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How to Make a Wonder Woman Costume + 88 Other DIY Costumes

If you’ve followed me for a while, you may realize that I just love Halloween costumes and dressing up. (Is that weird for a Christian?) Each year, our family has a theme for our Halloween costumes. Check out how our family has dressed through the years for Halloween costume idea for families or groups.

Last year, we dressed in Halloween costumes as a family of superheroes! Dad was Green Lantern, one son was Batman, the other Superman, and I dressed in an EASY DIY WONDER WOMAN COSTUME I put together!

wonder-woman-costume-ideas-running-superhero

How do I look?

How to Make a Wonder Woman Costume

SUPPLIES: HEADBAND & CUFFS for Wonder Woman Costume

I made the cuffs out of toilet paper rolls.

toilet paper rolls
sparkle craft paper in gold
red felt
scissors
hot glue gun

I simply cut the toilet paper roll lengthwise and traced a pattern onto the sparkle paper. I then cut the sparkle paper and hot glued the paper onto the toilet paper roll. I then cut a small star out of red felt and hot glued it on.

For the Wonder Woman headband, I used an old large soft but solid headband. I used this pattern for Wonder Woman costume headband and cut out the sparkle paper. I hot-glued the sparkle paper onto the headband. I cut the red felt into a star and hot glued it onto the front of the Wonder Woman headband.

SUPPLIES for Wonder Woman Costume

Red shirt
Blue shorts
Red softball socks
Red shoes
Yellow and white Duck Tape sheets
Fiskars x-large star punch
White masking tape

I traced the Wonder Woman logo onto the yellow Duct Tape sheet using this Wonder Woman costume logo pattern. I placed on the front of the red shirt.

For the shorts, I cut the stars out of the white Duct Tape sheet using the star punch. Because of the stickiness of the glue, cut out a few stars with folded foil to keep the punch from sticking. Place randomly on the blue shorts.

How to Make Boots for Wonder Woman Costume

Wear red baseball socks with red shoes, then put masking tape from the toes of the red shoes to the top of the socks. Then place masking tape around the top of the socks. Official (kind of) Wonder Woman boots!

Check out our Halloween costumes for a family of superheroes!

Along with how to make a Wonder Woman costume, I’m sharing 88+ more really awesome handmade costume ideas from talented bloggers everywhere! Here are 80+ DIY Halloween costumes, including my WONDER WOMAN COSTUME!

Check out this handmade Halloween costume site, Really Awesome Costumes that has tons of easy ideas to craft up DIY Halloween costumes for everyone including your pets, family costumes, and even trunk or treat ideas!

And now it’s time for tons more DIY Halloween costume inspiration! You can join in on the BLOG HOP! Click on the links below each collage to get the detailed instructions about how to make the costume pictured, just like mine above. Don’t forget to follow the Handmade Halloween Costumes Pinterest Board for even more DIY costume greatness!

1. Handmade Baby Hamburger Costume

2. DIY Baby Game Boy Costume

3. DIY Minecraft Steve Costume

4. Football Brothers Halloween Costumes with DIY Pads and Onesie

5. Star Trek Halloween Costume for Kids

6. A Bee and Her Keeper

7. No Sew Magician Costume

8. Flint Lockwood Costume

9. Pinocchio

10. Marty McFly

11. Princess Wedding Dress Costume

12. Handmade Lalaloopsy Doll Costume

13. Homemade Toothless Costume

14. DIY Mermaid For Less Than $20 (No-Sew Option)

15. Easy Tinker Bell Costume

16. Mario and Luigi Go Kart Costumes

17. Dog The Bounty Hunter and Beth

18. Family Monsters University Costumes

19. Scooby Doo family costumes

20. DIY Storm Cloud Costume

21. Cheap and Easy DIY Spider Costume

22. Easy Tin Man Costume

23. No Sew Bee Costume

24. Planet Halloween Costumes

25. DIY Cheshire Cat Costume

26. DIY Instagram Board

27. Elsa crown

28. Dog Collar Ruffles

29. DIY Pineapple Baby Costume

30. DIY Lego Movie Costume

31. Weeping Angel Costume

32. Disney Planes Costume: Dipper

33. Easy Pirate Costume

34. Easy Costume Idea – Renaissance Girl

35. 10 Minute Homemade Jellyfish Costume

36. DIY Cat Costume

37. Lucy And Ricky Costumes

38. Easy Frozen Costumes (Carrisa!!)

39. Easy Greek Goddess Costume

40. DIY Family Willy Wonka Costumes

41. DIY No Sew Maleficent Costume

42. No Sew Pineapple Halloween Costume

43. Graveyard Bean Bag Toss: Trunk or Treat Car Costume

44. DIY Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Costumes

45. DIY Raccoon Costume with Printable Mask

46. Easy WildStyle Lego Movie Costume

47. Simple Hello Kitty Costume

48. No Sew Minnie Mouse Costume

49. DIY Inspector Gadget and Penny Costumes

50. DIY Frozen Elsa Dress Baby Edition

51. Fairy Princess Dog Costume

52. DIY Hashtag Halloween Costume

53. Toddler or Baby Egg Costume

54. Easy No Sew Olaf Costume

55. DIY Baymax Costume

56. DIY Tooth Fairy Costume

57. Baby Short Stack Pancake Costume

58. Elephant and Piggie Halloween Costumes

59. Instagram Halloween Costume

60. Peter Pan & Mr. Smee Halloween Costume

61. Wildstyle Costume from the Lego Movie

62. Fred and Wilma Couples Costume

63. Viking Family Costumes

64. DIY Cruella de Vil Costume for a child

65. Disney Frozen Olaf Halloween Treat Bucket

66. How to Make a Minecraft Steve Head

67. DIY Harry Potter Costume

68. DIY Duck Dynasty Costumes

69. No Sew Cupcake Baker Halloween Costume

70. DIY Skunk Mask

71. Ghostbusters Proton Pack DIY

72. Frozen Anna Costume Tutorial

73. Candy Corn Costume

74. Paw Patrol Halloween Costume

75. No Sew Toothless Dragon Costume

76. DIY Robot Costume

77. Wonder Woman Costume

78. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Costume

79. Thrifted Gentleman Spy DIY Halloween Costume

80. DIY Boy Garden Gnome Costume

81. Group Costume: Bob Ross, Happy Tree, & Squirrel

82. DIY Blues Brothers Costumes

83. Snow White Costume

84. Peacock Princess Costume

85. Scarecrow Costume

86. Easy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Costume

87. Handmade Teddy Bear Costume

88. Princess Elsa and the Spy Kid

89. DIY Baby Koala costume

What handmade costume ideas did you love the most?! Be sure to click over to get the costume instructions, pin the costume, and let them know you love it!

8:00 am by Penelope

10 DIY Halloween Costumes for Families

Are you searching for easy DIY Halloween costumes for your family? Here are some cute Halloween costume ideas for groups!

Wizard of Oz Halloween costumes for family

Muppets Halloween costumes for family

Family of Superhero Halloween costumes

DIY Pirate Halloween Costume Ideas for Family

Easy DIY Care Bears Family Costumes for Halloween

DIY Family CandyLand Halloween Costumes for Family

Easy DIY Mario Cart Family Halloween Costumes

Football Themed Family Halloween costumes

Easy DIY Cops and Robbers Halloween Costumes for Family

Batman, Robin, Joker & Catwoman Halloween Costumes for Family

Check out all this other Halloween fun!

12:37 pm by Penelope

10 Great Valentine Box Ideas for Boys

It’s not easy coming up with Valentine box ideas for boys. If your boys are like mine, they just don’t get into the lovey-dovey hugs & kisses idea of Valentine’s Day. My boys just want the CANDY!!! So getting my boys excited about making a Valentine’s Day box (without hearts & doilies) takes some searching and a bit of creativity.

Last year, I created an easy monster Valentine box for my boy (shown below) that he was proud to bring to school.

For this year, I searched the Internet and Pinterest to create this collection of the Valentine box ideas for boys.

My boys each picked one of these ideas for a Valentine’s Day box.

Follow me on Instagram to find out which Valentine box I will be making for my boys this year.

10 Valentine Box Ideas for Boys

Robot Valentine Box – My son recently made a robot for a school project from an old cereal box, so a robot was on our list for possible Valentine box ideas. Simply cover your box in foil and let your boy decorate!

Shark Valentine Box – This Valentine box idea creates a shark from an old baby formula can, gray wrapping paper, and craft foam.

Lego Valentine Box – This easy craft uses an old shoe box, plastic Solo cups, and spray paint to create an easy Valentine box for a boy that loves Legos.

Batman Valentine Box – This crafter created this Valentine box of the Caped Cruisader for her boy. She also has a cute Valentine bookmark printable available for download.

Angry Birds Valentine Box – This easy Valentine box used felt & a hat box. This boy actually sewed it together! But personally, I’m a hot glue kind of mom.

Dinosaur Valentine Box – Now this Valentine box is a labor of love constructed with a shoebox, cardboard, tape, construction paper, acrylic paint, markers and stickers.

Pirate Ship Valentine Box – This Valentine box was created into a pirate ship by painting a shoebox brown and adding sails, ocean waves, and fish using craft foam.

Ninja Turtles Valentine Box – This easy craft simply used construction paper, crayons and markers to create an awesomely quick Valentine box for boys.

Despicable Me Minions Valentine Box – After watching Despicable Me recently, my boys love this Valentine box using an old tissue box, paint, and craft foam.

Easy Monster Valentine Box for Boys

I created this simple monster Valentine box for my boy last year.

The supplies included an old shoebox, orange felt, construction paper (for the teeth), wiggly eyes, fun fur (for the eyebrows), old egg carton (for the eyeballs, not shown), scissors, and my ever-faithful hot glue gun.

And my boy (the photographer) took this photo while I was creating his Valentine box (on a Saturday morning while I was still in pajamas no less). You craft in pajamas too, don’t you?

Which of these Valentine ideas for boys are you going to make?

10:00 am by Penelope

Send Valentine Cards to Singles and Widows

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop for #ValentineCards has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for #CollectiveBias and its advertiser.

Because I was a single for so many years (I married the week of my 40th birthday), each year I dreaded Valentine’s Day which only fueled feelings of loneliness. To the single girl, Valentine’s Day becomes Single Awareness Day, aka SAD, while watching others all around have their day filled with flowers, candy, and cards.

So every year, I make it a point for Valentine’s Day to NOT be SAD for some of my single friends. I know several women who are single, divorced, or even widowed that could certainly use a Valentine Card to brighten their day. Don’t you?

Walmart has an entire aisle for Hallmark Valentine Cards!

I found a wide variety of Valentine cards, not just for spouses and sweethearts, but for family and friends too.

I found this special Valentine card for a friend that was recently widowed.

And this special Valentine Card is just perfect for my recent foster child to give to her Daddy. “Your love can reach me anywhere…“

My challenge to you this Valentine’s Day is to give a little love to a single friend! We ALL know someone who is single, divorced, or widowed!

And the best part of this act of kindness is that you can earn rewards for the Hallmark cards you purchase! It’s free to join the Hallmark Cards Rewards Program – you can simply download the smartphone app from iTunes or Google Play making it really easy to scan in the greeting cards you purchase (or just report the UPC code on the website)!

You can earn a reward for every 5 greeting cards you purchase! Look! I have already earned enough for a reward! I will be treating my kids to Starbucks cake pops! Thanks Hallmark!

Make sure you check out connectionsfromhallmark.com to sign up for Hallmark Rewards! Join in the #ValentineCards conversation on Twitter!

Will you join me in sending a little love to your single friends this Valentine’s Day? Let me know in the comments!!!

8:14 am by Penelope

When A Baby Came Into Our Home

In December 2009, a precious 4-month-old baby boy was placed in our home – a pre-adoptive placement (or so we thought).

At 4 years old, he now tells his adoption story:

“I was under the Christmas tree — I was a present!“

I cannot imagine my life without my precious LilBit. His affectionate, sensitive soul touches me deeper than I ever thought imaginable. I love him so much! He may not have my DNA, but he certainly has my heart!

8:00 am by Penelope

My Christmas Wish: More Quiet Time at Home

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cottonelle.

If you follow my family’s misadventures on Facebook, you know that last week was a chaotic nightmare. I want just one morning or evening that’s QUIET! But with two rambunctious, young boys, it’s beginning to feel that a quiet morning time is like sugarplums dancing in my head… Poof! An elusive dream.

My 6-year-old ADHD son is impossible to wake in the mornings, even after going to bed at 7:30pm! He’s close to a tantrum when he wakes up. I do know that low blood sugar can easily trigger my son into a rage anyway — so I’ve even woken him up with candy, just to spike his blood sugar up a bit so that he’s tolerable. Don’t judge!

Post by Foster2Forever.

School is now becoming a challenge. He tells me how much he hates school, and asks to stay home nearly everyday. I believe he is acting out so he can stay home. I want to help my son express himself like the big kid he is, so our home can be less chaotic, and more of the calm environment I crave for my sons.

More calm. More quiet. More hugs. More laughter. More joy. MORE!

It’s simple – more is better. Having 25 percent more this holiday season can make a big impact.

And Cottonelle understands that even just a little bit more is better and is giving away $100 American Express gift card EACH DAY until Friday, December 20th! To enter, simply pin the Cottonelle image below to one of your Pinterest boards, and then fill out the form on the SITS Girls Facebook page. You can enter every single day this week! Easy peasy!

What do you want more of this Christmas? More time? More quiet? More calm?

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cottonelle.

7:32 pm by Penelope

Best Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Active Kids

What are the best stocking stuffer ideas for active kids (with ADHD)?

These stocking stuffer ideas for active kids (with ADHD) were compiled by my hyperactive boy and I. “Mom, oh, I want that…and that…and that, too!” Many of these items are sensory-rich toys that children with special needs, such as autism, would enjoy.

Stretchy Flying Frogs $12.17

Punch Balloons $7.99 for 4

I absolutely LOVED these as a child. Because these balloons are so large, even young ones can have fun punching these without much coordination.

Harmonica or other musical instrument $7.99

Bubble Popper Fidget Spinners $9.99 for 4

Stretchy String $10.99 for 2

This plastic rope stretches from 12 inches to over 10 feet then back to its original size! This sensory toy is a great fidget toy for active kids like mine. Stretchy string is also quite popular with autistic children. (Note: after my boys began using these to snap each other, I’m not recommending these as highly anymore)

Play-Doh $5.99 for 15

Flashing Bumpy Rings $7.99 for 12

No-Spill Bubbles (Fubbles) $9.99

All kids love playing with bubbles. Watching bubbles form and float, then fall, burst and disappear engages the senses. But they can be messy for young kids that spill. Check out this bubble container that doesn’t spill!

Squishy Ball Yoyo Toy $14.99 for 12

Squeezable Soft Foam Shooter $22.99 for 4

What are your best stocking stuffer ideas for active or special needs kids?

Also, check out these top toys for active boys (& girls).

FTC Disclosure: The links in this post are affiliate links for Amazon, which means when you click on a link and purchase, I receive a very small commission (at no additional cost to you). Amazon then gives that commission to me as an Amazon gift card so I can purchase from Amazon. See how nicely that works for Amazon?

2:55 pm by Penelope

10 Stores that Don’t Celebrate Christmas

We are in an age when the world is trying to take Christ out of Christmas.

Businesses are electing to replace “Merry Christmas” with “Happy Holidays,” and even so much as to rename Christmas trees as “holiday trees.”

The American Family Association (AFA) is a nonprofit 501(c3) on the frontlines of the war on morality in America. The mission of the AFA is to inform, equip, and activate individuals to strengthen the moral foundations of American culture. AFA believes that a culture based on biblical truth best serves the well-being of our nation and our families and in holding accountable companies that sponsor programs attacking traditional family values. AFA also believes in commending those companies that act responsibly regarding programs they support.

AFA reviewed retailers in up to four areas to determine if a company was “Christmas-friendly” in their advertising: print media (newspaper inserts), broadcast media (radio/television), website and/or personal visits to the store. If a company’s ad has references to items associated with Christmas (trees, wreaths, lights, etc.), it was considered as an attempt to reach “Christmas” shoppers.

If a company has items associated with Christmas, but did not use the word “Christmas,” then the company was considered as censoring “Christmas.”

If you believe in keeping Christ in Christmas, you have the opportunity to let your voice be heard when you do your Christmas shopping this year.

The following companies may use “Christmas” sparingly in a single or unique product description, but as a company, does not recognize Christmas.

Five years ago, Gap, Inc. adamantly refused to use the term ‘Christmas’ in any of its seasonal advertising. However, after an AFA-encouraged boycott last year, Gap has completely turned around its seasonal advertising this year, and will place “Merry Christmas” signs in every store, along with Christmas trees and a special “Christmas-themed event” at all Old Navy stores.

Here is AFA’s complete list of national retailers and their recognition of Christmas.

Will you join me in keeping Christ in Christmas by shopping at retailers that celebrate Christmas?

7:15 am by Penelope

Our Family’s Best Halloween Costumes Through the Years

It’s hard to believe but I’ve been a mom for over five years now! My babies have grown into little boys. No longer can I just pick out Halloween costumes for my family. My boys now are big thinkers with their own ideas for Halloween costumes. And they now tell me what costumes they will be wearing for Halloween. Through the years, our family wore group Halloween costumes that were so much fun to put together.

Our family Halloween costumes through the years:

Long before Big Bang Theory debuted on the small screen, my sweet husband (then fiancée) and I were just a couple of nerds in love!

A few years later, we were blessed with a very special baby elephant that joined John McCain and Sarah Palin on the campaign trail.

When the foster “twin” girl to my Mickey Mouse moved a few days before Halloween, Mommy stepped in to fill Minnie’s ears.

The next year, a new addition to our family made no place like home!

And then, the Joker and Catwoman tried to foil Batman, the Caped Crusader, and Robin the Boy Wonder.

But ahoy, matey, this crew of pirates tried to take over a Disney cruse ship last Halloween.