halloween

Imagine That: October Projects

In The Studio

Okay, another month has zoomed by, and I have three more Imagine projects to share with you!

Just like last year, our Halloween prep is still pretty low-key (though I do have a perfectly ridiculous dress to wear on Halloween day that I’m incredibly excited for) with Duncan the Destroyer around. No inside decorations have been dragged out but we did get our witches put up for the trick-or-treaters to enjoy.

10/11: Custom Candy Wrappers on the Imagine Blog

On the Imagine blog I created some Halloween candy wrappers that are very quick to put together and would be great as coworker or lunchbox surprises tomorrow, if you’re in need of a last-minute idea. Of course, the same technique would totally work for any other event or holiday, so take a look and run with it in whatever direction your heart desires.

10/16: Faux Bois Box on the Imagine Blog

My love for faux finishes has been well-documented over the past two years with Imagine (what can I say, their products make it so very easy), and this month I managed another. A pretty good (if I do say so myself) facsimile of woodgrain (faux bois) on a folded paper box. The trick is to pay attention tot he direction of the wood grain as it pertains to the piece of the box you’re stamping.

10/30: Pretty in Purple card on the Imagine Blog

And to finish out the month I created a textured card with a faux watercolor background and some word beads I’ve had in my stash a looooong time. This industry comes out with new and notable things all the freaking time, but don’t neglect what you already have on hand. There’s still value in it, after all.

Have a crafty month, folks!

Who Ya Gonna Call?

In The Doghouse

Oriental Trading for their fabulous costume options, that’s who! Thanks again for the O.G., OT, for hooking us up this Halloween.

The week has finally come when I can show you my favorite of the costumes we tried out this year: the Ghostbusters Dog Costume.

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Isn’t he adorable?!

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That inflatable proton pack might just be my favorite thing, ever.

Now, you could easily dress up in your own Ghostbusters jump suits to make a merry band of busters to match your pup, but you could also allow Spot to be the star and, instead, go as some familiar villains from the classic movie release:

Ghostbusters Closet Cosplay

 

Might I suggest Slimer and Stay Puft? You can go costume or you can opt for closet cosplay, you’re choice.

A few years back Todd and I dressed up as Dana (the red dress, possessed version), and Louis though, sadly, there’s no decent photo evidence of this (we were too busy hosting a pumpkin party to pose for pictures), and then there’s the whole slew of characters to choose from out of the newest iteration in the franchise.

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Now, that proton pack that I love so very much does bring me to this week’s safety tip: be mindful of how the costume may impinge upon your dog’s leash or harness control. We prefer harnesses for crowd situations, and the proton pack is directly in the way. Costumes without back pieces are easy enough to place the harness over (as we did with Duncan’s Luau costume when we went to Boston’s Witches Night Out a few weeks ago), but if your pup is prone to pulling or could get overly excited while trick-or-treating, a Gentle Leader harness (which works a bit like a horse’s bridle, as I understand it) may be an option worth looking into.

Happy Howl-aween, folks. May your pups be cute and your treats be tasty!

The Reluctant Little Ewok

In The Doghouse

Thanks, as always, to Oriental Trading for partnering up with us for another Halloween series!

Some say there’s a definite generation gap between those who like the ewoks from Return of the Jedi and those who don’t. I am in the former category and adore the little fuzzy faces with their stiff-legged walk, their smooshed-in faces, and their happy little song and dance number. So of course I picked the Star Wars Ewok dog costume for Duncan. to try on!

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Unfortunately, it was not his best look. I think this costume would look fabulous on fuller-faced, fuzzier-faced pups, but the long snout and small head of a Basset just doesn’t fill it out the way I would have liked.

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And Darth Vader would have been much more appropriate for his terrorizing temperament, lately, anyway. Oh, well, can’t win ’em all!

This costume also gave us an excellent example of sizing mishaps–it’s designed in two pieces, with a body that goes on both front and back legs. Yeah, not on a long-bodied Basset Hound! But the head piece absolutely swam on him, even with the drawstring under the chin, so there you go. Still, it’s easier to take something in that’s too large, so buy for the largest measurement and take a few careful stitches where necessary (kind of like bridesmaid dress shopping). And if you do end up with something a little too snug, most of these costumes are fitted with Velcro closures along the chest and/or belly, so a strip of similarly-hued fabric with your own hook and loop tape on the ends will ensure the costume stays put without being seen.

Which brings us to our Dog-a-ween tip of a week: If you’ll be taking your furry friend out after dark, especially if they’ll be wearing a dark costume, make sure you take steps to make them as visible as you would yourself. Reflective tape on the leash  and on the costume are both excellent ideas. You could also attach glow bracelets or necklaces in places the pooch won’t be tempted to chew them off.

Now, to match your dystopian space dog, there are plenty of costumes on the market for you and your entire family! The closet cosplay options are varied, too, but I’m rather fond of the forest looks of Han and Leia, like below.

Han & Leia

 

We have one more costume to go, and I definitely saved my favorite for last. Make sure you come back next Thursday to find out what it is!

Beach Basset, Beach Basset, Give Me Your Paw!

Just for Fun

Thank you, again, to Oriental Trading for teaming up with us for more Halloween fun!

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After Todd’s Luau-themed birthday earlier this year, it’s no surprise that we outfitted Duncan with his own pup-sized Hawaiian shirt.

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And a great thing about this doggie Luau Costume is that it could totally work for pup-wear year round, if you were so inclined.

Donning your own Hawaiian shirts is the easiest way to mach your four-legged friend on Halloween, but it’s not the only way to go. There’s the usual grass skirt and coconut bra ensemble, but mermaids are very big right now and it’s possible to find all sorts of clothing to channel your inner Ariel.

Beach Couple

 

And if you’ve ever felt a little iffy about all the candy being passed around on Halloween, these costumes are a great excuse to pass out floral leis instead!

Our tip of the week is a simple one, and also not just for Halloween: a tired dog is a good dog. Before heading out for Trick or Treating, take Fido on a walk or a romp in the park, or throw a ball around for a while. This gets the extra wiggles out and allows them to be a bit more calm when confronted by crowds. Of course, this can backfire–if you get them too worn out, they may not be able to make the whole circuit. If your dog isn’t exactly known for his stamina, consider decking out a wagon to cart him home in, just in case. (It’s also good far carrying his away-from-home gear).

Happy Howl-aween!

Just for Fun

Big thanks to Oriental Trading for partnering with me for another fun Halloween series!

You know we’re pretty enamored with our puppy, Duncan–even if he is channeling his inner monster these days–and you know we’re big Halloween fans, too. So, naturally, we want to dress Duncan up in cute costumes! Oriental Trading was kind enough to hook us up with some pup-sized costumes and over the next few weeks we’ll be showing them off, along with some ideas for companion costumes (and non-costumes) and a few safety tips for pets this time of year.

Behold, the elusive Bumble Basset!

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You can’t even imagine how many treats he got when we did these photos.

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There; we go, you can see his wings and at least one antenna in this shot.

I know not everyone is down with dogs in costumes, but I figure that if it’s not aggravating them, why not have some fun, right? And since we love dressing up, too, here are some ideas for costumes to coordinate with your cute pooch!

For Disney fans, pairing a Pooh Bear and other 100 Acre Wood characters is a natural fit for a bee-costumed pet. Then there’s the classic bee keeper (Oriental Trading has a great DIY version on their site) and I think it’d be super simple to create a human-sized bee hive costume with some pool noodles cut in half, lengthwise, and banded together. Spray paint it a golden yellow and attach some foam or pompom bees and you’ve got a winner!

But if you think wrangling a costumed pet is hard enough in street clothes, maybe dressing the part without going full-on character is more your speed, a la closet cosplay. Here is a pair of outfits that would look quite fetching (so sorry, that really wasn’t intended) with your bee-bedecked pet.

Bee Couple

 

Now, safety is very important when it comes to pets and Halloween. Knowing your pet’s temperament is key to knowing what they can handle. But no matter what, keep the chocolate away from your furry friends to avoid ending the night at the after-hours vet! Instead, carry a bag of pup-approved treats to reward them for walking nicely on the leash and letting strangers taken with their cuteness pet them all evening.

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Despite his thoroughly unimpressed expression, above, he was actually pretty chill in his Bumblebe Dog Costume. We have three more costumes to show you over the next 3 weeks, so come back and see Mr. Adorable next Friday!