A Tribute to The King: Our Elvis Presley Family Halloween Costumes

With the recent release of Baz Luhrmann's biographical musical, Elvis, we knew this would be the PERFECT year to choose Elvis costumes for our group Halloween costume. Well, which one of us would get to be Elvis, you ask? All of us! Some long time blog readers might remember that this is not the first year that our entire family has dressed as Elvis Presley for Halloween. We actually chose this as our Halloween costume theme way back in 2007, when Aidyn was only 2 years old and Jaxon hadn't yet been born. So this costume idea was definitely "new to them."

FUN FACT: Our boys are getting older, and they were actually on team "not dressing up for Halloween this year." I told them that Ryan and I were still going to dress up to hand out candy. So, when I mentioned to Ryan that I thought we should pull out our old Elvis costumes this year, Aidyn immediately said, "Wait! You're dressing up as Elvis? I want to be Jailhouse Rock Elvis!" And of course, since Aidyn was dressing up, Jaxon wanted to join in on the fun. He wanted to dress up as "Jumpsuit Elvis."

Well, you ain't gotta ask THIS Elvis fan twice (A Little Less Conversation, a Little More Action Please). I was on it like pink on a Cadillac!

Viva Las Vegas

When it comes to Elvis costumes, nothing is as recognizable as the bedazzled jumpsuits that he was known for wearing in his later "Vegas residency" years. Both Jaxon and I ended up with this style of costume. Jaxon is wearing my costume from 2007, and I'm wearing a new Elvis jumpsuit costume this year. This is because I couldn't find a new costume to fit both Jaxon's height and weight. So, since he is so thin, I let him wear my old costume, which fit him better than any new costume we found.

I found that a men's size small costume fit my height almost perfectly and then tailored it to make it small enough to fit me. I am still wearing heeled boots to make it fit length-wise.

We accessorized these Vegas Elvis costumes with big sunglasses, as many rings as we could find in my jewelry box, and a child-sized acoustic guitar.

Jailhouse Rock

Another popular Elvis costume is Jailhouse Rock. Both of these costumes are pieced together rather than store-bought. Ryan is wearing his original costume from 2007, and Aidyn is wearing a new costume. 

A Jailhouse Rock Elvis costume is easy to make yourself. You'll need a pair of black pants, a black collared jacket, a black and white striped shirt, black shoes, and white socks. For Ryan's costume, I used fabric paint to paint on stitching and the "prisoner number" 6240. For Aidyn's costume, we skipped these details, but you can still tell he's Elvis in a group of other Elvises. For Aidyn's costume, we repurposed the shirt from his Jean Valjean Broadway's Back costume.

If you have a short haircut like Ryan, make sure to purchase an Elvis wig to complete your costume. With a little bit of styling with a flat iron and some hairspray, you'll have the signature Elvis look.

Mothers, Lock Up Your Daughters

The Walkush Boys are live in concert down at the end of Lonely Street . . . or I guess Elvis Presley Boulevard . . . for one night only, October 31st!

Elvis Has Left the Building

That's a wrap on Halloween 2022. Happy Halloween from The Walkush Family. 

Thank you . . . thankyouverymuch.

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How to Make Custom Halloween Wall Art

As we get ready for Halloween season, this personalized wall art is easy to make and will have everyone wondering where you got that unique piece of Halloween decor.

If you've got 15 minutes of time and a few inexpensive materials, you can make a custom piece of Halloween artwork for your home.

Halloween T-Shirt Canvas Wall Art

Halloween T-shirt with cool graphics, laundered

Canvas that is the same size as the graphics on your T-shirt

Scissors

Staple gun

1. Put the canvas inside the T-shirt and center the graphics on the canvas.
2. Flip the T-shirt (with the canvas inside) so that the graphics are face down.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Pull the top neckline of the shirt around to the back of the canvas and put a staple in the middle and on each side so that there are three staples evenly across the top.
4. Stretch the shirt up from the bottom and repeat step 3, putting 3 staples evenly across the bottom of the shirt.
5. Repeat step 3 for both sides, making sure to stretch the shirt evenly as you go and check the graphics on the front to ensure that the T-shirt is pulled tight and even across the canvas.
6. Cut the excess T-shirt material off at this point, leaving about 1/2"-1" around the edges.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Go back around all edges and put staples in between the original 3 staples, stretching the fabric as you go. Make sure to go in order: top, bottom, side, side, so that the shirt graphic remains evenly stretched on the front of the canvas.
8. When you get to the corners, staple very close on one side, staple very close on the other side, and then staple the excess corner fabric diagonally, as shown.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Trim any excess fabric, and your new artwork is ready to display!

Notes:

Before your purchase your canvas, measure the graphic portion of your T-shirt and write down the measurement. Take that with you to the craft store so that you know what size canvas to purchase. (Remember: You will need additional space all around that measurement for wrapping the canvas.) 

The T-shirt that I used is a boy's size 10-12, and it fit perfectly on an 11" X 14" canvas. This was a shirt that was originally my son Jaxon's.

As soon as I saw this shirt, I knew that I was going to repurpose it specifically for Halloween decor, however you could just as easily use this same tutorial to make wall art with any type of cool T-shirt.

Take advantage of craft store sales and coupons when purchasing your canvas for this project. Since the canvas doesn't really show at all, you don't need to get the highest quality canvas available.

If you're planning on making more than one of these at a time, canvas multipacks might be your cheapest option.

Hope you give this DIY Halloween artwork a try for yourself.

Clue Characters Group Halloween Costume

This year for Halloween, The Harris Sisters are paying homage to one of our favorite board games growing up: Clue. The characters from this game present the perfect opportunity for a group Halloween costume. With six different characters from the board game, we each decided to dress up as two characters to represent the full set. But if you have a larger group, you can divvy up the characters among yourselves.

Can you spot who's who in our sneaky group?

Clue Character Group Halloween Costumes

First off, we have Harris Sister Deanna as Colonel Mustard in the Lounge with the rope. This costume was easy to create with pieces from your closet or Goodwill. It includes a yellow top and pants, a military-style jacket, and tall boots. Top it off with a costume pith helmet and you're all set!

"While rope might not be most people's first choice for defense, with my military and tactical training, I know at least 12 different ways to turn this everyday item into a highly effective weapon."

Next up we have Harris Sister Misty as Mr. Green in the Hall with the lead pipe. The main pieces of this costume are a green vest, cape, and a cravat or an ascot (scarf). Pair those pieces with a pair of black pants and a white button down shirt and you have the main pieces of your costume.

"If need be, I can conceal this pipe in my cape . . . "

Of course, Harris Sister Donna is Professor Plum in the Library with the knife. The main parts of this costume were a 1940's style purple dress and matching purple heels. 

"Choosing a book, or choosing a weapon? Hmmmm . . . . decisions, decisions . . . "

Then there's Harris Sister Deanna as Miss Scarlett in the Ballroom with the candlestick. Of course, no Miss Scarlett costume would be complete without a red evening gown, red gloves, and fascinator. Top off the look with a red wig, and your character is complete. 

"Don't you think the gold candlestick matches my outfit perfectly? Shhh . . . I'll never tell!"

And there's Harris Sister Donna as Mrs. White in the Kitchen with the wrench. Mrs. White's costume is a black vintage style dress with a white maid's apron over top. Complete the look with a black wig and a maid's hairband. 

"Seems like someone already made off with the knife, so this wrench will do nicely!"

And finally, Harris Sister Misty was Mrs. Peacock in the Conservatory with the revolver. Transform yourself into Mrs. Peacock with a bright blue 1940's style dress, a jeweled belt, black gloves, a peacock scarf, and costume jewelry.

"A gal's gotta protect herself."

Clue Themed Halloween Party Decor and Props

If you're throwing a Halloween party and asking guests to dress as the Clue board game characters, make sure to have props for guests to take photos with. Some good options for photo props include vintage Clue board game pieces, "weapons" from the game, martini glasses filled with dice, or life-sized dice. Harris Sister Misty had her husband construct two large cubes from plywood and then painted them white. We then added black felt dots to make them look like a giant pair of dice.

Make sure to check out our costume section of the blog for more tips, tricks, and ideas for this Halloween!

Happy Halloween from The Harris Sisters!

8 Day Southwest States Road Trip with Kids

The Southwest is a special part of the United States that is full of natural wonders. Since many of the top destinations in this area aren’t close to an airport (or even to each other for that matter), we decided that the best way for our family to explore would be to take a road trip.  If you’re planning a road trip through Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado with the kids, here are some of the top spots to visit.

We visited these three Southwestern US states road-trip style with our two teen boys, and this is our 8-day itinerary and the places we stopped along the way. This 8-day American Southwest road trip itinerary guides you through the best way to see some of the highlights of the United States Southwest.

If you like road trips, make sure to check out these other road trip itineraries: 9 Day Western States Road Trip with Kids and 8 Day California Road Trip with Kids. 

Southwest States Attractions Map

An interactive map to all the best things to do on a Southwest States road trip with kids

Click for the interactive map here.

8 Day Road Trip Through Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado

Day 1 - Travel to Las Vegas, NV

Arrive in Harry Reid International Airport and rent a car. (To make the most of travel day one, plan to arrive early in Las Vegas, so that you still have at least a half day left to explore.)

Head to your hotel to drop off your luggage and then explore the hotels on the strip! In this case, splurging to stay in a hotel on the strip is part of the fun - you'll be right in the middle of the action! Fun hotels to explore include the Bellagio (Chihuly sculptures and gardens in the lobby and a fountain outside), New York New York (the kids will love the roller coaster inside), Linq Hotel (high roller), Venetian (gondola rides), and The Flamingo (flamingo habitat).

Set aside time to eat lunch, snacks, and dinner at special restaurants - you're in Vegas! These are CrazyShakes from Black Tap restaurant in the Venetian.

Visit the Neon Museum to take a tour as night falls. This attraction is not to be missed - the guided tour provides a lot of history on Las Vegas and you get to see many neon signs from former hotels and restaurants.

Day 2 - Las Vegas, NV

Wake up early and go get a photo at the Welcome to Las Vegas Sign (it will be easier to get a photo early on day 2 versus trying to do it as soon as you arrive on day 1). Park in the parking lot adjacent to the sign, and if Elvis is there, tip him a small amount to take your photo. You'll be surprised at the great photos you'll get.

Explore any hotels that you didn't get a chance to visit on day 1.

Take advantage of the great food again today for lunch, snacks, and dinner! These macaron cupcakes are from Sweet Sin bakery in the Linq Promenade.

Go see a kid-friendly show. We chose to see Piff the Magic Dragon with the amazing Mr. Piffles (a long-haired Chihuahua). This show is a combination magic and comedy show, and I would say is THE PERFECT SHOW for families with teenagers - he was hilarious. 10 out of 10 stars - would recommend!

Enjoy the bright lights of Las Vegas on your walk back to your hotel from the show.

Day 3 - Hoover Dam, NV (and AZ)

Depart for Hoover Dam and plan to arrive when they open. This will ensure that you are in one of the first tour groups and you have time for driving the second half of the day.

We took the Guided Hoover Dam tour and those tickets are only available for purchase on-site the day of your visit. The tour lasted about 3 hours, and we ate lunch at the café there before heading to our next destination - The Grand Canyon.

We arrived at the Grand Canyon with time still left in the day, spotting a herd of bison on our way into the park. We ate dinner near our lodge and were able to explore several scenic overlooks that evening.

Day 4 - Grand Canyon, AZ

Wake up early and explore on your own. Check in for any activities that you have planned. We had tickets for mule rides around the rim of the Grand Canyon and they departed at 8:30AM.

After planned activities, stop at any final overlooks as you make your way out of the Grand Canyon on the way to the next destination - Four Corners.

Four Corners is the only place in the United States where four states meet in one place: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. Stop at Four Corners for a photo op before continuing on your journey to your final destination of the day - your hotel near Mesa Verde. For a small donation to the Navajo Nation, you can see this roadside attraction. It's also a nice place to stretch your legs. 

Day 5 - Mesa Verde, CO

Wake up and head out to Mesa Verde National Park. You'll want to devote at least half your day to exploring this park and the Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites contained in it. If your kids love history, then this stop is a must-see on your Southwest road trip.

Stop for lunch in one of the cafes in the park before heading on to Colorado Springs.

Day 6 - Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado Springs has lots of fun things to do with kids. Start today early by heading to Garden of the Gods Park, a registered national landmark. Choose several different hiking trails and explore the park's red rock formations, plants, and even animals. (We saw a deer!) Plan to spend at least half the day here.

Later in the day, head over to Cave of the Winds for a guided cave tour. We took the Discovery Tour, which lasted 45 minutes. There are other attractions at Cave of the Winds, but they are much more "touristy" in nature. If you have a kiddo in your group who usually loves natural history or natural science museums and is fascinated with rocks, minerals, and the natural world, the guided cave tour will be, by far, the best part of this park and a must-see attraction for your group.

Day 7 - Colorado Springs, CO

Head over to the Pikes Peak Depot to board the Cog Railway - you're going to ride a train all the way to the top of the mountain! Pikes Peak is the most visited summit in North America, and while you can also drive to the top, this is a particularly special way to get to the top if you have kids who like trains in your group. Remember to bring extra-warm layers of clothing with you for your visit since the top of Pikes Peak is COLD (even in the summer time when we visited)!

Explore the top of Pikes Peak, including the Visitors' Center and the new exhibits there, and then get ready for your descent down the mountain. The total trip time for the train ride was about 3 hours.

After visiting Pikes Peak, head to the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, where you can see (and if you choose, walk across) one of the world's highest suspension bridges, which is built over Royal Gorge Canyon. If you can muster up the courage to walk across, they feature a short Birds of Prey show every hour on the hour on the far side of the bridge. Animal lovers in your group will enjoy this show.

Once you wrap up here, head to your hotel in downtown Denver.

Day 8 - Denver, CO

Start out the day with a quick walking tour of downtown Denver. Fun stops include the Big Blue Bear (outside the Colorado Convention Center) and the one mile above sea level marker (on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol Building).

Head out to take a tour of a candy factory. Kids in your group will enjoy seeing how candy is made close up. We visited Hammond's Candy Factory for a free tour. Of course, this tour is adjacent to Hammond's flagship store in Denver, so we made sure to do a little shopping as well!

Travel to Union Station, a 100-year-old historic landmark. Formerly a train station, it has been converted to shops and restaurants in downtown Denver, the perfect stop for lunch time! We visited on a Saturday, and they also had a Farmers' Market there that day.

After lunch, spend the rest of the day at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. This museum is huge and was such a fun find for our vacation! We were really impressed with the exhibits, including a special Egyptian exhibit that was there while we visited. If you have kids who love natural science in your group, then you definitely need to stop here and make sure you devote enough time to the three floors of exhibits!

Day 9 - Travel Home

Fly out of Denver International Airport. 

Note: If you truly want to do this Southwest itinerary in 8 days, you could easily fly out on the evening of Day 8. We just opted to fly out the morning of Day 9 because we live all the way across the country (so it takes quite a bit of flying to get back home).

Planning Your Own Southwest States Road Trip with Kids

And that marks the end of our 8 Day Southwest States Itinerary through Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado! If you are planning a trip to America’s Southwest, make sure to add these states to the top of your list. The natural beauty, national historic sites, and fun adventures certainly make the trip a worthwhile one.

As you’re putting together your own itinerary for a road trip through Southwest states with kids, I hope our experience helps you with your planning.

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