“Creative Costume Party” Craft Contest

Ready for a little costume foolery? Then put your most fanciful fashion forward, and enter Country Woman’s Creative Costume Party Contest. You could win $50 and see your getup in CW.

The outfit may include purchased items or accessories, such as a skirt, wig or jewelry. But essentially, it should be a “homemade” ensemble you put together yourself—not one that’s purchased or rented. Also, costumes must be family-friendly. Nothing too scary, please.

Here’s how it works. First, conjure up a fun, imaginative costume and model it (or recruit a model) for the camera. Snap a well-lit, sharply focused photo—or several, to show off the costume to its best advantage—to send to us.

In each of four categories, our judges will select a winner, who’ll receive $50 in cash. They’ll also choose a first runner-up, who’ll get a Halloween gift bag of goodies (retail value of $25) and a second runner-up, who’ll win a free year of Country Woman for herself or a friend.

You can submit one or more entries in these categories:

• Adult’s costume
• Child’s costume
• Group costume (two or more people— such as a king and queen, or a whole family of super heroes)
• Pet costume (best-dressed cat, dog, horse or other critter)

Along with your photos, give us a bit of background on your costume. Tell us how you created it (list any unusual materials or recycled items) and for what occasion (Halloween, amateur theater production, historic reenactment or masquerade party). Be sure to mention if it won any prizes, and the comments admirers made about it.

Entry deadline is February 15, 2010. So share your photos. It’s bound to be a costume ball!

Have fun!

Contest Rules

1. This contest is open to anyone, with no purchase necessary. Costumes must be put together by you (not purchased or rented) and photographed against a plain background.
2. E-mail high-resolution JPEG files from a 5-megapixel or better camera—images must be at least 1,500 X 2,100 megapixels, or 5 X 7 inches at 300 dots per inch. Or, mail color prints (not from ink-jet printers) that are 5 x 7 inches or larger.
3. Each costume entered must include your name, street address, daytime phone number, E-mail address (if applicable) and a list of materials or recycled items used in the costume, all printed on a separate sheet of paper. If you are E-mailing, send a separate E-mail for each entry.
4. Mailed entries must be postmarked and E-mailed entries must be received by February 15, 2010. E-mail with subject line “Creative Costume Party” to editors@countrywomanmagazine.com, or mail to “Creative Costume Party,” Country Woman, 5400 S. 60th St., Greendale WI 53129.
5. The CW staff will select the winner, first and second runners-up in each of four categories, based on creativity and ingenuity (30%), appeal to CW readers (30%) and technical quality of the photo (40%).
   
6. Three entries in each category will receive prizes as detailed at left. Winning photos will be featured in the October/November 2010 issue of Country Woman.
7. All entries become property of Reiman Media Group and cannot be returned. By submitting an entry, you grant Reiman Media Group, Inc., its
   parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners and licensees use of the material, including your name, town and state. We reserve the right to modify, reproduce and distribute material in any medium and in any manner or appropriate place. We may contact you by phone, E-mail or mail regarding your entry.
8. Contest is governed by laws of the USA. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Void where prohibited. Total number of entries expected: 300-400.