Costumes Galore!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, for the sole reason that it is an excuse to wear a costume.  In the previous years I took the time to hand-make elaborate costumes for my daughter.  Last year she was a cheetah, and the year before that she was Rapunzel, and before that, a flower.  This year she wanted a fairy costume she saw in a store, and I was low on time, so she wore a store bought costume.

My daughter's previous home-made costumes:

A Flower, as per her dictation (but I had no facepaint).

A cheetah (with her painted pumpkin, already rotting in the heat).

This year I wore a costume that I put together at the last minute, out of items I had on hand.  I used a black petticoat, a few long rectangular scarves, a black tunic, a red fancy corset, my riding boots, face paint, make-up, and ribbons.  I also carried one of my more interesting walking sticks.  Here is the result:

It was fun to take my daughter trick or treating in this costume.  Much better than last year.  Last year I bought a white costume gown with a headdress, and wore it with a huge bra and silicone breast inserts (I didn't fill out the costume without that).  I used that for taking my daughter trick or treating, but I went to a Halloween party as Princess Leia.  

Here's a bit of last year's trick or treating look:

The most elaborate Halloween costume I remember was my unicorn costume.  My Mom made it with homemade paste and newspaper, with wire forms; and then painted it.  It was life sized (as in the size of a horse's head), and a bit heavy to wear for a long time, but I loved it (and so did my sister...my Mom had to make two of course).

The only other Halloween thing we did this year was to carve a pumpkin.  I waited to buy a pumpkin until the day before (because the Jack 'O Lanterns mold fast in this hot, humid climate).  I cut the top open and scooped out the seeds and pulp (roasted the seeds).  After it was well cleaned out I let my daughter draw the lines she wanted me to cut, then I cut on her lines with a sharp knife.  Below are two of the photos of this year's pumpkin.  One in the dark with a candle lit inside, and one outside in the sun.  It only took one day for the inside of the pumpkin to grow large amounts of mold.  First white mold, then black mold.  Last night the pumpkin pretty much disintegrated (I know I should have cleaned it up earlier, but I hurt my ankle and the doctor has me on crutches waiting for the x-ray results, so I couldn't lift the pumpkin to get rid of it).

I hope you enjoyed your Halloween, too.

:)