Today I am pondering creativity.  It is hallowe’en, and I am admittedly disappointed in how little artistry was required for my kids costumes this year.  (Or perhaps I am unconsciously boycotting the pop-culture they have chosen to emulate:  Ethan as Indiana Jones and Audra as Frankie Stein (which is apparently from a show… I think!…) They both looked great, but I am feeling a little disappointed.

Hallowe’en has always symbolized creativity to me.  When I was a kid our costumes were always made from scratch – with koodos to my mom for sewing.  Princesses’, pumpkins and pirates, gypsies and superheros, to name but a few.  I remember one year I went out as one of my favourite book characters, Lucy Little – despite my mom letting me know that most people wouldn’t know who I was (and she was right) But I didn’t care.  I had made my tail out of a clothing hanger and thought my costume was great. (So today, I can be disappointed but also know that Ethan and Audra think their costumes are great, too)

I think as an adult I love dressing up for hallowe’en because it is one of the relatively few creative outlets I have.  However, I am not into sewing (in fact, if anything needs to be sewed in our house, the kids will set it aside for “when Nana visits”… from Halifax!)  But I love doing face painting.  And other than Ethan’s “stubble” and Audra’s green face, there was little for me to do today. (So I am having one of my keep-it-to-myself pouty moments… ) (I guess that doesn’t count once it goes into my blog though… oh well.)

However, I did get to practice my make up artistry on Saturday when I transformed Dean and I into zombies for a hallowee’n party.  The irony does not escape me that I dedicate my efforts to “living life to the fullest” – and yet, spent the night as one of the un-dead. (As I won’t watch zombie movies with Dean, I guess that dressing up as one was my best effort on that one)

I can also look back on some of my favourite costumes from other years… and wonder what will come in other years.  I can enjoy the fact that my entire downstairs has been transformed into a haunted house (using almost every sheet in the house).  And I can be glad I was wanted at Audra’s hallowe’en dance-a-thon at school, where I truly enjoyed watching her dance her little booty off… though in grade four, Ethan didn’t request my presence this year.  Booooo…