This year, she wanted to be a claw machine. The truth? It was another project this DIY-loving momma took on with excitement.

Check out Zoë’s claw-some costume!

When we were conceptualizing and thinking of how to build the claw machine costume, our first concern was the size and weight of the final product. We didn’t want to make something too bulky or too heavy for Zoë to carry. Instead of using a regular-sized box, we used foam board and built the main box frame from scratch, making sure the size was just right for Zoe’s upper body. We made it small enough for her to be able to sit down comfortably on the floor.

Using foam board made it easier to cut out windows on three sides, as well as the prize compartment. We made sure to measure and cut out all the details before putting all sides together with some super glue and masking tape. With a generous coat of spray paint (red for the exterior, and silver for the interior), the main structure was done.

For the controls, we used random objects we could find at home. We glued on a small red box to the front, then added the button made from a white medicine bottle cap and a green plastic magnet. The joystick was made from a small red Christmas ball, glued to the cap of a gray Crayola marker. We secured it to the box with a square foam board piece, spray painted black. We then constructed the claw using foam board and string, spray-painted silver, then attached it to the roof of the claw machine.

For the finishing touches, we added some printed graphics and color changing mini LED light bulbs. The battery-operated plastic LED lights were an inexpensive find and definitely gave the whole costume more character.

Zoë’s favorite part? Choosing which stuffed toys to add to the costume!

To make lugging the costume around easier for Zoë, we added straps to the back panel and made it so she could wear and carry it like a backpack. She found the costume pretty easy to walk around in, and it wasn’t heavy, too.

Zoë loved her claw machine! She proudly wore it during her school’s costume day, and it was a huge hit with her schoolmates and friends! She even brought it along to two other Trick or Treat parties, and although she only put it on for a few minutes each time (she wanted to run around and play freely), she was so proud to show everyone her cool costume.

Come check out how I made this no-sew gumball machine costume, guaranteed to make the cutest, most colorful little outfit that’s perfect for some Halloween dress-up fun. No tricks, just treats; I promise that it’ll be quick and easy. Your little ones will be ready for all the fun in no time!

Materials Used:

• Clear plastic serving bowl (at least 11 inches)
• Ping pong balls
• Acrylic paints
• White felt
• White ribbon
• Velcro
• Red felt
• Gray felt
• Black felt
• Red ribbon
• Hot glue gun

To Make the Gumball Container:

To start off, I made colorful gumballs by painting two dozen plain white ping pong balls using acrylic paint. Once they dried, I placed them inside the clear plastic serving bowl.

Tip: You can save time and effort by buying colored ping pong balls, if they are available.

I then sealed the gumballs inside the bowl by hot glueing white felt over it. To keep it more secured, I overlapped and glued about a centimeter of the felt to the side of the bowl, before trimming off the excess.

Next, I hot-glued two strips of velcro on the side of the bowl with the white felt. I then glued the other side of the two velcro to the ends of the white ribbon. The gumball container is designed to be worn like a big necklace, so I measured the length of the ribbon around my daughter’s neck, just long enough for the bowl to hang over the belly.

The gaumball container should look like this with the white ribbon. The velcro allows it to be put on and taken off easily, and provides an adjustable strap, too.

To Make the Gumball Machine Base:

To make the gumball machine base, I opted for a simpler tie-back apron. I needed a costume that Zoë could move around freely in and run around with, so lightweight apron was the best solution.

I simply cut out the shape of the apron on red felt, and glued red ribbon on the top portion to make the apron string, making sure it’s long enough to tie around the waist.

For the finishing touches, I cut out the details on felt. A big rectangle with rounded corners on gray felt for the base plate. Circle coin slot on white felt, plus the ₱5 on black felt. Both black and gray felt for the turn handle. Four small black and gray circles for the plate screws. A big black semi-circle for the gumball hole.

I glued everything in place on top of the red felt apron, and voila, the gumball machine base is done!

I paired the gumball machine costume with red pants, a white shirt, then topped it off with a red hat, and Zoë was ready for all the colorful treats!

This deliciously fun costume was a treat to make. Let your little ones have a ball by making it for them, too!

Check out Zoë’s Halloween costume last year!

No tricks, just treats! This cupcake costume was such a hit, that I decided to share a tutorial on how I made everything from scratch. A little warning: this is a rather lengthy and picture-heavy post. Measurements are also estimates, following my daughter’s body size and shape.

Materials Used:

• Aida Cloth (fabric used for cross-stitch embroidery)
• Plain white fabric
• Felt (to make the cupcake wrapper)
• Fiber fill
• Coloured pipe cleaners
• Velcro
• Elastic
• Plastic boning
• Glue gun + stick
• Needle and thread
• Plastic Headband
• Red cloth

To Make The Cupcake Base:

To start off, I took the Aida cloth and cut it up to make the base of the cupcake. For the measurements, I basically just wrapped it around Zoë’s waist, making sure to leave plenty of room for her to be able to move around freely. I made the circumference of the top part slightly bigger than the circumference of to bottom, giving it a more realistic cupcake look. I then glued the ends together using a glue gun.

Taking the plastic boning, I glued it around the interior of the cupcake base. One around the top part of the cupcake, and another one around the bottom. The boning helps keep the cupcake’s shape.

For the actual cupcake wrappers, I took the pink felt and cut it down to size. I made sure the height covered the height of the cupcake base, adding about 5 inches extra to the measurement. I then folded the felt accordion-style, about 2 inches per fold.

Once the felt was ready, I glued it around the cupcake base, overlapping the felt about an inch over the top part of the base and around 4 inches at the bottom.

Once I finished glueing the felt wrapper around the cupcake base, I then took the extra felt on the bottom and tucked it inside, glueing it to the interior of the base.

The finished cupcake base should look like this.

To complete the cupcake base, I sewed on 2 elastics, long enough for it to be crossed over the shoulder when worn.

The cupcake base is done!

To Make the Frosting:

For the frosting, I sewed the white fabric similarly to how you would make an extra long pillow.

I cut the length of the fabric, measuring about twice around Zoë’s chest. For the height, I measured about twice the height of Zoë’s torso. All measurements, estimates, because the frosting need not be exact, just big and flowy enough to be filled with fiber fill.

I folded the fabric in half across its height, with the right sides facing inward, pinning it to keep in place. I then stitched along the edges, leaving about four inches opening.

Once edges were stitched, I flipped it right-side out, then stuffed it with lots of fiber fill. I made sure to try it around Zoë’s chest, adding just enough filling for it too look fluffy. You want it to be full, but not too stuffed. Once I had enough filling to my liking, I stitched the opening close.

To be able to wear and fasten the frosting, I stitched velcro at the ends.

To make candy sprinkles, I cut colored pipe cleaners down to 4 inches and stitched them randomly at different angles on the frosting.

The finished cupcake with the frosting should look like this.

To Make the Cherry Headband:

To complete the look, I made a cherry headband by balling up some leftover fiber fill and covering it in red fabric. I then added a green pipe cleaner for the stem, before stitching it up and attaching it to the plastic headband.

Headband done!

Cupcake costume done! With the perfect cherry on top, of course!

Our little cupcake loved her costume! She has already worn it to two Halloween parties, a dress-up fair at school, and at a costume Christmas party, too!

Go on, try your hand at this cupcake costume and dress your cuties in the most deliciously adorable outfit! Pair it with a white shirt and some colorful leggings, and you’ll have the sweetest Halloween treat in town!

Here are 50-100 of my #100DaysOfArtByAnnings.

For days 51-53, I worked on some hand lettering and pointed pen calligraphy.

Day 54 was a special treat for my five-year-old with this Rilakkuma food art for lunch.

Most days, I just experimented with more brush lettering, pointed pen calligraphy, watercolors and food art.

In preparation for my daughter’s 5th Birthday party, we worked on a simple mother-daughter collaboration. I picked out one of Zoe’s selfie doodles, digitized it and used it as art for her thank-you tags. I loved how it turned out, we even used the design on her cake! It was also a treat watching her face light up upon seeing her own drawing turned into a finished artwork.

I spent days working with a myriad of colors. Bright food art, splashes of watercolor, and lots of rainbow lettering, each piece bringing sunshine to long and drab days.

Day 92 was a special DIY project that I worked on for Zoë’s Halloween costume. She insisted on being a cupcake, so I worked on building and making everything from scratch. It was such a hit! My dessert-loving five-year-old gave it her seal of approval, too!

The whole challenge definitely pushed me to practice my hand lettering. After weeks of writing, I’ve realized that brush lettering is really more my style. Each stroke and flick of the brush, I’ve learned to delight in.

I concluded my last two days of #100DaysOfArtByAnnings with these brush lettered pieces, reminding myself to trust my own capabilities and to push myself to leap and take chances.

Getting into the habit of making art on the daily has made me appreciate the beauty of creativity more. Although I admit I missed creating on some days, it was a pressure I didn’t want to hinder me from enjoying the whole process. The 100 Day Project gave me a way to release emotions, express ideas and reduce stress. Not only was it an excuse to refine my skills, it paved a way for me to find my style.

To view all the art in my 100 Day Project, hop on over to my Instagram @annings, or browse through my hashtag #100DaysOfArtByAnnings. You may also read about my first 50 pieces HERE.