I returned home from San Diego very late Monday night and I’ve since been up every night into the wee hours to get Halloween costumes assembled. Figured I might as well use the four-hour time difference to my advantage. Let me tell ya, the mornings have been a bitch!
Zombie Mommy (Not her best in the mornings!)
In my first October as a mom, we were also away on a trip just before Halloween. Upon our return, there were two days before the costume party for our baby group.
Feeling tired and stressed, I said to The Husband, “I could just buy a one… but I always thought I’d be a mom who made all the Halloween costumes.” (Growing up, our costumes were always or self-assembled from odds and ends or made by Mom – I was so sad when I grew out of the black cat.)
Can you guess his response? No, he didn’t give me a permissive nod and tell me it was okay to run out to Old Navy. Instead he said,
“Yeah, I though you would be too.”
So, as per my usual modus operandi, I went a tad overboard. In two intense days and nights, I sewed this monkey costume (even though 6 costumes from a store would have cost less than the material!)
Having learned my lesson, the subsequent costumes over the years have become simpler (and cheaper) but they are still always homemade.
Duct tape on a rain coat and construction paper wrapped around a pop bottle made a favourite Firefighter costume that saw us through a few years.
A borrowed lab coat partnered with a painted plastic milk jug hat and thrift store clothes made Dr. Frankenstein and his monster.
Some years, it was a family affair.
YAY! Second use of the monkey! (For the non-Canadians, I was a hockey player.)
This bed sheet ghost got mixed reviews. I just couldn’t shake the mental comparison with the KKK… yikes!
This week, I’ve cut up the old “KKK ghost” and sewn bones onto a black sweat suit to turn ET into a skeleton.
CJ is again using the thrift store clothes and a wig but I’ve added some new make-up effects to create this brain eating zombie.
My fingers are sore and my eyes are bloodshot but the Mommy appreciation levels are through the roof. So many extra hugs and kisses and so totally worth it!
Happy Halloween!
Any memorable costumes you would like to share?
Escaping Elegance 
Wait, about ET’s skeleton costume…did you actually draw and cut out each and every bone, and then sew each and every bone onto a sweat suit? If you did, I’m walking next door and giving you a slap.
And I’ve just come up with ET’s costume for next year: ET! Get it?! Ba ha ha!
ET as ET would be awesome… he definitely has the head for it.
About the skeleton, take a deep breath and hear me out…the front and back rib cages were single pieces with just the spaces cut out, and I only basted them all on. I wanted to be able to easily remove them to make the sweat suit usable again. Please don’t come next door and slap me…
I once made a pumpkin costume and filled it with balloons for volume. Had some challenges getting through doors though. Nieces got a kick out of it.
That sounds awesome!! My boys would try to pop them though… they are not as nice as your nieces. 🙂
Oh ee, my lovely, that picture of your little monkey in his little monkey costume just made my day. So stinkin cute !!! All the costumes are fantastic, but I have to admit that one’s my favourite 🙂
I know! The monkey is totally my favourite too! The other costumes have been passed on or recycled but that one is up in the attic being saved for potential future grandkiddies. Sigh…
You are one crafty little lady:)! I like to ake my costumes all the time too, but my kids always want the dorky store bought ones! Your outfits are awesome!
Thanks! I tend to go over the top when it comes to making things for my kids… costumes, cakes, etc… But it is only once a year and I get so much joy from their joy. However, I know what you mean, when I was a kid I wanted store bought costumes too!