Hat Therapy on Mother's Day.

Can only seem to write in captions! I so wish my old laptop was fixed.  Oh well, onward I go. Was going to write a fairly indepth post, but it will have to wait.
Saturday was the second 'anniversary' of my mother's passing. I awoke right at 3:38 a.m.. just like I did the morning she died. Odd how we retain things!   Then Sunday was Mothers Day.  Sigh...  Needless to say I was feeling pretty depressed this weekend.  But then I realized what I needed was a session of hat therapy!
I only tried on about ten hats, but by the time I was done the therapy had worked! My smile was back and I was laughing again.  Gee, it takes so little to make me happy.  chuckle
This first hat is one of my go to favorites. She goes with most anything! From dressing up to a casual combo of jeans and a man's button up.

 
 
   I'm a sucker for flowers! And I'm supposed to wear a wide brim hat when ever I'm out. So this is a win- win!  
   *By orders of my dermatologist.... years ago. I should make more of an effort. Skin cancer is definitely not fun.

This is the hat my mother wore when she got married.  In 1947!  

This photo doesn't do this lovely piece justice.
A soft purple velvet hat by Alfreda. 

My birthday hat! 

A blue straw hat.... what could make me happier? Oh, thats right! The vintage flower cluster that I added. They took it up to the next level.

Saved the best for last. Saw it on ebay and HAD to have it. Doesn't matter if its faded. With fine purple straw and velvet pansies... oh, I was a goner from the second I laid eyes on it! And it fits like it was custom made for me! Imagine that?

Quick run to the store... QUICK.. throw on some perfume and earrings!

 
   This morning I found myself ready to tackle housework and some yard chores as well. So old jeans, grubby white t-shirt and a red flannel was my ensemble of choice. But at one point I realized I had to pop out to the grocery store. 
   Sure, I could be like so many other folks and just go.... or I could take a few minutes and spruce up a little. No make up. Not going to change my clothes! (They were still clean) pick out a pair of earrings... oh wait! I have a brooch to match those. Why not just put it onto my little straw hat? Hmm, looks kind of lonely on there. Where is that little "sugar" bird?

   While picking out the brooches I saw the perfume bottles. Including this old Avon cologne. Bought it at a local thrift shop for the bottle itself, but the fragrance is awesome! The label had been long gone so I don't know which perfume it holds. So sad. It has that "old school" vibe that I love more than any of the modern perfumes I've tried.
    Can't help myself! I have to post photos of this bottle! Hahaha

Spring revival in progress.

    It all started on one of those dreary rainy days. I opened a box of hats to lift my spirits and saw this lovely little skullcap covered with flowers. Completely faded and with age stains all over. From what I can tell the blossoms used to be a pale blue. So... I got the urge to see if I could revive some of her former beauty. From there I dug around in my old craft supplies and found some alcohol based dyes. Will they work? Guess I'm going to find out!

   The first thing I realized was that I was pretty limited with only three colors! But the yellow was a no brainer for the floral centers. I have blue and an extremely bright plum left. I've decided to look around a bit and see if they make these inks in lighter shades nowadays. I want her to be colorful but not "loud". The hat just has that soft and delicate personality.  I want to enhance her beauty.  Super bright colors can go on some other piece! hahaha. 

 

   Just a peek at how she started out!

Oh Coco Kitteh!!!

   Usually I don't have too much of a problem with my cats and hats. But that isn't the case today. I keep almost every hat I own in a box precisely because of the cats! (Used to help with animal rescue and fostering)  Guess I should be thankful that the only casualty was the box itself. But she had to really work at doing the damage! It was on top of my armoir with only two inches of space between the ceiling and the cardboard box it was shipped in. Dang, that girl had to go through two boxes. Wonder what she had against the little pink hat?
   Guess I should photograph the hat that survived the feline assault! Haha So let me smear on some lipstick and head outside before the next cold front arrives. From the feel of the air, its opening the door as I type. 
    In the meantime I'll just post this shot of Coco inspecting her handiwork.

Birthday Hat!

   So my conversation with myself went something like this...... Do I need another hat?  Absolutely not!    Would I enjoy having yet another hat? Of course!    Where am I going to put another hat? Well, I'm going to get rid of quite a few as I downsize. So that will make plenty of room!    Won't that sort of thought process defeat the whole purpose of the downsizing?!  Not really! The hats that stay are going to be the ones that are useful for every day.... or are just so pretty I can't bear to part with them.     At this point the logical section of my mind heaves a heavy sigh... or was it a groan? It knows when its going to lose.

    To make a long story short, it was onward to Etsy and Ebay.  Where I looked for both beauty and functionality. This hat was going to be my 60th birthday present to myself so it had to meet all the criteria. A nice brim to shade my face (skin cancer is NOT fun!), made of straw or the like so that it "breathes" (I live in Florida. Hats can be like little saunas from hell), be in a lighter color so it reflects the sunlight instead of absorbing it, be a large enough size to fit my pumpkin head ("Thanks Dad. I inherited that from you!") and the bonus points would be if it had flowers!!!
   Happily I found just the kind of hat I was looking for. Yay! The tag says Grevi  Firenze, Made in Italy. The inside circumference is 23 inches. I got so excited when I saw that measurement! That means it will actually FIT. No squeezing, tugging or pulling to get the band down on my head!
   The color of the straw is a faded blue.... just a perfect vintage look. And the flowers! Their shades are still rich yet subtle. Did I mention that blue is my favorite color?  How could I not treat myself to this hat?
    She arrived this afternoon and I've been blissfully wearing her around the house. Happy early birthday to me! chuckle



Selfies are NOT my forte! haha  
Hmmm, shows off the color of my eyes quite well. 



This hat was so worth the "argument"!
Perhaps it deserves to head over to the Style Crones Hat Attack
https://stylecrone.com/hat-attack-64-cha-chas-house-of-ill-repute/

Getting on with life.....

   Well, this evening seems like as good a time as ever to start getting on with my creative life again! Its been well over a year since my mother passed away and my part-time employer pulled some shenanigans and made my life a hell of a lot more difficult than it already was. I've spent a lot of time dancing with depression and then giving myself the most outrageous pep talks! It worked... sometimes. Not often enough though. 
   But.... there was a shift last night. Probably brought on by the death of one of my outdoor cats. Everett was his name and he was one of the most loving little guys I've met. I found him collapsed in the grass barely breathing, but he managed to meow piteously a time or two. When I wrapped him up in a soft towel and told him it was ok, that I was there with him, he opened his eyes a little bit to try and see me. Then softly closed them and meowed three more times..... he lasted a few more hours... then slipped away quietly into the night. His Spirit free from earthly confinement. He is the third cat I've lost to death in the last fifteen days. The losses have wrung me out and draped me over a limb to dry in the breezes. And they have breathed fire back into some little ember that I had buried deep inside my heart.   Its time I swung off that limb and started walking in the starlight again! Watch some sunrises and listen to the birdsong with joy in my heart.... not pain and longing for what was.      
   So. I'll see what happens from here! No big plans made, no forecasts of what I think I'll do or want to do. I'm going to let it flow like the wind through the tree leaves.  

I see it! Peeking through the rain clouds!

THE Easter hat and Greta!

   First things first: Meet Greta. There are two reasons that she has come to stay in my home. The first one is that I have so much trouble trying to coordinate with friends that can help with photographing my hats for the blog. The second reason is that I've decided as part of my down-sizing to sell some hats on Etsy and raise a bit of money to help care for all the strays here... and I also needed a model for that.
    So after perusing quite a few internet sites I stumbled across this gal looking for a home. Her complexion has faded to a strange hue and she has a few dings... but then, don't most of us have a dent here and there?  She has that slightly intense look that store mannequins had when I was younger, but she isn't unpleasant or mean looking! (Trust me, I found plenty of those! )  I think Greta has a nice proper look to her. Unfortunately, my dogs don't share my opinion. They are both, well... FREAKED OUT! hahahahaha    We've had a few sessions of short term visual exposure and even some sniffing on the last one. I do believe they have a good grasp on the fact that Greta is an inanimate object and does not pose a threat. BUT her face still unsettles them. So much for my brave guard dogs!!!

 

 

 

 

    *Well  I've skipped down because this is the only place my computer will let me type and not center it automatically. Yes, it has it's glitches. Yes, my friends tell me its time for a new one. But since they aren't paying.... I will continue to wrestle with this beastie!! chuckle

    ANYWAY onto the hat. Back in the day, this was someone's crowning Glory! The large tag says Gene Doris  New York. It has a Union Made tag as well. Quite the hat!!! The crown is covered in green leaves and the upturned brim is loaded with flowers and two small peachy-pink velvet bows up on the left side. All on pink netting with a pink velvet headband. The photos speak for themselves.
   This lovely has quite the visual impact!!! Reminds me of a floral kokoshnik. I think this is just a perfect hat for the Style Crone's April Hat Attack!!!
http://stylecrone.com/2017/04/01/hat-attack-45-amina-marie-millinery/

And there are more Spring and Summer hats to come!
   

Standing at the Crossroads.......

  

Rarely get to wear any of these beauties. Seems such a shame!

   Well, things inside my mind have been interesting to say the least. And I can't just put on a hat and cover them up. Though that does indeed cheer me up a little!  
   No, realization can be a real booger and this is one of those times for me. Of late I have been able to see more clearly just how bad the disarray in my life TRULY is. And let me tell you... it ain't pretty!!!  Its shocking actually and depressing as hell. As I stand at this crossroad I can see my choice of paths and since only one makes any good sense... that's the one I'll be taking. Of course, its the one that is covered in big rocks and sharp shards! But they just need to be cleared out... as do sooooo many other things.
   Yes, I'm talking down-sizing. At first it seemed like a defeat. That I hadn't been "good enough" and now I had to "lose" things. But I found that was just another phantom I'd created by losing my mother to dementia and having to place her in long-term care. Reality is, I did the best I could and nothing is ever enough against a disease that!
   So as difficult as its going to be for me, I choose to start shedding objects and other less tangible things that are quite frankly, in my way. I'm taking it beyond my previous post about organizing. I'm beginning to birth a Whole New ME.... and I don't need or want any more obstructions than necessary.  
    My strategy is to proceed in layers! That way I won't get overly anxious about my decisions. The truly sentimental objects will stay. My art supplies need to be organized.... and USED!! I need to create!! Now that's more important than ever. Knick knacks, old books, clothes and hats (gulp!) will be sorted and sent on their way. I just don't have the room nor the energy anymore.
   I chose to approach this as an adventure...... and that's what it should be. Blessings to all.

How am I ever going to pick out my favorites? Yikes!

Friday the 13th...... and I'm busy, busy, busy!

   Coming off a full moon on Friday the 13th! No wonder things are going so well today.  Got my major chores done and took Blossom to the vet! As it was getting overcast by the time we arrived home I changed my plans on photographing jewelry for Freyja's day.  Started sorting through boxes of clothes I had stashed in the back room.  Oh my!
    Looks like I am going to have to get some new boxes and start truly organizing!  One for all the men's shirts I've bought at the thrift shop for altering into sleeveless tanks. Maybe TWO boxes for those.   Another for the blouses that just don't quite fit.... mainly because they're too small in the bust. Or perhaps I should say "I'm too large" ! Anyway, they are all lovely and I don't want to part with them quite yet. Then I'll need several good sized boxes for all the off season clothes. Whew! This is getting to be a bigger task than I thought it would be. Need to put up a couple of those old shelving units just to maintain a little floor space. hahaha
    Oh, did I forget to mention all the fabric? For sewing into clothes, for piecing quilt tops, incorporating into art projects, etc., etc..  The way my life is right now I often wonder if I'm ever going to be able to do any of those things again. But heck, I can always hope!!  And with Spring on the way my spirits are starting to run high and optimism is rampant!!!
    Perhaps 2017 is the year I finally start getting my life together!  YAY!

I'm wearing peacock feathers now! So 2017 will be just fine!

    After the month I've had, I deserved a little treat! And since I love peacock feathers so much (who doesn't ?) I couldn't resist this little headpiece. Its definitely home-made! It sits on the head in a clumsy manner, so I will have to reshape it. The veil is  in a weird position as well. But heck, its lovely on and the colors in the sunlight are an absolute delight!  I even think its worthy to go over to Style Crone's Hat attack.  http://stylecrone.com/hat-attack/    Always such a delight!

   The funniest thing about this is that the long feathers used to frame it are just about the color that my hair USED to be! chuckle!
    Oh well, a lot of things have changed in my life..... and that's just the way things are supposed to be. So here I stand at the end of 2016 waiting to welcome in a New Year.... and wondering how my life will shift and grow in the coming months. Though sometimes its uncomfortable or even frightening I always remind myself that Life is an adventure! We are here to experience and learn to live our lives as fully as possible.
    As for me, a whole new stretch of my life path is now before me and I can hardly wait to start taking my first steps on it! May it be a wondrous path!

         The sunset this evening.... and so begins a new day. The last day of the year. Wow, where did the time go? May 2017 be happy, prosperous and kind to all.

A shock and a twist.

   The shock: Freak accidents happen and usually at the most inopportune times. A cracked lid on a toilet tank broke and sliced open Archimedes leg. Upon examining the ceramic edges is was apparent that he was lucky he didn't lose that foot! Of course Archimedes was extremely unhappy with the cone! And he learned to remove it rapidly!!! Oh well, I'm just relieved he came through surgery so well. Heres hoping he leaves the stitches alone long enough that his foot can heal properly. 

   The twist: Since I'm having such a difficult time getting my life back together I decided to try something fairly simple that gives quick results as far as creating goes. And wire wrap jewelry is what I chose. chuckle   I have LOTS of supplies! Beads, shells, wire, buttons, what-nots and thingamabobbies!!!  Things that are still tucked away... just waiting to be unearthed and made into something lovely.
   It "sort of" fulfills my desire to do metal jewelry again. At least it will do for now. Will be combining it with wooden pieces in the future.  And of course there will be some coins and belly dance bells included! hahaha   Actually some small projects are just what I need. But if I keep adding things the pieces will just keep getting bigger. Oh my, its just Fate!
   This little pendant is my first effort. It measures just under 1  1/2 inches long. I know, I know! That's an earring for me! hahaha  But I want to try doing delicate objects for a change. And I think this medium will do just fine for that.
    So remember to take care of your furry children AND keep up even those seemingly minor repairs! And try something different... even if its just a little bit so. Its a good thing to expand your knowledge and experience!   Wishing everyone a wonderful night!
  * Hope you've gazed westward and saw the crescent moon with Venus! What a lovely pair.

Big Siam bracelet!

   Well, this is FUN! Received it in a small lot of belly dance repair items. Preliminary research hasn't gotten very far yet. Have found examples of the same bracelet...... but the info with each one is different as to the era it is from.

    People identify these as being made in the 1930s and 40s OR the 1960s! Quite a range there. chuckle  And I also need to check out the metal content. It just doesn't have that "sterling" appearance to me. I've made sterling silver jewelry off and on for decades.... it just has a certain "look" to it.
    The faux 'stones' are actually a bright rich red instead of the ruby that the photos are showing. Someone had tried to bend it a bit so that it would fit their wrist better.... but its not too bad! All in all, and really cool bracelet to wear whenever I'm in one of those vintage tribal Bohemian moods!

REALLY?? You had to actually ask that??

   Someone reminded me that I have been leaving out one of the things that I consider to be an integral part of any outfit or style statement. And that would be PERFUME.  Then they asked what I had worn on Halloween..... I couldn't believe anyone that knows me would ask that!!! Of course I had on vintage Lancôme MAGIE NOIR..... would there be anything else for that particular day?? chuckle  
   Actually I'm on my last bottle so I'm asking everyone to keep their eyes open... just in case they can direct me to more of this enchanted potion!

   So today I decided it was time to enjoy my fragrances more. I got up, dressed, put on my face  (by that I mean make up) and chose one of my favorites.  Carven's Robe d'un Soir..... a devastatingly beautiful scent! For the life of me I don't understand why someone isn't creating masterpieces like these anymore.
   

    And a note on the modern reformulation of Magie Noir....  I would not waste my money or time on it. But I'm spoiled from knowing the "real thing".  That said, give it a try and see what you think. As they say "Different strokes for different folks". My tastes tend to run in a pretty old fashioned vein! hahaha

Wishing everyone a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

  
   Well, I've been trying to type out my post, but the letters are moving all over the place, typeface is changing, etc... Perhaps I have a mischievous visitor from the Spirit world? Or a computer gremlin? I'd prefer the first.
   Anyway, I'll make this quick. Went and had a reading..... what else would I do on Halloween?! chuckle    Next year ought to be VERY interesting for me. And that is a good thing.

   Dressed for fun and comfort today. Trying to get a good photo of the chiffon bow on this straw hat! Not that easy considering my arms aren't very long! chuckle    Its nice and lightweight, perfect for our warm temperatures. The vintage Lucite earrings are one of the pairs I converted to pierced this week. The black sheer blouse with embroidered roses is a recent thrift shop find. LOVE red roses on black!!!!   And the Baltic amber nuggets were one of my best scores ever on Ebay. I'm also wearing several red bracelets of varying hues. Oooh, and I found some navy mascara too.
    Anyway, I intend to have more fun with my appearance from now on! A change is in the air and I sense something colorful this way comes...... y'all have a safe and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

http://stylecrone.com/2016/09/30/hat-attack-39-louise-green-millinery/

Freyja's Day........ so many earrings to convert! ha ha

   Honestly, after my first batch of earrings turned out so well I decided to do just a few more! Then I thought "Oooh, what about those light blue celluloid ones that I love so much?". Then I thought "And those big brown swirl ones with the brass wire?!" Then...... "and those blue swirl ones and the rectangular moonglow" and.... and.... and.... you get the picture.

   I managed to restrain myself a little bit, but not much! I have to admit its been great fun! And now I can wear these babies ALL DAY ! Before I'd have to take most of them off after a few hours, some didn't make it that long.

  
   As usual Ronan assisted me in my work. Oh excuse me! He SUPERVISED my work!

   And I thought I'd include a photo of my neighbor's trees. This is what passes for Autumn colors here in Florida. chuckle   Bougainvillea Golden-rain tree. Koelreuteria bipinnata. Native to Asia, lovely tree but doesn't do that well in high winds and storms. Those are actually the flowers.... not the leaves!
   

Freyja's Day...... converting clip earrings to pierced.

   Started off the morning cutting and moving limbs that had fallen in the storm, by afternoon I wanted to do something a little more fun!  So I decided to convert some of my earrings.

   The red moonglow are screw backs... can we say "torture devices"? The yellow and the lions are clips. First thing is to remove the old... gently! Some folks just cut the metal off and leave the disk behind. I've found that if you gently, but firmly, pry the older fitting then it will usually come off in one piece. If its being stubborn, just relax pressure for a moment and then apply again. Repeat as needed. Just takes a little patience.  The only time that has not worked for me was when the metal was so old that it just broke under even the slightest amount of pressure. I usually scrape the old glue away as best I can. Love my trusty old pocketknife.
    Important step! Hold the earring up to your ear. How or where do you want it to hang? Take note of where your earlobe is pierced, measure if you have to. Using a fine point Sharpie pen I mark where the pierced post will be glued. With these earrings, the red ones needed the post to be affixed in the center in order to look right. The yellow ones are larger so I measured and put a mark off center at the correct distance from the edge. For my ear lobe it was 7/16ths of an inch. And yes, this does make a difference when you are done!

   Of course, Ronan kept a close eye on the work being done. He said he was supervising, but every once in a while he would try and swipe one of the pieces!  Just too tempting for a cat.

   Then Fearless Fergus joined in! Actually was heartening to see because he hasn't been feeling well lately. The mischievousness was a good sign.

   The lion faces presented me with a problem I hadn't encountered before. The pieces are concave and the "post" that the clips were attached to is quite small. I decided to cut the clip and leave part of it behind in order to have a little larger spot to glue onto. Hoping this works!  If not, then I'll have to put them on a fish hook earring.

       I like to use good old E6000. Haven't heard anyone raving about any newer glue that supposedly works better. Try not to use too much. It can get messy in a hurry! I use a toothpick to even it out a bit and then swirl it a little when I place it on the earring back. You can wipe away the excess with a toothpick.... if you have a steady hand. If not, then you might want to leave well enough alone. No one is going to see it anyway!

   So here they are! Sitting for at least 24 hours.   And yes, those red ones got scratched pretty bad when I was trying to remove the old glue. I blame that on my pocketknife blades being dull. And I didn't take the time to sharpen them.  Shame on me!    
    Also forgot to photograph the backings. Definitely get the ones with the larger silicone disks. I think that earrings hang better with those. And some of the vintage earrings are pretty large... and heavy! Your lobes will thank you for the extra support!  
   Both posts and backings can be bought at your local craft supply/fabric store or online. They come in bags of 60 or so pieces and run around $3.00 per pack. And of course, you can convert from pierced to clips too. So have fun and enjoy wearing all you vintage pieces!!!