Kelly's NDAD Creation: Halloween Edition

More amazing costumes from you guys continue! I love this one that Kelly created for her daughter. Just wait until you see the final photo!

Thank you for inspiring me and so many others to reuse, repurpose and recycle! As Halloween approaches, I wanted to share my story about the costume I made for my daughter last year. My daughter recently got into archery so I thought it would be easy to make a Halloween costume that would go with her bow and arrows - Robin Hood. Ready-made costumes I saw online were expensive ($35!) so off to the thrift store I went to see what I could do. I found this white blouse for $5 that had the "look" of what I was going for.

I cut off the sleeves, dyed the bodice a forest green color, then reattached the sleeves. I also stitched on suede-like fabric accents down the front and around the armholes, to give it that "ye olde world" look. I needed to add grommets along the suede accent so it could be laced up the middle with a leather shoelace. 

I bought a short length of inexpensive green fabric to match and made a simple skirt (a tube with an elastic waist), also with suede accents. 

I found a pattern online for a hat and made one out of felt. As luck would have it, a hawk had left a feather in our yard a few weeks before and we kept it just because. Well guess what? It was the perfect addition to the hat!

Her white tank top underneath, her black leggings and boots, and her bow and arrow completed the look.

You can't see it on her back but I also made a quiver out of a mailing tube covered in the suede fabric. I spent less than $20 for the whole thing, which included buying a grommet punch and set of grommets. It seems like a lot compared to the wonderful fashions I've seen in your posts, but I feel I got away cheap compared to the ready-made stuff. Plus I got a grommet punch out of the deal too which I have since used for other things, so it was a great investment.

Kathy, this costume is SO fabulous! $20 for the whole thing (and a grommet punch) is a great deal. I just love the creativity behind this one - your daughter looks amazing! There is really nothing like a homemade costume - the amount of detail and attention you put in is just incredible. Can I borrow this to wear next?? What's on this year's agenda??

Sue's NDAD Creation: Halloween Edition

The costumes continue coming in!!  Here's one from reader Sue

My daughter wanted to go as Poison Ivy from the game Batman: Arkham Asylum for a Halloween party, so we decided to DIY the costume!

Here's a peek at what the character looks like...

Time to see how Sue got this created!

We used a 25 cent top from Goodwill and stitch-witched it into the proper shape and then we took one of her bathing suit bottoms and covered and hot glued hundreds of leaves to it.

We had leaves left over so we decided to take an old bra and turn it into a leafy top for a future wood nymph costume.

We then decided to turn some of the left over vines and leaves into a headpiece for the costume.

A lot of work and a couple of minor burns later, we are quite proud of our accomplishments.

Total cost was about $10 for the leaves and top. :)

What a fabulous recreation!  It really looks just like the character from the game.  I would have been freezing all night, if this was my costume!  I hope your daughter was inside celebrating!!  I'm recreating a character from a TV show as my main costume this year, so I love your dedication to get the same copycat look.  More Halloween looks to come, so stay tuned!

Sandra's NDAD Creation: Halloween Edition

Here's another costume, on the couple front!  I love group costumes just for the fact that you pretty much have to stay together all night.  You can't have a "Saved By the Bell" group get-up without your Screech, right?  I'm working on a few costumes to feature here, but my main outfit is something that could work with a group.  I'm hoping that I run into other people who are dressed in the same genre to take photos with.  Cryptic much??  For today, check out Sandra's costume...

Hi Marisa, I'm a huge fan of your page, blog and talent.  A few years ago I had a themed party to go to and along with my crafty friend, we created costumes from Value Village - a Sonny and Cher duo costume that my husband and I went as!

For my Cher look, we found a beautiful bright-colored sari that we used as my vest, a pair of bellbottoms, and then used the scraps for a headband.  My hubby's cords were fun to work on as we cut them open at the bottom and added a brocade drapery curtain to create a far out pair of bells with fringe.  To complete the look we used some of my own clothing along with wigs, and voila!

We had such a blast and have gone on to create some other fun costumes as well!  Thanks for letting me share.  Your Canadian fan, Sandra.

You guys look SO groovy.  A fantastic duo costume, for sure!  Isn't it amazing all the stuff you can score at the thrift store for period pieces like this?  Can't wait to see this year's look!