Home-Made Halloween Costumes for (and with) Kids

Here on the homestead, we've started to put together our Halloween Costumes.

We have one princess, one caveman, and one pirate. The princess has been easy, because we have a dear cousin who has shared some beautiful dress-up dresses with us.

The pirate and the cave-man? They're a different story.

I will be the first to admit that I'm not the most creative or crafty of moms. But I love Halloween, and so do my kids. So this year, I had to pull out the stops and get creative.

Here's how:


First, I had my kids Draw a Picture: They needed to translate their mental image of the costume they wanted into graphic form. I had to be able to see what they wanted.







Then, it was time to Make a List: I asked each of my boys to write out a checklist of items a pirate or a caveman MUST have. As we gathered or made each item, they could check it off the list.





Next, we decided to Gather things On Hand: One son dug an eye patch and pirate coins out of the toy box from a long-forgotten birthday party. The other son turned a brown throw from our living room into a caveman bearskin cape. Outdoors, he found a long stick we could fashion into a caveman spear.

When we didn't have an item, we had to Create it!: I cut craft foam in the shape of a spear tip and attached it to the end of the stick my son found. I cut a circle of felt and wove rawhide through holes at the edge to be my pirate's treasure pouch.

Then we made a pirate sword.



First we traced and cut sword shapes out of cardboard.

Then, we taped two of them together.

We glued tin foil onto the blade and wrapped the handle with red duct tape.

Finally, we put a pirate decal from the scrapbook section of the craft store onto the handle -- and my pirate was ready to rock.

On Halloween night, we'll Let Make-up do its Magic: The final step of any homemade costume is the make-up. Ugly teeth and brown smudges will turn my third grader into an authentic Neanderthal. A well-placed sneer and scar will transform my first grader into a buccaneer. And my little princess will get rosy cheeks and red, red lips. The extra step of fun, minimal make-up completes any costume.

In this process, we have learned to Accept Imperfection. A homemade costume has the potential to be far different than one from the store. But what I love about the process is that it engages my children's imaginations and helps lead them to solve the costume 'problem' on their own.

In the end, if the result is what they imagined then our Halloween has succeeded. Personally, I can't wait to see the faces of our family and friends when they answer the door and hear "Trick or Treat!"

- Midwest Mom

Mother's Day Gift Idea: How to Make Garden Stepping Stones

Home-made stepping stones make the perfect Mother's Day gift. They are easy to personalize, fun to put together, and when done right they will last a good long time.

The first time I made stepping stones was about eight years ago. My mother placed a request with all her children's families. She wanted a stepping stone in her garden from each of her grandchildren for Mother's Day. At the time, my oldest child was still an infant. So my husband and I sat down to plan his stone for him.

My husband's job was to figure out the best concrete mix to use to survive frozen Northeast Winters. My job was to design the stone. I am a stained-glass artist and my workshop was filled with scraps and shards of colored glass. So, I made a mosaic ocean scene with seaweed and cute fish. My mother loved it.

Then, two years ago, we did a similar project for my Mother-in-law, who had recently built a shade garden. She has 10 grandchildren, so we gathered more kid-friendly supplies, had the Dads mix some cement, and spent Mother's Day at Grandma's house making stepping stones for her. She loved them, and the children love walking through her garden and seeing their creations.


For this project, you'll need the following items:

~ Portland Cement
~ Coarse Sand
~ Water

~ Transparent, light plastic planter drip trays (to use as molds.) You can find them at your local garden center in a variety of sizes. I like to use the largest size, 14 inches in diameter.

~ Colored glass beads or gems
~ Seashells
~ Polished rocks
~ Colored glass pieces (for mosaic designs)



Instructions:

1. First, Mix your Cement. (Here are some basic mixing instructions and the proportions of cement to sand to water.) Because the stepping stones should have a smooth appearance, we have avoided using gravel aggregate. Instead, we increase the proportion of sand in the mix to make the stepping stones resist cracking. Some hardware stores sell cement mix with embedded fibers in the mix. This can be a great option for those wanting to purchase a ready-made mix. [Note: Cement can burn skin with prolonged contact. Be sure to wear work gloves and appropriate clothing. This is no time to make a fashion statement.]

2. Next, arrange the circular mold on a level surface situated where you want the stepping stone to dry. The area you choose should be part-shaded and free from any sort of falling leaves or other tree debris. (So, not under the Maple tree!) Pour the cement into the mold, filling it right up to the top.

3. Gather your decorations and arrange them in a pretty design. You can make hand-prints or scratch a child's name into the stone, too. As the cement rests, water will rise to the surface. Gently press the decorations farther into the cement at this point, making sure that outer edges (especially anything sharp) is buried in the stone. If you're using beads, this extra pressure will bury them deeply enough to keep them from popping out as the stone wears.

4. Leave the stone undisturbed to dry for the length of time listed on the cement packaging. If you're planning to ship the stones to Mom, keep them in their tray-molds (like those pictured). If you're going to place them in your own garden, just gently flip the dried stone over and cut away the mold with a utility knife.

These are fun to make and are guaranteed to please the gardener in your family. They don't cost a lot to make, but trust me, Mom will think of you every time she looks at your stepping stone. Because it is a gift that lasts, garden stones will help Mom feel the love of her family every time she steps into the garden.

In my mind, that's a very good thing.

- Midwest Mom

Rainy Day Activity: Homemade Play Dough

Rainy days have an interesting rhythm to them -- slow and quiet and thoughtful. A rainy day is a welcome change from the frenetic pace we usually keep. As the drops drum gently on our windowpanes, we watch the birds hopping around the bird feeder, trying to stay dry. Rainy days, like today, are days for board games and reading books, for puzzles and building blocks. They are days we just feel grateful our home is warm and dry -- our little haven.

I like to set aside a few special activities for days like this. Homemade Play Dough is one we love. We got the recipe a few years ago from our favorite Kindergarten teacher.

I help the children to make it, allowing them to measure the ingredients and carefully stir the pot on the stove. Once the mixture needs to be kneaded, many hands make light work.

Here is what you'll need:

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 tsp Cream of Tartar
2 cups water
2 Tbs oil
3 tsp food coloring -- blue, red, green, or yellow

And here's what you do:

Mix together the first three ingredients in a medium-size saucepan. Add wet ingredients (water, oil, and coloring) and mix together. Stir and stir over low heat on the stove -- don't stop! The mixture should thicken until it becomes like mashed potatoes. When it does, turn off the heat and dump the mixture out on a floured board to knead it.

I knead the first few turns, until the mixture cools a bit and becomes easier to handle. I fold the dough toward myself and press the heel of my hand into it. Then, I turn it a quarter-turn. Again, I fold the top down toward me and press. Then, I let the kids try their hands at it.

When the dough is the right consistency, they can play with it right away or you can store it in an airtight container. As long as it is put away after playing, it stays pliable for a nice long time.

Maybe even until the next rainy day.

- Midwest Mom

Easy Valentine Fun: Tissue Paper Flowers

My children and I sat down today to make some special surprises for our relatives who live far away.

We made tons and tons of tissue paper flowers.

Tomorrow I will box them up and send them off to brighten the Valentines Day of our Grandparents and Godparents, Great Uncles and Aunts and even one Great Grandparent! They were so easy to make and such fun that I thought I would share.

You will need:

Scissors

Tissue Paper in many colors (I save mine from gift bags!)

Pipe cleaners at least 12 inches long

Heart-shaped paper doilies

Instructions:

1. Cut the tissue paper into rectangles about 6 in. wide by 8 inches long.

2. Carefully stack the sheets on top of one another so that the edges line up.

3. Starting from the short side, fold the stack like an accordion or fan.

4. Twist a pipe cleaner around the middle of the flower 1 1/2 times, or until it holds securely.

5. Starting with the top sheet of tissue, gently pull it up and toward the center of the flower, separating it from the rest of the stack. Repeat with the other layers, being careful not to tear the paper.

6. Write your valentine greeting on the center of a paper doily. Cut a slit in the top and bottom of the heart and thread the flower stem through.

I took a picture of my crew with their garden of paper flowers and used it to create homemade Valentine cards to send with the flowers.

I can't wait to hear how our loved ones like them. We are so blessed to have many generations of our family still living. I want them to know that they are a treasured part of our family.

It's wonderful that a holiday like Valentines Day gives us the chance to do just that.

- Midwest Mom

Rainy Day Craft: Caterpillar Friends

I love caterpillars. So do my children. In fact, now they keep them as pets. I'll explain.

Last week, we went to pick pumpkins with NanaJane and Grandpap, and my youngest daughter found a bright yellow beauty laying in the grass. It had eye spots on the top of its head that made it look almost cartoonish. She wanted to hold it, so we had her hold her hand out flat, hoping she wouldn't squish it.

She was fine until the little fella started to walk across her hand. That funny feeling gave her the willies and she turned her hand upside down and vigorously flung the little guy to the ground. (Fortunately for him, she doesn't stand too far from the ground.) He fell into some soft hay and quietly crawled away.

When we got home, we looked our caterpillar friend up on the computer and found out that he will become a Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly.

A few days later, we had a rainy day, and my children started talking about our caterpillar friend. My seven-year-old is crazy about bugs, so he was wishing he'd brought the little guy home. I decided to do this small craft with them so that they would each have a caterpillar friend -- and no creepy crawly feeling!

Supplies:

Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors

Yarn puffs in various sizes and colors

Googly eyes

Elmer's school glue (I use the gel. It's easy to work with and less messy.)

Have your children choose 5-6 puffs and line them up to make their caterpillar. Glue them in a line on the tongue depressor. Choose which end will be the head and glue on the eyes. Allow the project to dry for at least 12 hours.

Once the caterpillars are dry, the popsicle stick will help your children to play with it without ruining it. They are simple, fun little friends, and it is so cute to see how they will bring their new "little buddy" around with them to play.

- Midwest Mom