Gingerbread Boy Costume
Trace your child's silhouette on newsprint paper and use it to make a template for the costume. This is created using felt with velcro to secure the front and back together. Use dimensional fabric paints for the accents.

Parrot Halloween Costume

Materials Needed:

Red Hooded Sweatshirt
2 Plastic Eyes
Small Piece of White or Off-White Felt
1/4 Yard Blue Felt
1/4 Yard Green Felt
Small Piece of Yellow Felt
Popsicle Stick
Black Permanent Marker
Small Piece of Black Felt
Elastic
Black Sweat Pants
Sewing Machine or Needle and Thread

Instructions:

Cut out two beak shapes and sew them together (refer to the picture). Sew or glue a piece of the popsicle stick under the beak so it stands out straight. Sew the beak to the front of the hood of the costume.

Cut 2 ovals out of the white of off-white felt and glue the plastic eyes to them. Now glue the eyes with the ovals onto the upper-sides of the sweatshirt hood.

Cut feather shapes out of the green and blue felt. You will need a few shorter one (about 6-inches long, for the head, several for the wings about 12-inches long, and a few more for the tail feather about 18-inches long. These measurements will vary depending on the size of the person you are making them for!

Sew the head feathers to the "point" of the hood of the sweatshirt. Sew the wing feathers so they line up down each arm, and then sew the tail feathers to the bottom-back of the sweat jacket.

Cut out feet shapes from the black felt and sew on strips of elastic so they can slide over the wearer's shoes.

This is a wonderful costume for a family of pirates, with a newborn/ toddler to play their loving Parrot!

Angel Costume

I used polar fleece so that she'd be warm and gold ribbon for the trim. I bought the sheer material with gold stars on it for a more fancy look. I made the wings from a clothes hanger, old nylons, and store bought white craft feathers.

Sunflower

WHAT YOU NEED
• 9- by 12-inch sheets of craft foam (3 yellow, 4 green, and 1 orange)
• Scissors
• Low-temperature hot glue gun
• Cloth tape
• Velcro fasteners
• Pen
• Sewing elastic
• Red and black face paints

Time needed: 3-4 hours

Step 1: For the flower petal headband, cut out 12 yellow craft foam petals that measure approximately 7 inches high and 3 inches wide, tapering to 1 1/4 inches at the base. Snip a 1/2-inch slit in the bottom center of each one. Glue together 1 1/2-inch-wide strips of orange craft foam, overlapping the ends a half inch to create a 23-inch-long headband. Starting 1 1/4 inches in from one end of the headband, cut 12 1 1/4-inch slits spaced a half inch apart.

Step 2: Push the base of each petal through a slit, then bend each petal's tabs in opposite directions and secure them to the headband with cloth tape. Glue a Velcro fastener to the ends of the headband. To help hold the headband on your child's head, have her try it on and use a pen to mark a point above each ear. Make holes at the marks. Thread through the ends of a long piece of sewing elastic, adjust the length to fit around the back of your child's head, and knot the ends so they won't slip back through.

Step 3: To make the leafy bib, cut out 10 green craft foam leaves that measure about 3 inches wide and 5 inches long. Hot-glue them by their tips, as shown, to a 1/2- by 18-inch strip of green craft foam. Glue a Velcro fastener to the ends. Use the same method to make leafy wrist and ankle cuffs.

Step 4: Paint a ladybug on your little flower's cheek for good luck.

WHAT YOU NEED
• Face paints
• Sponge
• Floral wire
• Pipe cleaners
• Green tissue paper
• White glue
• Green ribbon

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

Step 1: Begin by brushing your child's hair back from her face and arranging it in a ponytail or bun on top of her head.

Step 2: Next, use a damp sponge to cover her eyebrows with white face paint.

Step 3: Once that dries, use a makeup brush and yellow face paint to create triangular eyes, a nose, and a toothy jack-o'-lantern smile over her lips.

Step 4: Now sponge orange face paint onto her entire face, surrounding the yellow features.

Step 5: After the orange paint dries, use a makeup brush to outline her yellow eyes, nose and mouth with green face paint.

Step 6: Top off your child's disguise with handmade pumpkin leaves and vines. For each leaf, twist short pieces of floral wire around the top of a pipe cleaner.

Step 7: Next, cut two large matching leaf shapes from green tissue paper. Lightly paint the surface of one leaf with a white glue solution (3 parts glue, 1 part water), lay the floral-wire frame on the glued surface and then cover with the matching leaf. Wind the stems of the finished leaves around your child's ponytail.

Step 8: For pumpkin vines, just tie on lengths of curled green gift ribbon.

WHAT YOU NEED
• 2 pairs of black toddler socks
• Fiberfill batting
• Black feathers
• Needle and thread or fabric glue
• Yellow construction paper
• Googly eyes
• Yellow pipe cleaners
• 1 sheet each of beige, yellow, and brown craft foam
• Canvas or straw hat
• Large calico fabric patches
• Denim overalls
• Safety pins
• Yellow turtleneck
• Striped socks
• Plaid shirt
• Work gloves
• Work boots
• Self-adhesive Velcro squares

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

Step 1: To make the crows: Start with one black sock for each bird. The toe will become the head, the heel will be its belly, and the cuff will be its tail. Stuff each sock with batting, then poke the quill of a black feather into the cuff. Fold the cuff around the feather and either stitch or glue the cuff closed.

Step 2: To make the beak: old a yellow paper scrap in half and cut out a triangle along the fold line (when you open the beak it should be a diamond shape). Glue the fold of the beak and a pair of googly eyes to the toe of the sock. Thread half a yellow pipe cleaner through the heel of the sock, then shape each protruding end into a foot. Glue wing feathers to the sides of each bird.

Step 3: To make the straw: Cut three 4-inch-wide strips out of the beige craft foam: two that are long enough to fit around your child's wrists, and one that will fit comfortably around his neck. Next, cut a wavy edge along the top of all the foam strips to give the straw an uneven appearance. Then fringe the top of each, leaving the bottom inch intact, as shown. Make straw for stuffing and decorating the scarecrow by cutting thin strips of all the craft foam colors.

Step 4: To alter the clothes: Glue wisps of straw onto the hat. Arrange the calico fabric patches on the knees and front pocket of the overalls and safety-pin them in place.

Step 5: To assemble the costume: Have your child put on the turtleneck, striped socks, and flannel shirt. Next, slip on the gloves, patched overalls, and work boots and roll up the overall cuffs. Wrap the straw bands around his wrists, ankles and neck and attach them with the self-adhesive Velcro squares. Stuff the extra straw into the pockets of his overalls and shirt. Finally, pin each bird by its belly to the hat, overall pocket, shoulder and glove.

Going door-to-door can be a taxing enterprise, so why not let your teenager combine work and relaxation with this spa costume?

WHAT YOU NEED
• terry bathrobe
• hand towel
• safety pin
• eye mask
• green face paint
• fake nails and eyelashes
• gift bag
• comb
• handheld mirror
• pair of slippers

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

Step 1: First, have her put on a plush terry bathrobe and wrap up her 'do in a hand towel secured with a safety pin and covered with an eye mask.

Step 2: Press on some fake nails and eyelashes for the full treatment look.

Step 3: Apply green face paint, leaving an inch around the eyes and mouth for a mask effect.

Step 4: Have her grab a gift bag, comb, and handheld mirror, put on a pair of slippers, and take a deep, relaxing breath before heading out on the town.

WHAT YOU NEED
• Large topless cardboard box
• Utility knife
• Sheet of cardboard
• Acrylic paints
• Paintbrushes
• White leggings
• Craft glue
• Small cardboard box
• 2 pink egg carton cups
• 2 white egg carton cups
• Black marker
• Wire coat hanger
• Tape
• Denim shorts
• Button-down shirt
• Pair of jeans
• Western-style belt
• Newspaper
• Clip suspenders

Time needed: Afternoon or Evening

Step 1: From the cardboard sheet, cut out the cowboy boots and the bull's ears, horns, two back legs and a tail. Paint the ears brown with pink centers, then paint the back legs and tail brown and white; also paint brown spots on the white leggings, and make the boots and horns yellow.

Step 2: To make the bull's body, take the large box, turn it upside down, and cut a child-size hole in the bottom. Using brown and white paint, paint the box. Glue the bull's tail and back legs onto the body.

Step 3: To make the head, take the smaller box, and cut two nostril holes in it. Insert pink egg carton cups and glue in place. Cut two eye sockets in the box and glue white egg carton cups in place. Draw black irises in the centers of the cups. Paint the entire head white and brown. Cut two slits on both sides of the head, and glue the horns into the top slits and the ears into the bottom ones.

Step 4: To attach the head to the body, create a neck by twisting a wire coat hanger into a spring. Cut a hole in the back of the smaller box, poke one end of the hanger through and tape in place. Make a hole in the front of the large box near the top, poke the other end of the hanger through, and tape it in place.

Step 5: To put it all together: Have your child wear the cow-print leggings, denim shorts and button-down shirt. Run a belt through the front loops of the jeans and the back of your child's denim shorts and fasten. Have your child step into the bull's body, lay the suspenders over his shoulders, then clip them to the front and back opening of the box. Lightly stuff the pair of jeans with newspaper and insert the painted cowboy boots into the jean legs (taping them in place, if necessary). Accessorize with a rope, bandanna, cowboy hat, and gloves.

Variations: 

For a quicker face, simply paint on the eyes and nose. 

WHAT YOU NEED
• Plastic gallon jug
• Green acrylic paint
• Silver pipe cleaners
• Nail
• Masking tape
• 2 5/8-inch bolt/washer/nut combinations
• 1 yard of black plush
• Double-sided mounting tape
• Black elastic cord
• Old blue jeans
• Old sneakers
• Black T-shirt
• Green socks
• Old blazer
• Green plastic gloves
• Cotton batting
• Green face paint

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

Step 1: To make the headpiece: Begin by cutting the spout and handle off the plastic jug. Paint the front and sides green. Once dry, add silver pipe cleaner stitches to his forehead. To do this, use a nail to poke holes in the jug, then thread silver pipe cleaners through the holes to resemble stitches. Fold the pipe cleaner ends flat against the inside and cover them with masking tape so they won't scratch your child's head.

Step 2: Next, add the bolts to the monster's temples. Cut large holes in the plastic with the point of a pair of scissors (adults only). Thread each bolt from inside the jug to the outside, then slide on the washer and screw on the nut.

Step 3: Cut the hairpiece out of plush fake fur in the shape shown. Attach to the front, sides, and back of the jug head with double-sided mounting tape. Poke two small holes in the bottom of the headpiece and thread the elastic cord through for a chin strap.

Step 4: To decorate the clothes: Cut the cuffs off the old jeans, then fringe the pant legs. To doctor the sneakers, unlace them and cut off the tongues and the toes, leaving the soles and sides intact. Relace the sneakers.

Step 5: To assemble the costume: Have your child put on the T-shirt, jeans, blazer, jug headpiece and rubber gloves. Next, stuff the toes of the green socks with cotton batting and put on the socks. Put on the sneakers, apply face paint, and your child will be ready to fill the big guy's shoes. 

WHAT YOU NEED
• black outfit (leotard, skirt, and shoes)
• purple fleece
• 12- by 40-inch piece of fake fur
• scissors
• hot glue gun
• shiny black poster board
• fake gems and costume jewelry
• maraca
• dark lipstick and face paint
• press-on nails

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

Step 1: Start by creating the cape. Cut a basic cape shape out of a large piece of felt or fleece. The size of the cape will depend upon the size of your child. For symmetry, cut the cape from fabric folded in half and trim to shape (we cut our Mean Queen cape from a 32- by 48-inch piece of fleece).

Step 2: Next, jazz up the cape with fake fur. To do this, cut out three 2 1/2-inch-wide strips of the fur. Use hot glue (parents only) to attach the strips to the cape, 1 strip across the top and 2 strips lined on the outside edges.

Step 3: Have your child put on a black outfit, such as a black leotard, skirt, and shoes.

Step 4: For a wicked crown, cut the black poster board into a crown and glue on plastic gems.

Step 5: Gather costume jewelry (we made a choker out of ribbon with a paper-clipped plastic gem).

Step 6: Finish the costume with some pointy press-on nails, spooky makeup, and a store-bought maraca covered with gems.

Variations: 

If I had a cape, I could also be a ... Batman, Little Red Riding Hood, or Dracula. 

WHAT YOU NEED
• 1- by 2-foot piece of pink polar fleece
• 3 pipe cleaners
• Double-sided tape
• Two 9- by 12-inch dark pink felt rectangles
• Baseball cap
• Overalls
• Pair of pink socks
• Black permanent marker or fabric marker
• Pink shirt
• Pink face paint
• Rubber pig nose (sold at many party stores)

Time needed: Under 1 Hour

Step 1: Cut out and attach a pair of pink fleece pig ears to the top of the baseball cap with double-sided tape. Accent the pig ears by taping darker pink felt triangles to the fronts. Add a curly pig tail to the seat of your piglet's overalls. Shape the pig tail into a squiggle before attaching it.

Step 2: Transform the pink socks into cleft pig hooves your child wears on her hands by drawing a triangular hoof line on each one with a black permanent marker or fabric marker. Color your child's cheeks with face paint and have her put on her pig nose.

Step 3: Supply your three little pigs with their building materials. Tie one length of yarn or twine around a bundle of sticks and another around a handful of straw or raffia. For bricks, tie together a few small rectangular tea boxes covered with red duct tape.

Source:  www.disney.go.com

Do it in tights & leotards or Sweats

Skunk
Black with white strip down the pack.. be careful everyone may run

Bunny
Pink, brown, or white, add a powder puff or large pom-pom to the backside, and a set of ears make from constriction paper and a plastic headband. Now just hop on out and enjoy

Turtle
Green with a piece of poster board attached to the back. Simple cut the poster board into a large oval, make random marks like a turtle shell, and paint.

Puppy
Brown, tan or white, either paint, or pin paper spots on. Make floppy ears and bobby pin to hair over your ears. The tale can be most anything, depending on what type of doggie you wish to be. Add a little make-up.

Kitten
Gold, brown, tan, white. Make ears from construction paper, attach to head band or bobby pin in to hair. Sew a simple round tale, and pin on.

Spider
Black, For the legs grab some cheap black hose, stuff with any thing dark and light weight. Either sew, or staple to keep stuffing from falling out. Pin to clothing, add a little make-up

Lady Bug
Use a pair of black sweats and black sweat shirt (and a pair of black shoes). Use a large piece of poster board or cardboard and cut out a large oval. Paint it red with black dots. Staple black elastic pieces (in a loop) onto the board to make arm holes. For the antenna atatch craft pipe cleaners with black pom poms on the ends to a headband. From: Shaundi Gopp

Snowman
Last year my 3 year old was a snowman. It was the easiest costume so far! I bought white sweats, christmas socks, white keds tennis shoes, a cheap black hat, fake snow, mittens, scarf and black pom poms for the coal!
I sprayed the hat to look like snow and added a cheap red bird from the craft store. I bought a white mask and bought a cheap carrot from the craft store and glued it onto the nose part of the mask. I glued the pompoms on his sweatshirt and that was it. Cheap, simple and he was adorable. Besides he was the only frosty we saw! He also had to have white face makeup on!! From: Andee Heneghan

Cereal Killer
Attach little cereal boxes to a shirt, cut a slit in the boxes, glue in plastic knives into the holes, drip red paint running down from the knife hole in the box. From:Gail McNitt

A Bunch of Grapes
Using green or pruple sweets, attach balloons of the same color with safety pins. Ppaint face and hands same color. From: Barbara Brown

Grapes appear to be popular! Here is one from Jo:
My fav was purple tights, purple (long sleeves) body suit (I can't think of what it's really called), 12 purple balloons and a green felt hat. Balloons are pinned (by the tied off end to the fabric in a triangle shape, 3 on top, 2 in middle and 1 at bottom (on front and back). I was a bunch of grapes and the hit of the party!

Bag of Jelly Beans
- lots of different colored balloons
- large clear plastic bag (I got mine from the grocery store - the BIG bags that they put all the recycled cans in)
- colorful ribbon
- two safety pins
- two pieces of white cardboard

Blow up all the balloons. Cut two leg holes in the bottom of the bag and two arm holes near the middle. Have your child stand in the bag and fill with blown up balloons. Write on each piece of cardboard "JELLY BEANS 2 CENTS EACH". Safety pins signs to front and back of bag. LOOSELY tie around shoulders with a colorful ribbon. Cut off excess bag around face From: Dee
OR
If your prefer to be a little high class Jelly Bean... Natalie suggested...put an enlagred Jelly Belly sign on the front of the bag.

Black Eye Pea
When I was younger, a teacher from my elementary school dressed up as a "black eyed pea" and it was so cute, my mother dressed me up the same way the next year. It is simple and cheap. Wearing all white, with black tennis shoes, I cut out the letter 'P' from black construction paper and pinned the P's all over the white outfit. I painted a black spot over one eye ("black eye" ... get it? :) hee hee) and I was a "black-eyed 'P' " From: Angela

Black Bat
Using a black umbrella and tights, Rip the umbrella in half. Discard the center and innards of the umbrella. If you are fancy you can sew the edges of the umbrella to the back of the body. If you don't have the time or patients to sew the umbrella you can always safety pin it. From: Sydhen

Butterfly
Put on black sweats and black shoes. Use a piece of poster board and paint wanted color cut them out in an appropriate wing shape. punch two holes toward the edges of the wings. put black ribbon through them and tie around waist. attach pipe cleaners and pompoms to a plastic head band. From: Bekjg

Blooming Idiot!
Get a green body suit and some green tights and on your head wear a beanie hat. Glue fake flowers to the beanie hat and maybe pin a few on your body suit. Also it's fun if you paint some flowers on your face and arms. I found some cheap, fake Ivy and wrapped it around my neck and arms and presto! Your a
blooming idiot! From: Kym Tucker

Spider to Bat
You need an oversized black sweatshirt, black sweat pants, black open faced ski mask, two HUGE googly eyes, black yarn or fishing line, pipe insulation (for legs!), three pairs of gloves (very small) and black opaque tights.
Attached the ski mask to the neck of the sweatshirt. Hot glue googly eyes over the opening in the ski mask, The foam pipe insulation is placed into tights. So that the "leg" could bend, I cut the length of pipe insulation in half. Attach all legs together for coordinated movement with black yarn or (fishing line), Attach toddlers gloves on the ends of the "legs" and have your child wear one pair. For safety, I bought some reflective tape and created a "design" on the back and front so that he could be seen. Obviously, wear black sweat pants and dark shoes. Two years later, we took the legs off, added a huge set of black felt wings hot glued from wrist to neckline to wrist and used craft foam to make big black bat ears!! From: Amy

Darcy Prairiedog (Little Dogs on the Prairie)
Items needed: Light and dark pink felt , an old hooded pink sweatcoat, pink gloves, pink slacks, pink slippers.
Cut out light pink felt into what looks like prairiedog ears. Place the dark pink felt inside in in the same shape except smaller. Glue onto the sides of the hood on the sweatcoat. With the remaining felt,cut out a piece of "headfur". From the light pink felt. Put on and paint your face pink with a black nose. From: Patricia

Ragdoll
One year for my girls I had them dress up as ragdolls and I didnt have to spend a penny!
I took an old sleeper and cut out the feet then I sewed patches in various places over the sleeper. I also sewed wide cuffs at wrist and ankles. (because the sleepers were to small). It looked so cute. For the head I used an old stocking cap and sewed strips of fabric from old clothes to the stocking cap. Then gave them red cheeks and freckles. It was a great costume and completely free. From: Evelyn

Basket of laundry...clean or dirty.
Wear sweat pants and sweatshirt if it is cold. Tights and a turtleneck if you will be in a warm building. Take an inexpensive (thin) plastic laundry basket and cut a hole in the bottom that you can fit through. Make it small enough so that is "sits" on your hips after you pull it over your head. Fill basket with laundry and pin a few dryer softener sheets to your sweatshirt.From: Dede

Bubble Bath
Take a white laundry basket and cut out the bottom, be sure to tape the cut edges with masking tape. Attach two wide strips of material (white) to front and back of basket (these are the shoulder straps). Attach white, light peach, and pearl balloons to the staps using safety pins (these are bubbles) Wear a white bodysuit, and white pantyhose. Put on your houseshoes, shower cap, and grab your scrub brush. (If the laundry basket has holes in it, cover the inside with posterboard) From: Bridgette

Source: http://www.robinsfyi.com/holidays/halloween/costumes.htm

Use patterns to guide your pumpkin carving and your jack-o'-lanterns will be the envy of the neighborhood. 

Steps:
1.  Cut out a lid in the top of the pumpkin large enough to fit your hand and a spoon inside.

2.  Add a small notch in the back of the lid. The notch will remind you how the lid is positioned, allow smoke and heat to escape, and ensure that the candle receives enough air to remain lit.

3.  Scoop out the pulp and seeds. Retain the seeds for roasting.

4. Scrape the inside of the pumpkin in the area where you'll be using the pattern, until that area is about 1 inch thick.

5. Trim and make small incisions in your pattern so that it lies flat on the face of the pumpkin. Tape the edges of the pattern to the pumpkin.

6. Transfer the pattern by poking small holes along the pattern lines with a drill tool or needle.

7. Remove the pattern.

8. Saw carefully along the dotted lines. Gently push the pieces through with your fingers.

9. Create a glow effect by scraping designs into the shell of your pumpkin with a melon baller, wood gouge or linoleum cutter.

10. Anchor a candle in the bottom of the pumpkin and light the candle. You're now ready to display your best jack-o'-lantern ever.

Tips:

• When you're cutting out the lid, angle the saw blade toward the center of the pumpkin. This will create a ledge for the lid to sit on so that it doesn't fall into the pumpkin.
• Keep your transfer dots close together. If the dots are hard to see, rub flour over them to make them more visible.
• If your jack-o'-lantern starts to shrivel, soak it in water for several hours to freshen it.

Warnings:
It's much safer to use a pumpkin-carving tool than a knife - consider picking up a pumpkin-carving set to get the job done right.

Patterns:

• Owlhead
• Bat
• Bob
• Cat
• Classic
• Dog
• Fearface
• Spider
• Sun
• Triangle