We’re still staying home from the pandemic, but the girl still wanted to make a costume for Halloween.
She was so excited about the idea, she took the initiative by sketching her rabbit costume. Once there was a plan, we just had to execute.
We started with the mask. It took a few iterations to get it right, but we eventually landed on a template that fit her well.
Yes, these masks are basic. A piece of paper with punched holes for the eyes, nose, and mouth, using a headband of folded paper. All held together with staples and tape.
It would have been a lot faster to buy something more sophisticated, but once you make something yourself, it’s truly yours.
The boy saw his sister’s mask and wanted his own. Turns out their faces are close enough in size, so I used her mask as a template (sans ears) and we shortly had the Monkey King running around the house.
The kids loved their masks. They spent all week running around as their alter egos.
This early victory led to further successes. We moved on to paper gloves and then paper shoes (I learned why moccasins have developed their distinctive shape).
None of the final results are spectacular. The costumes wouldn’t get any likes on social media, but we made something real, together. We weren’t just consumers; we were makers.
The world will constantly sell you on the satisfaction of owning excellence, the German sports car and the Swiss watch. But I’m starting to wonder if there is deeper satisfaction found in making something yourself, even if it’s mediocre.