Just days till Halloweeeeeeeen

Our first Halloween in the new house! HOW EXCITING. I’ve heard rumors it’s going to be fun. My children tell me I may even see some .. FREE CANDY! Could it get any better?? Why yes. B/c this year I am going as an accessory to my younger daughter’s costume. That should guarantee me candy. As long as these new neighbors aren’t giving out TOOTHBRUSHES. or pennies. SHeeesh.. So what are you going as this year? PAULA DEEN?? WOW.

paula deenpaula deen

I spent a couple hours yesterday assembling Maddie’s costume. Normally I’d have made her do it, but frankly it beat painting. Let’s all hear it for THE ROBOT.

the robot

If anyone is interested in making one of these at home, you will need:

2 boxes; 1 larger for body, 1 smaller for head
aluminum foil
tape (regular scotch tape works fine, you can also buy fancy aluminum foil tape at Lowe’s)
scissors & cheap knife or box cutter
assorted reflectors, reflective tape, letters/numbers, stick on doodahs
patience and sense of humor (not sold in stores)

This project will take anywhere from 45 minutes to a day to complete, depending on your level of skill & anal retentiveness.  It took me 2-3 hours. Proof I am neither skilled nor severely retentive. To begin, Cut the bottoms off both boxes. Carefully cut a circle out of the top of the larger of the two boxes, large enough so your child can stick his/her head through comfortably. Next, center the smaller box on top of the larger one, open side down (remember, this is the head), and tape down well. I found strapping the tape across and sealing at the bottom helpful. Reinforce around the edges as needed. Next, cut eye holes and arm holes as desired. Then cover both boxes completely with aluminum foil for that shiny metallic effect. Remember to reinforce around all of the holes so that you don’t have any rips or tears on the Big Night. If you have $10 to spare I suggest splurging on the aforementioned metal tape b/c it makes this project a breeze. It is sold at Lowe’s or Home Depot in the paint section w/ the rest of the tape. I also picked up an empty paint can there for Maddie’s goodies – I think another $3 or $4 bucks.  Once the whole thing is shiny, time to decorate. Use your imagination! I didn’t have time for that so I opted for stick on stuff I bought at Lowe’s. The reflective tape, etc. is just a couple bucks, so again no big investment. You will find it in the aisle w/ house numbers and bathroom signs.  Today: finishing Georgia’s (and my) costume/s.  When you’ve got as many moving boxes as we have, these things just come to you.

candy please

17 thoughts on “Just days till Halloweeeeeeeen

  1. Thanks Trace! Coming from the queen of halloween creativity, that’s quite a compliment. See if you can guess what Georgia & I are doing. Hint: it involves boxes (what else?)

  2. I love homemade costumes! When my kids were small it just seemed a waste of money to buy costumes that they would wear one time…
    funny thing…my daughter remembers an “indian” costume I made using a rug…she wants me to post some of the “homemade ones” on my blog! Proof positive…time is always more important than what you spend on something! I can’t wait to see the other costumes you’ve come up with!!!!

    P.S. Curly is just too darn clever!!! did we EVER find out what Ant is/was for Halloween???

  3. WOW YOU ARE THE BEST MOM EVER I TOTALLY WANT ONE!

    Ahem.

    Chris and I are going to a Nashville goth club. I don’t think anything is more “Halloween” than a goth club on Halloween.

    P.S. Ok, so we love this show called “Castle”. And in it, Nathan Fillion (my Jason Bateman) turns to his daughter after she’s decided she’s too old to dress up and says “Who’s going to be my candy beard then??”

  4. You & Chris are WAY GOTH, didn’t you meet at a club – he was trying to take your photo right? and you were having NONE OF IT. If I recall correctly. No that is not me lurking outside in your bushes. That’s CURLY!

    HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHH!! Bouncy that was TOO funny. Boy I love that show. And you know some segment of the population is going “what’s woolworths?” .. or better yet, googling it. Thanks for the laugh!

  5. For some reason all I can come up with is some sort of replica of your new house… but I’m thinking I’m probably wrong. (You could be the fireplace?)

  6. Nooooo with the gothy accusations! Innocent until proven goth, ok?

    (Though you’re right, that IS how we met.)

    I love to dance and that deep and passionate love has taken me many, many places. Chris is going to have to come and stand in his own defense though, to be fair, I think he’s more 80’s alternative than anything. (Which does sort of intersect with gothy folk now that I think about it.)

    ANYWAY, MY POINT IS THAT I AM A RAY OF SUNSHINE. I REST MY CASE.

  7. Haaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!! I’m peeing over here–too funny. 🙂

    I LOVE the robot costume—so clever and original. But I would expect nothing less from you.

    As for Ant..pics to come. He’s been sick and stressing me out! Tonight, I promise!

  8. Hey Chris,
    Mads looks great. Jon and I are having a party and we are going(with Rock) as Inspector Gadget, Penny and dollar…Guess who is going as who?

  9. WHOA! Tracie -What a great idea! But no. Too complicated, way too much work. The costumes involve boxes. Second hint: we are a matched pair.

    LOL – Hayden you ray of sunshine YOU! Go goth girl. Vamp it honey! Hope you & Chris have a blast.

    Thanks Curly babe. I’m still guessing fried chicken w/ a cape..

    Thanks Sue! How Clever! Next year you could be elroy, judi & astro – and if the costume’s still in tact we could tie an apron & maddie could be rosie!

    Panny, I cannot get that song out of my head! 0000001 0000001 ..

  10. Ack! Book-ends? She’s a UPS box and you’re a moving van? Rubic’s cubes who can solve each other? (See how I got myself in trouble when I was a kid? I was always SURE I could do anything I came up with. I had supreme confidence, unlimited imagination and artistic incompetence – what a combo!)

  11. Hah! Tracie– NOT EVEN CLOSE> you are too creative. You have to think base. Low to the ground. We are boxes. A matched pair. And..

    Hayden – I LOOOOOOOVE FoTC. Sugar Lumps – best song ever. VULGAR? Yes. LOL FUNNY – oh my goooodnesss i still cackle every time. off to youtube right now~!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.