Home Maid Simple

Tag: dress up

  • Family Friendly DIY Halloween Costumes

    Family Friendly DIY Halloween Costumes

    Make it a DIY Halloween year with these fun and family friendly costumes for everyone. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you click on and make a purchase through them.

    Skip the stores and make your own DIY Halloween Costumes this year. Grab inspiration from these family friendly costumes.
    Every year when I start browsing Halloween Costumes, I’m reminded just how non-family friendly a lot of these pop-up Halloween costume places are. From the sexy women’s costumes to some gruesome and terrifying outfits, I find I just don’t enjoy browsing through them all for kid and family friendly costumes. 
     
    I no longer shop Halloween stores but instead browse the thrift stores and our own closets for our DIY Halloween costumes. It’s helped pull the family together in a fun search for that perfect piece that will turn into a winning costume at every party. 
     
    Aren’t these all so fun!! One of my fondest – yet oddest – costumes as a kid was dressing up as a shower. I’m sure my parents thought I had gone crazy…but then again, maybe it was their idea for keeping things cheap? I digress though – check out the tutorials, and tips for making these fun Family Friendly Halloween costumes by following the links!
     

    DIY Halloween Costumes 

    DIY Inside Out Characters – from Home Maid Simple
     
    DIY Planet Halloween Costumes – from delineate your dwelling
     
    Campfire Costume (and more!) – from kitchen fun with my 3 sons
     
    Guess Who Characters – from costume works
     
    Star Wars Fighter Ship – from Kate’s creative space
     
    The Man in the Yellow Hat and Curious George – from The Chirping Moms
     
    DIY Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle – from Crafts by Courtney
     
     
    What are your kids dressing up as this year? Let me know if you plan on using any of these fun ideas!


  • Star Wars Costume

    Star Wars Costume

    *This post is sponsored. I received product in exchange for an honest review*

    In 2 months the ghosts and goblins, Princesses and Knights will be roaming the streets looking for candy. Are you ready for Halloween? Usually I like to wait until October 1st to even think about decorating and finding costumes for the kids, but this year my mind has been ahead. 

    Princess V has a birthday coming up the end of September, and lately she has been obsessed with Star Wars. Before our move we borrowed the original trilogy from a friend, and had a Star Wars marathon. What I wasn’t prepared for though, was her particular attachment to Darth Vader. 
    With her birthday coming up, and Halloween a short month after I thought maybe a new dress up is what she needed. While browsing Costume Discounters new arrivals, I found it – a simple Darth Vader cape and mask in their new arrivals. It also comes with a sound box so she can actually sound like Vader. 
    All the kids were excited to find a new costume added to their dress up box, but Princess V was most definitely thrilled. Perhaps her attachment to Vader is because they both start with the letter V? Or maybe being the oldest child she has a hunger for power. I’ll probably never figure it out, but I couldn’t be happier with the joy a simple black cape and mask brought to our house. 

    What will you be dressing up as this year?

  • 4 ways to wear leggings {Giveaway}

    4 ways to wear leggings {Giveaway}

    I was expecting that once fall hit here in North Dakota we’d get some pretty cool weather. So far it’s actually been extremely warm – like middle of summer warm. But I know it’s eventually going to cool off, so we’re getting ready. Grandma found us some nice coats, and then I came across these cute leggings at Girls Crochet Headbands. Princess R and I thought it would be a lot of fun to style them different ways for you.

    1. On Your Arms,
    Let’s just jump right into the crazy here! Put those leggings on your arms. I think we may need more leggings so we can all warm up our arms in style. Plus they’re just so cute. And of course if you have a second pair, you can toss them on your legs. Which brings us to the next style!

    2. Lengthen Pants. 
    I seriously love these white leggings we got from GCH. They’ve got a cute ruffle on the bottom that I like to stick out the bottom of Princess R’s pants. It helps lengthen the pants too, especially the ones that have shrunk in the wash.

    3. Dress Up. 
    Aren’t these adorable? Toss on a cute tutu, a headbow, but don’t forget the rainbow leggings. I can’t get over how much fun Princess R had in this outfit.

    4. Under a Dress. 
    Probably the most common way to wear leggings is under a dress. Normally I’d prefer a less exciting legging under the dress, but this girl you guys. She just can’t get enough of these rainbow leggings.

    WIN IT!
    GCH would like to give one of my readers the same package they sent me. It will include
    Turquoise Tutu Top
    Turquoise Tutu Skirt
    Rainbow Bright Leg warmers
    White Organza leg wamers
    White cherry blossom headband
    Red girls hair bow
    Turquoise crochet headband
    I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
  • Every Day Dress for Mom from eShakti

    Every Day Dress for Mom from eShakti

    *I received a dress in exchange for my review. All opinions and photo’s are my own*


    Mark had the last 2 days off of work, so I fully took over his time. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if no one had to work to live, and we could all enjoy life a little more? Oh well, I’ll enjoy the moments we get. 
    I was sent the beautiful dress from eShakti to review, so we thought it would be fun to get some pictures around the beautiful City Creek Center in Salt Lake City. With 2 kids at school, one strapped in a stroller, and one with tons of energy, we had a lot of fun walking around the shops, and watching the fish in the stream while looking for the perfect shot. 
    How fitting that my word of the year is Joy, and the name of this dress is Joy!
    The first thing I noticed about my new dress was that I felt covered in it. I love that the short length isn’t so short I’m constantly trying to pull it down to feel covered. Plus, if you want it longer you can easily change the length with eShakti’s custom sizing!! Seriously with my body type I’ve never been so in love with a company before. 
    Not only did I feel like I was dressed fashionably for a stroll through the shops, but I could also do everything a mom of active kids can do without feeling indecent. We ran around the fountain, sat on the ground to watch the fish, and even took some leisure time on a rock to look at a book – yes I do carry a book in my purse.

    We were feeling mighty Belle like here – book with no pictures, water, middle of the shopping scene. 
    Did you know City Creek actually has a removable roof? I knew the bridge did, but I learned that all the walkways are covered – thank goodness because it has been a stormy week, and we chose the stormiest day to go on this little outing. I brought my cute new jean jacket (bought at Ross Dress for Less) just for any chilly areas. I loved that the dress still looked plenty cute with a light jacket on, because it was definitely needed. 
    Now it wasn’t all about me, we made sure Princess R had some fun too – Disney Store style!
    I really can’t help myself, I keep heading back to eShakti to look at all their other dresses. For once in my life I feel I have a dress that fits my awkwardly sized hips and heavy top, but still looks flattering without any form fitting gut suckers underneath.  The extent to which they will customize your dress and for the prices I have just been blown away.  On top of it, I was just over there browsing again, and they’ve got a 30% OFF Spring Sale going on until March 31st. 
    Missed the sale? It’s OK, eShakti wants my readers to take an extra 10% OFF their purchase with code
    hmses
    valid through April 18th

    Connect with eShakti
    I’m seriously crushing on all their dresses, that I ended up making a pinboard dedicated to my favorites! Check them out!
  • Feeling Put Together

    Feeling Put Together

    Have you ever been told that when you get dressed in the morning, you should also put on your shoes?  That it will help you be more productive?

    Yeah I’ve heard it too.

    I never believed it though.

    Until today.

    We’re getting ready to take Princess V to school this morning, and I’m herding kids to find shoes, and coats, and wait, did you brush your teeth? Where’s your backpack?  Come on let’s go!  Oh hey, would you grab me my shoes, while I change brother?

    My cute little 3 year old, Princess R is always willing to get my shoes…though she’s the last to ever put on her shoes, if we can even find them…walks over to me carrying my awesome Rory Grey Boots from Cents of Style.

    Oh I don’t know. I love those boots, but they’re more for going out to look good, then to run to school drop off in. Ah, What the heck, let’s toss them on!

    Then we came home, and while I normally take my shoes off when entering our home, the boots decided to cling on to my feet today. And as I walked around the house, starting laundry, playing LEGO’s, and sorting through dress ups to find the missing slipper – I noticed something.

    I felt put together.

    I was ready for whatever the rest of the day wanted to throw at me.

    I had a smile on my face.

    I didn’t yell when we lost shoes again in a rush to take Princess C to Kindergarten.

    I felt like a person, instead of a maid.

    Will I continue to put shoes on first thing in the morning?  Probably not. To be honest, I don’t think it was the wearing of shoes, but more specifically the exact shoes.  A pair of boots I bought on a whim because they were on sale. The heel encourages me to stand up taller (literally, and figuratively), and helps straighten out my slumped over body as I drag myself around the house.

    Wearing my favorite pair of Gloria Vanderbilt pants may have a little something to do with it too.

    Give it a try! Put on one favorite piece today, and see if it doesn’t change your mood. 
  • Princess Peach Costume

    Princess Peach Costume

    *In accordance with FTC guidelines. I did not receive any financial compensation for this post.  I was provided with the product for my honest review.  All opinions expressed in this post are my own!
    This last month I had the opportunity to review a costume from the Costume Super Center.  It’s a great place for cheap Halloween Costumes!
    We got to pick the costume for review, so Princess V and Princess C and I sat down and browsed their huge (and I mean HUGE!) costume collection.  It was really hard deciding, but when we came across the Girls Deluxe Super Mario Princess Peach Costume, we knew we had a winner!  It was decided and within a week we reveived our costume.  We opened it right away and within seconds it was on Princess V and it was not coming off anytime soon. 
    The quality is just amazing! We so often in our society associate the word cheap with poor quality.  The Costume Super Center offers cheap halloween costumes, that are also well made and will last.  When ordering the Girls Deluxe Super Mario Princess Peach Costume, I was struggling with their site (ok my computer was actually just acting funny) so I was unable to find how they measure the sizes.  I ordered a medium so I would hopefully not be too big or too small.  It was perfect!  It is just slightly bigger than Princess V (4 years old), so she should be able to wear it for at least 2 years maybe more!
    Now so you’re wondering, they do have a size chart, and it’s really easy to locate and size for each costume (I did go back once we got the computer back up to par!)
    I just can’t help posting all these cute pics!
    The Girls Deluxe Super Mario Princess Peach Costume comes with the dress, gloves, and crown.  Everything a Princess needs! 
    The Costume Super Center has a great selection of kids costumes ranging from the decades, to movie characters, to the scary stuff like zombies.  I can’t wait to go back and get something for Princess C and Princess R for this fall.  I may not even wait until the fall. These costumes are great for every day dress up, not just Halloween!