Halloween Fun in a Flash

With less than a week left till Trick or Treaters hit the road there's still plenty of time to put together a fantastic costume and trick or treat bag. Here's some ideas.

• Paint a plain fabric bag or tote with fabric paint using either stencils cut out on freezer paper and ironed onto the plain bag OR use kitchen sponges cut into pumpkin or bat shapes OR make it really easy by just printing Halloween images on iron-on transfers.
  
• Make use of your sports gear and be a "professional athlete". Football, baseball, soccer, or even a basketball player.
• The the artist within come out with a paint stained smock and a french beret hat. Cut out a painter's palette out of cardboard and use markers for the paint spots. Carry a paint brush or tape it to the palette.
• A bathrobe, hair wrapped in a towel, fuzzy slippers and a facial mask turns you tiniest diva into a Spa Princess.
• Use old sheets or pillow cases and become a mummy, ghost, or make super hero masks and capes. Mummy's get wrapped in strips of sheets or toilet tissue. Use felt or whatever you have lying around the house for super hero symbols.
  
• Zombies are really easy. Dress in old play clothes - the more worn the better. Shag up the hair. Paint the hands and face a chalky color with some dark circles around they eyes and shade in with a charcoal color below the cheekbones and neck for a hollowed look. Walk stiffly making loud moaning sounds.
• Use your little one's pretend play toys to complete costumes such as firemen, policeman, handy man, chefs, doctors, etc.
• Rock and Movie Stars are just as easy. Use clothes already in the closet accessorized with fun sunglasses, funky hair paints, feathered boas, costume jewelry and other accessories.
  

Turning your kids into their favorite cartoon characters is really easier than you might think. Wild Man loves Ni Hao Kai Lan. A solid color sweat suit, black felt, head band with hot glued ears made of matching fabric as the main suit, and some easy face painting can easily turn him into Rin Tue the Tiger or Tolee the panda. Same goes for Boots from Dora. Tails can be made of socks, stockings or other materials. Find more great costume ideas here and here.

Make

Safety Reminders

1. Have your child carry a flashlight or have reflective tape on your costumes so motorist can see you. Ideally, do both to ensure their visibility in the dark.
   
2. Don't trick or treat alone. There is safety in numbers.
3. Only visit homes of people you know.
4. Inspect all candy before allowing you child to consume any. Toss anything suspicious and not in original wrappers.
5. Have Fun!

Jenn also blogs about recipes, saving money and other crafts at the Frugal Front Porch.