Whether the handmade costumes are already complete or you’re expecting to stay up until 2 am on the morning of Halloween completing that very last stitch (perhaps THIS has become a tradition in and of itself) – the site Crafting in a Green World (blog) may be of interest to you.

Check out their Halloween suggestions here.

Still have no idea what to make? Try these resources for a bit of inspiration (just swap their suggested materials for “green” ones, whenever possible).

Robin’s FYI

Make Magazine‘s Halloween edition

Pack-o-Fun magazine’s Halloween edition

No sew Halloween costumes (this one’s for me!)

If you’re looking for used and low-cost components (or complete costumes) for this year, check out Yelp.com to find thrift and consignment stores near you.

(A recent survey by Savers, Inc found that wearing eco-friendly costumes is important to about half of all consumers. Are you one of them? Find out more here.)

I came across this website today: ThreadBanger.com. It’s to DIY for.

They’ve got wonderfully creative ideas (with an emphasis on “green” materials) with easy-to-follow pictures, too.

Now I’m all for letting our kids make their own costumes – when they can – but helping them with the process can be a cherished experience – one that will likely be remembered even more than the costume itself. So if you’re looking for some ideas and direction for what to make and how to make it, I’d say ThreadBanger is a great place to start.

Here are a few of my other favorites:

• Knitty.com’s knitted wig
• About.com’s DIY fashion
• Budget101.com (“frightening ideas that won’t hurt your wallet”)
• AllFreeCrafts.com

Of course, our new book, Celebrate Green! also has great DIY ideas, including a recipe for making your own face paints!

Welcome to the GreenHalloween.org blog!

My name is Corey Colwell-Lipson and I’m Green Halloween’s founder and director. I started Green Halloween in the Seattle area in 2007 with the vision of giving Halloween (and eventually all holidays) a healthy, eco-makeover. Here we are a year later, with seven (!) official Green Halloween cities and families all over the country pledging to create holiday traditions kids AND parents can feel great about.

Although our website, GreenHalloween.org is already THE go-to resource for greening up Halloween, now that the blog is up and running, I’ll be able to keep you even more informed with the latest and greatest news and tips regarding all things green for this holiday and more. As we go along, I’ll also be sharing with you the journey of Green Halloween – from an idea in 2006, to a movement in 2007, to a revolution in 2008, to… we can only imagine.

In the upcoming days and weeks, I’ll be writing about everything from costumes to composting, treats to tableware, and games to guests. I’ve got so many ideas to share that I’m nearly bursting at the seams!

But for tonight, I’d like to leave with you an image from one of my favorite Halloweens: 1984. I was 11.

Here I am with my best friend, Kelly, posing with our one-of-a-kind, 100% recycled/ reused, doesn’t-cost-a-dime “Circle Couple” costumes. Not only did we have ourselves and our neighbors in stitches as we went door-to-door trick-or-treating, we had a great time with the process – conceiving of the idea, searching for the materials and then constructing the costumes all on our own.

I’m sure our Circle Couple was played with after Halloween until they turned soft, fell apart and could no longer be worn, at which point I’m guessing they were trashed (household recycling didn’t come to Tucson until years later). But all these years later, I’ve never let go of the joy I felt on this day.

What are some of your fondest memories of Halloween?

Here Kelly and I are. Can you guess which one is me?