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!