Day 28: Lunch Bag Costume

I mentioned yesterday that we're concluding the 31 Days of Dollar Tree (DT) Finds series with easy DIY costumes.  Sometimes, the easiest costumes have the most bang for their buck.  Today's tutorial was inspired by lunch:

Let me tell you, anyone who's worked in an environment where there's a lunch thief knows how it feels to carefully pack your lunch, place it in the office refrigerator, go to get your lunch during your break and find it's gone!  WHAT THE -- WHAT?! Hol' up!  I know somebody didn't just -- YO!  I've had my food stolen and I can vividly remember thinking I would find the person and take them to court for attempted murder.  You too?!  OMG!  I thought I was alone!  

Yes, boo.  It's pretty scary to think someone would eat someone else's food... as if my hAngry face isn't bad enough, you can probably imagine the face I was serving when it happened to me.  Anyhoo, I remembered my experience when we were pulling together Munch's costumes for this series.  I had a piece of poster board and some scrap zebra wrapping paper from the Surprise Safari Baby Shower.  Remember the photo backdrop?

Well, on the other side of that paper (found at DT) is plain brown kraft paper.  I decided to use the paper and the poster board to make, YOU GUESSED IT, a lunch bag costume!

What You Need: 

- Poster board

- Brown wrapping paper (multiple options available at DT to include kraft paper in the shipping section)
- Tape
- White ribbon
- Headband
- Paper lunch bag
- One (1) pipe cleaner

What You Do:

For the Lunch Bag:

1.  Lay your brown paper on the floor (with the side you want visible facing downward).

2.  Place the poster board on top.

3.  Fold your paper over the board. Use tape to secure it in place.

4.  Glue ribbon to the back so it can hang from around the neck.

5.  Label your giant lunch bag with your name.

For the Headband:

1.  With your paper lunch bag laying flat on your surface cut the area shown below:

2.  Then cut the side pleats off.  You will have two remaining rectangles (the front and back larger portions of the bag).

3.  Lay your rectangles horizontally (so the LONG side is perpendicular to your body).

4.  Scrunch the center of the rectangle until a bow shape forms.

5.  Use a pipe cleaner to wrap the center of your bow.  Twist twice to secure it in place.  Don't worry.  You will have excess!!

6.  Repeat step 4 for the other rectangular shape.

7.  Place the scrunched piece on top of your other bow and wrap BOTH with the pipe cleaner.

8.  Use the pipe cleaner to adhere the paper bow to the headband.

9.  Wear neutral tones and proudly strut your fabulous costume!

We had fun with Munch's hair and makeup.  I gave her a cool horizontal French Roll style with some retro-inspired makeup.

Now, you know.  This mama is far from a makeup guru but I really could appreciate the DT selection!  Their E.L.F. cosmetic selection isn't bad AND can we just talk about that winged eyeliner?  I can NEVER get it right on myself but for her?  Fabulous.  Hmm, maybe I shouldn't wince when things come close to my eyes... especially when it's makeup... that may cause jagged lines.  Maybe I won't do that anymore.  Who am I kidding?  Maybe it's unnatural for me to let something get that close and KEEP MY EYEBALL exposed to it.

Did you guess a brown bag lunch?! We made the bow from a lunch bag! #dollartree #dollartreecostume #dollartreecrafts #coolcraftersclub #coolcrafts #diy #diycostume #justintimeforlunch #creativeisthenewcool #munchface #munchrocks

A video posted by tmkeese (@tmkeese) on Oct 27, 2015 at 9:02am PDT

Some ideas for wear:

- Consider carrying a brown shopping bag for treats!
- Rock this costume to the office Halloween social to send a message to the lunch thief (grrrrr)!
- Make this a cute couple costume with one partner dressing as a construction worker and the other as the lunch!
-  Make this a Mommy costume (replacing the lunch label with a grocery store name) and dress your little ones as fruit or groceries!
-  Make this for your baby and change the label to read Mommy's lunch!

I hope you're enjoying this series as much as we've enjoyed playing dress-up!  Stay tuned!  There's so much more to come!