As a child I have vivid memories of some of the Halloween costumes that my mom made for my sister and me. One year we were a pair of dice, one year we were giant frogs with pink balls cut in half for our big googly eyes.
Amanda amongst our carved pumpkins.
The past two years my friend and I co-chaired the haunted house part of the annual fall fundraising fair for our elementary school. We were a great creative team and had lots of fun coming up with new, creepy ideas to scare people. I have to say I was pretty happy this year to be done with that commitment though.
My friend Cyrena loved playing the Mad Scientist at our school's annual haunted house.
I’ve tried to carry on the tradition of making Halloween costumes for my kids through the years. Some years were successful and some not so much. Last year I knew what we were going to be 9 months before Halloween and was sewing months before the date. This year, for the first time, I have absolutely no interest in making a costume, trick-or-treating, or doing any of the normal Halloween festivities. I think I’m suffering from Halloween burnout. I’ve got a simple idea for Evan, Maia is going to recycle an old classic costume she wore a number of years ago, and India is making a costume from supplies I’d bought for it last year.
Amanda as an ear of corn at 1-1/2 years old.
She was a beautiful bunch of purple velvet grapes the next year, but I don’t seem to have a photo of it that I could find.
Amanda as a flower at I think probably 3-1/2 years old with her best friend Connor.
Amanda as a giant cupcake. The base was corrugated cardboard I painted white. The top was batting I spray painted and the sprinkles were spray painted pasta. The candle was a paper towel roll I painted.
We all have vivid memories of Amanda in this costume because she was walking along, fell into a pothole, and would have fallen flat on her face and probably knocked some teeth out but the costume saved her and practically bounced her back to standing!
Have you noticed the food theme going on here yet?
This piece of cake was by far the worst costume I've ever made. It was cute and all, but was so damned big that a friend had to carry the front around for her in the Halloween parade at school. I did not save this one.
Amanda as a beauty pageant contestant.
And what girl's life wouldn't be complete without the requisite 50's poodle skirt.
And then along came India, Evan & Maia and things got more complicated. Their first costumes were, by far, my favorite costumes ever. They were all, appropriately, chickens. Well, Evan was a rooster.
Evan the rooster.
Maia was a really late walker, so she had to be hauled around in a wagon in her chicken costume.I did make her a nest to sit in though.
This has remained one of my favorite pictures I've ever taken.
That’s enough Halloween for one day. I’ll finish this up tomorrow with the rest of the years gone by.
loved this walk down memory lane. the rubber glove chicken feet are hysterical.
Where did you get the awesome brown feathers for the rooster costume?! My son wants to be a rooster for Halloween & I can’t find those kind of feathers anywhere!!!