Here’s a super easy tutorial that can almost instantly create a costume: a fabric mask. No sewing is required for these Carnivale/Mardi Gras style masks, just glue and the embellishments of your choice. Since it’s such a quick and easy project, it would also make a good activity to do with the kids. Maybe a craft idea for a children’s Halloween party?
For a full-face mask, try this tutorial with pictures for a paper mache mask. This method gives you endless possibilities and is more durable than fabric alone.
For inspiration, Faceless Autumn and Deviant Art’s The Mask Club have lots of creative examples.
Have you made your own mask? Show off your creation: leave a link in the comment!
Most high school proms are a colossal let down. It’s supposed to be a “magical night”, but somehow they’ve become best known for bad music, tacky tuxes, and a cafeteria flavored meal. Among other things. So who wouldn’t want a chance to make some new prom memories?
The Portland Zombie Prom promises to be everything our proms weren’t; deadly tunes, cadaverous cuties, and even a costume contest! After you’ve scoured your local thrift store or eBay for your zombie costume duds, you can even arrive early and get your makeup done. Now there’s a perk for real zombie fiends: if you need help getting your dead on there are pro makeup artists available on the day of the Prom to help you out. Did I mentioned that costume contest winners will be crowned “Prom King”, “Prom Queen” with runners up also being crowned into the prom court? Something tells me winners will get more than a plastic tiara and a spotlight dance.
- Where: Mt. Tabor Legacy in Portland, OR
- When: Saturday, May 10th, Doors Open at 8:00pm
- Who: This event is 21+ ONLY (You have to suffer through your “real” prom first, sorry kids!)
- Who Else: Master of Ceremonies Baron Von Goolo, Writhe In Agony and 800 Octane will be our “Live” entertainment, DJ Apocalypse, DJ Non, and DJ Braineater will be spinning
- How Much: Tickets ON SALE NOW! $10 Advanced through TicketsWest, $15 Day of Event
Remember about a month back when we talked about making your own mad science lab? We mentioned artist Alex CF and his cryptozoological retrofuture art pieces. At the time, none of his amazing creations were available for sale, but he currently has a new piece on eBay! Check out the level of detail that was put into this strange artifact:
“Contained in this large unique display case are the preserved embyronic alien, and a piece of the wreckage from the craft. In the small draw space are other paraphanalia linked to this cover up – alien implants found on board the craft, their obvious goal was to be inserted into the bodies of abductees. a stack of papers regarding MAJIC 12, illustrations of the craft and the aliens themselves, the newspaper from the fated day, photographs of autopsies on the aliens, and much more.”
Talk about one of a kind. There are actually a few people creating knock-offs of Alex CF’s signature style of multimedia art assemblages, so please make sure to support the original artist if you’re looking to purchase.
As someone who has a rotting zombie head on my kitchen table year-round, I have some decidedly unique ideas about decorating and displaying art. What about you? If you won the Crash at Roswell research case, where would you put it? How would you display it? I’m really curious how you Halloweenies would feature it in your home or haunt (or office or nursery or…) so let me know your ideas in the comments section below.
For our US readers, today is a chilling day indeed. Money that was once ours seems to vanish into thin air! In fact, they say there’s only one thing as inevitable… Thankfully, some of you are in better financial shape and are actually getting a refund on your taxes. (Lucky devils, you!) Next month the Economic Stimulus payments also start to roll in, giving a few hundred bucks to pretty much everyone in the country. (Genius. National debt should be gone by June!) What better time to stock up for Halloween 2008? In anticipation of all that extra money floating around, 2 of the biggest names in online Halloween retail are running some sweet sales.
Buy Costumes is offering an extra 25% off of already reduced prices. That includes all the “clearance”, “sale”, and “blowout” products, of which there are many. Use Coupon Code SPRING25 during checkout.
Fright Catalog is where the big savings are right now. You’ll get 50% off all orders over $100. That means you can get a Corpse Solar Light (as seen frequently in our photos) and a Parasitic Twin for about $55! Or, you know, whatever aberration you are most fond of. Use Coupon Code FRIGHT50 during checkout. Sale ends 4/17/08!
PS- Less than 200 days until Halloween!
Craftster user grenouille78 made an amazing costume for Dollar Store Challenge Round 2. The rules are simple: spending $10 or less, make something fabulous and hopefully totally unexpected out of items bought at a dollar store. The entries were all amazing, but grenouille78’s reimagining of the iconic Scarlett O’Hara spring dress is really inspiring. So what was used for this costume?
- hula hoop
- no-skid kitchen mat
- green drawstring laundry bag
- package of 200 coffee filters
- shamrock garland
- 2 white tablecloths
- package of garden stakes
- 2 water noodles
—————-
TOTAL COST= $10
As we’ve mentioned before, the only thing you really need for a costume is some imagination. Even cardboard boxes and the clothes from your closet can be transformed into a Halloween alter ego.
Other entries into this contest that might help jump-start your Halloween planning;
Voting closes April 13th, so there’s still time to choose your favorite creation!
Have you ever made a Halloween costume “on the cheap”? If you’ve created a quick and affordable costume, share your ideas in the comments section below!
We’re starting out this special Zombie (Good) Friday with an announcement that directly affects how awesome Halloween will be for the next couple of years. Unlike 2007, Halloween in 08′ and 09′ will be falling on perfect party days: Friday and Saturday! Since school and work won’t get in the way for many of us, that will result in more of everything we love about the holiday. More events and parties, entertainment on TV and in theaters, and even more crazy costumes and various stuff from Halloween retailers. It’s going to be one hell of a Halloween, folks. If you’ve ever thought to yourself “one of these years I’ll go all out for Halloween”, then you’ll be in great company in 2008.
And now, onto the undead!
Our 2nd favorite pop culture site in existence, RetroCrush, interviews George Romero and (positively) reviews Diary of the Dead. Robert, the brains behind the site, can also be seen in Zombie Walk, which is in the running to be a special feature on the Diary of the Dead DVD. If you want to see Zombie Walk or any of the other contestants immortalized in DVD format, be sure to give them a thumbs up vote.
Are you hazy on the connections between the Living Dead movies? Not sure if the Italian “sequels” really came from Romero’s original films, or how the Return series fits into the big picture? And what’s with all the remakes? The Genealogy of the Living Dead movies diagram will explain everything. How did I discover this? Oh, I was just browsing reviews of every zombie movie ever made in the ENCYCLOPEDIA ZOMBICA at Analog Medium. There’s actually a lot of zombie related reviews and info there, so it’s well worth a visit.
Delving even deeper into zombie movie reviews is the aptly named 365 Days of the Dead blog. It’s an experiment where the author one watches and reviews 1 zombie film a day for a whole year. Wow. Razor sharp reviews and and lots of embedded YouTube videos make it a lively read. Keep and eye out for DotD contest entries, which provide lots of unique fodder in a sub-genre that’s dying for some fresh blood. ZING!
So enjoy the rest of your Friday, and remember that it’s never too early to start thinking about Halloween. Now that you know it will fall on a Friday this year, will that change your plans? Are you likely to put more effort into your costume, party, haunt, etc?
Thanks to Shawn Wall for use of his ghastly photo above.
