In our home we are always up for literary and comic book heroes. Is it any wonder that our halloween costumes reflected both? Of course not. Here's a look at the beloved characters I often refer to as my sons.O, my oldest son, is whole heartedly a fan of the character who wears precious goods around his neck. If you guessed Frodo Baggins, hobbit of the Shire, you would indeed be correct. After reading The Hobbit and beginning The Fellowship of the Rings, O insisted that he wanted to become Frodo. How could I deny my son's desire to be his favorite hobbit hero? Working without a pattern, I thus began my quest to create an authentic replica with the fabrics I had on hand. Aiding me were detailed movie and costume photos found online. In the end, the hairy hobbit feet were my biggest challenge. While I was grateful to have most everything on hand, I purchased the following items: vinyl with "wrinkles/lines" in the skin tone I was looking for (found on clearance for $8/yd), a necklace chain ($3.99 before 40% off coupon), black winter hat ($1 Walmart), doll hair ($6.99 before 50% off coupon), and 1 pair of flip flops for under $2. The end result... Well, you be the judge. Would you call it precious?
Now my youngest son, M, is more reserved and doesn't enjoy a showy costume. Although if he is going to dress up, the details have to be spot on. This may be one of the reasons he chose a superhero that doesn't insist on standing in the spotlight. He's comfortable keeping an eye on things from a distance, but willing to step up when it counts and always hits his target. Hawkeye of the Avengers may be quiet, but he aims to be a great hero. We unexpectedly found the physically fit vest style shirt at Target. M insisted there was no need to make this piece from scratch. It came with a black bow and 2 suction cup arrows, so he was all set to become a Shield agent archer. Using items we already owned, we added to the black and maroon wardrobe. For the record, M had no desire to wear boot covers. He was one happy hero with the additions we created and insisted we hit the mark.
If you are looking to create a little target practice for your archer, we have a bonus project for you. This past summer we used pvc pipe pieces, binding rings, an acrylic photo frame piece, x-acto knife, hole punch, and sharpies to create a water gun shooting range. It easily transitions to indoor fun with nerf darts and suction cup arrows.
