It's that time again . . .

Sometimes I forget that costumery needs will arise in October. Actually, I forget every single year except for the first year I was a mother and I sewed a skunk costume for my five month old son. The rest of the years I find myself at around 4:00 on the day of the Fall Carnival, casting about in closets, digging out strange scarves and clip-on earrings, and trying to convince the children that this will, in fact, look really good.

This is what happened a couple years ago. I only just found these photos and I had completely forgotten that this ever occurred. There I was, needing to come up with five costumes on the spur of the moment. I called in the big guns - otherwise known as my sister Liz. Together we whizzed up this hairdo for Marie Antoinette here . . . as I recall we actually stuffed it with stuffing, smoothed the hair around it, and then hosed it down with hairspray and dusted it with cornstarch. Or possibly baby powder. I forget. My daughter saw these pictures just now and said, "Wow - I remember a REALLY long shower after that night."

We figured that with enough pink netting tied on in random places and a good bit of sparkly jewelry we'd have a satisfied customer.

Then there was Cleopatra. Much easier. A necklace swagged around her hair and a ton of eye makeup - she was good to go.

And you have to admit that with this profile she was really a natural.

Then there was Annie Oakley here. She was the easiest of the lot. Dad's hat and Mom's bandana and she was completely happy.

On the other hand, it now occurs to me that thinking ahead this year may be a wise idea. Unfortunately, I happen to know that won't actually think ahead, and this weekend will find me just as much up a creek as I always am . . . only more so, since every year the list of things we've already done gets longer and longer. At the moment I am spang out of ideas. Hopefully inspiration will strike.