An elf is a mythical creature of German origin.
They are known for their magical powers and are often associated with fairies.
Most fairy tales, fantasy themed books and movies have elves in them.
Their depiction in the 20th century is based heavily off their portrayal by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, popular for his Lord of the Rings series.
His portrayal of elves is described in the book The Silmarillion.
Aside from their place in early folklore, elves are more famous for their tiny appearance and their elf ears.
Elf ears are often worn as a part of a Halloween costume as they are relatively easy to make and one can even buy them premade in costume stores.
Making your own elf ears can be fun, especially if you are preparing for Halloween.
If you make them yourself, you can be sure that it fits you just fine and that they are proportional to your face.
If you just want to make a simple pair of elf ears to add to your Halloween costume, you can make use of cardboard.
Cut the cardboard in the shape of elf ears, this means cutting it upwards with a pointy edge.
You can search the internet and print out a picture of an elf and then trace its ears or you can just download a template.
After you cut out the cardboard, colour it with water colour or other colouring materials, make sure the colour matches your skin tone.
You can also add details to make the ears look more realistic.
You can then tape them on your ear or use strings to attach them and there you have a simple Halloween costume accessory.
Some people are very meticulous about the way they make their costumes as they want it to look and feel as realistic as possible.
There is a more intricate method of creating elf ears to make your Halloween costume more appealing.
First, you have to buy liquid latex, clay for moulding, adhesive and makeup.
Once you have all the materials, you can start by moulding your clay in the shape of elf ears.
This is probably the hardest part as you have to make sure you mould it properly because once it dries, you can't alter it anymore.
You can practice with play dough so you know exactly how to go about the process.
After you have moulded the ears, leave them overnight to dry.
When they are dry paint them to match your skin colour, and then use liquid latex or spirit gum to attach them on your ears.
Don't forget to apply latex on the tips of the elf ears for a smoother finish.
After you have attached the ears apply a little make up to cover the part where it is attached.
Making your own elf ears can be a very fulfilling project and sometimes custom-made costumes even look better than those sold in stores.
Complete your Halloween outfit with your own specially made set of elf ears.