Porta Hooty Candy Bag / the Owl House Cosplay

For our costume, Luz from The Owl House, we knew a plain candy bag just wouldn’t fly. So we set out to make Porta Hooty, the backpack that’s equal parts storage, sidekick, and unsolicited advice owl.

1. Built from EVA foam for the house shape.
2. Reinforced with a pressboard frame to handle Halloween candy weight.
3. Featuring a working roof hatch with a fabric hinge and magnet latch.
4. Glowing with LEDs behind a hand-drawn Light Glyph on a yellow Post-it note.
5. Topped with a 3D printed Hooty face.

The final result glows, opens for candy, and stays wearable all night or all Con depending where you bring him.

Materials

1. EVA foam sheets
2. 3D printed Hooty head
3. u/omfoltz Model on thingiverse https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4744918
4. Spray paint
5. white, red, (house) beige, (Hooty)
6. Acrylic paint
7. green, brown, orange, black, white
8. Acrylic paints & brushes
9. Dollar store LED lights
10. Yellow Post-it note
11. Pressboard (Recycled dresser drawer bottom) for the internal frame
12. Nylon backpack straps (recycled from Backpack)
13. Plastic backpack clips/adjusters (recycled from Backpack)
14. Magnets
15. Screws
16. Gaffer/Fabric tape
17. Hot glue sticks
18. Superglue / Gorilla Glue
19. Masking/painter’s tape
20. Pencil & ruler
21. Sandpaper / file

Tools

1. 3D printer
2. X-Acto knife / hobby knife
3. Heat gun (or stovetop burner alternative)
4. Drill / Dremel
5. Screwdriver
6. Cutting mat
7. Spray booth / well-ventilated area

Budget Friendly Substitutions

1. No 3D printer? Sculpt Hooty from foam clay or carve EVA.
2. No pressboard? Use hot glue layered cardboard or thick foam board.
3. No backpack straps? Old belts, fabric strips, or thrifted tote handles.
4. No magnets? Velcro strips.
5. No heat gun? Use stovetop burner or hair dryer on high.
6. No spray paint? Brush on acrylics with sponge/brush.

1. Start with paper templates for the base, back wall, sides, front and roof.
2. Transfer to EVA foam, cut, and glue into shape.
3. leave one side open, and the roof off, so you can insert the frame.

1. Cut pressboard to size.
2. Score with Dremel, fold, glue into shape.
3. Slide frame into EVA shell to support weight.
4. Add the final wall

1. Sew recycled straps and buckles.
2. cut small holes in the EVA foam
3. Attach securely to pressboard inside the house.
4. Reinforcement through the pressboard prevents foam tearing.

1. Cut roof access door.
2. Hinge with gaffer tape and superglue for extra hold.
3. Secure an extra piece of tape (1cm by 2.5cm) at the oposite side of the hinge to act as a pull point.
4. Add magnet latch (screw and inset magnet which we glued and covered with tape).
5. Test opening and closing.

1. Score 1mm deep lines on the front of house with an sharp knife (drawer door outine lines, decorative details).
2. Make one continuous line, the heat will show every mistake.
3. Use the heat gun to expand the scored lines into nice grooves for a sharper look.
4. (hovering the foam over a stovetop burner will do the same as alternative to a heatgun)

1. Spray white base coat.
2. Mask off painted walls, then spray the roof red.
3. Paint drawer handle yellow, add green leaf accents.

1. Print or model Hooty's head https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4744918
2. Sand the print before painting.
3. Spray paint the base the base beige coat, brush details (brown, orange beak, black/white eyes).
4. Hot glue and mount to screws, secure Hooty head to front.

1. Draw Light Glyph on a yellow Post-it note.
2. Place Dollar store fairy lights inside the house.
3. When the candy door opens, the glow fills the interior storage area.

From Candy runs to Comicons, Porta Hooty is ready to take in some experiences.