Halloween Costumes - Pet Versions

OK.  Some families are so in love with Halloween that no family member is left out.  These families must also have a whole lot of energy.  Getting the kids out the door in full costume was usually all I could manage. Check out how some other family members get in the spirit of Halloween.

Dinosaur Costume for Hamster $7

These costumes are made to order so get your order in now for Halloween delivery.  No hamster in the house?  Here's how to get your dog ready for trick or treating.

Cowboy Dog Rider Costume via buycostumes.com $19

The dog might even keep it on during the evening. The hamster costume warns you shouldn't keep it on the pet for extended periods of time.  When I searched on Etsy for "Halloween Costume Pet" there are way over 1000 options.  People love to dress their fur babies.

Halloween Cat Dress via paulinesfasions on Etsy

I love how this kitty looks.  Not very happy.  I remember dressing the barn kitties in doll clothes when I was younger.  My parental units discouraged this.  They would remind us that the kitties didn't like to wear clothes. My faves are when you dress the family pet as another kind of animal.

Giraffe Dog via Spoiled Bratzwear on Etsy

One of the BLGirls had a Great Dane that could have been a giraffe. 

Bunny Dog via LupitasChicBotique on Etsy

Maybe the owner really wanted a bunny?  And on the front page of Etsy, the Lion Dog

Lion Dog Costume via KOCouture on Etsy

Do you dress the family pet?

It Takes Attitude!

The "Hobo" costume or variations on that theme are some of my favorite costumes.  I love them for how easy they are. 

via Coolest Homemade Costumes

Old clothes, a "beard" made of either coffee grounds, eyebrow pencil or this looks like pudding. When the BL Kiddlets were in elementary school in SoCal every school had the tradition of the "Halloween Parade".  Kids came to school in their Halloween costume and as part of a class party would parade in and out of each classroom with parents watching from the sidelines. Everyone got to see all the other kids.  Arkansas schools I've been involved with don't celebrate Halloween.  Some in the community feel Halloween is devilish and not just good clean fun.

Not a Hobo, but close. found via Pintrest & IMGFAVE

 We loved the Halloween Parades. The only problem was that there was always a few children that didn't have costumes.  Parents were unable or unwilling to get their child costumed.  As a side note, my youngest two attended a Magnet school, Lyle S. Briggs Fundamental School,which had the highest test scores in San Bernadino County.  Visitors would come to see what they did how they could reproduce it. I always thought that their success had much more to do with the Halloween Parade.  Every single child had a great costume that clearly parents had spent time and often money to make sure their kid didn't miss out.  It was the parent participation that made the grades so high.   Back to the sad uncostumed kids.  At one school, the reading specialist came prepared with plenty of Hobo costumes and coffee grounds for all children without a costume.  She was also dressed as a Hobo and she made the hobo kids part of an extremely fun "Hobo Band".  They had special jobs all done as a group with the teacher.  She made it so much fun that other kids wished they were part of the group. They won one of the costume prizes.  What a treasure of a teacher.  Goes to show it's the attitude that makes all the difference

Put a Tutu On It!

No discussion of costumes would be complete without talking tutus. I loved seeing my brothers girls last summer flouncing around in a tutu and tennis shoes. It's the ultimate girly bit of dressing.   Pick any type of costume, add a tutu and you've got a fancy costume for a girl.

Clown Costume on Pintrest - links broken

I love this little clown costume.  A very pretty clown.  Below is a ghost costume made sweet with a tutu.  You get the onsie and the tutu.

Ghost Tutu Costume by AddieKatShop on Etsy $54.50

This Pin on Pintrest had broken links but the caption suggested that you could add a tutu to any "boy" or superhero costume and Voila! You've got a girly costume.  I love the idea of reusing and passing on costumes. 

Black Adult Tutu by StuidoMerla on Etsy $395.00

A tutu shouldn't be just for little girls.  The one above is for an adult.  A bit spendy, it's marketed for weddings or prom.  I would love to be a witch with this as I pass out candy.  Only worry is that I would end up looking like the fat fairy godmother in Disney's Cinderella.

 A friend's daughter was a dance student and used her recital costume each year for her Halloween costume.  A pretty costume should be reused.

I've Been Featured!

Check out My 365 Magazine.  I've been featured! Issue 8 is all about Etsy and I'm one of the Etsy Sellers Featured.

 Thanks so much to Nadia and Kiki for thinking of me.  I feel like a rock star.  Check out the other Etsy sellers featured.  Great Stuff.  :)

Halloween Round Up DIY Ideas - Paper Bag Costumes

I found this fun and obviously paper fox costume on Pintrest, via Handmade Charlotte.  It's similar to the French "sack" costumes I linked to in my last post. It looks like a big paper sack.  Could DIY with butcher paper or brown wrapping paper on a roll.

http://xo-inmyroom.com/

The Pintrest link lead me to a fun blog, XO - In My Room where Carina blogs about kids design. She had the above costume (her nephew is in it) and did the research on where it came from. 
 Like most things on Pintrest there was a long complicated route to where this came from. 

According to the blog The Stopping Off Place, it's a Playsack, made in 1969 in England. Designed by Fredun Shapus for Trendon.  It looks like they came in packs of three.

Sunset published a book "Things to Make For Children (revised edition) 1973, 1975 had DIY versions made of wrapping paper.  AbeBooks.com had several copies available starting at $1.00 if you felt you needed detailed directions. 

Friends at Dinner

Look who was seen watching over dinner.  Every girl needs a few of her best friends at meal time.  Looks like  fluffy, bug in a ball and a moose. 

I adore seeing my animals in their natural habitat.  Huge thanks to Elizabeth for sharing.  (And for having such a cutie patoie.)

Money No Object Monday - Fantsy Bedroom

In the handmade, over-the-top bed category I submit the H2 Hummer fantasy bed.

Bed by KidsCreationsBeds on Etsy

It looks life sized and so detailed.  They don't have anything on their shop information except that they are out of Edenburg, IN, but everything looks to be made rather well from wood.  It would take a big bedroom to accommodate this.

Here's a view from the back.  It's high up but I don't see that as a problem for any little boy.  It comes with a 7 in. TV/DVD entertainment center and a cup holder. There is even a version that's "girly".

Pink Zebra H2 Hummer Fantasy Twin Bed

They say they can make these in any color or design. So how much?  Boy version is $2695.00 plus $550.00 shipping. The Pink Zebra on is a bit more, $2895.00, but only $500 shipping.  They take layaway.  I wonder if these would make heirlooms? The are certainly well enough made but their size makes them a bit difficult to store away in the attic when Jr. outgrows it and wants a grown-up room.  Would a future child think a retro huge car bed was wonderful or just too strange?