Where do pandas come from?

Well, sometimes they just appear out of necessity. Here's the story (with little to no back story). Thursday afternoon we went costume shopping for the kids. Not quite last minute but whatever. The short version of the boys' costumes is that they decided to be soldiers so we just bought them some camouflage pants and a shirt that they can just keep on wearing to play in after Halloween. Winning! We also got them a few little accessories, that I had to spray paint flat black, but after that they were taken care of. Henry and I already had most of our costumes and just had to get some little things to finish them out. Pics of that coming soon, the party is tonight. Kinsley decided to be a princess. Again. She has a whole closet of attire to choose from so, done. I couldn't decide what the baby was going to be and I got an idea after we had already left Wal-Mart and I was gonna have to go back and blah blah blah because I'm not spending alot of money on a costume for an infant. I'm just too cheap and I didn't like any of them anyway. Friday morning I'm contemplating dragging the kids to the store to get stuff for his costume. I ask myself if I really want to do that, and if I do that will I be able to find what I want in the correct size, and will I be happy with the result, and will I end up just making something anyway since I probably won't find what I want, and the list goes on. I decide that I will take a peek in my stash to see if I have what I need. I'm pretty sure I do, but it's still hit and miss. I first look for a pattern, 3 to choose from, 1 of them is exactly what I need. Sweet. I know that I for sure have enough of one fabric that I need and I look for the other one. I'm gonna be short. DANG IT!! But wait, what's this, another box to check? SCORE crap tons of what I need. I'm gonna need a zipper. I check my box. A couple to choose from in the right color. Awesome, one of them is the length I need plus a little extra. Now this is the point where I start feeling like a crazy cat lady fabric hoarder. Who has this stuff?? I console myself by saying that sewing and such is my hobby and myjob and that it's ok to have random things hanging around. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. So here's his costume for this year.

I have to say that I only have a few hours in this including the searching and the pondering and the modifications that I had to make in order for the legs to be a different color and the hood not to have a huge point on the back. I also do not want any of you to become haters at this moment because "well aren't you just crafty". I repeat that sewing related things are my job and I do them all the time so this was super easy for me. I do admit that I was lazy and did not serge the seams but they are fleece so they won't ravel, and by the time I trim them a bit you won't notice anyway. Those of you who know Henry and I know that pandas hold a special place for us so this seemed totally fitting. The costume wasn't a long planned thing, it just sorta happened last minute but I think it's cool. I don't think it's too shabby for something I "just pulled together". I am proud of myself for how this turned out. Stay tuned for pics of everyone in their Halloween attire. ~Kellie~