Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Halloween challenges

I really love making Halloween costumes. I like thinking of what to make, then thinking about how to make it happen with as little expense as possible. Lisa has never wanted to be a princess or a fairy or even an animal. She always likes to give me a little challenge.

2004 - she was c-r-a-z-y for Thomas the Train - we already had the Thomas hat and she is wearing Thomas shoes.


2006 - Of course we all love The Simpsons and she wanted to be Marge.



2007 - Little Miss Muffet. Note that Bart is wearing the same dragon costume from 3 years earlier!

2008 - A butterfly

Which brings us to Halloween 2009. "Mom, how about if I be cotton candy?" Sure! I say. I got a pink hooded sweatshirt from the thrift store and covered it in 2 lbs of pillow stuffing. Then, I painted it pink.

Pretty cute, right? She loved it.
HOWEVER...
I thought I would try it on for size. That thing was hot. I mean, steamy, sweaty HOT. Maybe great for trick-or-treating, but there's no way she could have worn it to school or to the costume party we're going to attend. But that wasn't the only problem. Homer had the responsible idea of testing its flamability. The pillow stuffing on its own was not bad - it was slow to ignite and then just burned slowly and the flame eventually extinguished on its own. But, after I added the spray glue and the spray paint... WHOOOF! It erupted into giant flames. So, cotton candy is now in the garbage and we had to go with a new idea. I'll post pictures after Halloween.
What are some of your favourite Halloween costumes from past years?

11 comments:

Nowheymama said...

I would never have considered flamability. What a good mom you are.

I'm especially proud of Clifford the Big Red Dog and Lightening McQueen costumes I made for Katherine. This year she and Eli are being Mario and Luigi with denim overalls that can be worn again/used for other costumes, and red and green shirts they already own. Scott bought their hats for ~$6 a piece on Ebay because I figured I couldn't make them for any less! Helen will be wearing a duck costume that is on its seventh? Halloween.

LoriD said...

Nowheymama - Bart is being Mario too!

Badness Jones said...

My favourite was the year Regan went as a princess, and Sam went as her frog prince, and we dressed the dog up as their 'fairy DOGmother'. This year we've got a clown and a ghost, and I managed to make both costumes with stuff we had around the house, and I didn't have to buy anything but some facepaint.

And that cotton candy idea was awesome, I'm really sorry it didn't pass the fire test!

Misty said...

That was supremely cute...too bad it didn't work out.

Hm. And I can't think of an alternative for cotton candy.

bananafana said...

Last year O wanted to be a "rainbow colored worm" so that one was fun to design. This year he wants to be a toad since we're stuck on all things toad. Bea is going to be a garden gnome which was mostly clothing we had, the purchase of a belt and the making of a giant hat that ended up being WAY easier than I thought. I love when the kids pick out what they want to be and I love the challenge of figuring out how to make it - the harder the better.

That cotton candy turned out amazing! It's really too bad you can use it. I'm trying to think of an alternative but I'm stuck on food coloring and getting nowhere on the how to execute part . . .

Jess said...

That cotton candy costume is AWESOME. Too bad it was a fireball waiting to happen!

Amreen said...

wow! i am impressed. too bad about the cotton candy, it's too cute! i've always gone the walmart route with costumes, i'm not that creative. however, my fave costume for my hubby and me was in 1997 when i went as monica lewinsky (think stained blue dress and beret) and he as a cigar!

Chantal said...

I would never have ever thought about flammability! You guys are great parents. Making costumes and making safe ones! You rock. My boys are superman and some Star Wars Commander (can't remember the name). At least mine will be home made. I am going as Santa! I have the jolly ol belly so I figured I might as well work with it.

artemisia said...

What a great idea - Cotton Candy! You executed her creative idea brilliantly!

Bette Creek said...

Last year S was a witch (accesories from dollar store, And H was a black cat, and A was spiderman (bored from friend). This year S- goth girl ($2 worth of fake piercings) and H is Hannah Montana - their own clothes and accessories from dollar store. A has a superman costume but he wants to be a ghost. We try to keep costumes at under $5 per kid. If we can't borrow it or put it together with help from dollar store it don't happen. Can't wait to see your pictures.

Not Your Aunt B said...

Love all of the costumes! You are super crafty. My kids would just go up in flames as I have never tested their costumes for flamability.