Phase 2 of The House Behind The Trees ~ The downstairs #TeelsBuildaHouse

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So we are starting the downstairs ... I HATE to say basement because we had a basement in our old home, where you opened a door and went down stairs separated from anything else. It was a finished basement complete with a bedroom, craft room, family/game room and we spent a lot of time there ~ our oldest son moved down there in jr high and stayed through high school ... until we finished the master suite in the attic then he moved back up to the bedroom floor with his brother and sister.  So here our downstairs is open to the rest of the house, you can see through to the outside from the top of the stairs going down because we have a wall of windows down there as well.  We really didn't plan to have a kiddo down there but since we are having to do a switch-a-roo with rooms (I'll explain later) he is moving home soon and will be downstairs. Anyhoo, our downstairs will house our main family room, our middle sons room, a full bath and kitchenette.  I thought it would be fun ...
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Last Minute Easy Homemade DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids

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Meatballs and Spaghetti
Cut a hole for the head in the center of a red-checkered tablecloth (or 1.25 yards of 45-inch-wide red-checkered fabric) so that it can be worn like a poncho. Cut 1/2 skein off-white yarn into spaghetti-length pieces. With a hot-glue gun, glue them in swirls and bunches to a large, sturdy paper plate. Paint 8 small Styrofoam balls with brown acrylic paint to resemble meatballs. Let dry, then glue 4 or 5 balls to top of spaghetti. Mix brown and red acrylic paint to make a tomato-sauce color; drip that over meatballs and spaghetti. Smear a little on the side of a small pot. Glue the plate to the front of the tablecloth. Glue remaining meatballs to tablecloth where you like. Glue some strands of yarn to pot "hat." Tie under chin if needed to keep pot on head.

Bubble Bath
Cut a hole in the bottom of an inflatable baby bathtub (we used Munchkin's Inflatable Safety Duck Tub). Leave at least 2 inches for the rim. On the remaining bottom rim, punch two holes near the front and back. To make the suspenders from wide ribbon, measure your child from shoulder to waist and multiply by 2; cut two lengths of ribbon to that size. Thread through the holes, knotting the ends underneath to secure. Blow up 15 white balloons and attach them with double-stick tape inside the tub and to the sides to make it look like bubbles are overflowing. Accessorize with bath poufs as hair accessories.



Carrot
Cut sleeves off two orange sweatshirts. Turn one sweatshirt inside out. Fold in and glue raw edges. Cut bottom of sweatshirt into a V-shape. Gather each side of sweatshirt, fold inward, and glue so that sweatshirt tapers toward bottom. Cut sleeves and second sweatshirt into 8-inch strips to make the carrot ribs. Glue on ribs, starting about 10 inches down from neck, to cover front and back. Cover a 12-inch embroidery hoop with Poly-Fil batting and rest it on child's shoulders underneath the sweatshirt. To make the hat cut two 6-inch circles out of green felt. Sandwich a small piece of cardboard between them, and glue. Glue wavy green pipe cleaners to the top (like carrot greens) and wrap a pipe cleaner around base of pipe cleaners to secure, as shown above. Cut two slits in bottom piece of felt; slip a narrow headband through to secure on child's head, or fasten with bobby pins.


Fluffy Blue Cloud
All you need is an over-size pale-blue sweatshirt, white felt, batting, string, a large needle, small toy airplane or helicopter (make sure it's age-appropriate), fabric glue for this heaven-sent get-up for a boy or a girl. You may already have the starting pieces for this costume -- a sweatshirt, coordinating sweatpants, and a long-sleeve plain tee. The fluffy effect of the cloud is surprisingly easy to achieve with batting. Start by cutting sleeves off shirt 3" from neck; glue under raw edges. From felt, cut out two cloud shapes large enough to cover shirt. Glue each to top of batting, then trim to size. Glue clouds to front and back of shirt, felt side down. Make hat: Cut one sleeve 6" down from top. Glue under raw edges of top. Create two smaller clouds and attach to front and back of hat; glue clouds to close. If necessary, trim bottom of hat to fit. Attach toy to string, and knot securely. With needle, poke through cloud and knot inside sweatshirt. Glue to secure.


Twister
All you need is an over-size black shirt, silver lame, heavy cardstock, batting, black felt, fabric glue, black gloves. To make the tornado place hoop inside one shirt, and attach with glue around upper torso. (If hoop is too large, cut it to fit, and secure ends with strong tape.) Cut off body of second shirt, just below armpits. Glue this piece to bottom of first shirt. Place shirt on hanger; hang from clothesline or shower rod. Starting at the top, take one end of tulle and wrap it loosely around shirt, stapling it as you go. Continue in this manner, wrapping, gathering, and stapling, until you've created a funnel. When you reach the bottom, twist tulle tightly, and staple to secure. Tuck small twigs inside tulle. To make the hat cut one sleeve from second shirt 8" from top. Glue under raw edges of top, then glue closed. Wrap tulle around, turban style, stapling as you go.

Tomato
This cute costume starts with an oversize sweatshirt -- no sewing needed. Cut sleeves off a red sweatshirt; fold in and glue raw edges. Line the inside with Poly-Fil batting and lightly glue at neck and armholes. Cut a small slit in waistband and use a small safety pin to pull 1 1/2-inch-thick elastic through; tie ends in a knot. Cut off the excess elastic. Cut an 18-inch square of green felt. Trim edges to make it into a circle. Cut a slit up the back, fold in quarters, then cut a half-moon shape at the top for a neck hole. Cut points to make a leafy collar. To make the hat measure child's head and cut a sweatshirt sleeve to fit, leaving an extra inch at the top. Gather excess fabric and tightly wrap a wavy green pipe cleaner around the top to create stem. Cut a small piece of green felt into a circle. Make a slit down the center, then cut jagged edges around the perimeter to create the leaves. Fit over pipe cleaner; glue into place.

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