Friday 1 November 2013

Our Halloween


Halloween preparations were a little last-minute this year, but I managed to outfit K and R as per their request: Kiki the witch-in-training (from the movie Kiki's Delivery Service) and her sarcastic cat Jiji. For R's dress I used the smock pattern (e) from Happy Homemade vol. 2, moving the elastic casing to the very end of the sleeves to make them look more like the dress in the movie. I also made a big red bow on a headband and bought a witchy-looking broom from an Asian grocery shop to complete the costume. She looked so sweet! I quite like the look of the smock on her, and am thinking I might sew up another one sometime in something less stiff and black.

For K I just put some fleece cat ears on a black headband, made a long black tail out of fleece and cut down a pair of women's black tracksuit pants. With a black top and some painted-on whiskers he looked very cat-like - apart from being 140cm tall and walking upright, of course. It helps that he has a good head of fur...

In the days leading up to Halloween R was in a state of great excitement. With a bit of help, she made some spooky Halloween lanterns (black paper wrapped around jars with candles inside) and did a heap of ghost/monster drawings which she delivered - anonymously - to every house in the street. And on the night, her efforts - and those of all the other children who joined us to trick-or-treat - were richly rewarded. VERY richly rewarded.


Oh, and I finally found an excellent use for the single pumpkin that grew on our vine last summer...

Hope everyone enjoyed a happy Halloween!


4 comments:

  1. Awww... they look so cute! I do love that movie. I was thinking about making A's witch outfit as Kiki. R's ghost drawings are so adorable!

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    1. Thanks Shino. I don't think anyone else in our street knew the movie, so it was a bit lost on them - but R loved being Kiki and flying around on her broomstick.

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  2. They look great and well done growing your own pumpkin. The orange US style ones cost a fortune at the market and don't taste that great. The paper lantern idea is very clever and a bit more kid friendly than carving a pumpkin with a sharp tool.

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    1. Are you in Australia too? I've seen those pumpkins in the supermarkets here in Melbourne but didn't know if they were edible or only suitable for carving (I'm sure they're a whole lot easier to carve then a home-grown Queensland Blue though... ) Yes the paper lanterns are good for kids, and even if they just stab a few holes in them they still look great once there's a candle burning inside!

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