Halloween Costumes: Made With Love- Or Bought With Love?

Tweet When I was a kid, my mom lovingly hand made my Halloween costumes. I had a beautiful Snow White, and a super cute fancy mermaid. I also had a horribly not-flattering orange flapper dress (but I've forgiven her for that- I think she was getting tired).

That's not me- but that's the pattern she used.

To continue the tradition, I've made most of the Spawn's costumes. We've had an anglerfish (only one man knew what it was- God Bless you, random neighbor. He said it was the best costume he'd seen all night), a mermaid, a princess, a wizard and who knows what else. There have been a few random store bought costumes thrown in here and there- a spider witch, a pirate. Until last year, when the Spawn revolted. They all wanted store bought costumes. 

Wear your damn Spiderperson costumes while you break my heart.

I was a little sad. Just like when I was growing up, the grass was greener on the other side. All I ever wanted were those chintzy store bought costumes, while my mom was slaving over wonderful homemade costumes as a labor of love. And now my lousy ungrateful kids were repeating history. Shunning my creative, lovingly handcrafted creations for polyester crap from Wal-Mart.

Sigh.

This year I decided I would make or buy what anyone wanted. I got a request for one homemade Halloween witch, one chainsaw and one set of ninja swords. And now I'm thinking.....

WHY THE HELL DID I WANT TO SEW ANYTHING? 

Halloween is 3 days away and Spawn#2's witch costume is in 20 pieces. We're so busy and tired I can't even think about sewing it without getting a headache. Seriously, who gives a crap where a costume comes from? All the kids want is candy. 

When I asked Spawn#2 if we could go buy her a costume, she almost cried. Dammit.

Do you make or buy your costumes? And do you feel guilty over which you choose?

{this moment}

Tweet Inspired by Soule Mama, a moment you want to remember and savor and use to embarrass your kids when they're older. Or something like that. 

Brainstorming for Halloween.

Halloween Is Almost Here?................. (dammit)

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Oh, my dear Mama friends, I just do not know what happened. Time just keeps passing me by. A few days ago I was telling Spawn#2 that we couldn't start her Halloween costume because it was too early. I had a whole October/Halloween curriculum packet- not opened until yesterday. And we finally carved our pumpkins today, 3 days before Halloween. Ok, to be fair, you can't carve them early here in Sunny California.... last year they were filled with mold in 3 days, and super squishy and really disgusting.  

I broke down and bought another of those rip-off pumpkin carving kits today for 5 bucks, so the Spawn could (in theory) carve at the same time. It took a good 30 minutes to get all those pumpkin guts out- the kids hate doing it, so of course Mama has to. We started carving, and all 3 of my little pumpkin carvers broke! I almost stomped back into the drug store with my twisted scraps of metal to demand a refund, but I was covered with pumpkin entrails. So that meant that, you guessed it, Not Blessed Mama had to do all the carving with a damn steak knife. We wound up with some pretty sad Jack 'o Lanterns, but they are DONE! And the kids love them, so I guess all's well that ends well. Or whatever that saying is.

Spawn#3 wanted something super scary. 

Of course, so did Spawn#1. Boys.

And Spawn#2 wanted eye lashes, but messed up and

had to cut these big ol' eyes out. 

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE HALLOWEEN!

{this moment}

Tweet From Soulemama:

"A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see."

There is no way this costume is going to make it to Halloween.