A Totoro Halloween

Early October, always with a little trepidation, I started asking Kelly what she wanted to be for Halloween. This year, without hesitation, she said "Totoro!" I had no idea what she said the first (2nd and 3rd) times she told me. It took a while to even get the correct spelling from her, but finally I was able to Google it and found this:

Turns out Totoro is a friendly mythical monster from a beloved Japanese book and movie who becomes an main character in the imaginations of two sisters. Kelly had seen the movie at school and was head over heels about the story and for Totoro, but it isn't widely known in the U.S. yet, so one of my first thoughts was... they probably don't sell this costume at Party City! Boy, I was right about that. I could barely find it on e-bay. And oddly I found more adult costumes (all modeled by Japanese women) than kids! 

So I waited the appropriate amount of time within which she *might* change her mind... but her answer was the same each time I asked. So I began the project of figuring out how I was going to make the costume. Once I committed to the idea, I had a lot of fun putting it together. I think I was channeling my mom who not only made all my Halloween costumes, but most of my clothes as well!  

Kim in her Genie costume, circa 1981

(I was trying to find a costume she made when I was 8, a half-angel/half-devil work of art... couldn't find the photo, but if I do, I'll get it on here!)

Well, I do think my little Totoro came out pretty good. Even though no one knew what she was, she didn't seem to care at all, she LOVED it! (and that's all that mattered!)

Kelly, Kaspian, Skye and Cyrus

Kelly & Krysta