Sally Flo-maker

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I blinked and it was Sunday night.  I know,  I know, you're concerned.  You're like "Robin, what happened?  What were you doing this weekend?"  Don't worry.  Allow me to re-cap for you.

Sometime between Friday after work and now, I have been cleaning, hosting an impromptu slumber party, re-cleaning, crafting, making rice krispie treats, setting up, decorating, orchestrating and hosting a kids Halloween party.  

If you haven't caught on by now, I went as Flo the Progressive icon.  I chose this because it was cheap (I had nearly everything on hand) and easy.  Just how all Halloween costumes should be.  But, it also had to be kid appropriate since I was expecting around 30 kids aged 3-12 at my house today.

I even did my nails Progressive blue, made my own Bumpit (because I couldn't find one in my haste of costume hunting this weekend), DIYed a Progressive apron (and was shocked at how many times I got asked if I made it "No, I went on over to the Progressive clothing wing at Macy's and, just my luck, found one in my size") aaaaaaand got my hair to hold a curl (isn't it weird how curly hair can't hold a curl?  Who else finds this baffling?) for about 42.9 minutes. 

I often claim that I am not a crafty or creative person.  I can't sew or paint or design anything.  Peggy is always telling me that I should get into designing clothes.  I don't have "the stuff" for that.  I am good at putting things together but not creating something new and amazing.  Today, I realized that while I might not be creative, I am resourceful.  And thrifty.  The party was a success and largely due to the fact that nearly every aspect was inexpensive and easy as can be.  I've included some of what we did below.

White Jeans-Wal-Mart, White Tee-gifted; Tennies-Keds, thrifted; Apron-DIY and Wal-Mart; Watch-gifted

Bean Bag Toss

I made these bean bag tosses for last year's party actually, but they held on for this year.  They are really easy to make.  Just buy the presentation poster board from nearly anywhere (I got mine from Wal-Mart, as usual), draft the character, cut out the holes and color it in (I used crayon, but paint would be cool too).

My mom sewed the bean bags with Halloween socks and beans.

Oreo Spiders 

All you need for this are Oreos, licorice and frosting (both for decoration and to help glue the legs on).

Popcorn Witch Hands

I got these disposable gloves and the popcorn at the Dollar Store.  Of course, you can have Sharpies for decoration.  Or you can get candy corn and glue them on the gloves for fingernails.  But I don't buy candy corn because it is nah-stay.

Ghost Suckers

All you need for these are suckers (Blow Pops and Tootsie Pops are best), Kleenex, yarn and some Sharpies or markers for decoration.

This ghost made by my niece Juli.  His name is Arthur.

Games

We had three main games as well as crafts.  We bobbed for apples.  All you need for this is a big bucket or tub, apples and, if you wish, dry ice for effect.  We also had the mummy game.  All you need for this is toilet paper.  You divide the kids up into teams, one of which is the mummy.  You have the other kids on the team wrap their mummy with the toilet paper and the first team to wrap their mummy with all their toilet paper wins.  The final game and grand finale if you will, is the good ole fashion scavenger hunt.  I made the lists out of construction paper (a more authentic feeling paper than printer paper), a red marker and burned the edges to make it look weathered.

These ideas are not ones I made up, but they are easy and inexpensive.  The kids (and grown ups) had a ball!

P.S. Don't forget about the $20 discount to eShakti's online store!!!! (Do you all remember this dress?) All you need to do is use the discount code ROBIN0811. The code is valid through October 31, 2011 so don't delay if you are interested.