For years, when my kids were small, we lived in a third floor apartment, so we did pretty much no Halloween decorating. We didn’t even hand out candy, because who would walk up all those stairs just on the off chance someone was handing out goodies? One year, I went to a pumpkin-carving party, which was a blast, but then I had to go put the pumpkin on my parents’ porch so that it wasn’t totally wasted. The problem with that was that I didn’t get to see my own creation very much.

This turned me off of pumpkin carving for a long time. All that work, and I didn’t even get to enjoy it! Even though I have lived in a house for 3 years now, I haven’t tried it again. Until now.

First, I had to go out and find the best patterns. It was easy to find some extremely impressive carving patterns and examples. Fantasy pumkins has just about anything you can imagine, from the 360-degree Death Star to dragons, fairies, mythical creatures, and more. These were way beyond my confidence level, though.

A search on Star Trek pumpkins led me to this awesome Uhura pattern, but given my extremely limited pumpkin carving experience, I didn’t have the gumption to take this one on, either. Plus, I figured I would spend much of my time supervising the children, who are 9 and 14, anyway, so I should pick something that they would like.

A trip to geeksugar set me up. After looking through the slideshow 8 Cuddly Pumpkin Templates For Your Geeky Jack-o’-Lantern, I was sure that the best choices would be the pig from Angry Birds, and Pumpkin-chu, for my Pokemon-loving boy.

The kids had a blast with the carving. They carefully marked out the patterns with the poking tools I provided, then went around the patterns with the knife once to get about halfway through before cutting out entire pieces. I did help the little one with the tricky parts, and he only cut all the way through for the easiest sections, much to his dismay, but we ended with all of our fingers intact, so I think it was a good decision. The pumpkins turned out great, but the pictures are only okay. Either I need a new camera, we needed more light, or both. However, here is what I got:

Isn't my daughter talented?

My son did great, it's much cooler in person, really...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I asked my fellow angels to send over their pumpkin pictures, too. @kweenie sent me a great picture of her awesome cannibal pumpkin:

Just look at the poor little guy, such pathos!

 

@GamingAngel sent over this great pair of Bowser and Mario pumpkins:

So scary, and so...cheerful,

 

Does anyone else have pumpkin pictures to share?

First, I found the awesome Take Back Halloween!, which bills itself as a costume guide for women with imagination. They have some amazing costumes, with categories like Glamour Grrls, Goddesses and legends, Notable Women and Queens (because, why settle for being a princess, when you can be a queen?). I particularly love the Ada Lovelace and Hatshepsut costumes, but all of the costume ideas on the site seem to require lots of money and internet ordering, so I won’t be doing that in time for Halloween this year. I do plan to bookmark the site and keep an eye out throughout the coming year to see if I can find cheaper options for next year, though.

My next stop was the Costume Idea Zone. Despite the unfortunate section on “How to Put the Sexy in Your Halloween Costume,” they have a lot of awesome ideas, including a page of Quick and Easy Ideassubmitted by users that could likely be done in five minutes with stuff that is in your house right now. If I were going to a party, I would probably use the Ceiling Fan idea, which I think is brilliant. I know, this marks me as a huge dork, but the idea of wandering around a party cheering Go Ceilings! strikes me as endlessly amusing (and this is without alcohol.)

However, what I will likely be doing next week is passing out candy to neighborhood kids, and I don’t think they will get the joke. So, I headed over to the Make Projects Halloween Guide to find some more ideas. I love the Robot costume, and it seems totally doable in theory, but I suspect that the Diabolical Hornsmight fit better in my schedule. Yes, I know it isn’t a full costume, but it is enough to get into the spirit, right? I tell you what, though, I have already set a calendar reminder for next year to start planning on September 1st.

What great costumes will you be making/wearing?

It’s almost Halloween time which means all the MMOs have various events going on for their players. This year the first to contact us with a list of their events is SOE. So we’re going to highlight how they are showing their players a ghostly time!

From Oct. 28 – 31, 2011, players will have a chance to collect festive Halloween loot from their favorite games.

Here are the specifics per game:
DC Universe™ Online: October 24 – November 7
Fly into DCUO’s frightfully fun Halloween event to defeat the scariest Bosses and earn in-game tricks and treats! All players will be auto-granted a new mission to enter the Gotham City Sewers and defeat Scarecrow, a Group Boss Fight for four players of any level. Take down the fearsome villain for a chance to earn wicked rewards, including rare loot and Spooky Tokens, which can be used to purchase ghoulish items in Skeets’ Boo-tique. The Boo-tique is haunted with Halloween items such as the Jute shirt or pants (chillingly reminiscent of the Scarecrow’s own) or a Pumpkin Head. For players who prefer pets, DCUO has terror-ific pumpkin companions that come ready to fight alongside them in combat! Plus, players can also receive Spooktacular loot by visiting the Vault or defeating any boss in the game. This Halloween the most spine-tingling events are happening in DC Universe Online. Find out if you have what it takes to beat DCUO’s Spooktacular Scarecrow – hahahahahaha!
For more information please visit: www.dcuniverseonline.com.

EverQuest: October 28 – 31
Dive into a spooky quest to earn tricks and treats in the marketplace for FREE! Players are dared to log in and earn tricks such as the Jack-O-Lantern of Plenty, summoning throw-able pumpkins that can be launched at others, and treats such as the Aura of Jack, allowing players to be surrounded in floating Jack-O-Lanterns. This Halloween, EverQuest is truly taking Fright Night to frightfully fun levels!
For more information please visit: www.eqplayers.com.

EverQuest II: October 28 – November 7
Celebrate EverQuest II’s Nights of the Dead event with by trick-or-treating in certain zones in-game. Players can show off their costume illusions while taking part in Halloween-themed quests. Additionally, EverQuest II players will find no shortage of spooky surprises during the SOE Trick-or-Treat event, October 28-31, when Halloween themed loot will be delivered to them via in-game mail for logging in.
For more information please visit: www.eq2players.com.

Free Realms: October 24 – November 7
Jump into the Free Realms Super Spooktacular in-game event for Halloween fun and adventure! Spooky quests, a Vampire vs. Werewolf Dance-Off in Bone Bog Cemetery, a new Werewolf mount available for purchase in the marketplace to haunt in style and new costumes including a Ghost, Grim Reaper, Mummy and more are available for players. Also, players will be able to claim fun tricks and treats for logging in during the SOE Trick-or-Treat event, October 28-31.
For more information please visit: www.FreeRealms.com.
To view the all new Halloween themed video please visit: http://bhimpact.gamespress.com/product_page.asp?i=914.

Magic: The Gathering – Tactics™: October 28 – 31
Cast a spell with a special Halloween-themed promo spell upon login. Every day during the SOE Trick-or-Treat event, players can log in and claim one FREE copy of the All Hallow’s Eve spell. This enchantment makes it very difficult for creatures to die! How do you defeat your opponent if you can’t kill his creatures? Find out beginning October 28!
For more information please visit: www.magicthegatheringtactics.com/playnow.

PoxNora: October 28 – 31
Scare your friends with special sales on select packs each day during the SOE Trick-or-Treat event. The deals are so spooktacular, players won’t want to miss out!
For more information please visit: www.poxnora.com.

Star Wars®: Clone Wars Adventures™: October 24 – November 11
Join the most ghoulish event in the Galaxy as Clone Wars Adventures™ celebrates Halloween. Now through Nov. 11, 2011, there are spooky costumes, devilish Droids™ and deadly decorations available for players to alter their characters’ appearance and the appearance of their homes. As a special treat, a Creepy Crate will grant a mask each day to anyone brave enough to approach it in the Lounge of the Jedi™ Temple from October 24 to October 31! Jedi Members can also collect a second set of masks! For those who want more frightful fun, a special Fright Flight Halloween-themed stage of the Rocket Rescue mini-game will also be available! Also during the SOE Trick-or-Treat event, October 28-31, players can find fun illusions in-game to deck out their characters.
For more information please visit: www.CloneWarsAdventures.com.

This is so cute for families that have kids that are Star Wars fans. I don’t go trick or treating any more, but this cute bag could be used for grocery shopping! This Earth friendly, cotton Star Wars tote bag featuring original artwork by artist Katie Cook is perfect for fans of any age for school, practice, work, grocery shopping, Star Wars collectibles and, of course, trick or treating! The tote is 14″ X 16″.

The tote bag sold out the first day it was listed, so it’s nice to have a chance to purchase it. Until October 9th, there is free shipping offered at www.heruniverse.com. In order to guarantee a bag, please place your pre-order by October 12th for shipping no later than October 17th.

Celebrate geek and may the force be with you!

For the Younger set
- Any R.L. Stein book
- Goosebumps books
- Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
- Christopher Pike’s books

For Adults
- The Funhouse by Dean Koontz
- Stephen King (IT, The Shining and Carrie are my favorites)
- World War Z by Max Brooks
- Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
- Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
- Call of Cthulu by H.P. Lovecraft
- Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk

For Comic Book Fans
- The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore
- Locke and Key by Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez
- House of Mystery by Matthew Sturges, Bill Willingham and Luca Rossi

Team Fortress 2 is getting a frighteningly good update. The Headless Horsemann is in Mann Manor which is a new map that should scare any veteran TF2 players. The map is filled with exploding pumpkins, creepy noises and new achievements.

The store has new Halloween updates which are wearable all year long. Read all the information on the event on the official blog here.

Luckily, we’re not so limited these days. Women (and men) have costume options covering pretty much every genre – and a few of these can get rather geeky. Your only limitation is your imagination (and possibly a few public decency laws dictated by common sense and an appreciation of the clothed body). Here are a few categories you can choose from – they’re just starters, obviously, but Milanoo has costumes for every kind of geek. (Don’t worry if your hair’s not purple or spiky – their cosplay wig section has you covered.)

RPG Style
A ton of costumes are out there for the JRPG fanatic – especially if you like Square Enix’s Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts series. Try your hand at being Aerith Gainsborough from Final Fantasy VII this Halloween, or, if you’re more into the recent games, dress up as Lightning or Fang from Final Fantasy XIII, or even Yuna from Final Fantasy X. If you’re more into couples’ costumes, you can even pick Kairi and Sora from Kingdom Hearts or Rinoa and Squall from Final Fantasy VIII – a lot cooler than dressing up as salt and pepper shakers. (Milanoo even has faux weaponry for the finishing touch to your RPG look – Limit Breaks not included.)

Other games
Even if RPGs aren’t your bag, you’ve got plenty of other options to go with when it comes to gaming. How about mimicking a classic? Street Fighter, for instance? Check out Chun-Li, Sakura, Ryu and Ken, but you’ll have to learn how to fight on your own (though we don’t endorse that). If you’d prefer to be Dante or Trish from Devil May Cry, you can do that. Or, if you’re looking for something that isn’t nearly as violent, try Phoenix Wright’s Franziska von Karma or Gavin.

Anime
The otaku among us will definitely appreciate MIlanoo’s selection of anime-related costumes. Not only do they carry multiple Sailor Moon senshi uniforms, but they’ve also got costumes from other anime classics, like Rei Ayanami from Neon Genesis Evangelion and multiple InuYasha characters, including InuYasha himself and Kagome. If you’re more into recent series like Naruto, there’s also a full range of costumes that allow you to portray those characters, including accessories that allow you to complete the costume, like masks, wigs and shoes. If you’re not into any of those, there’s always Pikachu (who could have also gone in the RPG section, but the costume is just too cute to leave out totally). They’ve even got school uniforms based on the ones from Azumanga Daiou, which surprised me quite a bit. If you like anime, there’s bound to be something up for sale based on a favorite character.

Movies and Comics
If you’re looking for something slightly more American Geek (let’s be honest, the other three sections were very Asia-inspired), Milanoo’s got you covered there, as well. They have “sexy” versions of a few DC classics, like Batgirl, Robin and Wonder Woman. There are also a few options for the guys, like Spiderman and The Flash. If you’re wanting things from movies, instead, you can go for Anakin Skywalker, Neo (from The Matrix) or even Captain Jack Sparrow (the latter of these gives you an excuse to ask why the rum is always gone). You’ll look like you just walked off the set, especially since there is a “custom” option for a few of these costumes that allow you to have them made to your measurements. There’s no better way to feel like a real super hero.

The Bottom Line
If you want to be something cool and geeky for Halloween and don’t have the time to make your own costume, buying one is definitely the way to go. Even if you do normally make your own costumes, there’s not a pattern for everything (for sale, anyway), and buying the necessary materials can add up quickly – and drain your wallet in the process. If you want fast, easy and affordable – Milanoo should be your first stop.

This post was brought to you by Milanoo.

In this new game you play Sheila, the manager of a hotel with a comical assortment of spooky creatures including: witches, vampires and ghosts. As Sheila, you’ll have to make sure to keep your scary denizens happy by making sure that you’ve checked them into their rooms, delivered their bags and keep them well stocked in meals or drinks or other hotel services they might require.

The game will be available for download from http://www.alawar.com, in both PC and Mac versions ($9.95 for PC, $12.95 for Mac) on October 28th. Haunted Domains will also be available for iPhone and iPad.

With Halloween still a little over two weeks away, the clock is certainly ticking to get an awesome Halloween costume in order. But there’s still plenty of time, even for less seasoned costumers looking to enjoy my personal favorite holiday of the year.

For us cosplayers, costuming is a year round activity and while we frequent stores like Joann’s (www.Joann.com) or local fabric stores, and websites like Fabric.com four our creative needs, we still respect that creating your own costume can be daunting and for most people, buying a well made costume is still the best option. I’ve compiled a short list of reliable websites below for anyone looking to buy quality costumes, wigs and supplies for this upcoming Halloween.

HalloweenCostumes.com
http://www.halloweencostumes.com

The quintessential site for anyone looking to buy a quick costume that’s made well for a decent price. I’ve purchased things from them before, and their shipping times were quick as well. They have quite the selection too, including pop culture costumes, Sci-Fi, traditional Halloween outfits and any current trend costumers are looking to sport. (They have several different versions of Lady Gaga available, complete with inexpensive platinum wigs.) This one is great for people who don’t wanna be anything too specific also, and might need ideas still. It’s also ideal for anyone looking for Western culture costumes.

CosplayMagic.com
http://www.cosplaymagic.com/

Cosplay Magic is far more to the point for anyone looking to dress up as a specific character, especially from anime/manga or video games. The costumes are a bit more expensive than the previous reference, but if you just HAVE to be a member of Organization XIII from Kingdom Hearts to go with your friends, this is the fastest way to go about it for those who don’t sew. The costumes are a good quality too, and the site has a HUGE variety to choose from. They also sell pre-styled wigs as well to go with your costume, for all your spiky, anime hair needs. They ship pretty quickly as well, and even sell various jewelry and t-shirts from popular anime and games as well.

Cosplay.com Shopping
http://shop.cosplay.com/

Cosplay.com is still a huge hub for cosplayers everywhere. And while you can’t directly buy costumes there, they have a wonderful selection of very high quality wigs that will last you for years. The new updated site (which used to be called CosWorx) has a variety of Japanese and imported wigs, with very unique colors and styles. Most cosplayers have purchased a wig from them, myself included and the shipping times were fairly quick. While somewhat expensive, the investment would be a wig you could wear for years from now with proper care. (One of my favorite hard-to-find colors available here is the CosWorx Dark Pink.) They also have a special type of foam board, as well as accessories and shoes available, also.

Amphigory.com
http://www.amphigory.com/

Much like Cosplay.com shopping, this site specializes in wigs, but has many other things available also. This includes different types of hosiery, gloves, body suits, leg warmers. It even has sections for hair color, jewelry and an impressive cosmetics selection. The site has a nice array of price options available, for those who are looking for more quality supplies or those who are looking to save money but still buy something decent. Shipping is also fast, and the site even has a helpful little wig styling section too.

CosplaySupplies.com
http://www.cosplaysupplies.com/

This site is HUGE. And as the home page boasts, it has over 50,000 different kinds of products available. The selection is probably the widest of any site listed so far, and includes things like; craft materials such as Wonderflex, props, prosthetics, party supplies, body paint, beads, and pretty much everything you’d need under the sun. Can’t quite find any prosthetic skin attachments for a scar you need? Need a flying monkey on the railing of your house as trick-or-treaters approach? This is the place to go. In addition to having nearly everything… they have nearly everything, including basic costumes and even sewing supplies too. Definitely worth a bookmark for veteran cosplayers and people just looking to have fun on Halloween alike!

Aradani Studios
http://www.aradanicostumes.com/

An extremely awesome, unique site backed by a wonderful team of artists and crafters. Aradani specializes in things like elf ears and horns, but has since expanded into a wide variety of costumes and accessories too. Everything on the site is made from high quality materials, so prices can go pretty high for some things. While I love Aradani and I had to include this link, it may be a bit steep for someone just looking to shop for Halloween. (i.e. they have a full Forest Faun costume complete with prosthetics and hooves that’s amazing and custom made for you, but costs $2,000.) This is a SUPER popular site for those looking for Renaissance Faire attire, also. Shipping times are quick, and if you’re looking to dress up like something out of Lord of the Rings or The Legends of Zelda, you definitely wanna check this site out. It has a helpful “How To” section as well.

Perfect Occasion – Costumes and Magic Emporium
http://www.perfectoccasioncostumesandmagic.com/index.php

The final resource on my list, but certainly not the least. This site not only includes some basic costuming supplies, like wigs, pre-made costumes and body paint, but it has a section for magic supplies and party tricks, too. Cosplaying Roy Mustang? Do you actually wanna be able to snap fire from your fingertips to complete your costume? This is the site for you. It also has a section devoted to costume rentals too, for those who want a great quality costume for only a temporary period of time.

Here’s hoping you all have a lovely Halloween, and hopefully these resources will be to be useful for you in all of your costuming endeavors. Visit us in our forums and post pictures of your Halloween costumes too. We’d love to check them out!

“Merging the best Match 3 mechanics with the ability to create your own films using characters, sets and props is unlike anything else on the App Store and provides hours of enjoyment,” stated Jonathan Kromrey, general manager of Apple Games for Namco Networks.

Tinseltown Dreams: The 50′s is currently available on Apple’s App Store for $2.99.

Also available from the Apps Store: The update to Garters & Ghouls- dual joystick shooter that was originally released last Halloween. Since last October, Namco has released this update to the game and publisher IDW has released graphic novels based on the game.

The $.99 update includes the following:

New storyline
New weapons: ice beam and flame thrower
New enemies and boss
New achievements
New costume for Marie
New NPC (non-playable character)
Two Survival Mode areas