Over the last few weeks we’ve been sneaking in time to plant lots of tulip bulbs, put the garden best to rest, plant lots of spicy garlic and move the leaves to the edges of our little yard, to keep the flowers warm during what is sure be a chilly winter.

Sneaking it in in the midst of little man-cub’s first big cold (oh my, can we just hibernate and avoid all human contact for the next 6 months?), what I’m sure is teething, and just the regular business of studying castles.

What we didn’t really sneak in was much time to decorate for Halloween. Sure there are a few pie pumpkins around, and one large one too… but what else?

Yesterday we made some last-minute ghosties, and it’s a great little-kid-friendly activity perfect for other last-minuters like us.

You need white cotton, cut into large squares, some wool for stuffing the head, and string.

And a little helper, or two.

They look great in groups!

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Last year I looked through the pile of felted wool sweaters I’d collected. Sweaters that had somehow grown too big, or too small. Or ones extended family passed our way, figuring I’d find a way to do something with them.

After some brainstorming with my creative partner in this house, my little daughter, we came up with a red fox costume. She loved the idea of having a comfy sweater-type dress to wear, something that would easily slip over other clothes.  I liked that it could fit many body types, and work on girls of various ages. And that it was upcycling something old and not very beautiful anymore into a sweet Halloween outfit. Actually, a fabulous dress-up costume for anytime. And I liked that it was all-natural, made with wool, some cotton fabrics we had around – no polyester, no vinyl, no strange surfectants and plastics as found in far too many Halloween get-ups.

The costume sold, but I saved the other sleeve to make a stand-alone tail and another fox ears headband. We have another sweater we’re itching to make into a new fox costume. If only this little mancub in our family would give us a bit of time.

In the little bits of time we’ve carved out for crafting, we’ve come up with a few other upcycled animal Halloween costume dresses.

A green frog, needle felted and sewn into a lovely dress with frog feet in wool felt. And a frog ears headband, covered in wool for comfort and color. This one would fit a little girl who wears a size 3/4 (it would be a bit longer) to 6/7 probably.

A red devil. With a long black forked tail, stuffed with wool.

With a bluebird, and possibly a brown bear, on the way. They are all available in our shop here.

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To wear: a handmade ladybug costume that I wished came in an adult size. Well, I guess since my mom made it – it could Maybe next year!

To set the mood: a fabulous “mystery lady” and her black crow, and a handmade spider my Mister made, using a chesnut, toothpicks and some soft yarn.

Tonight we’re going to tackle some fluttering white ghosts to hang in our trees, using leftover white fabric, and wool… and a giant web, sewing string to a giant black poster board.

How are your Halloween preparations going?

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When I saw this lovely how-to at alphamom, I knew it would be fabulous. Indeed it was. My 3 year old did most of it, and it stretched out over several days, which only increased the level of satisfaction when it was all complete.

First we made the little pumpkin balls out of the salt dough recipe in the tutorial, and used the edge of a spatula to make indentations around each one. We used a little stick to make holes at the top.

When they had cooked for several hours, and cooled, it was time to paint.

My daughter made the executive decision of using (fabuous) neon orange paint. I think we’re going to give out entire Halloween decor this year an 80s feel.

Then it was time to collect small twigs outside to cut down to glue in the little holes we made at the top of each pumpkin.

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I’m not sure who’s bigger here. That’s one very big meal.

A vintage Vera silk scarf we turned into a pillow sham cover.

An embroidery wall hanging from Waterrose

A web necklace from Donauluft

And RaceyTay’s version of the huge mama spider that sits at the entrance to our National Art Gallery here in Ottawa. When you stand under it and look up, you can see a huge egg sack filled with white eggs.

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Last week this just happened. I felted a big pile of autumn and winter-colored sweaters – some destined to be one of kind wool nap mats, others intended for upcycled wool animals and still others set for heart ornaments for the holidays.

In the pile was this foxy orange brown sweater and it somehow had felted into just the right size for a little girl. As a dress, as a fox dress costume. Paired with a needle felted headband, and a big bushy tail… and we had a fox costume.

This one is in our shop. The little girl I know has her heart set on being a ladybug for Halloween this year. Off to find a red sweater….

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