My Batty Halloween

Halloween approaches, and that means one thing: making a cool costume for my eight-year-old.

I’m under a bit of pressure. She knows I can make stuff. She has expectations. The hard part, for me, is balancing my perfectionist tendencies with creative work and my need to not spend 40-hours devoted to creating a work-of-art that my daughter will wear for a few brief hours on Saturday.

I like creative challenges. This year isn’t too challenging: she wants to be a bat. That’s actually pretty cool. Of course, when I hear “bat costume” the image in my head is like this:

Isn’t this bat rod puppet amazing? It’s by Michigan based artist David Bicknell for a production called “Fathers of the Dark Night.” The rod mechanism is pretty simple, but elegant, and moves well. (Those are the most important ingredients in my mind for great mechanisms.)

Of course, this full body costume also comes to mind — it’s called ManBat and was fabricated by Ruby Rinekso. I look at that and think, “That was a lot of work. A LOT of work — way more than even 40-hours. And really excellent work at that!”

But, let’s be realistic…

For an eight-year-old I really only have to take a black leotard, tights, make some wings, a mask with bat ears, and then I’ll be done. I’m about 90% done now.

My own mother made amazing costumes while we were young. She knew how to sew. I had the most amazing Dorothy of the Wizard of Oz costume, a cat, and Princess Leia. I tended to recycle my costumes and use them for several years. (OK, I was really, really into being Princess Leia and had hair long enough that I didn’t even need bagels.)

Thanks, Mom.

Tomorrow I am going to finish the costume for my eight-year-old. Maybe someday…maybe someday I’ll have grandchildren, though? And more free time on my hands. THOSE will be some awesome costumes.