Long Hollow

"What do you want to be for Halloween, Daniel?"

 "A snow leopard."

A snow leopard? What the heck is a snow leopard?

Daniel found me a picture.

I gathered materials and stayed up until 3 am the night before his pre-school Halloween party hot-gluing black strips of felt (and occasionally my fingers) onto a white sweat suit, trying to keep them from looking too much like cow spots. White felt turned a nebulizer mask into a snout and recycled a red devil's tail into a snow leopard tail. Ears evolved out of pipe cleaners and more white felt.

Daniel was one very happy snow leopard. I was one tired, finger-blistered, but proud, mom. I knew I wouldn't win a prize for "craftiest", but the only judge I had to please was Daniel. From him I got a blue ribbon.

Here he is on Halloween 1993, joined by Jason (Tommy gave a friend a quarter for the mask – best deal he ever made – he's still using it), and TG the Bunny (white sweat suits are great!)