a very uncrafty halloween

The Princess
(Sung to the tune of "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers)

On cool fall's eve, in a townhouse in Port Alberni
I met up with my daughter, to discuss Halloween
"What do you want me to sew?" was my big question
She took time answer with a different suggestion

She said, "Mom you know I love you and I love all that you do.
My twirly dresses are my favorite and I like my silly pants too.
But when it comes to Halloween I want a different kind of dress;
Let's go to the store and buy the frock of a Barbie princess."

So, I swallowed my dismay, tried to smoother my crafty horror
My daughter wants a costume bought from a store!
But looking at her expression, I knew I was out of luck.
She said," C'mon, Mom, let's face it, your princess dresses suck.

"You've got to know when to make 'em, know when to fake 'em.
Know when to straight stitch and know when to buy
You never make your skirts as glittery as the real thing
They'll be time enough for handmades, when Halloween is done."

Every sewin' Mama knows the secret to survivin'
Is known when to sew away and when to call it quits
Because your child may come from you, but her mind is all her own
and in her imagination there is only one tiara that fits.

So when she finished speaking, she looked at me with hope
Will it be a trademarked store bought dress or a linen skirt in taupe?
I said, "Sweetie you know I love you and I know you love princess bling;
I'll help you with your costume but I'm not buying a damn thing."

'Cuz I know when to make 'em, know when to fake 'em.
Know when to straight stitch and know when to buy
It's not my fault that princess don't wear patchwork
So, there'll be time enough for handmades, when Halloween is done."

***********************************************************

Presenting Smootch's collection of do it herself costumes, worn to various classes and activites during the week of Halloween. All costumes were sourced from her dress up box and bureau.

The dance class cheerleader:


The ice skating princess (with hood, in case she needed to blend in with commoners):


The swimming pool Halloween party mermaid (found a month ago at The Free Store... well, it was free!) with brother pirate.


Trick or treat mermaid in rubber boots (she went with a sure thing) and brother kitty kat:


Another shot of the kitty, because he was so cute, even though his whole costume was some lines on his face (though he did crawl around on the sidewalk meowing and chanting "trickr'tree" which was all the evidence that anyone would need that he got the whole thing):


So it wasn't, to my creative shame, a crafty halloween at all. But I was proud of myself to just let Smootch do her own thing, even though I refused to actually buy a poorly made princess dress with a vinyl picture of Barbie on it and Smootch loved everything she wore. This is a good lesson for me, as someone who makes clothes for my own children and professionally, of knowing when to get involved and when to reign in my ambitions, relax, and let her do it herself.