November 1, 2013

Hobbits

This year for Halloween, I thought it would be fun to dress up as hobbits.

My parents read the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings(LOTR) to me when I was a kid. I remember playing with my smurfs...in their Lincoln Log homes...while my parents took turns reading. So I just grew up with this stuff.

I got most of their clothes at the Goodwill or Salvation army, with the exception of 2 vests I had to buy. And I just had to make the capes. 

The capes were a little tricky at first because I am lame and do not understand online tutorials at all.  They seemed so vague and/or complicated to me. Plus, I just don't really sew clothes. So I just did the best I could to follow this tutorial. However, I did not understand her method for the hood, so I just traced one of our hoodies at home and sewed it to the cape. Very simple. One day when I have time, I would love to post a simple, clear tutorial for the inexperienced seamstresses out there like me;)


Ollie is cracking me up these days. We have been learning to read(using a book my sister recommended, called Learning to Read in 100 Easy Lessons). I love love love this book. So simple to follow and it builds up sounds so gradually...Ollie doesn't even realize he's learning to read. When Ollie was diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder, we were told that kids with his condition are likely to have trouble learning to read, write and do arithmatic. You know. Basically EVERYTHING in grade school. So I'm just excited that we are using a reading curriculum that doesn't stress us out.

Anyway, I bought some Bob books a while back and decided Ollie should practice with them. After I congratulated him on reading his first Bob book, he looked thoroughly unimpressed and muttered, "but it's not The Hobbit". In time, little halfling, in time.






Hairy feet were a MUST, according to my mama.

I first tried to make hairy feet from yarn, but they were a dismal failure. John said I needed tufts of rabbit fur. So I bought some mulit-colored fur at Joanns and cut it up and hot glued it onto flesh-colored felt. And held the felt in place with their sandal straps. The felt kept slipping around, so I'd recommend attaching it with elastic or something.

Hobbits fleeing the Shire.


One Ring to rule them all...


Joining my halflings in Rivendale.

Remember my jumpsuit? Well, now it's a dress. I just seam-ripped the legs and quickly re-stitched the appropriate sides to make it into a dress. It only took like 10 minutes or so. Nothing fancy. And then I hemmed it.

Bought them "satchels" for their candy at the Goodwill for a few bucks.






Sam and Frodo


Quarreling over the Ring. Ut oh.


At the White City, Minas Tirith.




A hobbit bows to no one--except the One true Lord:) I am training my hobbits to love Jesus.
We had WAY TOO MUCH fun this year. My 3 younger boys just begged to put their costumes back on. So we might be hobbits for a while longer. I hope you had a Happy Halloween!