I think we can all agree that one of the best things about summer is the late nights, campfires, smores and the never-ending quest for fireflies (or at least for my kids)…..they run around barefoot trying to catch them. I always watch with a plastered smile on my face knowing that THIS, THIS is the joy of summer as a kid! 🙂
SOOOOOO! With Halloween on the brink, Country Living Magazine asked if I could make this memory into a costume! YES YES YES!!!!! This costume is filled with cute, sparkling lights and some fun creativity. And let’s just say that this is probably the best idea to put lights on your kiddo as they run around the neighborhood collecting candy on Halloween! 🙂
Materials:
- 4-5 pieces of white foam core board
- Ruler or straight edge
- X-acto knife
- optional duct tape
- Dark Spray Paint (colors noted of what I used below)
- Metallic spray paint or acrylic paint for top
- 2ish yards (I bought one roll) of plastic sheeting
- optional play-do (or something to sculpt) + heat gun
- 1 piece of tagboard
- 1-2 strings of battery powered lights with option of a “flicker” setting
- White, grey or light colored washi tape
Instructions:
1. Cut + Construct inside
Using a string, pin and pencil, draw a big circle at least 4 inches large then the circumference hips on your largest piece of foam core (or cardboard). Cut out 2 of these (one for the top and one for the bottom). Using the same string method, cut a smaller circle on the inside the larger circle (essentially making a donut shape) that is large enough to just fit your hips (to too tight because you’ll easily want to be able to get in an out of it).
With your other 2-3 pieces of foam core, begin making the inside sides by scoring the board so that you can curve it. Do this by measuring out 1 inch strips and then score with your x-acto knife. Bend (or snap) the 1 inch strips so that your foam core will curve. This becomes the inside portion around the inner circle that is closest to your body. Attach these scored pieces SUPER WELL with hot glue (you can reinforce with duct tape if needed from the inside).
2. Spray the inside
Cover the whole inside of the jar with dark spray paint (I used a combo of both Deep Teal + Hunt Club green from Rust-Oleum) and then I covered it with Rust-Oleum’s new Imagine brand color shift paint in the “purple Sunrise” color to give it some nighttime shimmer. I was going for that dusk time of night color palette….when the sky is shifting many shades of dark blues, purples and green/black. Spray in a well ventilated area and allow to dry completely.
Once the spray is dry, cut armholes in the foam core where you want the costume to fall on your body.
3. Make glass outside
This first step is optional: sculpt the words that you want bubbled in your plastic out of play dough. I copied the Ball Jar font and measured about 17 inches across. Then lay the plastic sheeting (measured to approx size to fit around the base of the jar) being sure to center the wording on the plastic. Then with a heat gun begin to heat the plastic just enough to slightly melt it and press the plastic around the outer edges of your sculpted word (I used spatulas to do this).
Then gently begin gluing your plastic piece to the outer rim of the bottom circle. This takes time, so run a bead of glue along the edge and then hold the plastic in place until it is fully dry and cooled.
4. Make top
Using your string, pin and pencil method (just like in step 1) you will make an open top just the same as you made the bottom of the inside out of another piece of cardboard or foam core board. Then cut 4-5” strips from your tagboard (you will need 3-4 of them depending on how large your jar is). Begin to wrap your tagboard strips around the outside of the top cut from foam core board and hot glue in place. With your remaining foam core or cardboard, cut 1” strips and start lining them to the tagboard portion to make the “screw top lines”. Spray paint the whole top with a metallic spray paint.
*tip: to get the 1” strips to form to the circular tag board, “roll” the board and bend it so that it beings to have a curved shape. This will make it easier to adhere to the tag board.
5. Embellish + insert fireflies + finish
With your washi tape, begin wrapping it around the strands of lights by using 2 pieces and then adhering it to itself. Trim to make them look like wings. Then put the whole strand inside the jar by hanging it and taping into place.
Put the finished top on the costume by fitting the plastic to the inside of the top. Step in the costume, turn on your lights, and have the best Halloween EVER! 🙂
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