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 …

A creative Halloweenie can transform a treasure trove of creepy old artifacts into perfect decorations for a Halloween mad scientist party. Where to find such dastardly tools for your mad science party? Read on…

If you’ve never made the acquaintance of Madame Talbot, you are in for a treat. Madame Talbot’s “Victorian Lowbrow” is like an e-curio cabinet, brimming with “one-of-a-kind gothic death-themed creations”. Entering their online store is like stepping back to a time when science was nearly synonymous with magic: when a few leaches and a mixture of alcohol, opium and a little sugar cured all that ailed you. As you navigate through the endless, eerie categories, you’ll be greeted with circus freak shows, folklore creatures of the night, southern Gothic, traveling medicine shows and archaic Victorian funeral practices. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

They offer “unique dark art”, much of which is produced by Ashleigh Talbot herself. A skilled pen-and-ink illustrator, she creates such wondrous art as tombstone paintings mourning dolls, and …

Step right up boils and ghouls, to the new Easy Felt Banner tutorial. With a couple sheets of felt and a sewing machine you’re about a half hour away from a scary circus inspired banner.

Remember the neighbor-frightening decoration that we mentioned earlier this month? Hopefully we’ll get that made tomorrow and posted in the next couple days. Unless it looks like crap, in which case we’ll be scouring the site 1984-style for promises of said tutorial. Double-Plus Good!

Need some quick Halloween decor? Our felt banner tutorial makes an easy Halloween craft idea that’s inexpensive and rad.

You’ve been toiling away on your costume (or pumpkin, prop, spooky art, whatever the case may be) to freak out the impending trick-or-treaters. Your creation can win you a handful of treats, too! Some of these contests are frightfully simple to enter, while the rest require varying degrees of participation. Whether you only have a moment to join a mailing list, or have set aside months to create a fantastic costume or prop, you’ll find a contest perfect for you.

MAKE/CRAFT DIY Halloween Contest: Submit images of your homemade Halloween creations to the flickr pool. Categories include pumpkins, costumes, decorations or gadgets, and food.
Prizes: A trip to Maker Faire San Francisco and a bunch of other TBA prizes
Deadline: November 4, 2007

Curbly Candy Corn Challenge: To enter, transform these syrupy wedges into something seasonally superior for your home. Or, take …