It's almost time for witches, ghouls and goblins! This Halloween why not challenge your inner craftiness with a DIY (Do It Yourself) costume. It's a great opportunity to put your personal stamp on a one of a kind creation, even if you start with an idea you find while surfing the 'Net or in a magazine. Anyone can buy a costume off the shelf, but making your own can be fun, easy and inexpensive.
The following costume ideas are odd, imaginative and best of all use items you may already have around the house. Look around, use your imagination and adapt to what you find.
Deer (infant) - Stuff white cotton gloves for antlers and sew onto a brown knit cap. Fill the toes of brown baby socks and attach above the antlers. Slip your infant into a brown terry sleeper, large enough to put a layer of clothing on underneath if going outside. Sew brown fleece onto the soles of the sleeper.
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Make your own costume by thinking outside the box.
Photos from www.parenting.com
Bumble Bee and Flower (infant)-Mom, design a flower to frame your face using petals constructed from a colorful plastic shower curtain. For your infant bumble bee, attach chenille stems topped with pom-poms to a black knit cap. Fashion lightweight wings from bubble wrap. Outfit baby in black sweat pants and a black sweat shirt along with black socks. Wrap a yellow towel around a baby carrier and fasten by making stripes with black electrical tape.
Hula Skirts (children) - Cut two rope style mops down the center seams to create four panels-line up side by side. Cut a 2-inch cloth ribbon the length of the panels plus 12 inches on each side for tying. Using a hot glue gun apply to the edge of the panels and fold in half.
Medusa Hair - Weave rubber snakes into braided hair.
Bag of M&Ms - Find a large clear trash bag. Cut two holes in the bottom of the bag for your legs and two armholes near the opening of the bag. Choose multi- color round balloons that match M&M colors. Blow them up to about 80 percent (less likely to pop) and write M on each of them with a black marker. Half fill the bag-then you have a chance of sitting down. Tie top closed with a colorful ribbon. For jelly beans do the same with longer balloons.
Work of Art - Pick your favorite style of painting and try to match it. For Jackson Pollock, take a clean white T-shirt and splatter with paint. For Picasso, use black eyeliner to draw a profile of a face down the middle of your face, and color in one half. If the painting is only on your shirt, take a frame that is bigger than your "work of art" and hang it by a ribbon around your neck.
Mr. Potato Head - Cut leg holes in the bottom of a large burlap bag (you may have to make it) and arm holes near the top of the bag. Cut out eyes, ears, noses and mouths from appropriately colored felt. Attach Velcro to the backs of these items. Attach Velcro backs to the bag. After you are in the bag fill it with old shirts or towels. Wear a funny hat and let people change your face around all night.
Netflix Envelope - Fashion a sandwich board by using two red poster boards and string. Cut out the Netflix letters in white and paste them in the center of the board. Carry a soda cup and box of movie popcorn.
Walking Coffee - Display your love of java with a Starbucks cup costume. Print two large copies of the circular Starbucks logo or paint your own on cardboard. Use string to create a circular sandwich board out of white poster board. Wear all white and use black electrical tape to create the check boxes on the side of the cup. Fashion a "lid" from white cardboard and elastic to hold it on.
SpongeBob Square Pants - Construct a sandwich board using yellow poster board and string. Wear a red tie, white shirt, knee-high athletic socks and black shoes.
It's also fun to create group costumes-singing groups or popular TV families are fun choices. Have people guess who you are and reward them with a treat for the correct answer.
Another way to save money is to make your own Halloween make-up. Mix 2 tablespoons of soft shortening and 4 tablespoons of cornstarch and separate into small cups. Add food coloring to get the exact shades you want. Wash face and any area that you will be applying make-up to and dry thoroughly. Apply a thin coat of cold cream to the entire face. Use a cotton ball to gently pat cornstarch over the cold cream. Keep eyes closed! Apply make-up with finger tips.
Remember-the most original Halloween costumes involve creativity and thinking outside of the box. You can take the simplest idea and put your own spin on it. Happy trick or treat from the west coast!
Jacquie Bennett, formerly of Milroy, writes from her home in California. She can be reached at jabennett48@embarqmail.com. Read her blog at www.glitzglamourstyle.com.
