Monday, October 21, 2013

Historically Hip Halloween: 7 Adorable DIY Kids Costumes

"What are you going to be for Halloween?" Children (and adults) hear this question every October, but it never ceases to provoke anxiety and anticipation! Although a trivial feat, finding just the right costume seems to be important at every age. What makes a great costume? If you take a stroll down any Party City isle, you'll see current pop stars, classic cartoons and fairy tale idols, and a mask of every horror movie villain created.

Not only can these store-bought costumes run you a pretty penny, they're the same recycled ideas from last year, lacking your own individual stamp. If you're feeling crafty, thrifty, and time-crunched, and you want to have the most uniquely-dressed trick-or-treaters on the block, bust out your sewing kit (or safety pins and fabric tape) and try these simple and affordable do-it-yourself costumes that your little ones are sure to love!

Dwight, from The Office


No alterations required! All you need to do is dig through your husband's tie drawer, pick the one he never wears, and pair with black dress pants, black shoes, and solid colored dress shirt. The look is solidified by Dwight's signature glasses and slicked down hair.

Hot Air Balloon


This creative costume is super easy and inexpensive to make. You probably have a wicker basket laying around the house, along with brown paper lunch bags and white rope or string. Fill two bags with candy and tie them to the ends of two ropes. Use a third to create a knot from which your balloon will be attached with ribbon. Cut leg holes in the bottom of your basket, and fill your balloon with helium to keep it from falling down!

IPod


Keep up with the times with this easy, no-fuss costume. It's a project you can work on with the kids. Use a rectangular cardboard box, cut slits for arms, head, and legs. Paint it white, and stencil on the apple logo and touch circle with silver Sharpie marker. Use red duct tape to outline and cover the rest of the box. 

California Sushi Roll


Baltimore is a foodie town, and sushi is a cult favorite among many people young and old in neighborhoods like Federal Hill. Celebrate your love of Asian cuisine with this simple costume you can make from felt cut outs, a black onesie and leggings, and black headband. The chopsticks and ginger/wasabi headband pull together this precious outfit!

Frida Kahlo, Artist


For the toddler who appreciates folk art. This clever costume can be recreated with synthetic roses, a colorful shawl, Mexican-style embroidered dress and a brown eyebrow pencil to create the allusion of the painter's famous unibrow. 

Alice in Wonderland


Put a unique spin on a classic heroine costume. Purchase grey and white horizontal stripped tights and matching hair bow and Alice's signature turquoise blue dress. Remember the boxes Build-A-Bear comes in? That shape is perfect for decorating the white rabbit's house! 

Raven


Poe would be so proud. Show your town spirit and reinvent this iconic mascot. Martha Stewart shows you how, step-by-step, here.

With a little inspiration, we hope to see you and your family all decked-out in Halloween attire in the Federal Hill Business District on Halloween Day (from 4pm to 7pm) for the annual Federal Hill Businesses Association's Trick-or-Treat event. Each business (between the 800 and 1300 blocks of Light and Charles Streets) with orange and black balloons in front of their doors will have free candy for the kids!


Briana Lopes, Intern

Friday, October 11, 2013

2nd Annual SoBo Halloween Bash: An All Ages Affair!

The Second Annual SoBo Halloween Bash will take over Riverside Park on Sunday, October 27, from 1pm to 6pm. What emerged from collaborative ideas of FedHillKids volunteers expanding their bash venue, and community advocate Cathy Strodel’s vision of an inclusive event in the park with “…young and old people, families and single people,” has now evolved into a Halloween tradition for children and adults of all ages. 

Planning Committee leader  Misty Keens writes in the October-November issue of SoBo Voice, “This year the planning committee has aspired to make it bigger and better than ever! We have a grand plan in the works…food from local vendors and food trucks, lawn games and tournaments for the adults, live music, costume contests for the young and old, 50/50 raffle and grown-up beverages!” Beer and wine will be sold from 4pm to 6pm, and during that time Misty says the event will be “a bit more adult focused.” 

The Halloween Bash has been and will continue to be FREE due to the generous donations of sponsors in our community, such as Protean Records, Harris Teeter, and Porter’s Pub, to name a few! If you’d like to volunteer your time, contact Misty Keens at mistyk_11@yahoo.com


Briana Lopes, Intern