Here Comes The Sun

Nothing quite sells the coming of spring quite like a piece of fine photography entitled "Hello Spring." 

So as some of you might have noticed, last Friday was a little on the quiet side over here.  No, it's not because I've quit the blog or was kidnapped by Smurfs or anything like that; it's because I came down with the flu.  Again.  For the second time within the same season, and I spent much of the latter part of last week lying in bed, feverish, unable to do much else other than sweat, shift uncomfortably, sniffle and look completely pitiful.

Judging by this experience, I'd have to say that the first thing you lose when you hit 30 is your resistance to illness, followed closely by the ability to recouperate quickly. Kinda makes fretting over wrinkles and gray hair sound a little stupid now, doesn't it?

In any event, I'm still not back to normal yet, but I am feeling less like crudely-animated crap.  So in honor of this--as well as the coming month of March--I'm feeling in the mood for something sunny.  So how's about some yellow-colored things, huh?

Y'know, just because yellow is considered a springy color doesn't mean it has to be all floral-like.  Just look at this fascinator, for example; it's cheerful-looking, but is more along the lines of sporty than precious.

Of course, if you like your yellow to look a little more dainty than that, you could always pick something a bit more sweet in a quirky sort of way, like this buttoned headband fascinator.

For the more daring types, you really can't wrong wrong with a bold bow fascinator, complete with marabou and dotted guinea feathers.

And there's nothing wrong with keeping it simple with a straight-up yellow cocktail hat.  The black accent ribbon just makes it a little more fun.

Granted, I have never looked at an owl's wing to see how many different colors there are on them, but if this fascinator is any indicator, they're pretty colorful things.

Then again, the description  might be more influenced by the size than the variation of color.  Or maybe it's just because a person can't hardly click a link anywhere without running into owl-themed or owl-related stuff these days.  You make the call.

And because while it may almost be March it doesn't always mean that spring is well underway, here's a yellow hat to help hedge my springy bets:

Hey--I can be optimistic to a point.  After that, it helps to remember that nothing is certain except for death, taxes and possibly the Ice Capades.  This hat would probably help with all three.

See you Wednesday!

Of Hoods And Animals

Can you think of a better way to kick off a post about animal hoods than a painting of a guinea pig in a hood?  I can't.

As far as the weather goes, we seem to have hit that funky spot where it's not quite winter but it's not yet spring.  Which stinks, because I am just about completely over this whole snow-and-cold-and-sleet stuff, but it doesn't quite look like spring is ready to happen just yet.

The worst part about this is the fact that I am also pretty much over winter-weather hats, too.  After several months of heavy-duty knits and crochets, it starts to get a little tiresome and it gets harder and harder to find things that spark your interest.

Luckily for me (and for you, too,) I did come across something recently that caught my eye.  And now, I'm gonna share 'em with you.  Because that's what I do.

First up, we've got this nifty little red-eared hooded number, complete with checked lining.  Because if you're going to go with an animal hood, you might as well go large, right?

Of course, if you'd rather go with something a little less fox-like and something a bit more cuddly, you can't really go wrong with a bear hood.

I would just like to take this moment to state for the record that I likely would've posted this wolf hood anyway, but the fact that the seller decided to use somebody's feet as the model for it clinched it.  Because honestly, I can't make up my mind if that it rather creative, kinda odd or both.  What do you think?

If there is any downside to this cheerful little teddy-bear hood, it's probably that people will want to hug you.  A lot.  And if you're not a huggy person, that could be a bad thing.  But if you're all about the hugs, this hat would likely get you plenty of them.

The thing I think I like best about this kitty-eared hood is that it's reversible.  So it's kind of like that whole Almond Joy/Mounds thing; if you feel like wearing kitty ears, you can, and if you don't, you don't have to.

And just because no animal hood post would be complete without it, here's a hood based on the costume of the protagonist from Where The Wild Things Are:

To be fair, I never really knew what Max's costume was supposed to be, other than the fact that it was supposed to be a mammal.  A wolf?  An albino mountain lion?  A mutated squirrel?  GIVE ME A SIGN, MAURICE SENDAK.

And on that note, that's it for today. See you Friday!

Slip-Slidin' Away

The thing I like most about this painting by Linda Boucher is that both pairs look like something I'd wear.  Just sayin'.

To my knowledge, today marks at least two different holidays: Family Day up in (some of) Canada and Presidents Day here in the States.  On the surface, they don't really have much in common; one is about celebrating that fundamental socializing group that is bound by consanguinity, affinity or shared living quarters, while the other is theoretically a recognition of our first president's birthday, but in reality is a bunch of advertisements for sales featuring said president and that sixteenth guy to succeed him in office.  And yet, both do have something in common other than the day upon which they fall.  What is it?  They're both federal holidays, which means all federal, state and provincial offices are going to be closed.  Oh, and banks, schools, and whatever other kinds of businesses decide to take a breather.

Hey, nothing says "stay home and celebrate, dagnabbit" quite like not being able to do anything, right?

So seeing as this means it's gonna be a lazy Monday, I'm thinking today would a good day for a post about slippers.  Because if you're going to be stuck at the house for the day, you might as well have something comfy on your feet.

As a sucker for all things plaid, I would be highly remiss in not posting these fabulous plaid flats.

Also, I would try to wear these suckers outside of the house as much as possible.  At least I admit it.

If you like buttons, these felt-button slippers should be right up your alley.  They're even all sorts of different colors and stuff.  How cool is that?

Not even gonna lie; I saw these slippers, and I immediately thought of Youngest Sister A.  These things are so freakin' girly, I'm amazed that the description doesn't come with a warning about the slippers leaking estrogen from time to time.

Conversely, these suckers made me think of Youngest Sister B.  She's practically Queen of Sneakers, so it would only make sense she'd have a pair that reflected that.

...And I just realized that the first sentence contained an unintended pun.  And yet, I'm gonna leave it there, 'cause I've got more slippers to talk about.  Deal with it.

Of course, for those of you who must have popples on simply everything, take comfort: there's pair of slippers for you, too. 

Have you ever seen a Hudson Bay blanket?  These slippers kind of remind me of those.  I'll tell you, though--if these puppies are as warm as the blankets, they are totally worth getting.

And in closing, there's...well, these:

...I'm telling you, Internets.  I cannot get away from owl-themed stuff.  And because I have to admit they're kinda neat, I have to share them.  *sigh*

Well, here's hoping that you enjoy your lazy day, and I'll see you Wednesday!

Getting Cloche To Spring

'Cause when you're setting up a post about cloche hats, you can't do much better than a Jazz Baby print, can you?

Yes, I am aware of how egregiously bad that punny title is.  And yet, that's the one I went with.  Just think about how much worse the title could have been.

In any event, it's been a while since I last posted some cloche hats, hasn't it?  I certainly hope so, because I'm in the mood for some springy-lookin' cloches.  So that's what I'm gonna post.  Hope we're all alright with that, otherwise today's post is going to be one long lesson in disappointment.

First, there's this nifty little white cloche, with a really neat felt feather and banded with green ribbon.

While nowhere near as fancy as that last hat, this sunshiny yellow cloche looks sweetly cheerful in its simplicity.

These next two hats are from the same shop and both feature leaves (which are kinda autumny, if you think about it,) but I think the colors work really well for spring-type cloches:

See what I mean?  Whether it's pink or blue, it still has a spring-like feel to it.

And while I know I'm probably testing your tolerance for the color gray by now, I feel it's my duty to share this last hat with you, because it's just too dang pretty to leave out:

I know I say this a lot, but there's a reason I that you should really click the link and take a closer look; it's because you need to see this sucker from all available angles in order to appreciate how amazing it is.  So yeah--definitely click it already.  Heck, check out the entire shop, because there's lots of nifty stuff in there that is worth checking out.

That's it for this week.  See you Monday!

Touch Of Grey

Artist Tracy Kafka doesn't have a title for this print.  I like to call it "A View With A Room".

The human brain is an interesting little thing.  With just four lobes, it runs autonomic processes/functions, physical coordination and renders us capable of complex thought and reasoning--all of which is unassailably cool.  It's also the area of the human body that is most susceptible to inspiration, revelation and other life-changing stuff, which is pretty neat if you're in the kind of business that runs off that sort of thing.  For myself, though, the best my brain meats seem to be able to do is come up with exceedingly random stuff.  Which I suppose is fine, as that these sorts of things seem to amuse T.H. and Rufus, but it'd be nice if my brain would attract bolts of genius instead of zaps of randomness.

Why do I say this?  J.K. Rowling looks out a train window and gets the idea for Quidditch.  J.R.R. Tolkein grades papers and comes up with hobbits.  I edit other writers' work and realize that no one declares gray is their favorite color.  One of these things is not like the other.

But in defense of the workings of my brain, that thought isn't wrong.  I have been around for 30 years now, and I have never heard someone say that their favorite color is gray.  It's entirely possible that there is someone out there who absolutely adores gray; I just haven't met them yet.  And it strikes me as a little sad that gray is missing out on the love.

So because my brain is weird, it's gray hats today.  Hey--I might as well roll with these zaps of randomness as they come.  Maybe I'll get a bolt of genius by accident.

First up, there's this sweet beret, complete with a bedazzled felt floral accent.

And seeing as berets seem to be all the rage lately, here's another gray one, this time with a green band and strategic buttons to catch the eye.

The next two are both by Janine Basil, who seems to have a knack for making lots of hats that are relevant to my interests.

See? 

And yes, I know that looks black-and-whitish, but it's actually black-and-silver silk duchess satin, which apparently photographs as being somewhat white.  Be that as it may, it's still a stunning piece of haberdashery and I want it for my own.

 Of course, if you can't handle that much fabulousness in one hat, you could always go with something a little more understated but no less awesome, such as this little felt number.  It's got kind of a "The King's Speech" vibe to it, I think.

And just because I this is too prettiful not to share, here is the sparkliest silver fascinator that ever sparkled:

Ain't it pretty?  The only downside I can see to this puppy is that people might try to make a wish upon your head when you wear it.

And on that note, that's it for today.  See you Friday!

The Power Of Heart

Love Is In The Air, as rendered by ISPhotography. 

Allow me to write a scene from your own life; let's say that you are somewhere out in public (work, the store, public transit, etc.) and there is music playing.  As you're going about your business, a song comes up on the playlist.  It's one of those ridiculously poppy songs, as stupid as they come (EX: Owl City's "Fireflies,") but at the same time it's hard to argue that the darn thing is catchy and fun for all its inanity.  Since you have no control over the music selection, you can't skip it or change the channel.  You have only two options: A.) to quietly or not-so-quietly rage about how much you can't stand the song or B.) momentarily give in to the vapid sweetness of it, let it wash over you and let the vein-popping annoyance go.

Now, why do I bring this up?  Basically, this is pretty much how I feel about Valentine's Day as a holiday.  Depending on my mood, I either hate it utterly or I just give up and roll with it.  This year is one of those "roll with it" kind of years, so I'm feeling like some heart hats today.  Because dang it, if I'm going to give in to the cheese, I'm going all-out.

First up, we've got this nice, subtle little hat.  It's got hearts, but it's not really beating everyone over the head with them.  In fact, from a distance, you'd never even know they were hearts, which is nice.

The little felted bits of this hat reminds me a lot of the dreaded conversation heart candies.  Of the two, I obviously like the hat much better than the candies.  

It doesn't hurt that it comes with a matching set of arm warmers.  What can I say?  I'm easily placated.

As another example of a sweet little heart-themed set, there's this charming little fingerless-glove-and-hat set.  I particularly like the way the colors work together, and I don't even like pink.

Then again, if red and pink aren't your cup of tea, there's nothing stopping you from going with a cute little cream-colored heart fascinator, like this one.

Of course, if these are all just a little too precious for you, allow me to cut the sweetness a bit with the following:

A 1-Up fascinator, complete with the all-important heart.

And just because I'm a sucker for the ridiculous, here's a pug wearing a silly heart-themed hat:

You're welcome.

So in closing, here's wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day if that's your thing, and if it's not, then here's hoping you have a Happy Half-Off Chocolate Day tomorrow.

See you Wednesday!

Lend Me Your Ears

Cute little dogs look like they're telling secrets on Joann Swanson's blog, It's dark, dark in here.

According to a certain overgrown squirrel I won't name, we're supposed to be getting an early spring this year. Granted, said overgrown squirrel also predicted this during Snowmageddon '11, so there's always the possibility that not only is this critter lacking in meteorological learnings but he might just be punking us at this point. So while I'd like to start thinking about warmer weather things, the fact that the current temp is in the single digits makes it pretty difficult to do.

Luckily for me, there's still plenty of winter-weather-type hats out there to write about. And lucky for you, you actually get a post that has something to do with things you wear on your head today. Talk about a win-win situation!

So today, we're going to be taking a look at ear warmers. Because they're what's hot in the streets, even if the streets are positively frigid.

I like how this one is a bow. Just one, big, unapologetic, Lady Gaga-esque bow. It's almost like it's actively trying to get "Poker Face" stuck in your head.

Speaking of unapologetic ear warmers, this one is just one big 'ol braid.

As you might have guessed, I like ear warmers that are big and bold. No wimpy little flowers, no lacy knits--just straight-up, in-your-face stuff.

Kind of like this rainbow-colored ear warmer. Really--it doesn't even try not to stand out.

But really, if you want an ear warmer that is going to stand out, you can't do better than this one:

A bear-eared ear warmer. Not only will your ears stay warm, but you will look adorably huggy to boot.

And that's all for this week. See you Monday!

It's An Art

Setting up today's theme, here's The Still Life Painter by Carl Larsson.

Ever had one of those ideas that you weren't too sure about, and yet you couldn't let it go? Today's post is the result of one of those kinds of ideas.

As you might have noticed, I like to kick off posts with a picture that somehow ties into each post's theme. If there is a technical name for this kind of thing, I have no idea--I just call 'em amuse-bouches, because that's pretty much what they are; little tasty bitlets that I whip up to whet your appetite for the main course. Well, that and that's one of the few French words I know off the top of my head,* so I like to use it as often as I can.

But you know how sometimes you don't really want to be messing around with a main course, and all you really want is the appetizer? That's pretty much the mood I'm in today. It doesn't help that I've seen lots of pretty art over the past few weeks, and it only feels fair to give them their day in the sun.

That, and I'm a sucker for art. Quirky art, in particular. So that's why today is nothin' but art featuring animals wearing hats.

Hey--at least today's post involves hats, albeit in an admittedly very tenuous way. It's better than nothing.

First up, we've got this otter print by Collage-O-Rama. I think it's the top hat with the gerbera daisy that really makes it.

Speaking of top hats, lulufroot has this adorable little sparrow classing up his little bit of wire with the same hat. However, he goes the extra mile and rocks the monocle as well.

When it comes to the next two, I don't think artist Zara Picken thought of selling them as a set, but once you see them, it's hard to think of them any other way:

Because really; what good is a bowler-rocking city fox...

...If it doesn't come with a flat-capped country badger? It's like having only half of a salt-and-pepper shaker set--IT JUST WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE.

If you are really liking this whole animals-wearing-wacky-hats thing, you should really check out Poor Dog Farm. S/He's got pages of paintings like this to sell, and they are all worth a look.

My personal favorite, though, is definitely this rooster. Roosters in helmets will always be awesome in my book.

And lastly, remember that bunny print I posted Monday? Well, Donna McKenzie also has one that involves hats:

...Yep. They're owls. In hats. Because owls are just haunting me at this point.

And on that paranoid note, see you Friday!

*The other one is pamplemousse. It's a lot harder to work into conversation.