Holey Sheet

DailyCandy Plays Dress Up

Last year, a slew of Freudian slips crashed your Halloween party.

What happened to the simple costumes of All Hallow’s past?

Well, we ain’t afraid of no ghost. And neither is lifestyle aficionado Jessica Murnane, who shared her freakishly creative guide to kicking it old school this Halloween.

Instructions

1. Buy a queen-size flat sheet (see guide below).

2. Find a trusty friend to help.

3. Turn sheet inside out.

4. Center sheet on your head (make sure length in front and back is equal).

5. Dust off souvenir shot glass you never thought you’d use. Trace glass for both eyes and mouth.

6. Take off sheet and cut out holes. Turn right side out.

Preppy Ghost:
Have your monogram stitched on a crisp, classic white sheet.

Hipster Ghost:
Hipsters are too cool to dress up. A white V-neck should do the trick. (Don’t forget the attitude.)

Modern Ghost:
Look boo-tiful and bold with geometric shapes and color blocks by Jonathan Adler.

Tombstone(r) Ghost (a.k.a. Deadhead Ghost)
Channel your hippie spirit with tie-dye.

VIP of the RIP Ghost
The gaudiest ghost at the gala with a thread count so high it’s scary.

Humani-terrifying Ghost (a.k.a Pretty in Pink Ghost)
Support Breast Cancer Awareness month and think pink with your sheet.

Chicaghost
Face it: It’s cold in the Chi. Sometimes a sheet isn’t enough. Stay warm and cozy with a quilt instead.

Happy Halloween, boo.

Plume with a View

Eric Erf Birdhouses

The avian dating scene is rough.

Picking up chicks is one thing, but with no place to call home, where can our feathered friends seal the deal?

Birdhouse designer Eric Erf gives birds the confidence to say, “Come back to my place.” Erf salvages wood from 19th-century barns, field houses, and corn cribs across the Midwest to create beautiful, rustic birdie bachelor pads.

The houses are made mostly of pine, hemlock, and fir and come in small, large, and duplex (hey, birds can have roommates, too). Erf uses found objects — twigs, vines — to build perches, adding detailing like birch bark roofs and copper accents. Cedar houses decorated with water-based paint are also available.

Wood weathering ensures every house is an original.

Making it the perfect retweet.

Available online at ericerfwooddesign.com.

All Wed Up

Fall 2008 Wedding Guide

Wedding planning should be an Olympic event. Think about it — it’s got all the criteria: challenges, scoring, competition, nervous sweating, rings. People laugh; people cry. And someone always takes the cake.

You’re Goin’ Gown
One step inside Caroline DeVillo’s sun-filled studio and you won’t want to leave. Well, not without a dress. DeVillo designs timeless couture looks — elegant, simple silhouettes with architectural lines made from the highest-quality Italian silk. Throw in shoes from Filippa Scott and jewelry from Haute Bride and Betsy Tanner Designs, and you’ve got a veritable one-stop shop. You’ll win best dressed, bar none.

She Shoots, She Scores
Or in this case, he shoots, you score. For impeccable photos with the perfect amount of tongue in cheek, hit up local fave Jeremy Lawson. His eye for detail and penchant for in-the-moment shots give him an edge above the rest. Not a fan of posing? Neither is he.

Apply Yourself
Enough with all this talk about bronzing. Go for the gold at Sonia Roselli, Esthetique, a brand new storefront in Rogers Park. Roselli offers airbrushing, eyelash extensions, and custom color mixing for the blushing bride and her party. Stop in for a trial application and you’ll be hooked.

Sweet Victory
Chicago native Jeremie Lappe is a real winner. After whetting her palate at Cheryl Kleinman in New York, she returned home and started Batter Up Cake Bar, whipping cakes that’ll knock you out of the park. Lappe meets with her clients to discuss flavors (chocolate, red velvet, vanilla), fillings (citrus curd, chocolate ganache), icings (lavender, pistachio, coconut), and decorations (she specializes in sugar flowers). Tastes like a grand slam to us.

Step Up to the Plate
Winner takes all with Black Rooster Catering. Headed by the folks behind Jerry’s, the reputable group dishes modern comfort food to the masses. Options include a whole poached salmon; beef tenderloin with ancho-coffee rub; tomato tapenade and goat cheese bruschetta; marinated shrimp, basil, and prosciutto skewers; and much more. Liquor and spirits are also available, guaranteeing you’ll beat ’em to the punch.

There Will Be Buds
Simply Flowers wins first prize in our eyes. Owner Toni Lenzi sticks to the cream of the crop (premium Dutch buds; Ecuadordian roses). She picks her blooms according to season — this fall she’s loving vine maple, safflower, bright dahlias, chocolate cosmos, and kale — and pulls it all together with fragrant geranium leaves. Not a bloom expert? Not to worry. Lenzi is on-site the day of, pinning boutonnieres and making sure your bouquet is picture perfect.

The Invitational
Win your guests’ hearts with invites from Greenstar Creative. During a personal consultation with fun-loving owner Lynda Junge, you’ll pick a design that fits your fancy, from the traditional (cursive, bows) to the cheeky (Eat, Drink, Marry). Even better? Junge can create a stamp to match the invite (not that we don’t love liberty bells). Post-celebration, thank those who made it happen with a letterpressed Wedding Expert Appreciation Kit from Cardiology Cards. For your jeweler: We’re thrilled and delighted with the bling you provided. For the caterer: You’re swell, you fed us well.

Go get ’em, Champ.

Need more inspiration? We’ve published Wedding Guides in every edition today, so check them all out.