It’s less than a week before Halloween and your kid comes to you in a panic over not having a costume yet. Before you throw up your arms in frustration over having only five shopping days left to buy that ‘perfect’ costume read on. The solution may be found right at home. With a little ingenuity, you can create some cool last minute costumes your little tricksters will love. Try the following last minute ideas on for size: Bag of Garbage Grab a big green garbage bag. Start by cutting arm and leg holes. Dress your child in black. Once on, start stuffing the bag with old newspapers, make a few holes so you can leave some straws, plastic bags and other garbage-type stuff sticking through. Gather up the neck with and old tie and paint the subject’s face with a murky mix of brown and green make-up. For the finishing touch, mess up the hair, add a little gel, hairspray and a bunch of twist ties. Pair of Dice This Halloween costume is ideal for twins or best friends who consider themselves joined at the hip. Cover two large boxes with white paper, paint dots on each to look like dice and cut holes for their arms and head. Highway Black is back again this costume. Stick on lengths of reflective tape up the front of one leg, over the body and one shoulder and down the back, so it resembles a dotted line. Next, pin toy cars on either side of the “road”. Crayon Using poster board to make a large tube that fits around your child. Cut holes for arms. Secure the back with tape or staples. Make a pointed hat in the same color. Decorate with permanent marker to resemble a crayon. Dress child in non-competing dark colored pants and turtleneck. Bubble Bath (or Bunch Of Grapes) Here’s a great idea if you’ve got an air pump handy. Blow up 30 pink or purple round balloons. Just before sending them out attach the tips to their outfit with safety pins. Top of with a green or pink hat or scarf. Pizza To Go? Start with a piece of carpet foam padding, and cut it into a triangle as tall as your child. Spray the ‘crust’ at the base of the triangle a tan color (allow for plenty of crust, because you'll have to fold some of it over your child's shoulders), then spray the rest of the triangle tomato-sauce red and cheese yellow. Make pepperoni, mushroom and green pepper slices out of thin coloured foam sheets. Glue on (hot glue works great), fold over the crust, cut a hole for your child’s head, and staple the curst together at the shoulders. Easy Octopus In addition to the old, reliable last-minute ghost get-up, you can turn a used white sheet into an instant octopus. Drape the sheet over your child. Mark a circle opening for your child's face, remove the sheet and cut out the hole. With the sheet back in place on your child, cut the bottom so there are eight strips or "tentacles". Be sure to make them short enough so your child won't trip. Use a marker to draw several 2" circles on the tentacles to indicate the "suckers". Hold the costume in place with a ribbon or a string tied loosely around the neck and you have a disguise that will fit over street clothes and even coats. Jar of Jelly Beans If your son or daughter loves jelly beans why not indulge them for one night a year? Start of by creating a simple drawstring costume using clear recycling bags, tape and white ribbon. Stuff with long uniform sized balloons in a variety of colors. Get imaginative - use household items and cast-off clothing to create costumes that look great but cost little. *Transform old colanders, bowls and plastic containers into helmets and other hats. Cut a deflated volleyball in half and spray-paint it silver for a robot, astronaut or knight helmet. Turn thick work gloves into gauntlets by spraying them silver. *A ski mask makes a good start for a lot of costumes; attach animal ears, yarn or jewellery. *Use shredded cellophane from Easter baskets as a wig. *For extra padding in a costume, wear Queen size pantyhose and stuff with cushions or rags.
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