my little flower (an easy-peasy costume DIY)...

Let me preface this by saying that the whole Halloween costume thing stresses me out. I don't think I'm very good at adult Halloween-ing, because just thinking about coming up with costumes this year was making my hair fall out in big chunks. I haven't dressed up for Halloween since I was twelve (neither has Jay), but knowing that we had two costume-required events to attend this year made me realize there was no backing out.

Costumed we would be.

We traipsed around no less than four different stores on Wednesday searching for costumes, only to come up empty-handed. (I'm sorry, but as a grown woman with a small child, I'd rather not pay $45 to dress up as a sexy UPS employee. Honestly.) Luckily, Jay ended up coming up with a fantastic costume for himself after visiting a thrift store (he's going as an 80s rocker, complete with wig that makes him look totally sketch). However, as of last night, I still had nothing for Eisley and I.

I finally had one of those a-ha moments while thinking of the obscenely large head-flowers that I've grown to love. Therefore, instead of going to bed (as I should have), last night I busted out my hot-glue gun and got to work. See below for my quick-and-easy baby costume, a-la-Eisley:

(Kindly ignore the angry-face. I swear I'm not a horrible parent.)

Supplies

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• hot glue gun (here's the one I have)
• felt in two shades of green (I purchase mine here)
• a needle and thread
• obscenely large/adorable head-flower (you can find this particular one here)
• a stretchy headband (similar here)
• an old onesie that may or may not be stained and one size too small (similar here)
• a small child willing to endure a photo-shoot while looking like a freshly-picked flower (sorry, you can't have mine)

Instructions

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Cut felt into one strip for the stem, and into several leafy shapes. Add some stitching to the two layers of felt leaves. Hot glue the stem and leaves onto the onesie. (For the leaves, I just glued them along the middle line of each one, so that they could pop up a bit and seem more leafy. If that makes any sense at all.) Add some hot glue to the back of the obscenely large flower and attach it to the headband. Stuff baby into onesie and place headband on their round, little head. Take a moment to say, "Sweet mercy! I just created a Halloween costume in less than fifteen minutes! Someone get me a glass of wine and four cookies STAT!"

The result? An adorable (and simple) costume that hardly costs a thing. (I had all these items on hand, which made my thriftiness do a happy dance.) Although Eisley wasn't really feeling the photo-shoot situation, I have a feeling she felt like the prettiest little flower in all the land.

"ME NO LIKEY."

We attended a local trick-or-treating event last night with a couple friends, and it made my heart want to burst anytime I saw someone point out Eisley to a friend and say, "Oh, my gosh! She's a FLOWER! So cute!" (One person asked me if I had gotten the costume on Etsy, which is the ultimate compliment for any crafty lady.) It was such a wonderful time, and kind of felt like our first holiday tradition as a family. It was so sweet to see Jay walk around, proudly holding his daughter and smiling every time someone complimented her. It made my soul happy.

And as for my Halloween costume? I may just grab some gardening gloves, a floppy hat, some seed packets, smudge some dirt on my face, pretend I'm a gardener, and call it a day. That works, right? Right.

(And, no, Halloween Industry, I will not be a "sexy gardener" just because I'm an adult female. I have standards, you know. Sheesh.)

— Further reading: DIY No-Sew Fabric Bows and DIY Painted Wooden Sign


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