A Breakdown of Halloween Accessories

Published March 21, 2012 by chicka

Too many of my friends have drowned beneath tidal waves of Halloween accessories. They go out and end up buying everything under the sun – makeup, lipstick, nail polish, gloss, eyeshadow, and so forth. Unless you’re a professional makeup artist, take your time delving into the realm of Halloween accessories, because taking on too much at once can overburden the experience. Instead, here are some tips on how to purchase and appreciate accessories.

Makeup – Start with a focal point, such as a wound or artistic design. Starting with a base coat of makeup makes the process much more difficult, because you then add design on top of the makeup. The focal point of a wound, for example, allows for the base coat to blend the wound into the skin.
Lipstick – Every color is game for Halloween. You want neon lips? Go for it. Purple electricity? Throw it on. The important thing is matching that color to the rest of your outfit. Think about the overall image, not just the lips. Of course, Halloween allows for extreme color differentials, too, which is always a blast. Hell, just do whatever you want!
Hair – Similar to lipstick, Halloween offers a wider range of hair styles and products. If you are going as a wild witch, let your hair reflect that personality. Tease it up and make it larger than life. Everything comes back to the image you want to display.
Costume Accessories – A plain outfit is boring and relatively uncreative. In my opinion, you need accessories to really bring out the personality of the outfit. Like layers for any other outfit, accessories give the costume some texture and visual effects. A necklace, for example, directs the eyes from the neck down to the top of the costume. Use these accessories to guide a viewer’s attention.

Think of Halloween accessories as the actual fun of wearing a costume, because anyone can wear a costume, but a true woman knows how to accessorize that outfit. Have a blast and experiment with a bunch of accessories. Plus, these accessories help you to stand out in a crowd. If everyone is wearing plain costumes, you’ll be the creative phoenix burning at the center of attention.

Top 5 Halloween Candies of 2011

Published March 19, 2012 by chicka

According to users responding to a survey on Yahoo!, these are the top 5 Halloween candies of 2011. Every year I hand out candies, but I often wonder, “Does anyone actually enjoy these things?” Thanks to this helpful little tidbit of information, I now know what to buy next year.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – Nothing makes kids scream more than a handful of Peanut Butter Cups. These delicious morsels are the number one, highest voted candy of 2011, and for good reason. The chocolate melts in the mouth, while the peanut butter gives it a meaty texture. (I’m salivating just thinking about them.)
Twix – Following along the chocolate theme of the number one spot is Twix, a crunchy, caramel-filled candy. The biscuit underneath all of that sweet goodness gives the candy a gratifying tug with each bite. Definitely have these at hand come Halloween.
Snickers – Similar to the number two spot, Snickers is a peanut nougat topped with caramel and milk chocolate, creating a softer bite than Twix. These bars are thicker than Twix, so you get more with each bite, though only one Snickers bar is included per purchase.
Peanut M&Ms – Instead of candy bars, fans are wild about these chocolate-covered peanut morsels. There’s nothing like a handful of Peanut M&Ms, because you can enjoy each individual piece, or gobble them down in one bite.
Gummi Bears – While I am not a huge fan of anything gummi, countless individuals out there love the stuff. It must be something about the chewy nature of the gummi. Maybe people love to chew and chew and chew – I can’t really say. Either way, it’s fifth on the list.

Of course, these are only the top 5 candies as voted on my users of Yahoo! There are lots and lots of other candies that people enjoy, and no amount of surveys can dissuade those preferences. Just like Halloween costumes, you’ll never please everyone with what you choose, so find the one that makes you happy.

What to do with Pumpkins After Halloween

Published March 15, 2012 by chicka

There is nothing worse than the smell of rotting pumpkin. It wades through the air and lingers for days or possibly weeks. People are always asking me, “What do I do with a pumpkin after Halloween,” and I always give them my top 5 tips for dealing with a rotting pumpkin.

What are those 5 tips?

I’m glad you asked, because that’s today’s topic. Let’s hit it!

Compost Pit – If you have a green thumb and you love gardening, there’s nothing better than a compost pit. Cut that pumpkin up and toss its fleshy bits in with the rest of the rotting compost. In a couple months you’ll have fertilizer strong enough to made a dead plant come back to life (not true). Plus, the bacteria in the compost pit keeps that pumpkin smell away.
Squirrels – I’m not exactly a huge fan of this tip, but I know a couple neighbors who love it. Anyway, leave the rotting pumpkin outside for the squirrels. Nothing drives those puffy-tailed cuties insane quite like the fermenting of pumpkins. You get rid of your pumpkin and the squirrels get a nice treat. Not too bad.
Birdseed – Cut the pumpkin in half and fill each half with birdseed. Use string to tie the pumpkin halves to tree branches, creating homemade, fully edible bird feeders. The birds will eat the seeds, the flesh, and maybe even the skin, depending on the bird. Just another way to do Mother Nature a good deed, while getting rid of that pumpkin.
Bury Alive – Give that no-good pumpkin a dirt nap! If you have a garden, or plan on starting one, dig a hole and bury this pumpkin deep down into the earth. The worms will take care of the rotting bits, and the dirt will love all of the excess nutrients. Come spring and summer, your plants will have a well fertilized bed.
Trash – Obviously, if all else fails, you can toss the mess into the trash and send it packing to the dump. Wrap the pumpkin in a plastic bag, though, because most trash companies won’t take an openly rotting pumpkin.

Since pumpkin carving is such a staple tradition of Halloween, I doubt the rotting aftermath is going to go away anytime soon. Instead, use the previous tips to do something good with your pumpkin. Plus, if all else fails, there’s always tip #5 – not as nature-friendly, but still an end to the rotten mess.

Let me know if you have any other tips to add. I’m always looking for new additions, because we all have a personal preference with disposing of trash.

Cheers,

Chicka

Tips for a Safe Halloween Night

Published March 14, 2012 by chicka

There’s nothing more fun than gathering up some friends and hitting the town for Halloween. But if you head out for the evening, make sure you’re safe. There’s nothing worse than having your evening cut short by some unforeseen factor.

To keep you strutting and smiling all night, here’s a list of tips that have helped me throughout the years. If you want to recommend one of your own, drop a comment at the bottom. I’m always looking for new ones.

Shoes – There is nothing worse than wearing the wrong shoes for the night. Sure, you may not notice it for the first hour or so, but you will definitely feel it the next day, when the blisters form. Find a pair of shoes that feel comfortable, because there is nothing worse than being the straggler whose shoes hurt too much to walk.
The Route – Whether you’re heading to a party or trick-or-treating, plan a route. Know where you’re going and how you’re getting there, and then know how you’re getting back. If you have a route from A to B, you won’t find yourself lost somewhere near D, and who knows where that leads you? Take precautions and you’ll lower the odds running into any danger.
Friends – Going anywhere alone increases the odds of something unsafe happening to you. Instead, gather up some friends and make a posse out of the evening. You and your friends shield each other from any vultures looking for a prey. Plus, what’s more fun than spending Halloween with your friends?
Drinks – This is general party etiquette, but always keep an eye on your drink. Never leave it somewhere and then wander back to it hours later. You may imagine that it will never happen to you, but it’s always better to be safe. Keep that drink in your hand and the night will chug along nicely.
Contacts – Before you go anywhere, tell your plans to a friend. Let someone know where you plan on going and when to expect you back. If you end up staying out later than expected, at least someone knows about it and you’re not stuck back at location D. (Seriously, no one likes location D.)

So there you have it, my fellow females: a quick list on how to stay safe for Halloween. They’re not perfect, but they’ve helped me stay safe over the years. Again, if you have one you want to share, let me know!

Halloween Costumes Come Down to Comfort

Published March 13, 2012 by chicka

Ladies, Halloween is all about having fun, but there’s a point of no return. Specifically, when do you stop caring about your looks and start caring about your comfort beneath the costume?

Here’s when: always.

Halloween costumes make you look good –eye-candy, if you will – but never sacrifice your satisfaction for an extra kick of attraction. Fabric stuck deep into the skin or a dress two sizes too small will kill any and all appreciation for the evening. Instead, find an outfit that complements your image without causing mental stress.

But the women I talk to ask the same question: How do you know which costume is right? And I always tell them, “The one that fits.” It’s a simple answer that speaks to the heart of the topic. Instead of focusing on how the costume looks on you, focus on how you feel.

If you feel comfortable in a Halloween costume, you focus on the night ahead, not the costume at hand. Your attention is spent looking forward, on the party or trick-or-treating or whatever that is planned for the evening.

Tips for finding comfort:

Use your own accessories. There is no reason for you to buy a ton of expensive one-use accessories just for Halloween. Instead, scrounge around for things you have lying around the house. Use your own stockings and skirts and shirts and shoes, and then buy the few Halloween pieces that are more complicated than regular clothes.
Focus on the fabric. There is nothing worse than wearing a nasty bit of mesh, the kind that digs into the skin and leaves lines long after you take it off. Snag a quality costume that keeps it tight enough to hug the body, but loose enough to move. After all, you can’t dance in a tight-enough-to-kill dress.
Balance a budget. This tip is less about the outfit’s comfort and more about your mental comfort. Wearing a dress worth the same as your month’s rent bill is going to cause all sorts of stress. Find a store that offers loads of Halloween discounts, somewhere that scrounges the Internet for the lowest prices. There is no need for excess stress while enjoying Halloween.

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