Halloween Goodies

If your home is missing some of the darker style -- where steampunk and gothic overlap, for instance -- now is a great time to remedy that.

Target has all sorts of neat things -- crystal skeleton paperweights, black metal bowls, etched glass bowls and lanterns, gilded rose or black lace candles, fake ravens, crows, and owls, all sorts of gargoyles, cheesecloth tablecloths, phrenology head, skull mirror, etc.

Don't fall for too much kitsch, and aim for things that could be out year round without making your guests think of Halloween (witches and ghosts are probably out, but skeletons could work).

In particular I liked the spooky portraits that changed from traditional to scary when a button was pressed or you walked by. The Master Draven Baby Portrait one was the best. Also worth checking out is the laboratory candy packaging -- petri dishes, beakers, test tubes full of candy. They are plastic, so not high quality home gear, but might work for mouthwash etc. in a bathroom where you don't want breakables.

For those with larger budgets -- or who just like to browse and wait for the post-holiday sales -- Grandin Road has some spectacular Halloween decorations. I liked the black candle holders and the spell book in the Gothic Decor section.

Bonus: Visit Victorian Halloween for all sorts of Victorian costumes, games, and objects. Recent finds include the very clever Gravestone Girls.