Halloween 2011

Halloween! Before I became a parent, I swore I would always make my children's costumes rather than buying them from the store. But that was before I had a boy who wanted to be a Clone Trooper. Wal-Mart could make that dream possible for $20. It would cost me more than $20 in materials, much less time, to do anything better. So for a couple of years I suffered the indignity of sending them out in store-bought costumes.

This year, each boy wanted to be a character that couldn't be found at the local Wal-Mart. Hooray! I experienced a great deal of satisfaction in costuming with them. I might just guide them toward unique costumes again in the future.

Cullen wished to be a wizard. But not just any wizard. He wanted to be Daffy Duck the Wizard from a recent Merrie Melodies short:

Something about this really captured Cullen's imagination. He spent weeks playing "wizard." In fact, he was the one who thought of using the tiki torch as a wizard staff. While playing outside with some friends, he grabbed one of our tikis and began swinging it around to direct his magic. Cullen was very exacting on how his costume must look; he shows promise of becoming a cosplayer.

I used old sheets for the cape and the robe. A $1 knit cap with a rhinestone became the headpiece. Cullen loved his hyped up wizard staff. The ball kept popping free, so by the end of Halloween night we put a glowstick into the end for a laser wizard staff. Cullen reveled in it and layered as many glowing objects as he could onto his person. He claimed they were the sources of his powers.

Finnian's costume was a home-made creation, too. He adores the tv show "Shaun the Sheep", especially Timmy, the baby sheep. I suggested he dress up as Timmy and he leapt on the idea. (Over time and big-brother's suggestions it became a Timmy-vampire-robot costume, but luckily simplicity carried the day.)





Finnian's Timmy the Sheep costume was super easy. I attached a couple of ears I made from an old black sweater to the $1 knit cap. The sheep fabric was $6 (and I bought way too much). I also got him some $1 black mittens and a black long sleeved shirt for the rest of the outfit, which he will be able to reuse this winter.

Let me tell you, Finnian was the cutest thing I have ever seen. The fluffy tail wiggled back and forth and you could hear the chorus of "awwwww...." as he walked by.

The boys had so much fun trick or treating in their costumes! My satisfaction with the night was much greater having contributed to it by making the costumes. Re-using materials (sheets, sweaters, tikis) appealed to my thriftiness and environmental consciousness. I am also pleased because I didn't use a store pattern for any of these costumes. They aren't complicated shapes - demi-circle cape, t-tunic, and tunic with elastic casing - but I was impressed with my ability to wing it. Here's to more winging it adventures!