Halloween 2014

Um, so Halloween happened. Apparently my blog didn't get that memo. I've been thinking what on earth to blog about and, hey! A major holiday is something to blog about! You'd think I'd take a clue from reading other people's stuff, but I am just that dense these days. Moving on!

I like to wait till about the beginning or middle of September to nail down costumes. Why? Because James might be just as indecisive as his mother and likes to change his mind. So, I give him time to mull it over and give a few ideas myself and then we nail that idea down. And since the other boys don't care (yet...), I decide (aka influence them to thinking that is what they want) what they'll be. This year James decided Peter Pan. And it actually stuck for a while so I was really excited! At first I was thinking Gav would be a pirate and Jack would be Tic-Toc Croc, but I had no clue how to do a crocodile costume. Or didn't want to know... take your pick. Then I got to thinking a bit more outside the Peter Pan vs Pirates box and thought of the other Neverland folk. Hmm... Tiger Lily!! Indians/Native Americans!! Seeing as how we have no girls, it became just one of the Indians from her tribe. Done!

I used this tutorial for James' costume and altered to make it to look more Peter Pan looking. I actually used the idea of that tutorial to also do Gavin's shape of his tunic. So easy. As luck would have it, we had the perfect belt and sword for James on hand. Yeessss.

Making sure his hat fit- he was so excited and couldn't wait for that red feather

 TA-DA!

I went to JoAnn's to get all the fabric and found this suede-ish material on sale. I went to get it cut with everything else and was talking to the cutter about what I was making. She was like, "You could get a better material for the same price." She then took me over to the other similar materials and we found the one I used for Gavin. I loved it- detail without me having to do anything. Heck yeah. When I went back the next week (because of course I forgot some things), I even found one with a Native American print on it. I then got some trim to add a little more than just the brown material. Turned out better than I expected! I wanted more fringe, so I cut up the arms and the back of the tunic. I was going to add more, but I didn't. Ah well. Finishing his headband definitely put the finishing touch and I think he looked so dang cute!

This kid is TOO CUTE! Seriously- that face... The one on the left is him trying on his legit moccasins and the right is him trying on the almost-whole thing

 And now with the feathered band- ensemble complete

 Adorable brothers

Jack was the pirate, who should have had the easiest costume. But of course, his gave me the most trouble sewing. I'm just glad I got through the other two with no problems! It didn't help that I was doing Jack's on the day we had a Halloween party that night. I made his vest and got him a rope belt. Right when I told the cutter how long I wanted it, I knew it wouldn't be as long as I wanted. Too late, it was cut. Oh well. For his boots I found this on Pinterest. I couldn't find faux leather, so I used a chalkboard fabric that was only about $4/yd. Not bad, especially since I only got like 1/4 of a yard. I didn't want to make his boots permanent pirate boots, so I put velcro and elastic in the middle so I could put them on and off. Worked perfect.

We only got a beard on him for the Halloween party. Oh my gosh, his reaction to seeing himself with a beard- hysterical. He was sitting on the bathroom counter while I put it on and he turned to look in the mirror and didn't recognize himself and screamed. Luckily he recovered once he realized he had a beard just like daddy. Oh, it was so funny...

 Oh yeah- and I was Tinkerbell. Wings and a green tee- done

Halloween night!

 Uncle Thomas and Aunt Rach came down for Halloween and brought them glowsticks. When we were all done going out, we turned the lights out and let them go for it. Of course they became lightsabers...

The boys had so much fun dressing up and going out. They keep planning their next few Halloweens. Hard not to do when there are so many ideas! We already know what we are being next year though, and we're really excited. Hopefully it turns out well :)