"Lightning Bugs (front and back view) Costume"

Costume Instructions

Costume Materials
Black Sweat Suit ( for toddler you can dye a one-piece jammie black), one white round paper lantern, hot glue & glue gun, one black knit ski hat (the kind you pull over your face and it has the cut-outs for the eyes and mouth), black yarn, large embroidery needle, 2 small wire sieves (if possible, find ones without handles, but you can easily cut off the handles and warp any exposed sharp metal with black electrical tape), 2 medium-sized pom-poms (red sparkly ones look best), 2 large pom-poms, 3 pipe cleaners, 1 glow stick, 1 yard black tulle fabric (the stiffer, the better), glue, 1 yard 1/2" wide black elastic (Optional... black knit gloves, black socks, black slippers)

Costume Instructions
HEAD COVERING:
Use the black yarn threaded through the large embroidery needle to whip-stitch the edges of the wire sieves to the edges of the eye holes in the ski mask, stretching the eye holes a little as you go around. Glue the medium pom-poms to the center of each wire mesh eye. With 2 of the pipe cleaners, wind each around a pencil or spatula handle then slide off to form a spiral. Loop one end of the spiral pipe cleaners through the top right and left sides of the knit mask for antennae. Glue the 2 large pom-poms to the other end of the spiral pipe cleaners.

WINGS:
(You may need less than 1 yard of tulle if you are costuming a very small child.) Gather the tulle at center in your hand, then wrap the extra pipe cleaner around it to keep it gathered, so it flares out at the sides. Pierce the ends of the pipe cleaner through the back center of the sweatshirt or jammie, then pierce through again so that the sharp ends of the pipe cleaner are outside of the shirt and don't scratch your little one's sweet back!

BOTTOM:
Open paper lantern 1/2 way and use hot glue gun to attach to the rear end of the sweatpant or jammie. Be sure to leave about a 1" slot opening at the top edge so you can activate the glow stick and drop it in just before leaving for your trick-or-treating adventure.

Add gloves, socks and slippers if desired, or if it's going to be wet, you might want to spray paint some rain boots black.

ENTIRE COSTUME COST LESS THAN $30

We got "OOOO's and AWE's" everywhere we went, people handing out candy would bring other family members to the door to see the kids costumes and other trick-or-treaters would pull their friends down the street shouting "You've gotta see the Lightning Bugs!"