Alonzo's 2015 Halloween Costume

How could it already have been a year since my last post?  Has it really already been a year ago when Alonzo was dressed in a Lego costume? Time sure flies by so fast. 

This year's costume is inspired by a vintage military tank toy hubby inherited from one of his cousins. It was Alonzo who requested to be a "tank" this Halloween. 

It really is not as complicated to construct as it may seem. The challenge was to find 3 boxes that would proportionately go well together. Luckily we have several boxes in stock (hubby knows me well enough to fold empty boxes flat and save them).

These are what you'll need:

1.Boxes(large,medium and small)- Find one that is just small enough for the wearer to fit but not unnecessarily massive to be heavy. The medium-sized box should complement the dimension of the larger one and at the same time also allow the wearer to fit through while the small box should just be enough to accommodate the "tank nozzle".  

 

2.Cardboard tube such as the one from paper towels, aluminum foil and plastic wrap - I used 2 tubes (1 longer and narrower than the other)but you could use just one.

3.Corrugated paper preferably in black or gray - For this project I used 2 cartolina-sized sheets

4. Paint for your base color, either dark green or brown

5. Spray paint, either gray, or brown  

6. Plastic take-out  bowl covers

7. Rugby adhesive

  

Procedure:

Step 1: Place the medium-sized box over the larger one.

Position it more towards what you decide to be the back ro

rear portion of the tank. Set aside.

Step 2: Place small box in front and at the center of the

medium box.Trace or mark this position with a pencil. Set

aside.

 

Step 3: Cut a hole at the center of the top and bottom part of

the medium box. Make sure that the top and bottom holes

coincide and that they are large enough for the wearer to fit

through.Set aside.   

  

Step 4: Similarly, cut a hole through the top and bottom of

the large hole. The holes here should coincide with each other

and also with the holes on the medium box.    

Step 5: Glue the large and medium boxed together with rugby. 

Secure the 2 boxes together with clothes pins or paper clips

until dry.

Step 6: Trace one end of the cardboard at the front end of the

small box. Cut around the tracing and insert the tube through.

Glue in place. 

 

Step 7: Glue the small box ( tube) at the marked position on

the large box. Let all pieces dry.

Step 8:Paint with base paint and let it dry completely.Use

spray paint to achieve a camouflage effect. 

Step 9: Cut corrugated paper into 3 equally measured strips.

Glue one end over the other to form a single strip. 

Step 10: Glue corrugated paper around the side of the tank

leaving about 2 inches off from the edge. Do the same on the

other side to form the "tracks" or "wheel links".

 

Step 11: Glue plastic bowl covers to form the wheels.        

Step 12: Insert narrower cardboard tube inside the shorter,

larger tube if you wish your tank to have a "telescopic

barrel". 

Step 13: Staple 2 straps on each side at the junction between

the large and medium boxes.     

 

    Happy Halloween and have fun treat or treating!!!

Alonzo's 2014 Halloween Costume

Hello, everyone! I know it's been a while. The past semester has been really tough and hectic. Needless to say, I missed crafting and blogging about my crafts. Don't get me wrong. I've still been into crafting small projects here and there. Nothing major.

 

All set for trick or treat!

But Halloween is a different story. Alonzo looks forward to his yearly trick or treat activity (the only time of the year he is allowed to eat candy!) while I also find the holiday as an excuse to prioritize crafting over work. Semester-enders can be quite busy for professors (final exams, grade submission, etc.) But how can I pass on one of my favorite holidays (and Alonzo's, too!) for some crafting? 

 

I started working on Alonzo's costume 3 weeks ago. He's been so much into his Lego toys lately that to dress him as a Lego man seemed so spot on. I had my hesitations, however. His past Halloween costumes have all been so fuss-free and easy to put together and wear. We never had problems about him refusing to wear his costume at the last minute or anything like that at all. But, as I said, he is so crazy about Lego that he is truly excited about his costume!  

 

Believe it or not, this year's costume is probably the most hassle-free of all (alright, probably because I had a 3 week head start) and it didn't cost me a thing! All the materials are recycled or made out of stuff we already had in the house.  

 

The first thing that I worked on was the "body". This is made of an electric fan box which I cut and re-structured to form a trapezoid. The dimensions were measured and cut according to Alonzo's size (shoulder width, neck and arm hole circumference, etc.). I spray painted the outer surface and left it to dry over night. A computer printed Lego logo on sticker paper gives it a more distinct look.   

 

 

 

As for the Lego hair, the technique was the same as for creating Alonzo's  paper mache egg. I just made sure that the balloon used is slightly larger than the widest circumference of Alonzo's head. After it has completely set, pop the balloon and cut to resemble a Lego snap-on hair. I made a couple of zig zag cuts to create fringed bangs. We didn't have black paint around so I used gray spray paint instead. This turned out to be a better idea because it allowed me to draw "hair waves" with a black marker pen. 

 

 

 

To top off the look, I made his treat bag to resemble an over-sized Lego block. I took on empty medium-sized box and spray painted it with red and glued soda bottle caps. I also punched holes on each side to tie strings for the handle.  

 



 

 Voila!



Alonzo giving me his "orc face" expression when I asked him to smile for the photo

Refashioned No Sew Bikini for Toddlers

Refashion an old t-shirt into bikini top and bottom for your little toddler. All you’ll need is an old t-shirt and a pair of scissors. This project is so easy that you could put everything together in less than 10 minutes. Sewing skills are absolutely not required. Trust me; all it takes are a few cuts and knots!

Step 1: Lay t-shirt on a flat surface.

Step 2: Fold the middle part of the front and back of the shirt towards the sides, positioning the side seams at the center.

Step 3: Position scissors at the corner of the neckline and cut downwards at an angle, leaving around 3-4 inches from the bottom hem 

Step 4: From the shoulder area cut downward, using the side seams as a guide. Direct the scissors horizontally to leave about 2-3 inches from the bottom. You will end up with 3 separate pieces. The bikini top will be made from the larger center piece while rectangular piece will form the bikini bottom. Discard the third scrap of fabric.   

Step 5: Cut the back portion all the way through and unfold fabric.  

 

Step 6: Make 2 vertical cuts along upper portion of each of the “triangles” and braid to make the straps.

 

 

Step 7: Make a simple knot at the center.

 

Step 8: To form the bikini bottom, get the other piece of fabric that formed the back of the shirt and fold in half. Fold in half again.

Step 9: Trim off the top portion (open ends) to form a straight line.

Step 10: Measure about 1 ½ inches from the center fold and cut at an angle. Direct scissors horizontally to leave about 1 ½ inches from the open ends.

Step 11: Unfold and tie to straps together.

Tadaa!

DIY Doll Table and Chair Set

Here's another amazing way to recycle toilet paper rolls into toys.   Turn those tubes into an easy-to-assemble set of miniature chairs and table that your kids (and dolls) would love. 

Material s needed:

Toilet paper tubes

Scissors

Cardboard

Old gift wrapper or any paper with a pretty print

Glue

Step 1: Cut tissue paper roll to make a “back rest” 

Step 2: Trace the end of the tube on a piece of cardboard to make a circle

Step 3: Cut to make a “seat”

Step 4: Use a small piece of gift wrapper to cover the “seat”

Step 5: Attach “seat” with tape

Step 6: Cut cardboard to form the top of the table

Step 7: Attach to toilet paper tube with tape 

I hope that this would inspire some DIY projects of your own!

Make your own faux taxidermy

Taxidermy is a fun and whimsical decorative element that could add style to your home. If you are grossed out by the idea of having a dead animal’s head sticking out of your wall but still want to be on trend with the taxidermy craze create your own version with items you already have around. How’s that for a green and animal-friendly project?

 

 

Materials needed:

Plastic bottles, bowls, spoons, thread spools, twigs, etc..

Cutter

Scissors

Glue gun

Cardboard boxes

Scrap paper, cut into small pieces

Cornstarch

Spray paint

Step 1: To make a basic "head" cut bottom part of a plastic bottle at a slight angle and attach to a plastic bowl to form a "snout". Adjust the length and angle of the "snout" depending on the form that you prefer.

 Step 2: Cut a notch on each sides of the rim of the bowl.

 

Step 3: Attach a plastic spoon on the notch created for the “ears”. Rummage through your recycling bin and play around with the different materials to come up with a configuration that you like.  Use old pasta tongs to create a moose’s “antlers”, thread spools to form “horns” --- use your imagination!    

Step 4: Cover by layering with strips of paper and cornstarch glue. *

 

Step 5: Let it dry and spray with paint.

Step 6: Attach taxidermy “head” to a cardboard box and mount on a wall.

*cornstarch glue recipe:

Dissolve cornstarch and water. Place over medium heat and stir continuously until the mixture thickens and becomes translucent. Turn off heat and let cool before using.