Halloween Costumes

Is it too early to start thinking about Halloween costumes?

I guess, as far as retail goes, it might be too late, especially since most stores already have their Christmas decorations out.

The past few years, I've made Grace's Halloween costume.  When talking homemade, it's never too early to start thinking about Halloween costumes.

Last year, Grace wanted to be a pig. 

Believe it or not, I took a monkey costume and transformed it into a pig costume (including a curly piggy tail).

The year before, Grace was a sheep.

Bah, bah black sheep have you any candy?

My favorite costume, though, the one that convinced me to continue to make homemade Halloween costumes, was the Martha Stewart inspired chicken costume.

 A costume I am almost tempted to make in adult size.

This year...well, this year we've only just begun thinking about what she wants to be.  At the moment it is ranging from Alice (of Alice in Wonderland) to Robin (as in Batman and Robin). Thank goodness for pinterest. 

Regardless of what she decides, I have a feeling I will need to channel my inner Tim Gunn and (hopefully) make it work, whatever she decides.

Have you started thinking about costumes, yet?  

Reformed Halloween Grinch

I may have the tendency to lean towards being a Halloween Grinch. Of course, when you have a child of your own, for their sake, the excitement about Halloween becomes necessary.

Last year, in an attempt to get in the spirit of Halloween, I decided to make a costume for Grace. Thanks to Martha Stewart and her spring chicken costume, my Halloween Grinchy heart grew 3 sizes last year.

When I saw that the body of this adorable chicken costume was made out of white feather boas, I was won over completely. Martha used 2 onesies, stuffing the inside one with some fluff and the pinning down the boas to the outside one to make her chicken plump. I only used 1 onesies, she seemed plump enough.

Martha used yellow rubber gloves for the feet of her spring chicken, so clever...BUT I didn't want Grace to stumble over them SO I made her feet out of orange fleece. I traced the shape I wanted over a pair of white sneakers, to get the size right. Then used the tracing as a pattern, also adding ankle straps. I sewed each chicken foot and attached Velcro to the straps to adjust and secure them.

Martha used a pilot's cap for the top of the chicken. I couldn't find one and didn't want to go to the trouble of making one SO I decided to make mine in headband form. Being able to put Grace's hair in pig tails was still a novelty so I liked the idea of being able to show those off as well.

Nearly everyone we passed stopped and admired her costume. I strutted behind her like a proud mama chicken.

With the bar now set high, I am struggling for inspiration for this year's costume. Grace's vote an owl, sheep or a puppy dog. Now, to figure out how to make any of those!

P.S. Riley also wore a costume. There aren't many costumes geared towards the portly dog, so {even though she is a girl doggie} she went trick or treating in formal attire.