The No-Spend Costumes

We didn't spend a penny on Halloween costumes this year, but the catch is that Genevieve's outfit was a present from Granny and Grandpa's trip to Spain.

A flamenco dancer.  Complete with jewelry, please note.

And then we have a black-capped chickadee. The bird was entirely Ben's idea. When I asked Ben what kind of bird he wanted to be, I expected him to pick his favorite color or Big Bird; but out he comes with "chickadee." Well, I couldn't resist that sweetness. 

I made the wings following this tutorial, only a little messier;  I also added a backpack-like tie and 2 forearm ties because the chickadee was prodigiously vigorous.  It took a lot more feathers to cover those wings than I expected, so it was more of a time investment than I planned, but I was so pleased with the whole effect.

Chickadees have black caps (we borrowed Daddy's dark-gray beanie), yellow bellies (a piece of yellow flannel from my stash pinned to his belly), and then the black wings with some white speckled in.  Daddy made the paper beak just before we ran out the door.

We stopped by friends' and family's houses, and met some new neighbors along the way.  Coming home at bedtime, we stopped to light our jack o' lanterns on the front porch. 

And now the  chickadee wings are in the dress-up bin, the ruffly dress is hung carefully in the closet, and there are buckets of candy waiting for me in the kitchen.  Hoo boy.  I could like Halloween.