information provided in a press release, Hunter's endeavor began when he asked his mother, Mary Anne, if he could join the Army. Hunter told his mom that he did not want to fight, he said he wanted to be the "chore guy."

After receiving an e-mail from his dad to send leftover Halloween costumes to Iraq, Hunter set a goal to gather 100 costumes.

His mom said e-mails were sent out across the nation and within a month Hunter met his goal.

I am happy to know that we helped Hunter and in turn, helped the children in Iraq by bringing them the joy of fantasy and letting them know that they are super too!