Halloween Costumes

Being 6'1" it can be rather difficult to find a pre-packaged Halloween costume that works for me. Since I have not learned how to sew yet (why do I keep putting this off?) I've had to get pretty creative. I thought I would share a few of my own DIY Halloween costumes from the last few years.

I don't have the best pictures, but in 2009 I was a Egyptian Goddess. I did buy gold jewelry, a crown, and some Egyptian looking sandals. Otherwise I bought a few feet of brown fabric and made a toga. I wrapped a portion of the toga with gold ribbon to give it a little pop. Sadly I attended a party that was mainly outdoors, so I had to add leggings and a cardigan to keep warm.

 

In 2011 my husband dressed up as a Tacky Tourist.This was thrown together at the last minute. River sandals with socks, camera bag, Hawaiian shirt, and sunscreen on the nose. Super simple!

For 2011 I was a gypsy. I took a bunch of scrap material from my mom and created a head wrap, and a scrap fabric skirt. Since I don't know how to sew, I took that amazing ribbon that iron and it sticks the items together. I cut the scrap fabric up into squares and just folder over one little corner of an actual piece of ribbon and ironed. Viola. Threw on a scarf around my shoulders, a big belt, and a long necklace and a pair of moccasins.

 

2012 was one of my favorites! I found this adorable picture of a little girl dressed as Audrey Hepburn with a tutu and I decided I had to do this! It gave it a fun little flair to a classic costume.

This year I did a repeat on the tutu, but I created a brown tutu and was an Indian. I created my costume using all of the items in the image below. I made my tutu, my fringe for my arms and boots, my headband, and my necklace.

 

This year my husband didn't like my idea for him, but he ended up going for it after all. He was a Beer Bum. He ended up putting this costume together the day we were heading out to the bar. He just took some old clothes and cut up some holes in them, and took them out and literally stomped them into the ground to get them dirty. He had a mullet wig, painted on a beard, and created a sign that says "Will Work For Beer". He took a plastic bag and used that to tie it around his neck.

 

 

The bar held a costume contest. During the first round they worked it down to 6 finalists. We both made the last 6, but unfortunately neither of us won.



Alcohol Coasters

I made these coasters for Christmas presents this year. Supplies needed are:

•  glossy ceramic tiles (found at Home Depot)
• Alcohol Ink by Adirondack (found at JoAnn's)
• a bottle of alcohol
• paint brushes
• paint for use on ceramics
• rubber feet (found at home depot)
• gloss coat

And here is how I did it:

1. Spread alcohol across the top of the tile with a paint brush. (This can be done sans the alcohol, the ink just doesn't spread as much, but still creates a cool look.)
2. Drop single droplets on top of the tile and watch it spread. Layer drops as they spread, or use single drops side by side and watch them collide. 
3. Once you have created the look you are going for, let it dry.
4. I used a semi-gloss clear coat and sprayed the top of the tiles to ensure it is set.
5. I used ceramic paint and painted the edges and the bottom of the tile. 
6. Once that was dry I applied the clear coat along the edges and the bottom of the tiles to ensure the paint is sealed in as well. 
7. Lastly I applied the rubber feet to the botom of the tiles to complete the look.

These coasters went over very well! I can't take all the credit, I found this great blog that had posted about it previously.

    

Portable Growth Chart

I found this amazing tutorial on portable growth charts for children. We didn't keep track of our height at my house growing up, it was done at my grandma's house. She is selling her house this spring, and the growth chart that has been created over the years will be gone forever. These growth charts make a fantastic gift for babies. For Christmas I made my nephew Jared, and my God daughter Lily each one.

The tutorial said she picked up Jute Webbing at Walmart. I did not have any luck finding it at Walmart or at my local JoAnn's store. I had to google it and order it online. I paid about $15 for 10 yards (I have a few friends that are expecting). I used Sharpies like she indicated which was fine for the ticks, but on the one for Lily I wanted to add some flowers to play it up a bit, but the sharpie bled beyond the stencil lines. I had to make a second one for her, and learned to fill in the numbers and letters lightly so it did not bleed.

Never too old for a Tutu!

This year I decided I would like to make gifts for Christmas presents. It's tough to come up with ideas when so many require sewing (something I plan to learn in the next year!). I found a no sew tutorial on YouTube on how to make tutus. I have several young nieces and decided that three of the youngest would enjoy them.

Here are the finished pieces. I made a purple one, a blue one, and a black & purple one.

 

Pink Zebra 30th Birthday

My best friend turned 30 and I hosted a small party at my house after an evening of dinner and drinks, and glow in the dark put-put golf. April loves zebra print, and she loves pink....

 Streamers and hanging balloons are one of my fave ways to turn a living room into party central.

 Marshmallows are the slackers version of cake pops! Delicious, cute, yet none of the hassle of baking!

 I tried to do an entire spread of zebra themed snack foods, it went over pretty well.

 I baked sugar cookies and found pink food coloring. Once the cookies were out of the oven I stuck a hershey hug on it and viola!

Sue, Caitlin, Brittany, The birthday girl April, me & Kristin (from left to right)

The Joint Baby Shower

So my brother's fiance and my husband's cousin (both of whom I am very close with) were due to have babies in March, only two weeks apart. I was lucky enough to be able to host a small joint baby shower for them in February. One was having a baby girl, Lily. One was having a boy, Jared.

I hosted the party at my home. I set up the dining room table with pink and blue mints, and wish boxes for each baby. I found this super adorable (free) printable here that I set out for people to fill out as they came in and dropped off their presents.

 

 For games we played the classic game where everyone has a safety pin on a ribbon around their neck. Since both mom-to-be's were about to pop and unable to cross their legs, no one else was allowed to either. The person with the most safety pins at the end won. I also found this adorable (free) printable baby animal game here. Lastly I found a new version of an old childhood party game, with a grown up twist. Pin the sperm on the egg was a total hit! You can purchase it from www.pinthespermontheegg.com. 

 

Instead of doing a traditional cake for the baby shower, I have a friend of mine who is working on starting up a bakery, and I had her make some delicious cupcakes. Cupcakes seem to go over better than cake does these days, especially when they are special flavors like pink champagne.

 

 

Here is my God-Daughter Lily, born March 14, 2012

 

Here is my nephew Jared, born March 29, 2012.

Date of the Month Club

This year I was trying to find a unique gift idea that was from the heart and possibly handmade. Valentine's Day can tend to get a little too commercial sometimes. Well I found this blog and her idea of a date of the month club. She can personalize a kit for you for $19.99.

I decided I had some extra time on my hands, so I made my own. I created the initial cards on my computer then printed them out and designed the rest with a little card-stock and glue! The hubby loved the idea that for the next 12 months I'll plan a date night out just the two of us, unless he wants to make it a group date night. He will not have to do any planning except tell me which month he wants which date. This will be nice to add a little romance back into our lives. After over 6 years together the romance or dates are not what they used to be.

Well here are the photos. Feel free to ask questions.

For the vacation cards I created one vacation that I know we will do, and one vacation that we are really wanting to do. Not sure if Hawaii will happen this year, but I thought it would be a fun one to add in.

Here is the completed project.