Quick and Inexpensive Homemade Halloween Costumes

Did you wait until the last minute to look for a costume for your children, or yourself, for Halloween? Are the selections in the stores all picked over? Well, have no fear. There are many costumes that can be made easily at home, and many of them are quite unusual. heres a sample of just a few fun and exciting costumes most people will not have on Halloween. You'll or your children will be an instant hit!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

What you'll need:
Red Shirt, white pants, craft Styrofoam balls(large), brown, red and green paint, old can, a label from a Parmesan cheese container, red and white yarn, and a red visor.

To make it:
Paint the Styrofoam balls brown, and add bits of red. These are your meatballs. Drape or sew the yarn around your shoulders and head-you can use a hot glue gun to attach it the shirt and pants. You can also hot glue the balls to the visor. Paint the can green and paste on the Parmesan cheese label.

Laundry Basket

For this one, all you need is a cheap,small laundry basket. Cut a circle in the very bottom of it, and use yarn or thin clothesline to make a pair of suspenders to keep it on. Use clothespins to attach clothes all over yourself or your child, and the basket.

Flower

What you'll need:
green sweatpants and a sweatshirt, large purple craft foam, pink craft foam, staple gun, scissors, elastic or yarn

To make it:
Cut a hole to fit your child's face in the piece of purple foam. From the pink foam, cut petals, and glue them onto the purple base to make a flower. Use elastic or yarn to form a band to go around the head. With the green sweat outfit, you are now a flower!

BumbleBee

What you'll need:
Black sweat outfit, yellow paint, foam, staple gun or needle and thread

Carefully paint yellow stripes down the outfit. Using the foam, cut out a pair of wings, staple or sew them onto the back of your shirt.

Cow

What you'll need:
Black sweat outfit, white paint, headband or purchased horns

Paint white spots all over the black outfit. Wear a purchased pair of horns, or paint your own headband. Instant cow!

A bag of Jelly Beans

What you'll need:
Clear, large trash bag, different colored balloons

Blow up the balloons in all different colors. Put trash bag over head and then fill with balloons, making holes for arms. Tie bag closed at the bottom-rubber bands work well for closing the bag off.

Playing Card

What you'll need:
Poster board, paint or large markers, clothesline or thin rope, staple gun

Decorate each poster board like a playing card, heart, diamond, spade or club. Poke 4 symmetrical holes in the tops of both boards, run rope or clothesline through and tie. Can be slipped on and off easily!