Happy Halloween

Today's the day when my Facebook and Instagram feeds burst with cuteness, and I can't wait to contribute!

Around the house, I did a few simple decorations this year. I just love that the brainchild behind the handprints on the pumpkins managed to have the worst print. Repeat after me: more paint makes a better handprint. Madeleine is a handprint-making expert, so I should have followed her lead. Next time!

The kids' costumes, on the other hand, were an all-around success. For the past two years, Madeleine's costumes have been determined by whatever was in good shape and her size at the consignment store. Even though Madeleine doesn't really "get" Halloween yet, this year I wanted to choose a costume for her that might help her understand the concept. One of her favorite books right now is Green Eggs and Ham (aka Sam I Am), and I knew exactly what we had to do as soon as I saw this blog post. [More details here.]

Madeleine's Sam I Am costume consists of a hat made of felt and stuffed with batting, a yellow t-shirt worn under a yellow dress sewn from fleece using one of her existing dresses as a general pattern, white tights, white shoes, and a little plate with green eggs and ham made using felt, cardboard, batting, elastic, and hot glue.

I've always told myself that I wouldn't make Halloween costumes because it's only for one day, but this was a lot of fun (and surprisingly easy)...and even has me thinking about whipping up some real clothes for Miss M. She was so excited at every fitting and so proud to wear the final product (for at least five minutes)!

Elliott's Cat in the Hat costume is even simpler. He's dressed in a black onesie, black pants, and black socks topped off with newborn white gloves, a bow tie made of felt hot glued to a pin, and a (way too tall) hat made of felt and stuffed with batting.

I'm off to check out the rest of the Internet's costumes...and maybe sample some candy. What do you like best about Halloween?