Transform Yourself Into a YA Character for Halloween!

Wishing my American readers a safe and fun Halloween!  My thoughts are with anyone affected by Hurricane Sandy. Photos of the damage and rescue efforts are just heartbreaking. Though we were right in the path of the storm, we kept power and are safe and dry.

If you are celebrating and need a last minute costume, I'm here to help! I always made my own Halloween costumes when I was growing up. That way, you don't show up at a party as Slutty Witch Number Three.

Here's how to make four quick, easy and cheap YA book character costumes. Most of the stuff you need is probably sitting around your house right now!

Costume One: Sydney Sage from the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead (Razorbill)

What you'll need -- total cost: $5-10

1. Drab clothes -- throw on khaki pants or skirt with a plain white blouse. Sydney's known for being an understated dresser.

2. Gold face paint and a brush. 

You'll use that to paint this design on your cheek:

Tattoo pattern from VA Wikia

3. A can of Diet Coke or a Starbucks coffee cup to carry around

4. Optional: blond wig and a hot, dark-haired guy with green eyes to follow you around and make snarky comments.

Costume Two: Anna from Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake (Tor Teen)

What you'll need -- total cost: free to $15

1. Long white (or light colored) dress that you don't mind splattering with red paint or fake blood (see below.)

2. Makeup: use purple eyeliner to make "purply veins" all over your face, neck and arms. Then put on some black lipstick. 

3. Buy fake blood to splatter the dress with or make your own here with corn syrup, food coloring, and chocolate syrup. Yum!

4. Don't forget those crazy eyes!

Costume Three: Karou from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (Little, Brown BYR)

What you'll need -- total cost: $5-10

1. Blue wig or temporary blue hair paint. Once your hair's all blue, you can twist it up and stick a paintbrush into it. Or make a braid. 

2. Tie a wishbone on a cord around your neck. Eat the chicken first, or make your own wishbone out of Model Magic.

3. Make yourself some hamsa tattoos. You can find a temporary tattoo tutorial here.

5. Carry around a sketchpad and pencil. You can also tote around a little bag of teeth. Raid your kids' tooth fairy pillow, or get out that Model Magic!

Costume Four: Sexy Steampunk

What you'll need -- cost: free to $20

1. Victorian-inspired clothing -- think high heeled lace-up boots paired with a black skirt, plus a corset or a lacy blouse or cami. Don't sweat the outfit, because we'll dazzle them with gadgetry!

2. Metallic spray paint and superglue

3. Now for the fun part. Raid your junk drawer, craft drawer, jewelry box, toolbox, and garage. (Or just hit the hardware store.) Here's what you're looking for: gears, washers, brooches and pins -- any old costume jewelry you can take apart, fake gems, metallic buttons -- any interesting little bits of shiny stuff. Think like a magpie!

Superglue all your finds into a fabulous necklace and spray the whole thing with gold or silver spray paint.  You'll get something like this:

Or this:

There are some great tutorials at BeadingGem.com, which is where I got the photo above.

Warning: it is entirely possible that people won't "get" who you're dressed as.  Just see it as a chance to talk up your favorite book.

Have fun, don't take candy from strangers and don't forget to email me a picture!