The Giving Tree Costume

When I was in my book club, The Bookies, we celebrated our first year anniversary by dressing up as a character from our favorite book. One of my favorite books is, “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein. If you haven’t noticed, I’m a big kid at heart. My favorite character in the book is the tree, not that there is many to choose from. I wrapped myself in brown construction paper and… okay, I’m kidding. I made my costume as simple as possible and it included everyone in the book, the tree and the boy. I won first place with this costume at book club.

Bag of Apples/Supplies: White shirt, black dimensional fabric paint, red, green, and brown felt, white fabric, polyester stuffing, hair tie, transfer sheets for ink jet printers, printer, scissors, small button, sewing needle, sewing machine, hot glue gun, embroidery thread, iron, scanner, and “The Giving Tree” book.

Apple 1: Draw your giving tree with dimensional fabric paint on your white shirt, with the leaves around the collar. Don’t forget the M.E. + T carved into the tree.

Apple 2: Scan the picture of the boy from the front cover of the book. It’s important to follow directions from the transfer paper. Print image on transfer paper and iron onto white fabric. Sew button on boy’s overalls. Cut fabric around boy.  Place it over another piece of white fabric, trace it, and cut the traced fabric out. Sew both pieces together with the image of the boy inside. Leave an opening to turn it inside out. Stuff your boy doll and hand sew the opening shut. Cut leaves out of green felt and embroider them with a lighter shade of green with embroidery thread. Glue the leaves to the boy’s head. Now, he has his little crown of leaves.

Apple 3: Make an apple with a leaf and stem using your felt. Sew the apple pieces together and stuff your apple. Cut a rectangular piece of red felt. Place it over the back of your apple with the hair tie between them, and sew it on the apple. Repeat this step if you would like to be a tree with many apples.

Apple 4: Put your tree shirt on, braid your hair (or wig if your hair is short) and tie your apple hair tie with it. Your hair will represent the tree’s branches with apples in them. Hold your boy and give him lots of love. Carry the book with you for those who need an extra hint to guess who you are for Halloween. If you have brown pants, wear them!

I don’t have a picture of myself in this costume. I don’t think I can fit into the shirt again and I’m rocking short hair now. I hope you can envision “The Giving Tree” costume put together by the pictures above. If you make this costume, I would love to see it. Please do share!

DIY Spider Web A Halloween Card

Add a little dimensional touch to a simple Halloween card and make it spooktacular, by embroidering a spider web.

Supplies: A simple Halloween card (if it has spiders on it, the better), fake rubber spider, craft glue, scissors, seam ripper, thin sewing needle, pencil, cutting mat, and white embroidery thread (if you have glow in dark thread it’s more fun)!

Spider 1: Draw where you would like to embroider your spider web on your card. I connected my web drawing to the spiders on the card and wanted the spider web to look like a bow on the little girl’s hair. The outside of the card says, “May the scariest thing about Halloween….” inside “not be your hair.” 

Spider 2: Place your card over your cutting board. Grab your seam ripper and twist it back and forth to make holes where you will connect your stitching.
Spider 3: Use two threads, insert them in your needle, and make a knot at the end of the thread. Start sewing from the inside of the card to hide the knot.

Spider 4: Start embroidering by connecting the dots/holes.

Spider 5: Glue the fake rubber spider to your new embroidered spider web.

Spider 6: Send the Halloween card out.

I hope you enjoy this tutorial. It's very easy and only takes a few minutes. 
  

Razzle-Dazzle Skeleton Garland

My friend Amanda made some of these glittery skeletons last year for Halloween. They looked so cool hanging in her house and I told myself I would try making them this year.

Bag of Bones/Supplies: Mod Podge, sponge brush paint brush, glitter shakers, skeleton garland, and paper plates. Glitter shakers and skeleton garland were purchased at the 99cent store, but I suggest buying better quality glitter.

Bone 1: Remove the skeletons by loosing their noose.

Bone 2: Put some Mod Podge on a paper plate.

Bone 3: Brush Mod Podge on a skeleton in sections then sprinkle glitter on the section you mod podged, over another plate. Tap skeleton against plate to shake excess glitter.

Bone 4: When your shaker is empty, fold your paper plate in half and pour glitter back into the shaker.

Bone 5: Switching colors? Repeat bone (step) 3 and 4 over a different plate.

Bone 6: Grab your empty nooses and hang your razzle-dazzle skeletons.

Bone 7: Display your razzle-dazzle skeleton garland.

Wondering where the orange skeletons are? Well, what can you expect from 99cent glitter. Not only did the orange glitter look brown on the skeletons but when I hung the skeletons in bone/step 6 some of the purple and green glitter on the skeletons fell off.

Thank you Amanda for letting me share how to make these glittery skeletons to my readers!

Inspirational Halloween Ideas

To help you get ready for Halloween I’m sharing 7 past blog posts. Many DIY posts, a costume idea, and past Halloween parties to help you plan your own. Your guests won’t forget your Halloween party with this DIY Skeleton Hand Invitations.

This Halloween DIY Bloodshot Eyeball Magnet decoration will sure stand out.
DIY Eyeball Tissue Paper adds a special pop to any Halloween package.

Can’t throw a party without Halloween Decorations.

You will sure make a scene with this easy DIY Albert Hitchcock Psycho Costume.

Thinking of a themed Halloween party? These past parties might help. Halloween House Party,

 The Pumpkin Carver Party, or

The Boneyard Bash Party.

I hope these posts help you plan the best Halloween party ever!