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Ok this is one of the obligatory posts. Last year my daughter and I came up with a REALLY neat costume. It actually won a prize in the town Halloween Parade! It took about 4 hours spread over 3 days to complete and people really loved it.Read More Below...

The neat thing is that we were able to do this for UNDER $20 much less than the $20 and up cloned costumes you see at the store. I’ve a list of materials and the like at the end of the article.

We used a cardboard box for a table. We made cut it down a little and made separate legs. This let us do the next part much easier. Make sure the ‘bottom’ of the box which will be the top of the table is secure. Either tape or remove the inside flaps. Cut a hole for your head in the box. Try not to center exactly it but think of where the plate would be.

Then glue (we used spray cement) to glue the tablecloth on. Make sure you get it on tight. With wind and movement it can come off. Cut the table cloth for the hole. using the extra material to ‘pad’ the hole

Attach a plate upside down and one right side up cut a hole and then glue to the table cloth and table.

Get PLASTIC flatware and cups to fasten. Glass, Ceramic and metal is too heavy. Glue may not be enough so put small holes in the objects and tie them to the table. You can even add candles or flowers to the setting

Attach the legs and you should end up with an empty place setting with a hole in the plate.

For the headpiece use an old ball cap. We used an over-sized hat from the circus. Cover the hat in RED felt.

For the meatballs cut Styrofoam balls in half or smaller (for meatballs buried under more noodles) and paint. Make SURE the paint is safe for Styrofoam or you’ll end up with lumps. Attach the meatballs to the hat using a hot glue gun.

Then use beige yarn for the noodles. I used a hot glue gun. Experiment with what looks right. Attach additional ’sauce’(felt) over the noodles.

To put on the costume just slip then table over the head and THEN the hat. For added safety while trick or treating you can add reflective strips to the back for safety.

The tough thing about this costume is that you cannot see your feet this makes it tricky when walking on stairs or hills. But this costume is GREAT for Mall Trick-or-Treating, School parties, OR parades. It’s easy to take on and off and the cost is GREAT.

My daughter had a BLAST with all the attention she got not to mention second place in the parade. We had a revisit of pride when in a family magazine this year had her EXACT costume in it as a suggestion. I wonder if they saw hers?

Materials:

• Cardboard box
• Plastic table cloth
• Styrofoam balls (assorted sizes)
• Red Felt
• Beige Yarn
• 2 paper plates
• 1 Plastic cup
• 1 Set of plastic silverware.
• Krylon H2O brown latex paint
• Spray cement

Tools

• Scissors
• Utility Knife
• Hot Glue Gun
• Needle and thread
• IMAGINATION!