Kooky Klaw Costume

I made this costume for my 9 y.o daughter Lily. Every year she finds a costume online/Pinterest that she asks me to make! This years was more involved then usual but I figured ok let's give it a try. I put in about 15 hours over a week and it was well worth it, as she won 1ST place in the costume contest at school!

First I went to uhual and bought a large wardrobe box. Came home and cut the front window and side windows out of it ( I used a really sharp box cutter to cut with ) Leaving approximately a 3 inch border around the windows. Then I closed the top and hot glued it shut. My daughter is about 5 feet tall so the box was to long, so on the bottom I cut off the pieces that were already creased to close the box and that was perfect ( save the extra cardboard, you will need it ). Next I wrapped the bottom portion (2x) with red wrapping paper I bought from the dollar tree. I wrapped all the way around so the the tape was in the back of the box and the front looked clean. Next I started using the aluminum foil. The inside back that has no windows, I foiled using the shinny side and for the 3 inches that were left around the windows I used the dull side. I hot glued the foul to my sure no movement or tearing would occur. Then I made the top sign for it, my daughter loved the name "Kooky Klaw" so we went with that. I hand drew the letters on some of the left over cardboard and then took a piece of the cardboard that I cut from the bottom and wrapped it in the red paper and hot glued the letters on then hotglued the board to the top. I had bought a smaller box and also wrapped it in red paper and hot glued to the front right corner and used a light up wand from the dollar store as the joy stick. I cut a small hole, just enough to squeeze the wand in and sealed around it with hot glue. I bought led battery powered lights from Walmart (10.00 a box). I bought 2 boxes, and wrapped the first around the front columns and the second I hung from the inside top of the box. I used a staple gun to hang the lights. I wasn't sure how I was going to get it on her, I decided to cut the back part of a strong back pack out and hot glue it to the inside back, my hubby reinforced it by putting screws and anchors threw the back. Also right under the backpack we put in a cheap 6.00 leather belt and also screwed and anchored it through the back, this helped keep the balance once put around her waist. Finally I took a zip up light cotton sweater and safety pinned stuffed animals on it. I had like 25-30 stuffed animals from catching at Mardi Gras parades the year before. But the dollar tree sells them also.
She was the hit of the trunk or treat and won the costume contest. Every kid there wanted to see and play with her. She had no trouble walking around in it all night and only took it off when her feet hurt and she wanted to sit. I would estimate the final weight somewhere between 6-8 lbs. no to bad at all.