Rating  - Good, but it tries hard to disguise the fact!
Since I live in Australia, and Halloween isn't a big deal here, I was looking for something inspirational with clear how-tos to get started with. When I first received this book I was disappointed, but it really started to grow on me! I actually ended up basing most of my decorating on ideas in this book, but I didn't realise it at first! The photos are grainy, and some of the instructions aren't all that clear, but once you get past that, it's not too bad! It has some good ideas for a Halloween first-timer like me, that will actually look a lot better than the photos in the book lead you to believe. Be warned though - most of the ideas involve pumpkins or gourds in one way or another! What this book really needs is a makeover - new photos, and a little re-working on some of the instructions, and it would be great. If glossy photos are your thing, skip this and try Martha Stewart's Halloween book instead, but this one is really a diamond in the rough.
Rating  - Elegant, indeed, but with a sense of spooky fun!
Ideas with class, but practical. That's what I found in this delightful, pretty book. The materials recommended are, refreshingly, things I can actually get (and afford), right here in the isolated, imagination-starved desert of non-creativity where I live. It's so nice to see clearly written, well-conceived craft projects for Halloween that can really be done outside the major coastal metropolitan areas without paying for shipping and waiting six weeks for half the materials!
As far as the style, I grew up on Samantha and company, so it all has a "just right for a grown-up Halloween" feel to it for me. I grew out of gore years ago, but I still know that elegant does not have to equal stiff (as in some of Auntie Martha S's stuff ;->), and cheap doesn't have to equal tacky, if you just add a little personal talent of your own to spice it up. I already had the talent, now I have new ideas, with instructions, pictures, and even text that gently engages my own creative spirit! Lovin' this...
Rating  - Je ne sais quoi...
After seeing how many 5 star reviews this book got I began to think there was something wrong with me. I didn't LOVE this book. One of the 1 star reviewers hit the nail on the head. There is just something about this book that I can't warm up to. The crafts were nice, different than most, but they were somewhat repetitive. Many, many pumpkin, squash, and gourd arrangements. There were a couple of other things interspersed, wreaths, figures, recipes. But mostly it was piles of pumpkins. And there was no joie de vive. Please excuse the French, but to say there was "no joy of life" in the book would sound a little stupid. Halloween is more a celebration of death. But most of the arrangements were dull.
The two sections that caught my eye were the 'Old-Fashioned Party Fans and Favors' in Chapter 7, and Chapter 8. I have a weakness for Halloween collectibles and retro designs. And Chapter 8 had good party advice, like sticking to a theme rather than jumping all around.
The authors are talented, and apparently have a feeling for the holiday, but I would like to see a little more fun, and a little less seriousness.
Rating - A Welcome Addition to My Library
I went through a phase where I ordered a ton of Halloween books. It's my favorite holiday, after all, and I enjoy flipping through books on the topic year 'round. However, I've been disappointed in many of the books I've ordered. Some are too childish (fine if you're looking for projects to do w/ your kids -- I don't have any), some are too lame. This is not one of the disappointments -- it's a favorite.
The book's title is pretty accurate. It offers several themes for grown-up, but not gory, parties. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how many projects appealed to me: not entire themes, but several individual projects.
It's rare to find a book like this that isn't a digest of previously-published magazine articles. (The Martha Stewart book is the only one of this style that I like (I own several).) One of the most annoying things about Halloween books is buying one, then finding out that you've seen every suggestion in a magazine (and weren't all that impressed the first time). As far as I know, this is a "from scratch" book, meaning that the book is the only place you'll find these projects. I like it, because the projects are different from what I've seen in other Halloween Craft/Decorating books.
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