Easy Do-It-Yourself Halloween Costumes

Don't get caught up in the expense of Halloween costumes this Halloween (they can be horridly expensive for just a couple of hours of fun), make your own and dress them in these unique Homemade Halloween costumes.

Good Egg

What you need: Measuring tape ~ 1-inch-thick white foam (see instructions for measurements; available at fabric shops) ~ Electric knife or scissors ~ 1 yard of 1 1/2-inch-wide grosgrain ribbon ~ Marker ~ Large clear plastic bowl with lip (12 inches in diameter; available at party stores) ~ Yellow acrylic paint & brush ~ Heavy-duty adhesive-backed Velcro
1. To find the right length for the egg white, measure from your child's chin to the floor and subtract 8 inches. The egg's width should be about 24 inches. On the foam, draw a free-form egg white with the marker, then cut along it with an electric knife or scissors. 2. Trace the bowl on the back of the foam, then cut a hole 2 inches inside this line. Paint the inside of the bowl yellow (this may take several coats). Once it's dry, insert it into the hole. 3. To make the strap, have your child hold the egg to her chest, then apply Velcro strips to the foam and the ribbon at the appropriate spots. Trim any excess ribbon.

Rocketman

What you need: White pants and shirt ~ 2 Pringles canisters (empty) ~ 2 Wine corks ~ Duct tape ~ Glue ~ Party hats
Streamers (in red, orange, and yellow) ~ Silver spray paint
1. Cut strips of duct tape and adhere along legs and around arms.How To: Make Power Pack1. Glue party hats to the bottom of each empty canister.2. Attach the canisters together by gluing wine corks between both. Set aside to dry.3. On newspaper in a well-ventilated area, spray paint the entire pack silver.4. Cut streamers into 12-inch long pieces and layer about five pieces on top of one another.5. Tape one stack to the bottom of each of the canisters.

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

Spelling Bee

What you need: Black leotard ~ Black tights ~ Black pipe cleaners ~ 2 Hangers ~ Clear recycling bags ~ Velcro ~ Yellow tape ~ Adhesive letters
1. Using yellow tape, make three large stripes on the black leotard, both front and back.2. Stick adhesive letters on the leotard (in any fun and random order).How To: Make Wings:Take two hangers and mold into the shape of wings. Cover the wings with the plastic bags. Secure around the edges with glue.How To: Make Antennae1. Glue two pipe cleaners to the headband. Place adhesive letters on the pipe cleaners.

Hula Girl

What you need: Hawaiian shirt and flip flops ~ Brown paper bag ~ Cupcake liners ~ Double-sided tape ~ Glue ~ Ribbon ~ Stapler
1. Cut open the paper bag and lay it flat.2. Make a cut down the center of the bag to open it up.3. Using scissors, make 1-inch wide strips from one end of the bag to the other, stopping 2 to 3 inches from the top. Repeat all around until skirt is completely frayed.4. Glue a longer piece of ribbon to the top of the bag (along the uncut portion) and leave it long enough to tie behind child like an apron.How To: Make Lei1. Open up five cupcake liners and staple them together in their centers. Crease them together so that they resemble a flower and glue to a long piece of ribbon.
2. Repeat this until you completely cover the ribbon with these clusters.

It's Raining Cats and Dogs

What you need : Umbrella ~ Stuffed animals ~ Hot glue gun
1. Open up the umbrella and hot glue one animal at a time on the outside. Let them rest in place to dry overnight.

Little Piggy

What you need : Paper ~ Pencil ~4 Pieces of Pink Felt (we like E-Z felt, which is stiff and easier to work with) ~ Pink headband ~ Scissors ~ Hot glue gun
1. Create a template by drawing one ear on a piece of paper and cutting it out.2. Place template on the felt as your guide. Cut out 4 ear-shaped pieces of pink felt.3. Glue around the edges of two pieces of felt. Stick each piece to the felt pieces without glue. (You’ll need two pieces of felt per ear so they are stable and won’t flop over.)4. Glue the ears to the pink headband.How To: Make a Pig Nose: Large bottle cap (we used a Gatorade cap) ~ Pink ribbon ~ Pink button ~ Newspaper ~ Pink acrylic paint (water based) ~ Paintbrush ~ Hot glue
1. Lay bottle cap on a piece of newspaper and paint it pink. Set it aside to dry overnight.2. Once dry, glue the button to the center of the bottle cap.3. Glue the ends of the ribbon to the inside of the cap. Tie around your child’s head to secure.