Millarky: 2011

Who doesn't like to make snowflakes? Even better ones you can EAT! (Bonus: no paper waste or little scraps to endlessly clean up). This is by no means an original idea, but it sure is a FUN and EASY one so we thought we'd share.

What you'll need:

Flour tortillas
clean scissors
cooking spray
cookie sheet
powdered sugar (sprinkles...all that etc. stuff)

Preheat Oven to 400

Step 1: Warm the tortillas up in the microwave (for about 15 seconds). This helps prevent cracking when you fold your tortilla. And we wouldn't want that would we, Boz :)?

Step 2: Fold your tortilla in half, then in half again (aka folded into quarter sections). Cut out snowflake designs with cleaned scissors, unless you not a clean freak, then just use any old scissors. Hopefully they haven't been up anyone's nose.

Step 3: Unfold your snowflake and place it on a greased cookie sheet. Spray the top of the snowflake with some cooking spray. Place it in the oven and bake for a few minutes (I was lazy broiled mine on each side for a bit).

Step 4: When crisp remove them from the oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar for a snowy effect or whatever you'd like.

Pork out and ENJOY!

SO easy!!! And even your your child can't wield scissors yet, they still enjoy the eating part-- provided they can chew. . .

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY

warning: long post, so just enjoy the pics of nothing else.

Its finally starting to cool off around here, I hope 90+ weather is gone for a LONG while. It's FINALLY starting to feel like Fall for me. I LOVE FALL. Such a fun time of year and we've been up to all the usual fun too..

Corn Maze:

"Its like we're in a story book" -Elyette :)

Pumpkin Carving:

Almost didn't happen. I finally just did it last night while Boz was Home Teaching. What kind of mother would I be if we didn't carve at least 1 pumpkin with my kids? The roasted seeds were probably the favorite part :).

He's Elyette's design.

And of course. COSTUMES:

This years costumes are totally inspired by each kid (and at their suggestions), and Boz for that matter. That hair of his has inspired costumes for years :)...

Since nothing about these costumes previously existed (well, at a price I was willing to pay) I did them all from scratch. Couldn't even find a brown turtleneck for Charlotte.The exceptions being the shoes, Boz's pants, socks, that sort of thing...

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Astrid

(from How to Train Your Dragon):

This totally fits. I love that she'll all about the princesses and dresses for playtime, but when it comes to Halloween, she rocks the awesome (previous years picks: corpse bride, witch... makes me almost feel bad about having made her tinker bell and cinderella the years she wasn't old enough to voice her opinion)

Elements:

Headband: Strip of felt, spray painted buttons. Elyette sewed on all the buttons herself!

Shirt and gloves- clearanced stretchy mesh fabric for $1

Underskirt: simple green broad cloth

Armor skirt: Brown Felt, with spikes also made from same felt, spray painted silver, and hand sewn on.

Shoulder armor: More brown felt cut in strips, attached spike studs (left overs from Megamind) spray painted silver, and arranged and tied to the shirt

Boots: faux fur cuff pinned on her boots

Axe: $1 store broom and cardboard stapled together and spray painted (silver and black)

- Skulls were found at michael (just glued them on)

-- denim leggings she had... haha, one less thing to make.

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Megamind:

That head of his is inspiring :). His head is the perfect shape... haha.. Even has the perfect little pointy nose and skinny little body. He was born to be megamind :).

Cost was not so frugal for this guys. I wanted to just go all out (well for me anyway). This was the project of projects. Even shaved his head.

Elements:

Cape: Black pleather, lined with blue interlock knit.

Stand Collar: Scrap black vinyl I had. Spike studs were a fantastic find on Etsy for $2. Black Pleather and Pellon for stiffening used for the part around his head (that part was a pain for some reason, took 2 attempts)

Belt and Gun holster: Studs, Vinyl

Gloves: Pleather, more studs worn with just a pair of black wool gloves.

Boots: His rain boots with pleather fold over inserts.

Jumpsuit: Black and blue interlock knit. Freehanded (scary thing with me) the blue lightening design, sewed it on to the black (which was all 1 piece), sewed on a border of blue ribbon. I just got the cheapest knit I could find and it didn't have the 4 way stretch I really needed, so the fits not great and it took a while to figure it out. Other than the fact that he gets a bit of a wedgie when he bends over, it works.

--Blue water based make up for $2 (I'm no make artist, that was obvious).

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Oompa Loompa

She just is one, what can I say :)...

Elements:

Brown Turtleneck: Made from an old jersey sheet. Painting the white stripes was a flop, so they are felt strips sewn on (ended up being much easier that way)

Pants: Felt (the brown buttons are also just felt circles)

Socks: striped with tape.

Shoes: pom poms made from brown jersey and white felt scraps (using this method).

--White face paint for eyebrows and Green hair spray. (I would NOT reccomend using that hair spray stuff on someone so little! Poor baby got a mild case of hives that night and I'm pretty sure it was from that stuff)

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Willy Wonka

Again, its the Gene Wilder hair... and obviously a natural choice to go with an oompa loompa. Even with the oompa loompa he was mistaken for Mad Hatter though. Well, he can just wear it again next year and say he's Mad Hatter :)...

Elements:

Coat: Felt (love that stuff for halloween) and ribbon. It was a bit snug on the shoulders, but the great thing about felt is, you can just wet it and it stretches. So I sprayed the back and he wore it for a bit while it dried on him. Talk about custom fit!

Vest: Had some random cut out cicrles of this wild floral that I transformed into a mock vest (just the front part sewn straight onto an old white shirt of Boz's)

Bow tie: Scrap green satin

Hat: Oh the hat.. Totally glotting here, but I MADE THAT HAT completely from scratch using Felt, Pellon for stiffening, wire and ribbon trim. Oh man I was so stinking excited about this one! I spent days trying to "mentalize" how to make it the way I wanted since nothing I was googling was right, although they did help. I use the same "wetting" method for the brim. It was in 2 layers and I wet the bottom layer and stretched it over my wire and sewed it in. I was a bit too anxious though and went about sewing the top layer down over it before it was totally dry so that did cause some wrinkling. Other than that its a full on bona fide (well almost) Victorian Top Hat! Sorry... glotting done. It just exciting when something actually turns out how you pictured it!

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Veruca Salt

Suppose to look "spoiled" not pissed and exhausted :)

Yeah, I couldn't come up with much as far as fitting in the Charlie and Chocolate Factory thing. Thought I'd be a Wonka Bar or something goofy, but I was sort of over making costumes by the time it got to me.

So Friday night I grab some scrap pink fur stuff, whipped up a little coat thing and sewed a squirrel on the shoulder. Paired that with my yellow dress, some tights and mary janes and called myself Veruca. You know? The spoiled brat girl that wants a squirrel and the squirrels decide she's a bad nut and toss her down the trash shoot?

Of course few people knew who I was, the kids got it cause we just read the book this summer...most people thought I was Giselle from Enchanted... can't blame them. Maybe I should have rolled through the dumpster...

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Okay so um, obviously this was all A LOT of work and was about 35 hours worth (not included the time I was "in my head" figuring out how to do stuff). And if you are think "That's just insane!" I COMPLETELY agree! I don't think I'll do them all from scrap like that again, but I was a really fun, trail and error creative process that you can only do for Halloween!... Don't count on this Christmas being very handmade this year... burnt out.... for now ;)

Oh I almost forgot the Trunk for the Trunk or Treat:

Tried to make it look like a candy store window to go with our whole Chocolate Factory theme. Jack and Elyette had fun helping me with this and Charlotte was ADORABLE!!! She makes it for sure. She sat there the whole trunk or treating time! (helps that she discovered the hershey kisses in a vase next to her :))

ok... all done! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!