Growing up, I had one “homemade” Halloween costume that I can remember.  Our yearly ritual usually consisted of picking out a prepackaged costume that included a hard plastic mask that left your face all sweaty, and a generic plastic jumpsuit printed with your character on the front.  I had fun picking out my costume each year, but I was really focused on the upcoming candy haul.  Then one fall a neighbor let me borrow an old witches costume she had made when her children were small.   Read the rest of this post...

This week, I’m having fun making Halloween costumes for my boys.  We let them decide what they want to be each year, and if we can find a pre-made costume that looks good for a reasonable price (I love resale shops), we just buy it.  If they request something out of the ordinary, I’ll try making it for them.  I have a bit of an artistic side, so it’s always a fun experiment to see how the costume will turn out.

Over the years I have found that my medium of choice is simple, inexpensive cardboard and hot glue.  Using hot glue on unpainted cardboard is easy, dries fast, and results in an amazingly strong and sturdy costume.  It’s up to you how much to embellish afterward.  I cover my creation with spray paint as it gives an even coat and dries quickly.  Then I look around for unusual items that will add that special, authentic touch.  Remember to do all of your hot glue before you paint; it will not bond painted pieces strongly.

Here are three of our recent cardboard costume creations:

Robot

What You’ll Need:

• Large cardboard box
• Small cardboard box
• Utility knife
• Hot glue gun
• Silver spray paint
  

Optional Accessories:  Read the rest of this post...

• Silver dryer venting
• Black cable organizer
• 2 small, rectangular gift boxes
• Battery-operated mini Christmas lights
• Upholstery nails/thumbtacks
• Antenna
• Mini drain covers