Never-Never Land

My first year of making homemade Halloween costumes was a success!

Tinkerbell was a huge hit for Johanna. I feel a little guilty calling hers homemade. I didn't make the tights, shoes, tank or wings... Hmmm. I found the wings at the dollar store and the tights and tank were clearance at Target. But I put it together so I guess that counts for something ;)

 

I splurged on the shoes. I had a 25% off coupon and they were already marked down 30% so I didn't feel too guilty. Johanna loves the shoes since they light up at the heel and have jingle bells in the poof balls. Johanna loves the shoes so much that they were the source of major breakdowns the first day I showed them to her. They were in hiding again up until yesterday...

  JJ made the cutest Peter Pan ever! With JJ's costume I can say I really did make 85% of his! I did not make his pants, they are an old pair of Johanna's leggings.  

 My favorite part of his costume...his lost boys pirate dagger! A.k.a JJ's chew toy.

 And my proudest accomplishment are his pirate booties. I couldn't find a sample or pattern to follow so I came up with these all on my own! They may be dorky looking but I'm just happy with the fact they actual resemble shoes!

 I didn't have a pattern for the hat or shirt either but I was able to follow a blog (makeit-loveit.com). It was a tad small since I wasn't sure how big to make the cuts but it ended up fitting perfectly on his head without an elastic strap. I got a pack of feathers from the dollar store and hot glued it in to the hat.

His shirt was super easy too! I used my 50% off cell phone coupon at Joann's and got the softest fleece they had for about 2 dollars. I overlapped it and cut out the shape of a t-shirt. I then cut a straight line up the back and added velcro to keep it attached. I cut a triangle pattern from the sleeves and hem to give it the ragged lost boys look. It was so easy!

 The cutest Peter Pan and Tinkerbell out there :) I just want to squeeze those little Peter Pan cheeks and tickle that Tinkerbell belly.

We got the costumes ready early to wear to my friend's annual Halloween party. Last year Johanna went as Cinderella and was barely walking. This year she was up and about and even painted her pumpkin.

See the cute little boy behind Jeff dressed as a duck? Johanna was horrified of the little cutie. We've been playing with the idea of taking Hanna to Disney next year for her b-day but after hearing her freak out over the fuzzy little duck boy we were starting to second guess that thought. But then a girl dressed up as Alice in Wonderland walked through the door and Johanna instantly stopped crying and brightened up immediately-- "Woahh!! It's Sleeping Beauty! Hi Sleeping Beauty, beautiful!!!"

Johanna has really good ears. While we were eating dinner a few nights ago we were talking about our costumes. Jeff asked me what I was going to be and I said probably nothing, maybe a pirate. Then I told him jokingly he could be Mr. Smee. Johanna picked right up on that and has been telling us every day that Mom is a pirate and Daddy is Mr. Smee. 

I had so much fun making their little costumes and it was really neat seeing them in the finished product. So would I make their costumes next year?

 

Pros:When I was looking at infant Peter Pan costumes online they wanted 50 bucks for a cheap factory made one and I got away with making JJ's for under 6 bucks. Johanna's costume was a little bit more since I splurged on her shoes but overall it was still under 20 bucks and she will be able to wear the tank, tights and shoes past Halloween too! And it is so cute seeing them wear something that you've put together.

 

Cons: It took me at least a good five hours to whip JJ's up and about 2 hours (not including shopping time) to do Johanna's. I don't have a sewing machine so I had to hand sew everything that needed sewing so that in itself took time.

 

So will I do it again next year? Yes! But if sitting home on a Friday night with a cup of cocoa and a sewing needle sounds like torture to you I wouldn't suggest it ;)