| I have three boys and in general they all like the | | | | Ideas for White Clothing: |
| same costumes, so I've been able to reuse our | | | | • Black, irregular spots of felt and you've got |
| costumes year after year. One year the littlest | | | | yourself a cow OR smaller irregular spots and |
| one didn't want ANY costume! He didn't like having | | | | you've got a Dalmatian puppy. You can add to the |
| to put the costume over his clothes (a common | | | | costume and make a LOOSE fitting brown collar |
| thing in our Northern climates). Well, I was | | | | with your puppy's name on it OR add a Christmas |
| determined. He was agreeable to wearing his red | | | | bell for your cow. |
| hat and sweatshirt, so with some felt I had on | | | | Ideas for Grey Clothing: |
| hand, I made eyes and ears for his hat and he | | | | • How about having a mouse or cat slinking |
| went as Clifford, the Big Red Dog. | | | | around on Halloween? Again, cut ears for a hat |
| This experience got me thinking of other ways | | | | from the felt. Black eye liner makes easy |
| you can create costumes out of what you have | | | | whiskers drawn on the face and if you're REALLY |
| OR by getting basic sweat shirts and sweatpants | | | | creative, go for felt mitts for their hands (simple |
| (or regular shirts and pants depending on your | | | | mitts, no fingers and add paw pads to bottom for |
| climate and clothing) which can be easily reused | | | | realism). |
| after Halloween. | | | | Making M&Ms |
| The cowboy and cowgirl look are common and | | | | • Okay, you know the colors, red, black, |
| easy with jeans/shirt and hat. Oh, don't forget the | | | | brown, yellow, and now a few extra colors like |
| red bandana which can be found very cheaply at | | | | blue. Cutting an "M" out of white felt, you'll need |
| craft stores. | | | | two. There are several ways to proceed from |
| Ideas for Red Clothing: | | | | here. You can either use self-adhesive type |
| • Lady Bug- By simply getting self-adhesive | | | | Velcro dots to attach the "M" as it is to a |
| felt (available in craft stores) you can cut round | | | | M&M colored sweatshirt OR cut the "M" out |
| spots and make your little trick-or-treater into a | | | | of the self-adhesive type felt. |
| lady bug. A bit more creativity will allow you to | | | | Creating Flowers: |
| make a red cape that can be easily held at the | | | | • Purple, pink, yellow and other "flower" |
| corners to make wings. | | | | colored clothing are great for sending your little |
| • Clifford the Big Red Dog-Like I did, just | | | | ones out as flowers OR having them wear green |
| make ears and eyes (I looked at a Clifford book | | | | so that they are the stem of the flower THEN |
| to see how to make his eyes) and quick sew (or | | | | cut flower petals from your felt and attach to a |
| hot glue if you're so inclined) onto red hat and | | | | coordinating hat. If you'd like to add a bit of |
| you've got Clifford the Big Red Dog! | | | | stiffness to your petals, you can buy a yard of |
| • An Apple- Use green fabric and a bit of | | | | sizing that can be ironed onto your felt and |
| craft stuffing to create a stem (stem of an | | | | provides the desired stiffness. |
| apple) and either glue or sew it onto a hat OR | | | | The bottom line is attaching items so that they |
| use ribbon sewn to the stem to make two ties | | | | can be easily removed later on and you can reuse |
| which can be used to tie the stem onto the top | | | | the sweatshirts, sweatpants and hats. It doesn't |
| of the head (remember to use two ties and tie | | | | take much to create inexpensive, cute Halloween |
| with a bow which comes under the chin and can | | | | costumes that will quickly go from costume to |
| be quickly untied for safety). You'll have an apple | | | | everyday wear again (which is a huge plus in this |
| for Halloween. | | | | economy! |