Sorry that I've been gone for so long, but my computer crashed and it took a little while to get it back (I lost EVERYTHING though). Then when I got it back, my camera died (and I think my blog is naked without pictures) and I just now got a new one. So, I have been crafting, but unable to take pictures of a lot/most of them (they were gifts and are now gone). The ones that I was able to hang on to, I will be posting about them later (if I don't forget).
I like to do homemade Halloween costumes. I think it is fun (since I like to make things), my kids have a-one-of-a-kind costume, and it is cost-effective (with 4 kids I need that badly).
Let's talk about cost-effectiveness for a minute. A cheap, purchased Halloween costume is easily $20 (or more if you purchase accessories to go with it) and I have 4 boys. Let's do the math $20 x 4 boys = $80. $80 / 2 hours of trick-or-treating = $40/hour. It would cost me roughly $40 per hour for my kids to wear their costumes. Not very cost effective. (I know, I could pass the costumes down to younger children. Let's look at this option: (1) cheap costumes will probably not last - had that experience before w/ just 2 children, (2) children have a mind of their own and will not want to wear their brother's costume from last year, they will want their own, different kids - different tastes. Again not very cost effective.) So we make our own (as inexpensively as possible). Plus, as a bonus - it's fun!
Champ (11) felt he was too old to dress up, so he is not in the pictures (no costume). Lee (12, soon to be 13 - not ready for a teenager just yet, but that's a whole other topic for another day) wanted to be the invisible man (got the idea from Martha Stewart Halloween Special Issue Magazine - the Vanishing Man page 48). Anthony (6) and Rance (5) were Angry Birds.
My idea was for all the boys to be a different Angry Bird and Frank & I would be the pigs carrying a bucket of eggs. That idea went out the door because my older boys have a mind of their own (can you believe that? - how dare they think on their own and not want to do what their mother wants them to do).
This is Lee as the invisible man.
Jacket, shirt & tie (already had items for church on Sun. mornings): cost $0
Hat (already had hat for family pix - hopefully to be made soon): cost $0 (originally $5, but no actual cost to the costume, b/c it was already purchased for another purpose)
Sunglasses : cost $6 (Dollar General)
Gauze: cost $2 (Dollar General $4 per package, only used 1/2)
Total cost: $8
Black Angry Bird
I purchased a black, knit hat from Wal-Mart ($2), this will also help keep his head warm in cool, Halloween weather w/o obstructing his view or putting something over his face (he would probably hate and not wear anyway after purchasing such mask had I done so). Felt squares 5 for $1 (yellow, tan, black, red, white), had enough to do 2 hats and plenty left over for another project someday. Then I just cut out and hot glued on. Total cost: less than $3. (Note: I put the beak up slightly too high, so when he wears it, the bird is looking up, but since he is a 5 year old little boys, adults and older children can still tell what it is - if I had to redo it, I would put the beak and face lower on the hat.)
I did purchase a black, fleece shirt to wear (to keep warm and match the black hat), cost was $8 from Wal-Mart (he can wear it all year long so that doesn't count toward costume only).
Red Angry Bird
I purchased a red fleece hat from Wal-Mart for $3 (used the felt mentioned in the Black Angry Bird hat - still plenty left over). Total Cost: less than $4
I purchased a red and black fleece shirt from Wal-Mart for $8. He can wear it all winter long.
Total Cost for 3 costumes (not including fleece shirts) was about $15 (if you include the 2 shirts at $8/ea. the total cost for 3 costumes = $31). I realize that I only had 3 dressing up instead of 4, but 3 kids @ $20/costume would still be around $60. I think I came out pretty good.
Here are all 3 of my Trick-or-Treaters.
