Costumes

One thing I miss now that the kids are out of the house is Halloween. I'm no longer thinking about their costumes when fall rolls around. Once, mid October meant you'd likely find me busy in front of my sewing machine or haunting stores looking for a certain something I could adapt to create the missing piece or right accessory to make their costume perfect.

Creative people can usually come up with some pretty original ideas when we brainstorm. One time I created the perfect Lothlorian leaf pin using a clear plastic lid. It took the metallic model paint perfectly. My little hobbit looked awesome. I also destroyed a beautiful necklace of mine just to fashion the pearls into a tiara for my sister and added little swinging droplets in the arched spaces.

I started sewing costumes when my first born was old enough to go out trick-or-treating. He was the white rabbit to my Alice in Wonderland first. Peter Pan next, with the little cap and booties over his shoes. I was quite proud of his costume. I didn't often use a pattern. I had to when I made him a T-Rex costume though. That head was a lot easier with a plan. I could whip out capes of any variety without too much fuss. You want a hood on that? A Vampire collar? Red silk lining? Sure. A friend once tapped me to make something for her daughter. I didn't mind. Heck, I made an I Dream of Jeannie costume for myself. Half the fun of costumes is creating them. Having a vision and figuring out how you're going to accomplish it.

Yeah, I miss dressing up my boys. The adorable brown bear and cute tiger costume are long gone. I wish I had pictures of them running around, perfect little replicas of Monte Python's Spanish Inquisition sketch. Even when they simply wanted scary masks and rubberized claws, they still wanted my long black capes.

This week my husband showed me a couple of photos a woman shared on Reddit. The costumes she made for her family were incredible. The attention to detail, everything spot-on! It was awesome. She takes it to the nth degree. This year they're going as the cast of the movie, Labyrinth. The year before, Beetlejuice. I bow to this woman's talent and creativity.

Still, taking my own abilities into account, now that I've got a grandson, I'm biding my time. He's only fifteen months old, but I'm already gearing up with ideas. I wonder what I should create for him next year. Hmm, maybe I should collaborate with his dad. He made an awesome Zoidberg costume for himself a year or two back. Ahh, now I'm smiling. The family tradition lives on.

- Tara Mills



Photo courtesy of babble.com