Happy Friday, Halloweenies! For those of you in the US you’re probably watching the clock in anticipation of the Labor Day weekend. It’s the unofficial end of the summer which also means Halloween is so close we can almost taste it! Just 2 little months left…

Spirit Halloween knows we’re drooling over the season’s newest offerings and they’ve got a sale this weekend just for us: Buy One Get One item 50% off! The sale has already started and ends Tuesday September 2, 2008. No coupon needed. The discount is automatically applied. Their whole checkout process is actually pretty good. Lots of info and a minimum of steps to go through. On the very last page you will get an option to add a coupon code and that’s where you can add one of these bad boys;

10% off …

Remember the Yip Yip Martians from Sesame Street? Yep yep? Unh huh unh huh? Instructables user sliny shares a pretty easy tutorial for making this costume idea. It’s almost no-sew except for the mouth area where a needle and thread can be used. k7lim also documented a version of the Yip Yip costume on Flickr which makes for a great photo reference.

Below are some more completed DIY Yip Yip costumes for inspiration. Like the first image shows, this makes an easy group costume idea since you just need to choose different color “fur” for everyone. When making several at one time should be easy to set up an assembly line style of production. Although the idea comes from a kid show, this is definitely an adult costume due to the visibility. The black mouth opening uses …

It’s finally that time of year again, Halloween fans. The summer is in full swing, but it’s like retailers are reading our minds because they’re offering Halloween sales! These are really the first Halloween sales of the year and are meant to usher in the new for 2008 items. That means lots of deep clearance sales, coupon codes, and peeks at a few new items. In about another month all the new items should be available and we’ll have a whole new batch of spooky stuff to drool over. Until then, now is the perfect time to stock up and save a bundle.

Buy Costumes
Sale: 50% off all Clearance items (costumes, decorations, party supplies)
Coupon Code: off50
Expires: July 14, 2008

Fright Catalog
Sale: 50% off all Clearance items (some …

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!

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;

Tea Party Hat
Hungry Monster Hoodie
In Case …

In short, they’re both. It’s always funny to see a furry little quadruped dressed in his or her finest inmate costume, but cats insist that the process is highly unappreciated.

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to find a “dog costume”, but that “cat costumes” pretty much don’t exist? Even if you don’t live with cats, you probably understand that getting one into a costume is generally a fool-hearty adventure. Yes, they look so cute that you will probably squeal, but at what cost? Some cats are good natured enough to let you treat them like a dog (zing!), but most of them would rather rabbit-kick you in the face than endure the humiliation of a costume.

Want an easier target? Kittens are easy to …