Ask Holly: Pilgrim Bonnets and Hats for Thanksgiving

BY  |  Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 12:00pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

Kids love to participate in the preparations for Thanksgiving. After last years addition of Turkey Hand-print Shirts, this year we will have Pilgrim hats to wear and a Turkey with a tail made of markers for our kid’s table. They are simple, inexpensive and when made from felt they last year after year.

When I asked my five year old how and why the pilgrims came to America he told me that they took the Dragon Boat here to take all of the leprechaun’s gold—a true capitalist my kid. When I asked him why the women wore white bonnets he told me simply, “Because they had too many napkins.” Who am I to argue?

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Ask Holly: Easy Face Painting

BY  |  Wednesday, Oct 24, 2012 2:00pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

Pony rides and face paint, the two things that can clean out your wallet faster than you can say, “Maybe next time honey. Daddy forgot to stop at the ATM and withdrawal $436. Blame him.” And if the face painting is free, get ready to wait in a line that snakes from here to Ronkonkoma!

A few years back, to avoid the constant pleading and whining at events I did some research and ordered my own face paint. Problem solved, my kids never asked again. Continue Reading

Ask Holly: Halloween Duct Tape Accessories

BY  |  Wednesday, Oct 17, 2012 2:00pm  |  COMMENTS (2)

Halloween accessories—the part you did not budget for when shelling out all of that cash for costumes. No, now your kids are plotting and planning at school on how to make their costumes better and cost you more. They are wondering what kind of necklaces, hats, head-gear, gloves, jewelry, weapons, wands, shoes, 24″ replicas of the Empire State Building and feather boas their costumes will need. The good news is with a few rolls of duct tape you and your kids and you can make all kinds of groovy costume accessories. Save yourself some cash and keep them busy. Continue Reading

Ask Holly: Goddess Costume

BY  |  Tuesday, Oct 09, 2012 10:00am  |  COMMENTS (11)

This is the year of the goddess in my home. My daughter is going to be Iris, goddess of the Rainbow. Her friends Hollen and Nicki will be Artemis, goddess of the Hunt and Athena, goddess of wisdom. I am  Suckerus, goddess of saying yes to making 3 of these costumes. I have one more to go.

I really dislike sewing and for one reason only—I suck. The shame from my mother who started teaching me to sew in 4th grade. I have all of the equipment, but what I use the most is the seam ripper. This is the little doo-dad used to remove  messy stitching. When I first discovered seam-binding, a magical adhesive product that allows you to make a permanent  hem with just an iron, my mother accused me of working hard to find ways around sewing, rather than learning to sew. She was right. Continue Reading

Ask Holly: A No Sew Bald Eagle Costume

BY  |  Wednesday, Sep 26, 2012 12:00pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

From owl to shark and now bald eagle—luckily again this year, my son has picked a costume that I can create with a warm, comfortable hoodie. Easy on and easy off, NO SEW—just cut, cut ,cut and glue. The problem? After cutting out loads of eagle feathers  I can’t get this song out of my head. Please make it stop!

Back to the No Sew Bald Eagle Costume….

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Camp Ask Holly Week 4: Super Easy Superhero Capes

BY  |  Monday, Jul 23, 2012 11:00am  |  COMMENTS (0)

Ever since the day superheros became  mainstream, boys and girls have been tying blankies around their necks and making superhero capes. My son is no exception. When he requested a cape, his first choice was Captain America. A good choice I thought, the self acclaimed captain of our country. I decided making two capes made sense for playdates so I suggested Superman. My son said, “Who?” Then he asked my if I could make him an Iron Man cape. I had to stop myself when I began to explain why Christopher Reeve was far hotter than Robert Downey Jr.—and well Iron Man does not wear a cape, and…okay, Iron Man it is.

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Ask Holly: Making an Exotic Bird Costume

BY  |  Monday, Oct 24, 2011 12:00pm  |  COMMENTS (8)

If you are  looking at this costume and some of the other projects I have done recently and thinking, “This woman is out of her mind!” There is a good chance you may be right.

After making my own kids costumes, two of the neighbor children’s costumes and planning the BOOO-ristanet Halloween Ball I am officially insane.

My daughter received this funky top and skirt that my best friend picked up at a children’s consignment shop. It is from the rather pricey brand “Kaiya Eve.” This is me, all class, taking a designer dress and making it into a costume. It’s all fancy and frilly and she loved it. So we (we being me, myself and I) made her costume as an exotic bird around the outfit.

Here’s what I used:

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Ask Holly: Fashionista Witch Costume

BY  |  Thursday, Oct 20, 2011 1:06pm  |  COMMENTS (1)

I have never had as much fun making a costume as I did for my number one fan Anna. With that said, it was also probably the easiest costume I’ve ever put together. Watching Anna’s face as she checked out her “Fashionista Witch” self in the mirror with a huge smile on her face was priceless. 100% worth it.

The great thing about this costume is it took no time and it can be used for ages 2-82.

This is what I sent my friend Debora to get at the store:

  • A witch hat
  • A long sleeved black shirt that was a size or two to big
  • A funky black skirt
  • Striped witch tights
  • Boots (she already had these)

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Ask Holly: Making a Ladybug Fairy Costume

BY  |  Tuesday, Oct 18, 2011 2:00pm  |  COMMENTS (1)

One of the great things about little girls is you can tack the word “fairy” onto just about anything and sell them on the idea. Caroline, my five-year-old next door neighbor, had red sparkly shoes she wanted to wear for Halloween so I suggested a ladybug fairy costume and she said,”YES!”

The key to this costume was the cute petal collar which was super easy to make and putting polka dots on the shirt and the leggings. Change the colors on the costume to white, green and yellow and it could be a daisy fairy–glue silk daisies on a headband and shoes…

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Ask Holly: Hoodie Halloween Costumes

BY  |  Friday, Oct 14, 2011 7:00am  |  COMMENTS (5)

Recently I found a picture of my brother and I Halloween night circa 1975. I was a bride, my brother a tiger, and there we sat candy spread out on the groovy Kelly green shag carpet with big smiles on our faces. Maybe it was because of the candy and maybe it was because my mother created whatever kind of costume we dreamed up. Now, I continue the tradition with my own kids.

I try to stay away from sewing mostly because I’m not the best seamstress and I rely on old “Trigger,” my hot glue gun. I’m in love with the idea of creating costumes from hoodie sweatshirts and sweat pants. They’re comfortable and easy on, easy off.

I won’t try and walk you through the way I made these costumes step by step, but I’ll share what I’ve learned from making costumes over the years.

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