Tuesday Thoughts About...

...Halloween costumes

When my brother, sisters, and I were little, we dressed up with whatever we could find at home. There wasn't money for store-bought costumes. So, usually, my costumes consisted of wearing my brother's clothes. I went as a Boy Scout, a baseball player, a cowboy, and a fisherman. Conversely, my brother did not dress up like a girl. I don't remember what he went as. 

One year, he and I both dressed up like bums along with our friends-rubbing coal on our cheeks. Kind of like Clem Kadiddlehopper (you know, that character on the Red Skelton show). As our "trick"(back then, you had to perform or tell a joke), we sang the song--"We Three Bums (or however many of us there were) of Orient are, smoking on a rubber cigar. It was loaded, we exploooded, now we're the bums on Mars!" Sing it to the tune of "We Three Kings." Go ahead, I'll wait.....................you did it didn't you? I knew you would! I have no idea where we got that idea from.

Anyway, I remember thinking that when I had kids, they would get to have store-bought costumes. I remember Sandy went as Princess Leah when she was in kindergarten. As it turned out, I was so embarrassed as everyone had homemade costumes, but not just regular clothes from around their house---real costumes that their moms made. Well, this mom couldn't sew, so I had to revert back to whatever I could come up with from around the house. Talk about a full-circle moment! Sandy didn't like that plastic mask which I made her wear anyway. I don't think she's ever forgiven me for that!

The best thing that ever happened to me regarding costumes was when the girls were old enough to come up with their own costumes. This was after they were sick and tired of what I came up with. I made Stephanie don a black trash bag stuffed with crumpled newspaper and go as a California raisin. I don't think she's ever forgiven me for that! 

The second best thing that ever happened to me was when my friends took pity on me. Now, it didn't start out to be Halloween costumes, but costumes required for birthday parties. One time Mindy was invited to a chuckwagon birthday party. My friend, Nancy who made amazing costumes for her girls, volunteered to make Mindy's cowgirl costume. In exchange, I wrote their names with glitter. I knew that was going to be Mindy's costume for however many years she could fit into it. By the second year, she could no longer wear the little cowboy boots, so I made her wear her rain boots. I don't think she's ever forgiven me for that! 

Along the lines of friends bailing me out was the time Stephanie and her friends decided to go as jailbirds. My friend, Karolyn made those black and white striped costumes. I don't recall what I contributed to those, but surely I did something. I always pull my weight. Unfortunately for Karolyn, I think she had to make 6 of them.

The third best thing that ever happened to me was when Sandy and Stephanie took over coming up with costumes for Mindy. They dressed her up as a little cheerleader--really cute. Another year, they used part of the cheerleader costume and painted her blue to make her a Smurf. That was really cute too.

There was a time when I actually did sew a costume. Butch and I were invited to a party. I had him lie down on the floor so I could draw around some black fabric to make him a nun costume. That ended up being pretty hilarious. It didn't last long because, since I didn't know anything about sewing, I didn't know about backing up to lock in the stitches. So, I sewed and cut, sewed and cut. It didn't take long to unravel! I actually made Stephanie a little nun costume at the same time. She laid on the floor and I drew around her!

As you are reading this, I'm going to a Halloween party today. My other Nancy friend, wants us to either dress up or wear Halloween-type clothes. I'll be wearing this shirt:

And maybe these accessories. 

I'll decide when I get dressed. The little hat hair clip is pink. And then, of course, the Dracula earrings don't exactly match either. I might go with a pair of cute witches hats that I have since they will go the best, but they aren't my favorites. 

Honestly, the whole idea of costumes makes me break out in a cold sweat. I'm just not good at them. I guess I can't be good at everything. Sigh.