DIY Life

It's that time of year again: Martha Stewart's super-awesome special Halloween issue is on the newsstands, and there's plenty of interesting material on her website to match.

The magazine features the usual mix of easy, stylish costume ideas, tricks, treats, home decor ideas, templates to print out or photocopy, and a ton of interesting ideas for Jack O'Lanterns. This year, it's a split between "good things" -- spooky-cute ideas with a slightly retro feel -- and "bad things," which are a little darker and seem to be meant for a slightly older audience (some of the finished products could frighten very young children). A couple of items come in both flavors.

The Martha Stewart Halloween web page has a lot of features in it that seem to be from past Halloween special issues (and regular October issues!), as well as some ideas and downloads from the current one. You can download templates for atmospheric black paper drapes, a paper bat garland, or Creepy Mice. Try instructions for moth-eaten curtains. Serve Gothic Grog or Witches' Brew from a coffin-shaped table, make papier-mache decorations shaped like pumpkins or black cats, burn "specimen jar candles" (you sent out Mad Scientist Invites, right?), and bake Creepcake cupcakes.

You'll find plenty of tips for costumes and makeup, too!