a devilishly good time

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I love a good theme party. I attended one recently at the premiere of True Blood, HBO’s new vampire-themed, Southern Gothic series.

This soulless soiree (I'm referring to the vampires, not the celebrities) can easily be adapted into a pretty awesome Halloween bash with a vampire/monster slant. Here’s what I saw:

• Décor was red, red, red: red lights, red linens, red chairs, red floor.

• Plastic devil heads on tables added a nice creepy touch, as did a fake graveyard, lanterns and tarantula magnets.

• There were plenty of props for guests — including necklaces of plastic garlic, devil masks, plastic fangs and tins of mints labeled with stickers proclaiming: “Suck on this.”

• “Tru Blood” was the drink of the night, made with rum, pineapple juice and cranberry juice and served in glass bottles with red straws.

• Soul food made up the menu, such as ribs, gumbo and cornbread pudding. And for dessert? Red velvet cake, naturally.

question of the week: favorite Halloween songs

Some songs just screeeeam Halloween. Other songs have actual screams in them, which make them perfect for the holiday. Cast your votes for your fave songs, and help Halloween party hosts fill their dance floors with as many bodies — living, dead or undead — as possible.

Did we miss any? Yes, we did, in trying to keep the list to ten songs. It wasn't easy. "Dead Man's Party" made the cut when two coworkers broke out into song and a little dance in support of it. And I fought for "Welcome to My Nightmare." This clip of Alice performing "Nightmare" on a Muppets Halloween special should explain why.

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gabba gabba -- hey!

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Where's the party? In my tummy. How is it? Yummy!

Fans of the kids' TV series Yo Gabba Gabba now have the show's "Party in My Tummy" song in their heads. Sorry about that. It should be gone in a week or so.

To make up for it, I give you Evite's new Yo Gabba Gabba invitation designs! How could a party not be fun when you kick it off with one of these happy, silly invitations?

And when you create your guest list, do not forget to invite the carrots and green beans or they will be sad. Seriously, they will. Watch this Party in My Tummy video if you don't believe me.

beauty bazaar

Picture this: You're walking through a department store, and you see a tube of red lipstick. You've always wanted to buy a red lipstick, and this particular shade looks amazing on the model (natch). You swipe it across the back of your hand and decide you must have it. You buy it, take it home, try it on once and there it remains — a fixture on your vanity, never to be used again. We've all been there and have had those impulse purchases that got the better of us. But one girl's beauty blunder could be another girl's newest obsession.

As a new spin on a girls' night in, have your friends bring over their cast-aside products to swap with other guests. Add a few finger foods and a little background music, and you've got yourself a full-fledged party — a little beauty swap meet, if you will.

Keep reading after the jump to get all the info on what products you should and shouldn't swap and how to get them swap-ready.

something wicked cool this way comes...

Can you feel it? Halloween is in the air.... We're cooking up all sorts of spooktacular things for you in our big blog cauldron, my pretties. But first, throw on your Palin costume, and let's kick things off with some ghosts of Halloween past.

First up: Halloween treats to eat!

• Whip up our Slime Punch, a greenish, ghoulish lime sherbet punch in both non-alcoholic and alcoholic varieties.
• Jack-o'-lantern cheeseball. As awesome as it sounds. Amaze and amuse your guests with this cheesy showstopper.
• Want to make a sangria that looks and tasty bloody good? We play mad scientist to create the magic formula.
• Fill your pumpkins with more than just candles; try this Butternut Squash Risotto Served in a Pumpkin Bowl.
• Round out your candy consumption with our Pumpkin Bread Pudding topped with Cinnamon Whipped Cream.

How to turn your backyard into a bistro

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Summer’s over, but there’s no need to bring the party indoors just yet. Recently, my friend turned up the style by turning her backyard into a bistro, complete with live music.

She managed to wrangle the talented singer/songwriter Ed Harcourt (known for his dreamy, lyrical pop ballads) and a grand piano and set up a stage next to her garage. Now, not everyone has access to a British rocker and a Steinway, but it gave me lots of ideas for a backyard party that’s not just another beer bash.

question of the week: autumn gatherings

It seems like only yesterday that we were asking you about your favorite types of summer get-togethers. But since today is the first day of autumn, it's time to start thinking about heading indoors for your next party (and my fashion barometer is telling me that I can start pulling out the cashmere sweaters and opaque tights. Yippee!).

I, personally, can't wait to go to one of those dinner parties where the smell of mulled cider wafts through the house, and the menu includes dishes that are distinctly fall (like Grace's butternut squash risotto). What are you excited about for fall? If we didn't include your fave get-together, tell us about it in the comments.

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how do you like them apples? caramel, please

Regardless of the temperature, as soon as we inch toward autumn, I crave apples. I want to pick them, bob for them, bake them into pies, slice them on to salads and drink them in murky, unfiltered cider that has just started to ferment and get fizzy. And, of course, I want to dunk them in caramel and eat them, on a stick and perfectly sticky.

Making caramel apples makes for a fun party activity at kids' parties and is an unexpected but welcome dessert for sweet-toothed party guests of all ages.

Fortunately, websites like Kitchen Krafts have all the tools I need to satisfy my caramel-coated cravings:

• This cute caramel apple dipper melts enough caramel for 6-8 apples.
• And speaking of caramel, you can buy it in 1-pound or 5-pound quantities.
• Pointed paper sticks make quick work of spearing your fruit.
• Feeling fancy? Roll the still-warm caramel in these autumn-colored jimmies (she says, reigniting the jimmies vs. sprinkles debate).
• These apple-decorated boxes (shown above) feature a window to show off your creation and a perforation at the top to pop your stick through. Great for party favors and gifts!

pirate talk ahoy!

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Tomorrow is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. It sneaks up on you every year, doesn't it? Me too. Make this one memorable with an impromptu pirate party this weekend. It's nothing to stress about, yellow-belly! Here's all you need:

• First, get yourself a pirate nickname. And ye can call me Evil Sal, mateys.
• Hmm, if you're hosting a party, you'll need to send out an invitation. Now, where would you go to find a pirate invitation you could send out quickly and easily.... I know! (Hint: Click the image above.)
• Decorate with black pirate flags, gaudy costume jewelry and gold-wrapped chocolate-filled coins.
• Hide a treasure (doubloons, grog or just some bags of Pirate's Booty), and create maps and clues to help guests hunt for it.
• Seafood would be appropriate grub for rowdy pirates, or meat on the bone you can eat with your hands, like wings and chicken drumsticks, while making growly noises. And keep your guests scurvy-free with lots of citrus.
• Talk the talk. "Aye" = yes. "Bilge" = nonsense. "Gangway" = get out of my way. And "arrr," like aloha, can mean a number of things, so use it as much as possible. Arrr!

Check out our pirate party guide for more ideas.

girls on film

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I love a night out with the girls. The cocktails, the cute dresses, the laughing, the dancing (woo-hoo)! The uncomfortable heels, the crowded bar, the parking, the cover charges (boo-hoo). Sometimes the very thought of the whole process just makes me want to crawl into my sweats and spend some time with my remote control.

This is why I'm in favor of a girls' movie night every once in awhile — you get all the fun and enjoyment of each other's company without having to stand thisclose to potentially creepy guys while screaming over loud music. Here are some tips to keep in mind when planning your movie night:

• Chick flicks reign supreme. Cliché as it may be, it couldn't be more fun to watch a chick flick while in the company of a bunch of girls. We know you were excited about Sex and the City: The Movie. Well, the DVD comes out on Tuesday, which may just be an occasion all its own for your next movie night.
• Get some non-movie entertainment. I like to have a good stack of magazines on hand when the girls come 'round. Some of my friends will lose interest in the movie before it's even out of the first act. Fashion and celebrity mags keep everyone focused on the fun and away from their BlackBerrys.
• Stick with movie theater snacks. Canapés and crudités are for cocktail parties. Think of what you'd see in the concession stand and use that for your shopping list — popcorn, nachos, Raisinets, gummy bears. Or, suggest that each guest brings her favorite movie theater indulgence to share with the group. You may just come away with a new favorite.
• Any day that ends in Y... The great thing about a movie night is that you aren't limited to weekends. In fact, most of my movie nights end up being on weekdays. You can plan on your party lasting around three hours, so your guests can be on their way and in bed to watch the evening news. And until my city starts opening early-bird dance clubs, this is about the only kind of partying I can muster during the week.