Center of the Universe Halloween Costume: Styrofoam Balls Create it All

My mom had a Halloween party coming up at work, and we were picking our brains to come up with something so unique that she'd win the costume contest, hands down. I've never really been that crafty when it came to making costumes for Halloween. I would usually just visit a Halloween store, pick out a cute costume, and be done with it, so this wasn't exactly an easy task.

We took a trip to Michael's one afternoon, and as we were walking, the idea just smacked me in the face, literally! I smarted off to her about something jokingly, and she grabbed one of those green Styrofoam balls (that you can use in planters and for crafts and things of that nature), and she hurled it right at my head. I stopped in my tracks and I said "Oh my God, mom! Those are perfect!"

Enter the "Center of the Universe" costume idea! I'll walk you through the creation process. The supply list is very small and cheap and the time it took to put it all together was very minimal.

What you'll need:

2 plain colored Hula-hoop's - whatever size you want, we used 1 child size and one adult size.

1-2 packages of foam stars (different sizes)

1 package of yellow pipe cleaners

Rope, twine or yard in any light color or black

10-15 Styrofoam balls all various sizes - a few the same size, some bigger, some smaller.

1 hot glue gun

Any color crafting paints you'd like (to paint the balls)

A drill with carving bit - to drill holes through the center of the Styrofoam balls

A white tee-shirt that can be ruined

Here's what you do:

-Paint all of the balls different colors, multi -olored, striped, whatever you see fit. Be creative and try to make any of them look a like.

-While they are drying start gluing the ends of the pipe cleaners onto the backs of the foam stars.

-If you need to, you can measure the size around of the Hula-hoops, but I just eye balled it.

-There is a weak point on all Hula-hoops where the circle comes together, you can use a pair of scissors to detach it there.

- Once the balls are dry, drill holes directly through the center of them big enough for them to slide onto the Hula-Hoop.

-Start sliding the balls onto the hoops, play with the positions and figure out where you'd like each one to sit.

-Once you have them positioned correctly, you can add just a dab of the glue where the ball and hoop touch, this will keep the balls in place.

NOTE: You are going to be wearing the Hula-hoops around your waist and chest area, so be sure you don't put balls where your arms will be uncomfortably bumping one of them throughout the night.

- The string, twine, yarn (whichever you chose) will be to tie onto the Hula-hoops and worn like straps over your shoulders - one hoop should be higher up on your body, so you will need to attach shorter string. (My mom wore hers right at chest level and her larger hoop right at waste level)

- Now start attaching your stars - these can just be easily twisted around the Hula-hoop using the other end of the pipe cleaner - do some right against the hoop, some left at full length and everything in between. (We even glued some directly to the hoops)

-Write "I am the CENTER of all things" on the front and back of the shirt. (We had her shirt airbrushed, but paint or a marker will work the same if you don't want to spend much)

-Glue any leftover stars all over your shirt

-Wear your hair, makeup, etc. however you'd like.

NOTE: You can also wear all yellow and be the SUN as the center of the universe. We thought about this, but the other way was more appealing at the time.

With the hint from your shirt, or if you're wearing all yellow, people are sure to get the point that you are the "Center of the Universe". The unique idea was a smash hit at my mom's work party and she did win the costume contest.

Have fun, and be creative!