Jolie Rouge

Our readers had so many great ideas for costumes! This pizza idea is my favorite submission. We've posted instructions and printable pages to make it easy. Thanks go to Carrie of Phoenix!

Also online we have instructions and patterns for a princess, Pikachu, an angel, and Harry Potter glasses. Check out our Dress Up page for costume accessories or visit our page of Frugal Costume Page for more ideas.

--Terri http://www.makingfriends.com/readers_halloween.htm


Spaghetti and Meatballs
What you need: Red Shirt, white pants (for plate), large styrofoam craft balls, brown paint, red paint, green paint, an old can (I used a large coffee can), a label from a Kraft parmesan cheese bottle, red yarn, white yarn, a red foam visor.

I draped the yarn over my shoulders and head (this gets messy --- just like spaghetti ). For small children you may want to attach the yard to the shirt using hot glue to avoid them wrapping the yarn around their neck-- make sure it hangs a little under the arms and around the bottom of the shirt. I used the visor and put yarn randomly around the visor and hot glued the craft balls painted brown with small amounts of red (for the sauce) to the visor. I painted an old coffee can green and pasted an old Kraft parmesan cheese label to it. For an added touch I punched random holes in the lid of the coffee can and put some shredded white confetti inside to occasionally sprinkle on myself.
--Nikki



Laundry Basket
"Purchase an inexpensive laundry basket from the dollar store. Cut out a circle from the bottom to fit your child. you can then use close line or something similar to act like suspenders. Clothespin clothes to the child and the basket. This is cute and inexpensive."
--Tracy

Playing Card
"Use two sheets of poster board (one for front, one for back) Decorate like a spade, heart, club, or diamond, your child's choice. You can staple sturdy ribbons or bias tape to the top edges of each piece (so that they lay over your chills shoulders like suspenders would) It just slips over their head & clothing, be sure to cover the staples with some tape (most any kind will do) so that your child will not be snagged by them. This is great for those contests at school if your child likes to slip off their costume so they can play!"
--Tava, Mom of 3, Hiawassee, GA

Flower
"Use a green sweatshirt and sweat pants. Cut a hole in a piece of purple craft foam the size of your child's face. Staple elastic on the sides. Cut out petals from pink fun foam glue them to the purple base, leaving some purple showing."
--Anonymous

Creativity with Sweats
"You can make thousands of things if you have sweats. Just add yellow stripes to black sweats and a pair of fun foam wings and you're a bee; Black spots to white sweats, a horned headband (just cut out fun foam horns and glue them to a purchased headband or a length of elastic that has been sewn together) and you're a cow. Bunnies, bears, horses, frogs, have all been done at my house on the same basis, just an outfit, add a head thing and you're done! Good luck and happy haunting!"
--Lorene Clark, Spring City, UT

Bag of Jelly Beans
"Blow up a bunch of colored small balloons. Take a clear plastic trash bag and fit it over your person with holes for arms, legs, and head. Put balloons inside trash bag. Add a creative hat if desired. Totally easy and quick!"
--Anonymous

Black-Eyed 'P'
"This is very simple. Get a plain shirt, like a sweatshirt or a t-shirt -- any color will do. Go to the craft store and get some self-adhesive felt (craft area) and cut out a the letter 'P'. Iron the 'P' on the shirt. Put black make-up around one eye and your costume is done! You are a 'Black-eyed P'!"
--Jody B., Kansas City, MO

Morning Grump
"All you need is a bath robe, a coffee mug, slippers, your hair in a mess and a sign around you neck saying 'I'm not a morning person'. Have fun!!"
--Melissa

Bunch of Grapes
"For a small child, this 'grape' costume is adorable. Purple sweats with purple balloons tied to them. Adding a green felt stem and leaf to their head would complete it."
--Denise, Dallas

Harry Potter
"Paint glow-in-the-dark stars on a graduation gown (bought at thrift store usually under $3), form black tag board into a cone. Staple, covering with tape to the inside so it doesn't scratch your child's head. Add string to hold in place. Decorate with precut gold stars and some glitter paint. Add just enough glitter paint to robe to make it look mystical. For a wand, tie gold ribbon around baton or tightly rolled up newspaper. Pain scar on child's forehead add glasses and, viola, Harry Potter!"
--Chastity, Tacoma, WA

Living Tree
"Create a tree costume by sewing fake leaves to a hooded sweatshirt. Leaves could be green or autumn colors. Use brown sweat pants for the tree trunk."
--Anonymous

Glow-in-the-Dark Skeleton
"I purchased a fabric panel with glow-in-the-dark skeleton parts that was to be a stuffed wall hanging or decoration. Then I bought a black sweat suit and used the double sided fusing to adhere the skeleton to the sweats. Now I have a walking, talking, glow-in-the-dark skeleton."
--MB, Cheyenne, WY

Pair of Dice
"Paint a cardboard box white and put black dots on it like a die. If you are going with a partner use another box and you both can be a set of dice.
--Christine, Delaware

Pile of Leaves
Use a red hooded sweatshirt and red sweatpants. Attach fake leaves (like silk ones) all over. Wear a red mask to cover the eyes and put a few leaves on it. It's a pile of leaves! Have the child carry a rake!
--Anonymous

Ice Queen
"Spike your hair when it's up in a clip and hair spray it till its really hard. Then you can put baby powder it in so it's white or you can put sparkles or both. Powder your face and put body glitter where you think it would look nice. Wear a long white dress. (Any thrift store has them if you don't) and put sparkles on that. Believe me it looks great!
--Anonymous

Gumball Machine
Dress in all red shirt, pants and hat. Place several small colored balloons in clear trash bag and put arm & head holes in bag. Wear bag with balloons with bag gathered at the waist. Make a small sign that says 25 cents.
--Anonymous

Lost-and-Found Sock Person
"Use safety pins to attach orphan socks everywhere on your sweater, and pants. For added effect, sew socks together for as a hat and make a sign saying 'Lost Socks' and wear as a necklace. Have fun!"
--Lynn, Canada

Headless Man
"Get a t-shirt and paint blood on it and stuff it. Pull it over your head and then your a headless man!"
--Abby, Ocean Grove, Victoria

Nerd
"Roll up your jeans, tape your glasses, and do your hair in pigtails. It is a big hit and lots of fun!!
--Anonymous

Accident Victim
"Wear torn clothes. Wrap arm and leg in bandages. Add some fake blood. Use fake skin to make a huge welt on his head, draw a butter knife through it to make a cut and add more blood. You can also use a single layer of Kleenex tissue and Vaseline petroleum jelly to make skin look burned and blistered.
--busdrivr, Canada

Robot
Use a box for the body, vent tubing from a dryer to make the arms. Add gloves and spray everything with silver paint. Use Grey face paint and top with a veggie strainer for a helmet."
-Andrea, Stuarts Draft, VA

Gift Box
Decorate a box to look like a gift. Cut arm holes, leg holes and a head hole. Stick a bow on top of the head and you're done. This idea is really cute on littler kids.
--Unanimous

Tweety Bird's 'Gwanny'
Put hair back in a bun and paint it white. Use a dress from the goodwill. Stuff the chest and hip areas. Wear little wire frame glasses, jewelry, etc. To make it really cute, carry a bird cage with a stuffed tweety in it.
--Anonymous

__________________
Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

Jolie Rouge

Dollar Bill
"Draw a rough picture of a dollar bill on a piece of cardboard - be creative! We put a silly face, and used my kid's names and birthdays for the signatures and serial numbers. Slip the cardboard into a pillowcase, and trace the picture you drew with green fabric paint. Let dry. Round out the costume with paper money glued to an old hat and onto a paper shopping bag to use for trick or treat."
--Jeanne B. Madison, WI

Box of Popcorn
"Take a box that will fit the child. Cut a hole for the head and a hole for each arm. Paint red and white stripes on the box. Paint the word POPCORN. Pop some popcorn and glue it on the top of the box all around the hole for the head. The piece you cut out for the head glue some popcorn onto it also and attach a string to it and that goes on the child's head.
--Dawn H, Ladson, SC

Dragon (For more than one)
Use an old sheet, decorate it with spots and glitter, etcetera. Attach 2 handles for each person wearing it. Cut 2 dragon-shaped heads out of cardboard. Put a paper towel roll between the two, to make it 3-D. Add I more up front for it to be a headpiece, or have the front child carry it.
--Silver spines

Mr. Potato Head
"Cut out 2 large ovals from some burlap bags, cut out arms, legs, & neck. Stitch them together using elastic for better fit. Make felt make eyes, nose, mouth, etc. Use Velcro on the felt & burlap to attach and reattach cut out pieces for the costume.
--Christy Grimes, Loveland, CO

Dalmatian
"All you need is a white turtle neck and white pants. Put black dots on them. Draw whiskers, a nose and some spots on the face"
--Anonymous

Recycle Bin
"Just cut a hole, put suspenders on it, get pants and a shirt the same color and there you go.
--Anonymous

The Red Baron
"One year, as a school project, we had to come up with a costume idea on SHORT notice. My son was in first grade at the time. He had a leather-like jacket that resembled a bomber jacket. So, with a large cardboard box, extra cardboard, tape and spray paint we created 'The Red Baron'". The box flaps (top and bottom) were tucked inside to made an opening. (My son stood inside to give the appearance of being the pilot.) Two pieces of rope were run through the box (front and back) and word over the shoulder, suspender style. (This is how he kept the plane off the ground.) Then, using imagination, we spray painted the box and cut additional pieces of cardboard for the plane's nose, tail and wings. These can be added with tape, glue, etc. (They were painted also.) Add hat, scarf and goggles and you have your costume."
--N. Green, El Dorado, Arkansas

Lego
"Last year I dressed my son up as a Lego. I took a large box cut arm holes, painted it blue and glued pieces of sponge painted blue on the front."
--Diane

Cheerleader
"First you get a short pleated skirt. Then you get a tee shirt or tank top that matches. Next you need pom poms which can be found in dress up things, in the bike section for your handlebars, or at Wal-Mart for $4.00. Then put your hair in 2 pigtails and tie it up with a matching ribbon. Add some tennis shoes for footwear."
--Amanda, Wahiwa, Hawaii

Bubble Gum
Dress in all in pink. Put a little kid's your head. What are you? A piece of bubble gum stuck to the bottom of a chair."
--Destiny, Evans, CO

Daisy
Using white craft foam sheets, cut out enough large petal shapes to glue around a green highbred. Cover your glue line with bright yellow ribbon so that it shows on the front. Dress in green, paint a ladybug or a bumblebee on your cheek and you're a daisy!!!"
--Anonymous

Computer
My son was a computer last year, a couple of boxes painted silver and he had one on his head as the monitor, another a keyboard. One arm was the mouse.
--Ckaliciak, Canada

Genie In A Bottle
You can put sparkles in your hair and put it up in a high pony tail with a long, colorful scarf or if you have short hair pull it back with clips. Use really shimmery make up and a lot of it. Really red or dark lipstick. Sparkly or big hoop earrings. Wear a spaghetti strap shirt or a tube top in bright colors (maybe try fabric paint as well). Put on sparkly nail polish. Wear lots of sparkly and/or gold band bracelets. An arm band would look great too. Wear tight flares in bright colors (maybe try some fabric paint). Wear whatever you want on your feet.
--Taya (Age 14), Calgary, Alberta

__________________
Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

Jolie Rouge

more ... http://www.kaboose.com/interstitial....ween/costumes/

__________________
Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

bisect

Wow, that's a lot of costumes!, thanks a lot