droolicious : halloween

Let Them Eat Cake In Style

SunnyChanel — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:00:00 GMT

If you have a little girl, you know that costumes aren’t just for Halloween. Dress-up time can strike any day, any time, anywhere. If you’re over the whole Disney princess thing, you can opt to get all old school with a more historic and over the top outfit with this Marie Antoinette gown available from Chasing Fireflies. This “lavish confection of gold lame, lilac and gold brocade and ivory lace” celebrates the extravagant style of this infamous French queen. You can pick up the dress here for $88. The wig, sadly, is sold separately for $28.

Star Baby: Suri Watch – Hey Those Peeps Are Loud!

SunnyChanel — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 01:24:00 GMT

Is it the constant shutter of the paparazzi? Is it the honks, sirens, and general din of New York City? Or is it just the deafening sound of Peeps? What is making her cover her ears? I think perhaps that it’s could be a combo of all those. Suri Cruise and her parents Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise left New York City hot spot Balthazar on Halloween night. With her red manicured hand clutched against her left ear as her right hand tightly gripping a box of Halloween Peeps. Yup, Peeps. These are probably discounted at local stores here and there for those post Halloween sales. But if you really love Peeps, really love Halloween or just want to eat lots and lots of what Suri eats, you can get a 9-Pact: 24 count case here for $39.60.

Halloween Tutu-tastic

Lisa Mulcahy — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:32:00 GMT

If you’re a Droolicious regular (or mom to a little girl) you’re probably no stranger to tutus. I usually don’t get too excited about tutus, but this Halloween one rocks.

It may be too late for this year (unless you live near Cotton Bobs in the East Village of NYC), but it might be worth storing the Halloween Tutu, $30, until next year. Locally made, it has two layers of black tulle that are detailed with a black satin ribbon and white "Boo!", Ghosts and glow in the dark balls. Theoretically you can get a lot of use out it. The sizing is flexible so it will fit 3T-7Y.

Remote-Controlled Creepy Crawly

Lisa Mulcahy — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:28:00 GMT

Kids love to ambush adults, (or anyone else for that matter). So I’m sure this tarantula would be a big hit for Halloween night.

National Geographic’s RC Tarantula, $24.95, has that same eerie fur as the real thing and moves in a pretty convincing manner by way of the spider egg remote.

Goosebumps HorrorLand Ships Today

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:04:00 GMT

R.L. Stine's ever-popular kiddie-horror books return to videogame consoles today with Goosebumps HorrorLand for Nintendo DS, Wii and PS2.

Welcome to HorrorLand, where nothing is as it seems.

Set in a creepy amusement park, the game throws players into a typically Stine-ian plot twist when the park's menagerie of monsters and 30-plus horrific attractions are found to be all too real. Kids fight mummies, ward off vampires, get the ride of their life on the "Roller Ghoster," and try to survive long enough to see HorrorLand's shocker of a surprise ending.

Puttin' around in one of Goosebumps HorrorLand's many minigames.

While HorrorLand's many carnival-style minigames are a lighthearted diversion, some of the scenes may be a little creepy for younger players (hence the E10+) rating. The action's no more realistic or graphic than anything in the Goosebumps books or TV series, though, and kids from around age 8 onward will delight in getting to be such a big part of the story. But don't just take our word for it -- check out the official trailer for a slightly longer peek at Goosebumps HorrorLand's scare tactics:

Trick-or-Treat at Toys “R” Us

Lisa Mulcahy — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:32:00 GMT

Usually a trip to Toys “R” Us involves dropping some cash, but not this time.

Toys"R" Us stores across the country will be hosting special Trick "R" Treat events on October 31 from 1 - 5pm, offering parents and kids a safe place for fun. Kids can participate in "Geoffrey's Costume Parade," collect treats and take "Geoffrey's Safety Pledge."

If you live near the wonderland that is Toys “R” Us Times Square in New York, there will be a grand scale party featuring Geoffrey's Trick "R" Treat Parade, face painting, appearances by characters from Broadway's Young Frankenstein and demos of the new Goosebumps videogame.

Marketing scheme? Absolutely, but all the activities will probably distract the kids long enough for some free fun instead of a shopping spree.

Haute Halloween by Wovenplay

Erin Behan — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:55:00 GMT

Suppose your kid already has a pony but still needs the cowgirl or cowboy outfit to match? Wovenplay has your costume (for Halloween or any time of year). The brand has cornered the market on high-end dress-up clothing. It uses only natural and organic fabrics, and the products betray a level of detail not usually seen in children's costumes. The skirt and bolero above, for example, are made of moleskin and include intricate detailing. It also comes with a rope lasso. The set can be yours for $156 from Tiny McSmall. And check out the boy's version, also $156.

"Mommy" by Maurice Sendak

elizabeth leach — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 13:30:00 GMT

"Mommy", Maurice Sendak's beautifully illustrated pop-up book is a great book to read after trick or treating or at any time. A little boy finds himself in a very scary house where he encounters one monster after another. To each monster he asks, "Are you my Mommy?"

No matter how hard the monsters try to scare him, this little boy is unfazed and outsmarts through many mischievous actions. He pulls down a werewolf's pants, puts his pacifier in a monster's mouth, unwraps a mummy, etc. The perfect pop-up book for Halloween!

Find "Mommy" by Maurice Sendak at Oliebollen.

Very Big Toys: Monster Lab to Keep Halloween Going Through November

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 18:04:00 GMT

In Monster Lab, you play an Igor-style apprentice who's tasked with creating a Frankenstein of your very own out of some 150 monster parts. Sounds like any kid's dream Halloween game right? Well, you'll have to wait until Nov. 4 (or Nov. 30 for the PS2 version) to get your ghoul on, but we've got some teaser video and screenshots to keep you and the little monsters sated till then. Plus, if you're like me, the year pretty much ends after Halloween, anyway, so having something gruesome to look forward to in November is like finding an extra treat at the bottom of your candy bag.

Shown above, Eidos' trailer for the game can provide more context than these admittedly out-of-context screen shots do, but considering Monster Lab's basic premise -- make your monster; explore the land; seek out other monsters to clobber in battle; and embark on a series of quests and mini-games -- we don't suspect the game will take long to figure out:

Rated E10+, Monster Lab hits stores Nov. 4 for Wii ($39.99 from Amazon) and DS ($29.99 from Amazon), and Nov. 30 for PS2 ($29.99 from Amazon).

Knife-Free Pumpkin Decoration

alibaba — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:55:00 GMT

I must confess, I’ve always thought of carving jack o’lanterns as kind of a grown-ups’ craft. Kids get to participate in helping to design the jack o’lantern’s face, but the actual crafting part – the carving – involves hacking up a slippery object with a sharp tool. Not exactly kid stuff. Personally I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a little fearful of handling sharp knives, especially in front of avid young audiences, and that’s why I’m thankful for items like the Leaps & Bounds Pumpkin Decorating Kit. Even if you’re still itching to carve that pumpkin up to make a pie and roast the seeds, a kit like this allows your little guys an opportunity to do the hands-on decorating themselves. And if nothing else, keeping them busy decorating their own pumpkins will provide you with a little less ruckus while you focus on cutting up your jack o’lantern without causing a reason for a Halloween trip to the emergency room for stitches.

Available on the Leaps & Bounds website for $14.95.

Etsy Alert! Handmade Booty Pirate Dress! Arghhhh!

SunnyChanel — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 22:52:00 GMT

If you haven’t gotten your baby girl a Halloween costume, and you don’t want to go with the typical “store bought” route and you just don’t have the time to make it yourself, well, you should check out this Booty Pirate Dress by Etsy seller Beckaboo. This red and black classic costume is made of a soft (and warm) fleece and comes with the dress, hat and black legwarmers. You can get yours here! ($40). Arghhhh!

Rainbow Jack O’Lantern Light

alibaba — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:20:00 GMT

I live in Brooklyn where it’s a surefire bet that your lovingly carved jack o’lantern is going to be smashed to bits in the street by neighborhood big kids if you dare to set it out on your doorstep. But for those of you Halloween-lovers who go the extra mile for this holiday, check out this automatic jack o’lantern light that rotates – get this – a dazzling rainbow of colored light! As it runs on AAA batteries, there’s no chance it will, say, topple over and start your living room on fire, as a candle might. And despite its clear seniority in the safety category, I think it’s also a winner in the fabulous category. In fact, I might keep one of these in my office cubicle after Halloween for our rare Thursday afternoon Happy Hours. Who doesn’t want a revolving rainbow of light in their front window in October?

The Deluxe Amazing Rainbow Pumpkin Light comes in a set of 2 for $9.95 from Leaps & Bounds. And it is amazing.

Snikiddy Snacks a Healthy (and Surprisingly Tasty) Halloween Treat

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:04:00 GMT

In my neighborhood, we would always pass over the houses that offered apples and other healthy treats for Halloween, but obviously there've been quite a few advancements in healthy snacking since the Dark Ages. Snikiddy Snacks Organic Cookies are among the tastier natural treats that've landed on our doorstep this season -- so much so that my usually health-food-averse sons actually asked for more when our taste-testing samples ran out. Luckily, since they're on the shelves at our local Super Target, we had no problem restocking the pantry.

USDA-certified organic, Snikiddy Snacks' cookies are free of hydrogenated oils, trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, preservatives and GMOs. Mom and I preferred the Cherry Oaties (since the boys couldn't get past the word "cherry"), which aren't overly sweet and have a nice, mellow cherry taste with a hint of cinnamon. Our littlest one regularly eats cut-up bananas sprinkled with cinnamon, so the Banana Nibbles, which pack those flavors into cookie form without the normally overpowering taste of so many banana-derived foods, were all his. And the Chocolate Chippers, which come off like miniature Chips Ahoy without the disgusting processed flavor, were a hit with everyone.

For the full scoop on just what we were consuming, along with what each five-serving pack of cookies will provide your trick-or-treaters, here's the nutritional info from the back of each package. Unfortunately, the good taste means it's hard to consume Snikiddy Snacks in moderation, so if calories and spoiled mealtimes are concerns, you might want to dole out a serving at a time throughout the day:

Snikkidy also has a line of salty treats that work well for lunchboxes and general snacking, and even though they all taste like some yummy variation on the standard-issue cheese puff, the naming choices of Pizza Pie Puffs, Mac n' Cheese Puffs, Rockin' Ranch Puffs and Grilled Cheese Puffs do have an extra level of kid appeal.

Available at Whole Foods, Super Target, Toys"R"Us and grocers nationwide -- see Snikiddy's store locator to find a location near you.

SafetyTat Temporary Tattoos Are More Than Just For Show

Chris Ford — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:57:00 GMT

A lot of kid-related email rolls into my inbox each day, and a lot of it isn't worth reading. But sometimes you see something that you have to check out not because you've heard of it before, but because you're not sure if you're reading it correctly. A promotional pitch from SafetyTat temporary tattoos for kids was one of those emails. As it turned out, it was an email about a product that's a pretty cool idea.

SafetyTat temporary tattoos are basically labels you can put on young children that contain contact information, medical information or anything else you might want an adult to know if you and your child were separated for some reason. For instance, you and the family are going to a theme park and you're worried your over-excited son might get lost. With your cell phone number on the tattoo, your child (in theory) would be reunited with you much more quickly.

There are two different kinds of products, one with pre-determined contact info you provide when you purchase the tattoos (these work more like traditional temporary tattoos). And another that's kind of an adhesive "stick-on" tattoo that you can write any information on and are designed to be more portable. They even have products for children with allergies, medical alerts or for children with special needs (autism, autism non-verbal etc.).

It's a pretty cool idea I think, and for the right family it's probably a pretty great idea. Check them out at SafetyTat.com.

5 Best Halloween Costume Deals

SunnyChanel — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 05:43:00 GMT

Yeah, maybe you lagged on getting your kid’s Halloween costume. But don’t worry, you don’t have to destroy one of your sheets by cutting a couple holes into it, you still have time to order a variety of costumes online and have them delivered by October 31st. Best of all, you can get them at a deep discount. Here are five of the best Halloween Costume Deals out there in terms of amount of discount and ,of course, cuteness.

Old Navy: Pea Pod $9.99 (was $19.50 - for image see above)
For the your little pea, Old Navy has the Pea in the Pod plush fleece costume that will keep the kid warm, cozy and also cute. It’s for the real youngin’s from 0-12. It you’re thinking you can dress up like one of the Andersen Pea Soup guys, just don’t carry around the big sledgehammer, that would just be weird.

Children’s Place Witch Costume: $12.25 (was $24.50) here.
The witch is a classic go –to costume for Halloween, but this one gives it a girly-girl edge with the satin ribbon lacing, organza sleeves and taffeta underskirt.

Gymboree Vampire - $39.50 (was $17.49) here
Girls may like to harness their inner witch, but boys like to grow their fangs and get all vampire-ish, hunting for candy rather than blood... thank goodness. This outfit is charmingly classic and is a totally old school vampire costume.

Target Dancing Frog Infant: $20.99 (was $29.99) here.
People always ask what you or your child is going to be for Halloween, it’s worth getting this costume just so you can say “why a Dancing Frog, of course”. And this frog wears an argyle sweater, tuxedo jacket with tails and top hat, ‘natch.

Pottery Barn: Hot Dog - $39.99 (was $79.99) here.
Nothing says Halloween more than a sausage ensconced in mustard, catsup and relish. Not so scary of a costume, well unless you’re a vegetarian.

Martha Stewart Actually Makes Things Easier for Halloween

Erin Behan — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:20:00 GMT

My apparently outdated vision of Martha Stewart involves a show where I saw her decorate her farm for Halloween. I won't go into details except that each element of the party looked like it took longer to pull together than my 100-person wedding did. Fast-forward to this morning when I discovered Martha Stewart now sells things to make life easier and not harder. Case in point, these adorable cake stencils available at Martha Stewart Crafts are just $4.99 for a set of four. In fact, she's got a whole slew of fun decorating items that will make your holiday party extra spooky without extra work.

Black Cat for Halloween

Erin Behan — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:01:00 GMT

I'm not sure there's a way to keep kids from gobbling up the tons of Halloween candy they'll score from their treating, but if you're truly anti-candy, you might try bribing the little ones with this adorable Halloween kitty from Two-Dees, available at Giggle ($15). The plush animal has embroidered facial features, so it's good from birth until they're smart enough to hide candy in their underwear.

A Cute Cauldron for Your Witch’s Brew

Heather Kuldell — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:43:00 GMT

I love a party. My whole family loves a party. For us, part of getting into the spirit of Halloween is the decor. Rather than convert our place into a haunted house, we prefer the small touches such as the Halloween Lazy-Susan Server. The trio of earthenware ghosts swirling around a cauldron can dole out treats to the monsters at your door or serve the ones that live in your house. Plus, it’s on sale for $33.99 at Target.

L.L. Bean’s LED Flashlights are Cranky in a Good Way

Heather Kuldell — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:34:00 GMT

Aaron’s bat light post reminded me how flashlights appeal to kids as much as chasing light appeals to cats. L.L. Bean’s Mini Crank LED Flashlight is an excellent option for tiny hands. The LED bulbs shed a bright light on Halloween paths, backyard camping trips or indoor hiding places. One crank offers 20 minutes of light, which for the parental folks mean no buying or changing batteries — ever.

Available in hi-vis yellow, red or silver for $14.95.

Move Over, Yule Log: It's The Halloween Jack-O-Lantern DVD

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:04:00 GMT

Sure, there's something magical about picking out and carving your own family jack-o'-lantern, but if you'd prefer to skip the pumpkin guts, the candles and the subsequent rot, The Halloween Jack-O-Lantern DVD could be just the hands-off experience you're seeking. Essentially a Halloween-themed version of the classic Yule Log video, it cycles through eight different jack-o'-lanterns that flicker on your screen as an appropriately cheesy soundtrack of organ music and screams plays in the background.

Obviously, things might get a little complicated once you realize a jack-o'-lantern works much better outside the home, so the DVD also comes with eight different stencils that let you replicate the designs shown in the DVD, as well as a book of Halloween tales and seasonal recipes -- including pumpkin pie, of course.

$14.95 from Spoon Sisters.

Eco-Friendly Bat Light Illuminates Your Trick-or-Treating Path

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Unlike its real-world counterparts, this vampire-bat flashlight won't recoil or give you rabies when you squeeze it. It will, however, give you up to eight minutes' worth of battery-free LED light: Just pump the lever on the bat's side to generate power, and you've got an eco-friendly way to light up the night for trick-or-treating.

£4.99 (about $9 U.S.) from Ethical Superstore -- order now in time for Halloween.

Pregnant? A Sexy but Sweet Costume

Erin Behan — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:26:00 GMT

Maybe it's just that this Halloween costume model is way hotter than the norm, but I think this maternity fairy costume is worth the money if you've got a cool party to go to and you want to show off that bump. It comes with the dressed, trimmed in ribbon and fabric flowers, wings and a headpiece. And it's just $38.97 at Costume Discounters. If you're more into the pregnant sexy devil ($32.97), there's that one, too.

Very Big Toys: Haunted Memories Is The Real Creepy Halloween Decoration

Chris Ford — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:51:00 GMT

This morning Aaron threw out the gauntlet, saying that the Hallowindow DVD might be the "Creepiest Halloween Decoration Ever," but I have to beg to differ. Haunted Memories is a company that makes frame-able old-timey photos of people for your wall. Except when you walk past the photo, the old-timey image morphs into a zombie, skeleton or ghoul. See the sweet baby above? Click the link below to see what she'll turn into.

These images aren't electronic, they're just a sort of trick photography thing. You can see from the animated GIF below to get an idea of how it works as you pass by. They're available in all sorts of people (kids, old people, even an old Santa) and in all sizes.

Most cost between $25.00 to $99.99. Check them out at HauntedMemories.com.

Very Big Toys: Hallowindow -- Creepiest Halloween Decoration Ever?

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Sure, there's the little matter of where to get a projector so you can show it, but if you've got the means, designer Mark Gervais' Hallowindow DVD will make your home the envy of the neighborhood at Halloween -- that is, provided it doesn't scare away all the trick-or-treaters.

This year's edition includes Hallowindow I and Hallowindow II montages, as well as four single-themed animations that run around two minutes each and are designed to be looped continuously. Gervais himself didn't even buy a projector to run Hallowindow on his own house (more tips on his setup here), and his instructions make it sound relatively simple to turn any street-facing picture window into a tableaux of horrors.

Hallowindow II's price varies depending on shipping costs (Gervais ships from Canada, and all videos are NTSC formatted for North America playback). Given how close it is to Halloween, the $42 Express Mail package might be your safest bet. [Via Neatorama]

Most Unique Baby Halloween Costume: Meet Baby Sushi

Erin Behan — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:05:00 GMT

After an exhaustive search of commercial Halloween costumes, there are some cuties (you can see a few of my and other Drooler's picks here), but after a while they start looking the same. Not so with the baby shrimp sushi costume ($45) from Etsy's Tiachia, which is making me laugh in a good way. And since no one eats just one type of sushi, so shall no child have only one type of sushi costume to choose from. There's also the salmon ($45) and the tamago ($45).