Last Friday was Career Day at Gabo’s Head Start. The kids had to go dressed up. For the longest time my son has said that he
wants to be the doctor to The President (if you ask him who that is and he’ll
tell you “My cousin, Tavo”.)
Anyway, when I got the calendar and I saw Career Day
programmed I knew what we were going to make our own. Everything seemed fine and I
was cool because making a doctor white coat is not something complicated (thank
you 8th grade home economics).
Thursday morning my son threw me a major curve ball. “Mamá,
I want to be a firefighter!, he said to me when his father and I were
dropping him off at school. I was
shocked “What! Didn’t you want to be a doctor? What happened?", I said . "My friends are all going to be firefighters
and I want to be a firefighter too” he said and I looked at his dad and thought
“Wow, he just took a major pay cut”, but then again I believe in encouraging
whatever dreams he has. I don’t usually
go buy new costumes or things for his activities unless absolutely necessary, I believe in being creative and recycling everything and anything.
This time was no different like all the previous times,
except I was freaking out with how pressed for time we were and I actually
consider spending $30.00 on a costume that he was very likely not going to wear again. So I went to Pinterest for inspiration on a DIY
fireman costume and helmet; and sure enough there is a lot of inspiration some
more intricate than others but all doable. Eureka!!! I found a super-duper easy, out of this
world cheap, way to make him look like a firefighter with a recycled helmet. I found inspiration for a DIY Fireman Shirt, thanks to Kelsey from Fancy That Notion.
Her project seemed so simple and quick. So we went to the store and I bought a black shirt, but I do not find acrylic paint in the colors I was looking for. So as we are browsing through the store, his dad came across duct tape. Not the standard Duct Tape, but in a lot of colors and widths. So we found this super bright yellow one that kind of looks like reflective tape and it served the purpose. We also did the logo and the hat's shield out of the tape.
The hat and the letters are completely recycled. I had a cardboard box like around the house. The first attempt was with a paper plate that I measured around my son's head, but guess what... he has a HUGE head. He always has, it measured 14 1/2 inches when he was born, on Thursday it measured 21 3/4 inches (still Huge). Anyway I didn't like how it looked. So I came across the cardboard that I was saving for something (don't remember what), I cut out something that resembles an oval big enough to fit Gabo's head and still have a little left on the side of the head. The idea came because I remembered that Oriental Trading has a Fireman Hat Kit, but I didn't have time to ordered it. I cut the a hole in the center close to his measurements and then measured again to adjust. I painted it red with acrylic color.
The red letters for the logo and the shield I made them with a paper plate that I painted the same red as the hat and cut them out. The border of the logo and the FD I just painted with a black sharpie.
Now, I don't know if the tape will hold in the washer (probably not, I'll update you). But my son was so HAPPY with his Fireman Shirt. Whereas most parents bought a costume my son made it clear that his costume was made by his Mamá. I was so proud, he had something unique. Now, he loved it do much that I will tackle Kelsey's idea with the paint, because he wants to wear it all the time.
There you have it, $7.00 and 2 1/2 hours later (paint had to dry) we had a Fireman shirt and I saved $23.00, very, very happy with that.
Thank you Kelsey for inspiring me...
Until next time...Make it a great day!!!!!
Lucy
No comments:
Post a Comment