Max and Aang

We are gearing up for Halloween! One of this family's FAVORITE holidays! I love playing dress up, always have, always will. Luckily I married a man who will dress up with me and have fun doing it! Naturally we have offspring that feel the same as we do and jump at the chance to dress up. There is something magical to me about Halloween. I have never focused on the "devil", scary, icky Halloween. It was and is always about two things: Dressing Up and Candy. What could be a better combo, I ask you?

This year Maxwell has given into peer pressure from his parents and will be Aang from the cartoon series, Avatar: The Last Airbender. (we completey discount the live action film put out a few years back, it is ALL about the cartoon in our minds) Max looks so much like Aang and he only has a couple more years of actually doing what we ask him to do (those teenage years, just around the corner) SO, Aang it is!!

We are serious about this and have Grandma Pat on the payroll this year to make his costume! She is amazing and we wanted this costume to be just right. No store bought jumpsuit with the mask that has the cheap string, NO SIR! This year we are going ALL out! Max is even going to buzz his head for the occasion. Not totally bald, but since he is blonde just a buzz will look satisfactory.

While grandma is doing most of the work, Roger and I had a couple tasks of our own for this particular costume. I would be in charge of the arrow tattoo that sits so prominently on Aang's head and Roger would make the staff that Aang carries around. First my project:

Here is the inspiration: Aang himself

I make a template by measuring Max's head and figuring out how big the arrow has to be. Then I draw the arrow on card stock and cut out the arrow.

I got some of that colored hair spray from the drugstore. I set the template on his head and spray! Voila!! When his hair is buzzed it will look more legit and I will spray it a bit less so the arrow will be a lighter blue. This stuff washes right off, so it does it's job and then goes away in the shower when you are through.

Roger got some wood from the hardware store and cut it to length. Here he is with Max sanding it down and prepping it for the stain.

Roger staining the wood. We will put two to three coats of the stain on.

Max holding the stain while Roger paints. Team work!

I will show the final pictures after we get back from our Halloween extravaganza at Disneyland! We leave in the morning! Can't Wait!!!