I'm sitting out on our deck tonight enjoying the zen of the chirping crickets and that lovely chemical-y smell coming from the anti-bug candle. Weird, isn't it, how right after Labor Day, the weather suddenly feels fall crisp, it suddenly gets darker earlier, everyone suddenly kicks into high gear. My email in-box just might explode.
The kids have already got Halloween on the brain. Sabrina wants to be an iCarly something or other. Max said, cryptically, he wants to be an "arrrrr wahhh" (car wash), and because that is pretty much all he can say on the topic, I am left to my own devices.
In other breaking news, Max keeps pointing out things that look like chocolate ice-cream—his new brown shoes, the oversized teddy bear in his room. Yes, you read it here first, brown may be his new favorite color. So I do not have to worry about whipping up anything purple. Still, I am gun-shy about going all-out for Halloween.
Some of you might recall last year's Bed, Bath & Beyond episode, in which I found the most glorious big purple bag at the store and decided to craft some sort of costume out of it. Suggestions came pouring in—eggplant, Crayola crayon, grapevine, Flying Purple People Eater, gigantic raisin. I ended up making a purple car, and got Sabrina an overpriced Ariel outfit.
The kids refused to wear them trick-or-treating, and basically went as themselves.
Being the eternal optimist that I am, I'm game to make Max a car wash costume. I just Googled "car wash" images for inspiration, and a whole lot of them involve wet, half-naked babes sponging down cars. Somehow, I do not think it would be appropriate to hire a wet, half-naked babe to escort Max around for trick-or-treating, so that's out, although I wouldn't mind seeing the looks on the neighbors' faces.
The kids refused to wear them trick-or-treating, and basically went as themselves.
Being the eternal optimist that I am, I'm game to make Max a car wash costume. I just Googled "car wash" images for inspiration, and a whole lot of them involve wet, half-naked babes sponging down cars. Somehow, I do not think it would be appropriate to hire a wet, half-naked babe to escort Max around for trick-or-treating, so that's out, although I wouldn't mind seeing the looks on the neighbors' faces.
So, what the heck should I do for a car wash costume?
He can carry a bucket instead of a candy bag. Hmmm I'll think about it and get back to you!
ReplyDeleteI've got it! Get a big black garbage bag, cut a hole for his head and cut long strips going up and down - like a flapper dress. And he can carry a sponge and bucket and put the candy in the bucket. I love this idea!!!!!! I think I win a prize now, right?
ReplyDeleteUsing a cardboard box, make a car that can go around his waist, so he is a walking car...then get a white frizzy wig and cotton balls all over him to be soap bubbles and then get something to be noodley things hanging down from the wig that can be those noodley things that you go through in the car wash..
ReplyDeleteAnd if you go trick or treating with him, just wear a bikini top and there's your hot babe!
I like Sheril's idea
ReplyDeleteor i have one but it is hard to explain it
Any or all of the above, but add Sabrina walking next to him pretending (or not) to be spraying him with a garden hose.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking (if he'll wear it) a box, with the sides cut out and covered in clear seran wrap. The front and back could be open so the car could drive through. It would have to some sort of shoulder straps to help it stay up. You could have streamer type stuff hanging from the top and "bubbles" on the inside. (cotton balls?)
ReplyDeleteThis looks really good in my head, although as i'm typing this, i'm thinking its gonna be kinda complicated! Good Luck to you!
I love the ideas but if you're lazy like me when it comes to costumes, it has to be easier. I would take a purple sweatshirt, write "CAR WASH" on the front and hot-glue big yellow sponges all over it, and have him carry a bucket and spray bottle.
ReplyDeleteWow! These ideas are seriously impressive. Lyla (aka Globetrotting Bride): You win a wet, half-naked babe! I'll order one for you now!
ReplyDeleteI'm also lazy and non-crafty!
ReplyDeleteget some felt, cut a hole for his head in the middle (like a poncho) and slice a radius of wide car-wash-like fringes all around it. attach a big sponge to the top of his head (you could glue the sponge to a headband). take matchbox cars and use cable ties, stuck thru the fabric of whatever he's wearing under the car-wash-fringes, and run them in a little line down his arms, with one on each shoulder. tie mop heads around his knees. he carries a bucket in one hand and the head of a hose (attached to a short segment of hose if you have one you can cut) in the other. you follow behind blowing bubbles.
Maybe he should just be the car wash attendant. I think the gas jockey outfit's easier to do.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I were talking - a couple of ideas:
ReplyDeleteA cardboard box with Vileda string mop pieces and/or bottle brush brushes for the cleaning parts coming off the top. Draw a tunnel with a car on the front entering. Carry a bucket like the others said. Maybe bring a container of bubbles and blow bubbles while he walks?
You could also have a change/money dispenser drawn on the front. Not sure what the going rate is for car washes nowadays - $6-7? You could draw on buttons for wash/wax/rinse too.
I like the idea of putting him "inside" a car either made out of a cardboard box or some thick foam (you can get it at craft stores and cut it with a sharp knife or retractable blade), but I think you should put a "karate kid" element into it (remember, he was a shower for halloween in the movie?).
ReplyDeleteI'm envisioning some kind of small hula hoop over his head, maybe connected to the car part with some lightweight wooden dowels and tape or something. And hang some crepe paper or felt strips down from it to really get that big car wash feeling.
I also love the idea of using cotton or whatever to simulate foamy soap. This is going to be a great costume!
Here's how to do it--make a car out of a cardboard box (reinforced/painted), make a brace on the back out of a piece of flexible thin plastic and cut up a couple of shamwows into strips and attach them to the brace that will hang behind his head sticking out of the car roof--he'll be a car going through the wash and the shamwow strips will be the thingies that hang down and clean the car.
ReplyDeleteI know you don't know/can't picture what I am talking about so I will give you a link to this picture (scroll down) and then you will see what I mean. The trick is to get the right size box (not too big/bulky) with arm holes and maybe shoulder straps in the right place and not too large so he can move (I would make the car hood VERY short, you can do a lot with paint to make the outfit look bigger than it is).
Anyway here is the link, what fun!
http://www.coolest-homemade-costumes.com/coolest-car-costume-6.html
The other thing you could do is dress Max as the car wash attendant and have him pull a wagon/push a cart that is decorated the same way as above to look like a car going through a wash.
ReplyDeleteomg wow what great ideas~ and I almost died laughing too when I read the thing about the half naked babe! haha
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought "Car Wash? How ya gonna pull that one off?" but after reading these ideas, it's totally doable!! I agree, lower half has to be a car (or Sienna?) and upper half should be the wash, flappy things, you get the idea!! Good luck, can't wait to see pics!
ReplyDeleteI have found a picture of a car wash costume! It looks easy to make too.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.spottedcanary.com/blogdetail.aspx?blogmonth=10&blogyear=2009&blogid=146
I think he should wear a rainbow-colored shirt to represent the rainbow wax!
ReplyDeletepaint rollers should be involved somehow
ReplyDeleteHmmmm... maybe Max actually said he wanted to be a Narwhal... ;-)
ReplyDeleteBuy a bucket, a sponge, and a squee gee and let him carry that. People can put candy in the bucket.
ReplyDeleteMy girls think there should be mop heads involved and I was thinking that either you or Dave should blow bubbles near him to represent the soap.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little spooked! I just did a Google search because my little Max is obsessed with car washes right now, so I thought I would see about a costume. Yours was the first hit on the search! Too strange. My little Max has autism.
ReplyDeleteI was online looking to see if anyone else had actually made a Car Wash Costume also. Found this thread and thought, that maybe I could help abit. I actually did make a Car Wash Costume for my son last year, it was a big hit and won every costume contest he got near. What we did was take a black long sleeve shirt, some long pants, and a beanie. then we sewed on strips of blue and light blue felt. took about two weeks to finish. working every night for about an hour or so. It may be abit more than what you looking for, but I hope it can help you with a few ideas. [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v43/mrkaisan/carwashcostume.jpg[/IMG]
ReplyDelete[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v43/mrkaisan/carwashcostumewashing.jpg[/IMG]
Tie a red (or blue) bandana around his head, get him a basketball team jersey,. Sling a bunch of gold chains around his neck and get him a pair of baggy, low-slung jeans with a good ten inches of plaid boxer shorts showing. Then teach him to shout, "Vamanos! La migra!" and you're good to go.
ReplyDelete