There's Still Time to Create Something Bootiful
If
you’re like many of us, you’ve just come to the startling realization that
Halloween is only 48 hours away. No need
to panic-you can still pull off a fun and totally creative costume with items
you probably have around the house, or that can easily be found at any Target,
Wal-Mart, Kmart or even the Dollar Store.
No
time to waste-let’s get started!
Giraffe- So as you may have
noticed, many Facebook cover photos have changed lately. Were you one of the
lucky ones sporting a new profile picture?
Here’s the perfect costume for you!
What you'll need
Materials
for the basic horns
Brown
felt
Brown
hooded sweatsuit
Masking
tape
How to make it
What you'll need
Aluminum
foil
Masking
tape
Headband
Acrylic
paint
How to make it
Horns: Sculpt horns from aluminum foil, then cover them completely with masking tape.Tape the horns to the top or sides of a headband. Cover the tape with acrylic paint
Ears: Cut two elongated tongue shapes from brown felt. Fold the flat edge in quarters, as shown. Use masking tape to secure the ears to the band.
Mane: Follow the instructions for the Unicorn mane listed next, but extend the giraffe's brown felt fringe all the way up to the front of the hood.
Tail: Cut a square of felt into fringe. Glue it to the end of a felt rectangle, then roll it up into a tail. Tape it to the pants waistband.
Horns: Sculpt horns from aluminum foil, then cover them completely with masking tape.Tape the horns to the top or sides of a headband. Cover the tape with acrylic paint
Ears: Cut two elongated tongue shapes from brown felt. Fold the flat edge in quarters, as shown. Use masking tape to secure the ears to the band.
Mane: Follow the instructions for the Unicorn mane listed next, but extend the giraffe's brown felt fringe all the way up to the front of the hood.
Tail: Cut a square of felt into fringe. Glue it to the end of a felt rectangle, then roll it up into a tail. Tape it to the pants waistband.
Apply masking tape to the sweatsuit in a blocky giraffe-fur
pattern.
Unicorn
Feeling a bit whimsical and magical-then this is for you
What
you'll need
Materials for our basic horns
Cardboard
Glue
Glitter
Felt
Hooded sweatshirt
Colored duct tape
How to make it
Horn: See the basic horns instructions. Create one long
horn from foil and cover it with masking tape. Cut a 2-1/2- by 3-1/2-inch
tongue shape out of cardboard. Tape the horn to the rounded end of the shape
and tape the straight end to the headband . Paint the horn and cardboard and
let it dry before adding glue and glitter.
For a forelock, cut two 4-inch squares of felt into a
fringe. Stack them and attach them to the headband and the cardboard with
colored duct tape. Cut two small ear shapes from felt. Make a crease in their
flat ends and attach them to the headband with more duct tape.
Mane: Cut two 4-inch-wide strips of felt long enough to go
from the top of the sweatshirt hood to the bottom of the back. Fringe both
pieces, leaving about 3/4 inch of one edge uncut. Adhere the two mane pieces to
the sweatshirt with colored duct tape .
Tail: Cut a square of felt into fringe. Glue it to the end
of a felt rectangle, then roll it up into a tail. Tape it to the pants
waistband.
Big Bug-The
whole neighborhood will be abuzz with admiration once this iridescent
trick-or-treating beetle is spotted on Halloween night.
What you'll need
Plastic yogurt lid (8-ounce size)
3 black pipe cleaners
Black knit cap
Tacky glue
2 red glitter pom-poms
2 large Styrofoam balls
Silver spray paint
Plastic serrated knife
Black and red craft foam
2 white glitter pom-poms
White chalk or pencil
1 yard of black cotton fabric
1 yard each of lightweight metallic red fabric and
lightweight silver fabric
1 yard of fusible web
Iron
Black sweatshirt and sweatpants
Pins, sewing machine
How to make it
For the head: First, create the beetle's antennae. Make 2
holes an inch apart in the center of the yogurt lid. Fold a pipe cleaner in
half and push the ends up through the holes in the lid. Then, from inside the
knit cap, thread the ends of the pipe cleaner up through the weave at the top
of the hat (the lid should lie snugly against the inner fabric). Lengthen the
antennae by twisting another pipe cleaner around each protruding end, then glue
the red glitter pom-poms to the tips.
For the eyes: Spray paint the Styrofoam balls silver. Once
they are dry, use the plastic knife to trim a half inch from the back of each
ball to create a flat surface. Cut out 2 half-dollar-sized black foam circles
and glue them to the centers of the silver eyes. Affix a white glitter pom-pom
atop each black circle. Now glue the eyes flat side down to the center front of
the cap. Finally, cut out a pincer-style red foam mouth and glue it to the
lower front of the hat.
For the wings: Fold the silver fabric in half lengthwise
and place it on a flat work surface with the fold on the right side. Starting
at the upper right corner, draw a large teardrop-shaped wing with the chalk or
pencil. (Note: Be sure the top quarter of the wing incorporates the fold.) Cut
along the lines through both layers of the fabric. Then use the folded cutout
as a pattern for making a matching pair of wings out of the black cotton
fabric. Spread open the black wings so that the fabric is right side up.
Next, fold the red fabric in half lengthwise and cut out
broad zigzag stripes. Lay the stripes in place atop the black wings and trim
the edges, if needed. Use the trimmed stripes as patterns to cut out matching
pieces from the fusible web. Fuse the web to the stripes with a warm iron
according to the manufacturer's directions. Then remove the web's paper backing
and iron the stripes onto the black wings.
Finally, place the silver wings, right side down, atop the
striped wings and pin together the edges. Sew along all of the edges, except
for the wing tops, removing the pins as you go. Turn the sewn pieces right side
out. Fold in the open edges of the wing tops about an inch, and stitch the
folds together. Securely safety pin or stitch the wing tops to the upper back
of the sweatshirt.
Finishing touches: All your child need do is don the
winged sweatshirt, sweatpants and decorated cap, and he's ready to fly.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLE
Pull on a lime-green sled and — cowabunga! — instant
hero in a half shell. Notice that we chose Michelangelo, the “party dude.’’
WHAT YOU HAVE: Green sweatshirt, jeans, sneakers, foam
toy, clothesline or rope
WHAT TO BUY: Plastic kids’ saucer sled, cut up orange T-shirt Best part-total cost is under $10!
Robot
Make your own
metallic masterpiece of a costume with a few household odds and ends.
What you'll need
Craft knife
Plastic gallon
milk jug with cap
Baseball hat
Duct tape
2 empty 4-ounce
plastic snack cups
1 roll of silver
foil tape
2 large foil
roasting pans
Gray sweatshirt
and pants, and black gloves
Wire cutters
7 feet of
4-inch-diameter metallic dryer duct
WHAT WE USED TO
DECORATE THE ROBOT (feel free to improvise):
Foil muffin and
pie pans
Clip-on safety
strobes (for eyes)
Card stock,
permanent markers, and paper fastener (for the mouth and chest dial)
Reflectors
Plastic snack cups
How to make it
HEAD: With a craft
knife, trim the bottom and the handle off the milk jug. Fit it over the hat and secure it with duct tape. Tape a snack cup to each side of the
cap. Cover everything with the foil tape. Use loops of duct tape to attach eyes
and a mouth (see picture for ideas)
BODY: To make a
shoulder strap, cut 2 (21-inch) lengths of duct tape and stick them together.
Repeat for the other strap, then tape the straps to the insides of the roasting
pans
Add decorations
(such as those listed above), securing them with the foil tape
Have your child
put on the sweatshirt and pants. Using the wire cutters, snip the dryer duct
into 4 lengths that fit comfortably on your child's arms and legs. Secure them
with duct tape as needed. Apply strips of foil tape to your child's pant legs,
gloves, and shoes.
Pirate
Looking for some
swashbuckling fun this Halloween? Let your child pillage the back of your closet
for this creative pirate costume.
What you'll need
old black pants
gold or white
blouse
red scarf
gold costume
jewelry
bandana
eye patch
pirate's hook
black face paint
How to make it
Find a pair of old
black pants and fringe the edges with scissors.
Tuck in a big gold
or white blouse. Tie a red scarf around the pirate's waist and a bandanna
around his head.
Clip on some gold
costume jewelry, then add an eye patch and a pirate's hook (all inexpensive
party store finds).
Dab on black face
paint for a beard and missing-tooth makeup.
If you've got a
stuffed bird in your toy box, use craft wire to attach it to your pirate's
shirtsleeve. Now he's ready to collect his Halloween booty
Dapper
Ducks
These wacky duck costumes will have your whole
neighborhood "quacking" up!
What you'll need
White
baseball hat
Orange
felt (1/2 yard)
Scissors
Glue
stick
Black
felt
2 large
white pom-poms
2 sheets
of orange construction paper
2
self-adhesive Velcro strips
2 large
orange socks
Polyfil
batting
White
cloth tape or duct tape
White
sweatshirt (two sizes too big)
Yellow
felt (1/3 yard)
White
felt (1 yard)
Orange
leggings
White
turtleneck
White
sneakers
Helpful Tip:
To add extra stiffness to the duck feet, back the felt
with orange construction paper.
How
to make it
To make the duck cap: Roughly trace the shape of the baseball hat visor onto orange felt twice, with a 1-inch margin around the front and sides. Cut out the shapes, then glue them to the top and underside of the visor, with the rounded edges slightly overlapping the front of the visor. Cut out four 1/2 inch-diameter black felt circles. Glue two of the circles to the visor for nostrils and the other two to the white pom-poms. Glue the pom-poms to the front of the hat for eyes.
To make the duck feet: Trace around each sneaker onto orange felt leaving a 1-inch margin; then cut out the tracings, making three webbed toes in the front of each foot. Gently fold the feet in half lengthwise and cut an asterisk shape into the back center of each foot, leaving a 3/4 inch-margin around the opening. Apply Velcro strips to the underside of the duck feet and the tops of the orange sock.
To make the duck body and wings: Shape polyfill into a thick cylindrical shape as wide as your "duck's" waist. Tape the stuffing inside the back of the sweatshirt. Cut three tail-feathers from the felt . Fold the top 3 inches of each feather in half and tuck into the sweatpant waistband. To make a wing, fold a rectangle of white felt in half. Trace a simple wing shape onto the felt and cut it out, leaving the folded edge uncut. Adhere the tips of the wing together with double-sided tape or a glue stick. Be sure to leave a large enough sleeve for your child to slip his arm through. Repeat for the second wing.
Assembling the costume: Have your child wear the orange leggings, white turtleneck (tucked in at waist) and duck feet. Next, have him put on shoes (first) with socks over them. Finally, put on the sweatshirt and hat and prepare to do the duck walk!
To make the duck cap: Roughly trace the shape of the baseball hat visor onto orange felt twice, with a 1-inch margin around the front and sides. Cut out the shapes, then glue them to the top and underside of the visor, with the rounded edges slightly overlapping the front of the visor. Cut out four 1/2 inch-diameter black felt circles. Glue two of the circles to the visor for nostrils and the other two to the white pom-poms. Glue the pom-poms to the front of the hat for eyes.
To make the duck feet: Trace around each sneaker onto orange felt leaving a 1-inch margin; then cut out the tracings, making three webbed toes in the front of each foot. Gently fold the feet in half lengthwise and cut an asterisk shape into the back center of each foot, leaving a 3/4 inch-margin around the opening. Apply Velcro strips to the underside of the duck feet and the tops of the orange sock.
To make the duck body and wings: Shape polyfill into a thick cylindrical shape as wide as your "duck's" waist. Tape the stuffing inside the back of the sweatshirt. Cut three tail-feathers from the felt . Fold the top 3 inches of each feather in half and tuck into the sweatpant waistband. To make a wing, fold a rectangle of white felt in half. Trace a simple wing shape onto the felt and cut it out, leaving the folded edge uncut. Adhere the tips of the wing together with double-sided tape or a glue stick. Be sure to leave a large enough sleeve for your child to slip his arm through. Repeat for the second wing.
Assembling the costume: Have your child wear the orange leggings, white turtleneck (tucked in at waist) and duck feet. Next, have him put on shoes (first) with socks over them. Finally, put on the sweatshirt and hat and prepare to do the duck walk!
Ice Cream
Cone
Created with
fiberfill, foam, and fabric, this ice-cream cone costume is truly soft-serve --
and very comfy.
What you'll need
Electric
knife or scissors
Large sheet of 2-inch-thick white foam
Large sheet of 2-inch-thick white foam
2 yards of beige marine vinyl
Brown
marker
Hot
glue
Legs
cut from 2 pairs of women's white opaque stockings
20-ounce
bag of fiberfill
String
l Colored straws
Heavy-duty
adhesive-backed Velcro
How to make it
CONE: With the electric knife or scissors, cut
the foam into a doughnut shape that will fit comfortably around your child's
waist with a few inches to spare all around. Cut the vinyl into 2 matching
shapes as shown
Draw
diagonal crisscrossing lines on them with the brown marker. Hot-glue these
pieces to the ring
Fill 2 stocking legs with the fiberfill and tie the ends
closed with string. Stuff a third one to the knee, tie it, and trim the excess.
With the hot glue, coil the stockings onto the ring. Glue on 2-inch-long
sections of straw for sprinkles.
For the straps, attach corresponding Velcro strips to the ring and ribbons . Trim any excess ribbon.
HAT: Loosely fill the remaining stocking leg with fiberfill, tie it with string, and shape it into a coil. Apply hot glue as needed to assemble the hat's parts and to add sprinkles
For the straps, attach corresponding Velcro strips to the ring and ribbons . Trim any excess ribbon.
HAT: Loosely fill the remaining stocking leg with fiberfill, tie it with string, and shape it into a coil. Apply hot glue as needed to assemble the hat's parts and to add sprinkles
Send us your
pictures and show us your Bootiful and Spooktacular Halloween costumes! From
our house to yours, may your bags be filled with nothing but treats!
Gayle is a Disney Gal that loves churros for breakfast, still gets
giddy with delight at the first sight of the “Disneyland next exit sign”, loves
the overwhelming emotions and memories that come with each and every return to
the Happiest Place on Earth and dreams of one day being the Captain of the
Jungle Boat. To learn more about Gayle, click here
OMG Gayle! I so love the giraffe! These are great ideas :)
ReplyDeleteWhat great ideas Gayle, I love them all!
ReplyDelete