Bonnie Biess

Between your foolproof stencil of Justin Bieber's face and an endless supply of premium 99 cent carving tools, you probably envisioned yourself minutes away from that dreamy pop star pumpkin glowing all over your neighbors' jealous faces. What could go wrong?

We've all been there -- just a couple hours before you have to head out to a Halloween party, and you haven't had the time or money to put together a decent costume. Then suddenly, a flash of inspiration zaps you or one of your buddies -- but all too often, the final product is just sad at best, or lands you in the slammer.