Hat #13.... The 13 Hats of Halloween!

    Bet y'all were expecting the stereotypical witch hat weren't you?  chuckle!  Seriously, doesn't this make an awesome Halloween hat?? I actually consider this one to be commanding enough to be witchy. Plus for the warm Florida weather a sinamay hat just makes more sense. Common sense is a very important component in magick after all!
    And this hat is soooo multipurpose. Its a real shapeshifter!  Depending on the clothes I wear it can make a strong showing at a Derby party.... or an Edwardian style tea or garden party....... a thoroughly modern day at the museums and galleries..... or a "dressy" funeral.  (You know the kind I'm talking about.)  And, of course, a bit of spell casting when that sort of thing is called for!  I really do adore this hat.


   I just have to post the following photos. Not only do they show some of the details of the hat, but they also show how much fun my friend John and I have when we try to do the photography thing! hahaha   
    Laughter is not only the best medicine... it is wonderful magick too!

Trying hard NOT to start laughing.

NOT succeeding!



Total collapse. But such nice details! 

    So to everyone..... have a safe and happy Halloween! And say "Howdy" to your ancestors for me.

Hat #12.... The 13 Hats of Halloween.

   I had to really dig deep to unearth this hat! It is a bit of a monster. Yet there is still something about it that I find appealing. Its large, impressive and I must say... heavy as all get out. Its like wearing a large crown of sorts. Maybe that's it. Regardless of being cumbersome, it still has an oddly regal air about it! 

    I'm such a sucker for gimping! haha And there is a beaded accent glued on the crown. Its something you only see if you're up close though. A nice little embellishment!

    There is also plenty of netting with a sequined edge gathered on top. It shows up better in the previous photo, but I really like this angle better. (I'm not a fan of sequins! There, I admitted it!)  All in all, there are a few things I'd like to do to improve this grand dame. Mind you, just to give her a more finished appearance. Perhaps she needs to be crafted into a magickal hat. Yes....   now where did my wand get to?

Hat #11.... The 13 Hats of Halloween.

    What can I say? Hats make me happy!  Especially the big wide brimmed ones!  And its even more fun when the friend photographing me is a such a character! Its so nice to be around someone who has a positive view of life. Friends like that keep you healthy and happy.  Thank you John!
     So here is that lovely hat that I had put on the pumpkin at the start of this endeavor. It says Halo inside and was made in England.   I do so love sinamay!  In my opinion it creates just the right amount of shading.  haha

    And black flowers.... how appropriate for the upcoming Day of the Dead. Is everyone ready for Halloween yet?

Hat #10..... The 13 Hats of Halloween.

    I may have to pretend like I'm Dr. Frankenstein when I get ready to try and repair this beautiful wide brim Frank Olive hat! Yes, this is the one that came delivered in two pizza boxes taped together... and pretty well smashed flat! The fact that she survived in this good of condition is a testament to quality.
    The straw is broken in quite a few places due to the abuse suffered. But just look at this gal! Still gorgeous and a perfect size brim for our bright October sunshine.

     I plan on doing another post with this hat featuring a surprise accessory. Y'all stay tuned for that!

Migraine break............................

    Due to searing pain in my skull Hats #10 and #11 will be posted tomorrow.
Blessings to everyone.

Hat #9.... The 13 Hats of Halloween.

    Since the veil between the worlds is getting quite thin by now I decided to dig out a special hat box. It has the small midnight blue clutch hat that Lulu wore to church, my mother's wedding hat and this lovely wool and satin toque that belonged to my unofficial grandma. The netting may be gone, but the memories carry on. Her name was Beulah Fern Reynolds... and what a wonderful and interesting lady she was to grow up around!  And I always called her Mrs. Reynolds... that was the respectful thing to do. None of this first name stuff with your elders!
    She had two sisters and  when they came to visit they were like a Midwest version of the Wyrrd Sisters.  Fascinating women! Very intelligent, very opinionated and funnier than hell on a Friday night!

   I was really blessed to have those ladies in my life. It certainly gave me a healthy perspective when it comes to viewing the ageing process.
   Beulah taught me to always improve myself. Learn and practice good manners. Always try something that you haven't before. KEEP learning.... no matter your age. (All three sisters had been teachers in one room schoolhouses in Nebraska back in the day. And that means from approximately 1916 on.) Be opinionated, but not rude or crass. Remember that the most important book in your home is the dictionary... and use it often!  Be honest and act with integrity... always. Most important of all is to be true to yourself.
    Yes, it was really great to grow up with her as an integral part of my life. 
   
   So to the spirit of Mrs. Reynolds I would like to say that I love you and miss you. May we meet again in another life.   Blessings and Love from the bane of your existence. 

*As a child I asked her sooooo many questions that she nicknamed me "the bane of my existence". I always loved that!  hahahahaha

Hat #8... The 13 Hats of Halloween

      I had an entirely different hat picked out for this day.... but after my cat Brave Dave O'Malley was put to rest this afternoon I changed my plans.
     I can tilt my head the slightest bit and hide my tear soaked eyes from the world. And that is how I prefer to do my mourning.... in private.

     Brave Dave was 15 years old. He is an amazing ancient Soul that occupied a gorgeous orange tabby body. Everyone loved him, whether two or four legged. He had a kind, compassionate and comforting Spirit. I have no words to describe my sorrow at his passing.
     I am truly blessed that he shared this lifetime with me.

Hat #7.... The 13 Hats of Halloween.

       There are lots of different styles of hats.... and its important to know which ones look good on you!  And you can't always follow those charts that show what shape face you have and what to wear with it. (Though they do give you a good track to run on) 
     I've always felt that if you like it enough then go ahead and put it on! Just remember that sometimes a hat will wear you.... and trust me, when that happens you fade away into a ghostly shadow of yourself.
     This is one of my favorite styles. That there are roses is an added plus for me. I just adore florals! And I may have to add a couple of ostrich feathers at some point in time! haha   Oh don't worry, I'll make them removable.  (Yeah, like I'm EVER going to take them off once I put them on. chuckle)

    You know, this is how a granny should look!

Hat #6.... The 13 Hats of Halloween.

  
    Oh... me and my pumpkin head!!!

    As far as purchasing hats goes... then I can say that I'm cursed with my pumpkin head. So I decided to make Hat #6 an example of this little problem of mine! You see, if I buy a hat online I must depend on the seller to measure the inner circumference correctly.    And, of course, that doesn't always happen.
    I was so disappointed when I unwrapped and tried this hat on. I can squeeeeeze it down onto my head... but not far enough. :(   
    Its so cute with that aurora borealis rhinestone accent. And then the bow in the back!  Someone else will love wearing this little hat some day.  Someone with a smaller skull than mine!

Hat #5.... The 13 Hats of Halloween.

    Ahh, transformation is in the air.........
    Quite a few years ago I purchased three black wool hats at a Bealls Clearance shop. They were all made in China and definitely not of the best quality but I thought the shapes were really fun!   This one has an upturned asymmetrical brim with a crease/fold in the back. Looks better than it sounds, trust me!

    With that said, I have to admit she was still visually boring. Which is probably why I rarely wore her.... even around the house. chuckle
    I decided a few weeks ago that she had sat around collecting dust for far too long. Either I was going to be able to manage a magickal transformation and breathe new life into her or she was headed for the resale box!!!
    So I sat down and did a short visualization. Immediately I could see a large, dark red flower! Oh my, she wants a dramatic splash of color. But ever so slightly muted at the same time.  My job was to find the right shade of red! And while I'm pleased with what I found, it isn't the same type of flower that I saw in my mind's eye.
    Oh well, I can modify later if I want to. So with the simple removal of that swirl of mesh material, a lovely red fabric flower and a hot glue gun... we were ready to go. The flower is located toward the back of the hat, so from the front you get a profile of the petals.  A deep blossom was needed and this one did very well in that regard.
   

     So, what do you think?

Hat #4... The 13 Hats of Halloween.

     I just LOVE this one!!!  So for the fourth hat of Halloween I'm wearing one of my all time favorite thrift shop finds. Years ago I spent all of $2 for this fun little beauty.    It just screams 1940s to me!
     My friend who took the photographs had a different take on it though. His first exclamation was "STONER HAT!"   hahahahaha     We both agreed that if it was purple velvet then it would definitely fall under that category.
     Come to think of it.... I'd love a purple velvet hat!
    

    The velvet covered buckle is a lovely touch! For some reason folks tend to notice that about this little hat. The lining is slightly damaged but thats almost to be expected due to age. (I feel like I've got a few tears in my lining also. Not to mention a bunch of worn out spots and a bent brim! chuckle) 
    All in all I can definitely see myself stirring the cauldron while wearing this enchanting headwear!

Hat #3..... The 13 Hats of Halloween.

     For the third day of Halloween may I present another velvet toque. With an ever so slightly asymmetrical wrap design and a subtle bejeweled drop. Quite the charmer!

Hat #2..... The 13 Hats of Halloween.

    The second hat of Halloween conjures up a lovely little spell of simplicity and class. This can be worn just about anywhere.... from a grandchild's recital to a coven get together!!! 
    A black velvet toque with intricate trim. An absolute classic! 
    
   

Oh my! Look at the lint and cat hairs! Or better yet... DON'T look! hahaha

Hat #1........ The 13 Hats of Halloween

    Well, the first hat of Halloween came with a Spirit that said to me...... "Woman, its about time for a reality check."
    And that spirit wasn't kidding! All day I came across people bemoaning the ageing process and all the things that their bodies wouldn't let them do anymore. While I can definitely relate to that, I figure I shouldn't complain about it too much. You either get older or you die young.....  with that in mind I'll gladly take the wrinkles, aches and pains! hahaha
    Anyway, when I took this hat out of it's box my thoughts were as follows:
1. I ADORE this hat!
2. Wow it looks a lot more crumpled than when I put it in there.
3. More dents too!
4. I'll have to be more careful with this old gal.
5. I need to find ways to take care of her and fix what I can.
6.Gee, I REALLY LOVE this hat!
     Heck, that's how I should think of myself!!!!

 

 
   Great for getting out and about when the weather is cooler!
    
  

This is going to be fun!

     A couple of weeks ago over at Style Crone's Hat Attack, Judith wrote that "I've always been of the opinion that a woman can never have too many black hats!"    Well, I whole heartedly agree with that and since we are fast approaching Samhain I got the idea to do a series of black hat posts! So instead of the 12 days of Christmas.... I'll be doing The 13 Hats of Halloween!!!
    Soooo... let me see what I have stashed away in my magickal cabinet of enchanted headwear.   And then conjure up a friend or two to help with the photography end of this. (Yes, y'all know who you are! So lets hurry it up... the first post will be on Monday the 19th!)