www.thecardboardcollective.com
Violet-earred Hummingbird
Materials: cardboard, white glue, staples, construction paper, origami paper.
homemade
Cardboard Penguin Costume
www.thecardboardcollective.com
Materials: cardboard, butcher paper, tempera, white glue, staples, 2 buttons
Cardboard and Paper Owl Costume
www.thecardboardcollective.com
Materials: Washi paper, newsprint, butcher paper, florist paper, construction paper, cardboard, Sumie ink, and an old pair of sunglasses
www.thecardboardcollective.com
Welcome to Cardboard Costume Challenge 2017!
It's all about inspiration, the exchange of ideas, and the excitement of making something by hand.
There are no contests.
No prizes.
No endorsements.
No sponsorships.
Just look around on the site, Pinterest Board, and around the web and challenge yourself to make your costume from cardboard, and whatever other scraps you can find.
If you would like to share your costume, send us a picture and we'll post it.
We've already started to receive some costumes for 2017.
Have a look at the AWESOME, creative and inspiring cardboard costumes below!
Cardboard train costume by Alex Nadeau
Busy Bee by Camille www.thecardboardcollective.com
Busy Bee by Camille www.thecardboardcollective.com
Busy Bee by Camille www.thecardboardcollective.com
Paper Jellyfish Costume
Paper Jellyfish Costume by Amber
materials: cardboard, paper cord, paper, white glue, LEDs
The Time is here! Are you cutting up cardboard yet?
Find out more about the 2016 Cardboard Costume Challenge HERE
Matt Lentini Ren and Stimpy costumes
2015 Cardboard Costume Parade!
Matt and Nicole Lentini Matador and Bull cardboard costumes
Matt and Nicole Lentini Matador and Bull costumes
Ren, Stimpy and Log costumes by Matt Lentini and Matador and Bull costumes by Matt and Nicole Lentini
"Wild Things and Max" bicycle-friendly costumes sent by Sarah
Frank-Ein-Stein and Fox Head by Betsy A. Riley
Mosquito costume by Rebecca at Lepetitearbre
Robot costume by Manon Doran see more pictures at her blog Une Dahlia en Westfalia
Do you have photos to send? I'll keep updating this post. I would love to see your photos and the one-of-a-kind costume you made this year!
These costumes are pure cardboard magic. Thanks to everyone that sent photos and Happy Halloween 2015!
Monarch Caterpillar from Cardboard
Cardboard Monarch Caterpillar Costume by Amber
Made from recycled materials and recyclable
cardboard, Japanese paper rice bags, white glue, staples, thread, steel-toothed zipper, caster wheels, acrylic paint
Paper Milkweed Costume
Milkweed Costume by Amber
Made from recycled materials and recyclable
Melon cartons, egg cartons, paper twine, cardboard, Japanese paper rice bags, newspaper, tempera, chalk, white glue, staples
A Cardboard Mushroom
Cardboard Mushroom (Amanita Muscaria) Costume by Amber and Pete
Made from recycled materials and recyclable
Cardboard, packing paper, staples, glue, tempera paint, Japanese paper rice bags
Thinking in Cardboard
As we kick off another march towards Halloween, it's time to think in cardboard. What shapes do you see? What faces are peering out at you?
How can you use cardboard in a way it's never been used before?
The Cardboard Costume Challenge begins....
Luna Moth Costume
AmberLuna Moth, 2013 Found cardboard and paper, egg and apple cartons, paper cord, watercolor, pastel chalk, white glue
Last in the series:
"Insect Family"
Blue Butterfly Wings
AmberLittle Blue Butterfly, 2013 Found cardboard and paper, melon and apple cartons, paper cord, watercolor, pastel chalk, white glue
part of the series:
"Insect Family"
(Inspired by this butterfly puppet by Octodrone that my daughter fell in love with.)
Cardboard Lightning Bug
Pete Lightning Bug, 2013 (commonly mistaken for cockroach) Found cardboard and paper, steel nuts & bolts, watercolor, white glue
part of the series:
"Insect Family"
Cardboard Players Photo by Janet Chiang
More Cardboard Costume Challengers
Where the wild things are cardboard mask by Tara Middleton
Wall E by Jennifer Kent
A few spectacular cardboard costumes sent in, and don't forget to check out the Flickr pool if you haven't already!
Cardboard Costume Challengers
Cardboard & Newsprint Unicorn Costume
in Uncategorized, Make
To make the costume you'll need:
white paper egg cartons
white newsprint or tissue paper (rainbow colors would be great!)
toilet paper tubes
metallic cardboard, (or rainbow paint your regular cardboard)
stapler
Simple Steps:
cut a rectangular strip of cardboard about 4 inches wide and 10 inches long
fringe newsprint, then fold the ends over the cardboard and staple
cut ears from egg cartons and attach with stapler
create cone shaped horn from metallic cardboard and staple down
cut toilet paper tubes so that they can fit over your wrists and ankles like a cuff
fringe more newsprint and staple to cuffs (place tape over staples to avoid irritation)
shape the ends of the toilet paper tubes to look like hooves.
Cardboard Heads
If you're thinking about making a cardboard headpiece for your Halloween costume, this weekend is the time to get started! Last Year we created 2 different kinds of cardboard heads, using two different methods.
The first head was for a chameleon costume, and utilized the hood pattern for sewing a kid's jacket. To read the post about adapting a sewing pattern for use with cardboard, click HERE
The second head was built by making a cardboard skeleton and then gluing down layers of ripped cardboard. You can see more pictures of the development HERE.
Because every cardboard head is a little different, I'll lay out the most basic steps so you can get started. Have fun and experiment, the point is to develop you're own style...
Make a cardboard band that fits snugly around your head.
Create cardboard side pieces that are similar in shape to the skull of the creature if you look at it sideways.
Glue or staple the pieces to the cardboard band.
Use cardboard strips to connect the side pieces and shape the front of the creature's face.
Cover your cardboard head with crumpled up and flattened out copy paper, fringed newspaper, Kraft paper, torn pieces of egg carton or ripped pieces of corrugated cardboard. You can take a look at the Cardboard Costume Pinterest Board for more inspiration.
Here's a great video by John Gleeson Connolly (via Apartment Therapy) talking about how he made a simple cardboard dragon head for his son's Halloween costume using a similar method. http://vimeo.com/51576209
Cardboard Costume Challenge 2013!
YYYYEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!! Today is the Kick-off for The 2nd Annual Cardboard Costume Challenge!
The Mission? to inspire the making of awesome handmade cardboard costumes.
My secret agenda? Help parents reconnect with their kids (and themselves) through making.... and my even more secret agenda, rid the earth of flimsy, flame-retardant Halloween costumes destined for the landfill.
I decided that this year I wanted to adopt a non-commercial, non-competitive approach (less contest, more spirit tunnel) AND I wanted to make the event more kid-centered (it's such a valuable design opportunity for kids.) I also wanted to encourage adults, who maybe don't own a sewing machine, or don't think of themselves as "creative" to branch out and try dabbling in cardboard.
Cardboard Cowboys by Leelada via Flickr
My own creative mother found the costumes entered last year so amazing she said she was too intimidated to attempt a cardboard costume! This year there won't be any categories, sponsors, or prizes.....just an event for sharing cardboard enthusiasm and the love of making!
So what do you think? Sound interesting? You can follow posts and tutorials throughout the month of October centered around topics like cardboard hats, masks, accessories, and other costume extras plus info about tools, tips for working with cardboard, and moving from idea to finished costume.
Upload pictures of your costume in progress (as well as completed) HERE in the Flickr community and access past tutorials HERE.
P.S.
There are a few prize related contests and opportunities out there that you should know about if you would like to enter a competition (with some pretty substantial loot.) We'll definitely be rooting for you!
Inhabitat Green Halloween Costume Contest (adults)
Inhabitot Green Halloween Costume Contest (kids)
See you soon!