End of an Era - Halloween

Ya know Kathy...my DD10 is just dying to dress up as Harley Quinn from
Batman, and I can't for the life of me get enthused to make it for her...if
you just HAVE to make a costume, this might be a good one, LOL!!! I do hear
you on the end of the era...my DS went out last year at 14 dressed in all
black, he went as a burglar, but he has decided that this year he'll help me
with candy duty...at least I have a few years left with DD...it all goes by
too quickly!~ Wish I could have seen that squirrel costume...
Arleen


"Kathy N-V" wrote in message
. giganews.com...
Manda was ten months old on her first Halloween, and wore the only
costume I ever bought for her. She was a little brontosaurus that
year. It was pouring rain that night, and we went to maybe a dozen
homes. Granny cuddled the little dino while her parents devoured the
candy.

In subsequent years, she was a bat, a lion, an iMac, the Tooth Fairy,
a penguin, a clownfish, and a squirrel with an enormous fluffy tail.
(among many other odd things. Manda never wanted to wear a costume
that you could buy in a store) Most years, I made several copies of
the same costume for other children who asked for funky costumes.
Getting that damn clownfish costume mailed across country was an
adventure. The people at the mailing store were stunned at a four
foot long foam fluorescent orange clownfish costume.

Most years, Manda won "best costume" prizes at the school Halloween
party, as did the other kids who wore the costumes. The squirrel one
was especially memorable, because the other little girl is some kind
of squirrel expert and was worried that I had created the wrong nose
for a squirrel. And the tails! I made them out of polyester quilt
batting and they were so huge that they curled over the kids' heads.

I also had the privilege of making costumes for the drama club kids
at the middle school. Some kids had parents who weren't able to make
or buy costumes, so I always made a half dozen or more for each
performance. Two years ago, I was able to talk a costume shop into
selling me 25 Elizabethan gowns at $10 each. The girls will be
wearing them for years. I begged a boatload of old tuxedos from a
shop that was going to throw them away, so the boys usually look
pretty sharp, too.

One of Manda's friends (one of the Matts) wanted to be Liberache one
year, so I begged another old tuxedo jacket (pearl gray with satin
lapels!) from the dry cleaners and glued hundreds of silver
holographic stars all over it. Matt was delighted, and still wears
the jacket for laughs.

Last year, Manda went trick or treating with a friend, instead of
with Bob. They brought Melanie's enormous dog for protection,
although there's nothing to fear in our neighborhood. (Poor Lola had
to wear a bunch of glow necklaces to be a "stripey space dog") I
made both Manda's and Mel's costumes, but I had a feeling that this
was going to be the last time.

I was right. Manda just announced that she is "way too old" for
trick or treating, and doesn't want a costume this year. She's
decided to stay and home and give out candy. It's good for me,
because I can't do the stairs, and good for Grandpa, because he's too
deaf to hear the doorbell, but it still stinks.

I've gotta gather up some kids so I can make costumes next year. I
can't imagine Halloween without making some cool costumes. I think
I'll check in at the middle school and see who needs a costume for
the big show. :-)

Kathy N-V

oh she may be too old to trick or treat, but no one is ever to old to dress
up - especially to give out the treats!

--
Pam Brisse
The Blue Between - handcrafted jewelry and bead art
http://www.bluebetween.com