It's that time of year again.  Time to figure out what everyone wants to be for Halloween.

In our house, we don't do traditional store bought outfits.  We like to start with those as a base and embellish them, add some individuality.

Over the past few years we've found out that I've got some pretty good scary make-up skills.  Last year I made us all into a family of zombies, complete with skin hanging off the sides of our faces and open wounds.  We made at least one little kid cry and scared a couple of adults in the process....not bad for amateur stuff.

This year, we're not doing the zombie thing.  I'm going as a mummy (yes, I dress up for halloween.  My husband thinks I'm crazy, but I don't really care).  I can get basic muslin fabric from walmart for under a buck a yard, so I'm getting $10 worth of that, ripping it into shreds, and running it through a short wash cycle with half a jar of instant tea instead of detergent.  That'll give it a nice aged look. Then, I'm going to use green theatrical make-up mixed with a little foundation on the parts of my skin that will be exposed so that I looks dessicated and decayed.  Add a few fake cobwebs here and there and voila!  You got yourself a realistic looking mummy.  (I can also wear my back brace under all tha wrapping, so I won't look like an injured mummy!)

Shea wants to be a grim reaper.  She wants me to paint her face so that she looks almost skeletal - I think I know how to do it; it's going to involve a lot of grey color all over her face and black shading under her cheekbones and eye sockets.  She's wearing a store-bought cloak, and carrying a scithe.

Jake's choosing to be 'Jason' this year, which is going to be easy enough.  A hockey mask and a fake meat cleaver/knife.

Davey had originally wanted to be a hippy, which I was pretty stoked about. I has visions of making him look like Tommy Chong...long wig, headband, little round glasses, goatee, flares and a tie-dye T shirt.  He was going to look pretty cool!  He's changed his mind now, though.  He thinks he wants to be an alien.  I wish he'd just make up his mind....

So, that's our plans for Halloween this year.  How about you?  What are you going to be?