Mum - I need a Halloween Costume - for tonight! Ideas for Quick Costumes

They always do it to you don't they? Tell you they want a costume last minute.

And if it's not the kids themselves, it the school - how many of you have had a letter saying "Your child has been chosen to be a Sheep / Alien / Christmas Parcel /Lobster (delete as appropriate) for our School Show. Please can you supply a costume for tomorrow's dress rehearsal."

And yes really, I once had to do an  lobster costume. It was for a dance show routine "Under the Sea" - the girls wore mermaid costumes but the only boy was Sebastian the Lobster.  

Today is the last day for entering the Get Crafty with Creative Connections October Challenge which has a Spooky theme. So if you've made any fabulous Halloween costumes, or if you have got some fantastic spooky themed makes you'd like to share, just follow the link: October Challenge - Spooky (Halloween, Ghosts, Ghouls). Our favourites will be shared on this blog next month and the winner will get a set of Funky Fabric Coasters from The Old Button. 

And if you need need to create a Halloween theme costume really quickly with stuff you may have at home or can find at local supermarket or high street shops, you might find the following ideas helpful:

• Harry Potter - you can do any of the characters in a school uniform - get your child to draw a Gryffinor (or Ravenclaw etc) badge onto an old white school shirt with felt pen. Add a wand (or a clean stick from the garden). You could run up a quick cloak if you have the time - a rectangle of fabric can be fastened with an old fashioned brooch or button.  And don't forget to draw Harry's scar in eyeliner pencil. And tie up a few old books with string for Hermione and give a "Quidditch" broom to Ron. Or maybe you can make some cardboard Radish earrings (use thin cord elastic or hair bobbles to loop round non pierced ears) and a "Butterbeer" cork necklace for Luna Lovegood.
• The Grinch - if you have an old Father Christmas outfit and hat, you can use green face paint to create a this really lovable creature!
• Black Cat - tight black tights or leggings and a long sleeved crew neck tshirt, jumper or old dance leotard. Black furry or cardboard ears sewn or glued onto an old headband. Add a tail made from black fur trim or sew a narrow fabric tube stuffed with cotton wool or old tights.  
• Or you can adapt this into a Black Bat by swopping the tail for shaped wings cut from black fabric or a thick black bin liner and tacking or safety pinning to the back of neck and the sleeves once the costume is on.
• Pumpkin - got a big orange t-shirt? And a black sharpie or felt pen? Just draw thin curved lines and then go crazy with blacked out pumpkin designs. Faces, bats, witches - much easier to draw than to carve on a real pumpkin! And you can tie a couple of pillows round the tummy if you want the to show the roundness of the pumpkin. 
•  Hunches from Seussical / Crazy Hair Creatures - I used some Crazy Hair with flashing lights to create Hunches for a local production of Seussical. I made huge black bat-wing tunics and the kids wore black leggings.  They also wore flashing gloves and looked brilliant on a black stage.   I bought these flashing assessories on-line but you may be able to find similar in the super market Halloween section or from a fancy dress shop.

Keep an eye out over the next couple of months as we share some more design ideas for costumes as well as lots of other makes, craft tips and tutorials.

September Wedding Challenge Winners

Last month's challenge was all about Weddings. So we challenged you to show us what you can do and we had two fantastic entries.  

Silk Dreamer Cushion by csvernm

This luxurious handmade white silk cushion by csevenm has a lovely phrase embroidered onto it "every great dream begins with a dreamer" and would make a great gift for a newlywed or an engagement. 

This beautiful embroidered wedding envelope from Joan Glen Martin is just stunning. There are lots of little details from the cute girl holding a just married banner to the flower and lace surround.  


Elsie May and Bertha kindly offered some prizes for this challenge - and the Design Team unanimously agreed that both entries were so amazing that we would have two winners. 

So well done csevern - you win the needlecase and pincushion  - and well done Joan - you win the lavender pillow. Either drop us a message on the Get Crafty with Creative Connections Craft Challenge or email Louise on elsiemayandbertha@virginmedia.com.

And don't forget everyone - October's challenge is Spooky (Halloween, Ghosts, Ghouls) so get your amazing entries in now  - you have until the 31st October - just click on this link to find out how to enter.

The makes entered into October's month's challenge will be judged by the Design Team and the top makes will be featured on this blog next month. And there is a prize too - the Old Button is donating some Funky Fabric Coasters.  

Get Crafty with Creative Connection's Monthly Challenge October 2013 - Spooky (Halloween, Ghosts, Ghouls)

Hiya all and welcome to October's Challenge which is all about Halloween and other spooky things.  We would love you to take part - full details on how to enter are at the end of this post - and please share share share to promote the challenge - Twitter, Blog, FaceBook - whatever works for you.

The makes entered into this month's challenge will be judged by the Design Team and our favourites will be featured on this blog next month. And thanks to those who entered September's Wedding theme challenge. It was great to see some gorgeous entries - watch out for a feature on these later this month. 

The nights are getting darker here in the UK and the shops are filled with lots of scary costumes, bags and decorations. While some of these are pretty good, it is great to have something unique, something that appeals to your taste and something that you will love to bring out year after year. 

And as crafters we just love making our own. So it's time to get spooky......... here are what a couple of members from our Design Team have been busy making.....

Just take a look at this fabulous bunting by Louise from Elsa May and Bertha - I just love the autumn colours and the gothic theme. Ravens and bats. Perfect for a bit of grown up decorating for Halloween.

And for the kids - what about these not so scary padded goody bags by Sharon from The Old Button. Cute appliqued felt pictures and embroidered words - perfect for little ones who don't want the blood and gore look.  

So why don't you show us what you've been up to?

So how do you enter -  it is simple - just add your item via the link tool at the bottom of this post.  But check out the rules and guidance first: 

• This challenge runs until the 31th October 2013, so you can enter at any time during the month.  
• This challenge is open to all crafters, and all craft business owners, to enter.   
• You can enter up to two times in any one month.   
• Please always make new projects, no back linking to previous projects.
• You can include items you will go on to sell, most of us who are members of Creative Connections sell things so that is not a problem. 
• You can combine your entry to this challenge with any other challenges that you contribute too.  
• Please include a link back to this blog and Creative Connections (www.creative-connections.ning.com) when talking about the Get Crafty Challenge on your blogs, or any social media places. Creative Connections is on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.  
• If you want to blog about your challenge items then please do so, please remember to link back to the challenge post and please add your links to the Get Crafty Challenge Group over in Creative Connections, (you need to be a member to do this which is free to join) the group is here for you to add your posts.   
• If you would like to add the Get Crafty Monthly Challenge badge, you can copy the image from the side of the blog and link it back to www.getcraftywithcc.blogspot.co.uk

We're looking forward to seeing your entries - and there is a prize too - The Old Button is donating some Funky Fabric Coasters.