PLANET EARTH HALLOWEEN COSTUME

When it comes down to Halloween costumes, homemade is no comparison to commercially made polyester costumes. This year my son is into planets and the solar system, and his wish was to have his favorite planet earth as halloween costume. We created this costume while hurricane Sandy was at its full pick, as we were reminded of the power of nature. It turned out to be pretty successful costume, so I'll share the DIY instructions with all nature lovers out there: 
For this costume you will need:
-Used cardboard box size 20Wx30Lx30H. we used Target box that we had.
-Heavy duty scissors
-Xacto knife
-Kraft packing tape
-Tissue paper (recycled preferable, after all this will be the earth)
-Clear packing tape
-Green recycled construction paper

*** The Moon lantern is made by painting craters on the regular white paper lantern.

1. Creating the sphere

Start by dividing the cardboard box into equal vertical segments about 3" wide on all sides. Using xacto knife create surface cuts at each segment to allow for easy cardboard folding. 

Cut the top part of each segment into wedge shape with slightly curved sides. Repeat this at both top and bottom of the cardboard box. The depth of each cut should be about 12" at the top of the box and 8" at the bottom of the box with 6" of uncut space in the middle. 

Connect the wedges together using craft packing tape. The result will be two openings, one large for the legs, and one smaller for the head. 
You may want to adjust the opening according to the child's body. Make sure the openings are large enough for the head to squeeze in and legs to move freely. 

Once the sphere is created, and both sides are taped, the arm openings can be cut out. Measure and mark the openings with the sphere on for best accuracy. The arm openings should be about 5" diameter.    

 2. Creating the visual, Earth look.

Use aqua blue tissue paper to create the oceans. We used light blue paper at the top and bottom and white tissue paper at the bottom for the polar cap. 

All voids should be covered and taped using clear packing tape. 

Make sure to return the tissue paper at the head and arm openings. Use long and narrow, about 6" wide tissue sheets to avoid lots of wrinkles. If you have time to play around you can add deeper blue color for more realistic effect. We used whatever we had at home. 

Draw the continents on a green construction paper or tissue paper if available. Cut them out and paste then on the globe. It is tricky getting them to be proportional. I suggest dividing half for south and north america and half for euroasia, africa and oceania.
The arm openings will be located at the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. 

   


Here is one side Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

Here is the other side with South and North America and Greenland. 
Last is to make the costume more durable tape with clear packing tape the entire globe from head to feet opening OR use clear plastic wrap to stretch from top to bottom. 

This is what the back looks like

AND ONE HAPPY KID!

IKEA hack

Our new IKEA hack- Converting Snille Visitor Chair into Baby High Chair

One idea for small space apartment dwellers. Recently our IKEA Snille chairs seats broke again after being replaced for the second time so we decided its time to get a new set of chairs. The two seats were discarded and the frames reused to create the base for baby highchair. We are using this convertible car seat around the apartment as a baby seat, and now the baby can join us at the dining table.  

The frame after the seat was removed and additional cross frame (from another Snille chair added)

The baby seat sits on top of the frame, it is secured by one of the seat belts looping under the steel frame and attached on the sides.

Side view showing the attached seat belt.

And a detail view of the second steel bracing reclined to support the back of the seat.