Happy *beep* Halloween *beep*

My son's school's Halloween party was last night, and weeks ago I had promised him that I'd show up as a "robot mama" for the big event. But how to deliver?

I still had the blue box from last year, so I figured that would make a good robot body base ... but I really, really wanted to have flashing lights. What's a robot without flashing lights?

A quick trip to the party store and I had eight flashing lights: three of those newfangled "pumpkin lights", and five safety flashers (and some mylar ribbon, which was an impulse purchase).

I traced the lenses of the pumpkin lights to make a template, and used the template to space the holes I wanted to cut in the box. I duct-taped the flashers to the inside of the box; the little safety lights had clips, so I hung those on bits of wire that I threaded through the box and twist-tied on the inside.

The whole thing (including the trip to the store, but not including running around trying to find the duct tape) took under an hour. (And it probably looks like a rush job, to grownups, but I have to tell you -- this costume KILLED with the under-seven set. I never had so many people ask to take my picture in such a short time, and certainly never with so many ladybugs, fairies, princesses, Batmans, Spidermans, and monsters ...)

Here's the end result -- my first-ever Dress A Day video (hard to get the effect of the flashing lights in a still image!). The audio (which is NOT essential, so feel free to turn those speakers down) is me giving instructions to my long-suffering cameraman, Mr. DressADay.


Erin's Robot Costume 2008 from Erin McKean on Vimeo.

The green deelyboppers on my head? A last-minute addition; I keep them in the trunk of my car, "for emergencies".