Who'll Stop The Rain?

While I may be sick to death of rain, I have to admit that this print is rather lovely to look at. GarneyGirl: you done good.

That's a good question, Creedence Clearwater Revival.  A very, very good question.

I don't know about you, Internets, but I have been having a soggy little old April.  I know April is generally known for its rain, but the amount of rain we've been getting this month is somewhere between ridiculous and Biblical.  And before you start thinking that I'm leaning a little too far towards exaggeration, I would just like to take this time to inform you that the creeks around here have already flooded once, and there's something rather unsettling about seeing a park with ducks swimming through it as opposed to by it.

Yeah.  Pretty much the only thing that is keeping this never-ending rain thing from being straight-up Biblical is that I haven't seen anybody building an ark yet.  Emphasis on the word "yet."  And to make matters worse, I'm willing to bet that these rains aren't liable to let up just because it's a new month, either.

So just on the off chance that May is as damp as April's been, here's something handy I'm sure we all could use: rain hoods/scoodies.  Because sometimes umbrellas just aren't feasible.

First up, we've got this fairly heavy-duty hood, complete with cheerfully bright fleece lining and some serious-business snaps.  Which, to my mind, makes it perfect for those of you slogging though your spring somewhere a bit further north on the globe.

Who says rain gear has to be dark and dreary?  The weather does a fine enough job of that on its own, so why not fight back with an irrepressibly bright scoodie?

And if flowers aren't your thing, there's one over at the store that has a cupcake pattern.  I highly suggest you go check it out.

For those of you who prefer something a little bit more lightweight, might I suggest this upcycled hood?  It's made from an old checkered scarf.

And speaking of upcycled, here's a hood that was made from repurposed umbrella material:

And what's more, there are different styles to choose from and you can request one made from the selection of materials available in their store, so you can have a totally original rain hood that is definitely going to keep your hair dry.  Seriously--the only thing cooler than all of this would be if, y'know, it would stop raining so stinkin' much.

Well, that's it for today.  Here's wishing you the weather you've been desperately wanting, and see you next week! 

Zipping Along

If you're a sucker for zipper-themed stuff, you should definitely check out Amalia Versaci Design.  

She's responsible for this amazing zipper collage.

As you might have noticed, Internets, I'm rather fond of buttons as a decorative thing.  At this stage of the game, I might as well add a tag on here just for buttons, seeing as they tend to turn up more often on here than  former bullies do on Facebook's Suggested Friends feature.  In other words, they're on here a lot, and I know it.

So today, I figured it would be nice to pay homage to that other clothing fastener that works just as hard and can look just as prettiful as buttons do: the zipper.  Because zippers could use a little love, too.

Especially when zippers can look like this.  Who knew zippers could look this pretty?  Did you?  I didn't.

You really need to click on over in order to see how sweet this star-shaped fascinator really is.  The zipper cutting diagonally across is what makes it.

Yeah, yeah, this one's got buttons on it, I know.  But believe it or not, the reason why it's posted here today is not because of the buttons, but because of the multiple colors of the zipper teeth (six or seven, I believe.)

And for those of you who would rather see a zipper be, well, a zipper, here's a headband/fascinator just with you in mind:

Hey--considering that it wasn't all that long ago that bra strap headbands were all the rage, it's only right that zipper headbands should become The Next Big Thing.  Particularly if they look as pretty as the one above.

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

Oh, Sugar

This painting reminds me of getting home from school after an elementary-school class party and taking inventory of my sugary loot.  Since I highly doubt that I was the only kid to do this, I'm certain someone else out there will appreciate it.

Another major holiday has come and gone, and that means all the items that once clogged every single bit of available space in your local grocery store will now be shunted over to bins and marked down as clearance.  Now, if you're the type who likes to prepare for holidays well in advance, this is likely to be your time to shine, 'cause now you can stock up on shredded cellophane and plastic pastel eggs.  But for those of us who could care less about that, I think this can best be said in two words: CLEARANCE CANDIES.

Seriously--Cadbury eggs taste great, but you have to admit that they taste even better when reduced in price. Even better, now you can blow up Peeps in your microwave and not feel the slightest bit guilty for it, because now you can get those suckers on the cheap.  Win/win situation?  I think so!

Since just thinking about this has got my sweet tooth engaged, it only makes sense to look at some similarly sweet hats, right?  Right.

Not only do the colors on this fascinator just put me in the mind of a bowl full candied fruits, but even the netting makes me think of cotton candy.

Speaking of marked-down sugary sweetness, this flowery fascinator is on clearance.  So, y'know, if you're in the market for a fantastically floral thing, this is so right up your alley right now.

This one is a little less brightly colored, but is no less sweet because of it, wouldn't you agree?

And lastly, a truly techincolor wonder of a cocktail hat:

Personally?  I think the model is cheesing like that because she got a contact buzz off of the sugar high that hat is putting out.  IT IS THAT SWEET.

And on that note, I'm off to see a man about a half-off bag of SweeTarts shaped like bunnies and chicks.  See you Wednesday!

Runny Babbits: A Post About Hilly Sats*

If you like adorkable animal prints, definitely check out barking bird art.  They made this boombox-bearing bunny .

Whether you follow the Christian faith or not, it's a safe bet that you know full well that today is Good Friday. That means that the fish frys are just about over, those bags of Easter candies at the grocery store are three days away from going on sale (mmm, cheap Cadbury eggs,) and that people are getting ready to dress their best for Easter Sunday.

As far as this blog is concerned, though, today is a good day to post some bunny hats.  Which is precisely what I'm going to do.

When it comes to this first bunny hat, you have to admit; if you're going to wear a bunny hat, you really can't go wrong with a full-on bunny hat, complete button eyes and stitched whiskers.

Of course, if you want to get away with wearing your bunny hat in church, I could understand if you would prefer something a little more dressy.  Luckily, there's a bunny pillbox hat for just such a reason.  It's even super-subtle about the bunny ears.

Personally, though, I'm thinking this bunny-eared scoodie is appropriate everywhere.  Don't argue--just accept it.

Yes, I  know I post a lot of stuff from Ragamuffin Design.  But as I've said before and will continue to say, they keep making hats relevant to my interests.  Y'know, kinda like the one pictured above.

And just because I try to wrap things up on a note in the key of awesome, here's a bunny hat by another of my favorites, *Fairly Enchanted* Designs:

I'm telling you, Internets, it's all about the googly eyes.  That, and you can pick the lining, in case the depicted fairies don't strike your fancy.

And on that note, that's it for this week.  No matter what you celebrate this weekend, I hope you have lots of fun and enjoy it deeply.

See you next week!

*With all due respect to the late Shel Silverstein.  

On A Different Scale

All I've got to say about this print is that I'm impressed by the level of detail.  Not gonna lie: art can be fun did good on this.

You know how I occasionally do posts with certain people in mind?  Today's post is for Moose; husband of Card Tricks' Stina, buddy of mine and all-around decent dude.   So he deserves a post with him in mind, and that's what I'm gonna do.

So Moose?  This fishy post is for you.

I think the thing I like best about this hat is that it almost seems like an answer to the question "What would happen if an angler fish and Pac-Man had a kid together?"

Of course, that would require someone having asked the question in the first place.  Which I know certainly didn't.  Was it you?

...Yeah, yeah--I know this is actually a hair clip.  But dang it; it's just too adorable to leave out, so I'm going to post it anyway.

Seeing as summer isn't that far off in the future, it only makes sense to start thinking about summery-type hats, like this tropical fishie hat.

As for what a Russian dry sauna is, I have no idea. But I have to say I like their style.

The description for this puffer fish hat says it's for babies, but I'm thinking it could be for adults.  And by "thinking," I mean "with a little help and either some extra material or really small cranium."

And just because bethany lorelle makes awesome aquatic fascinators, here's one of their fishy ones:

And it's not just a rainbow fishy--it's a beaded rainbow fishy.  Skills: bethany lorelle has them.

And Moose?  You are smart.  Smart like fish.

As for the rest of you, see you Friday!

All Knotted Up

I'm liking this print, but I can't help but be curious about what kind of knot that guy has in his tie.  

Windsor?  Half-Windsor?  Pratt-Shelby?  Bueller?

So remember how a few weeks back I mentioned something about possibly doing a post on neckties some time in the future?  Well, start getting excited, because today's the day!

Note:  I cannot vouch for whether any of the ties featured here would ever pass any corporate organization's dress code, as most places that insist on neckties as part of their daily uniform tend to be a little on the ho-hum side to begin with (unless you happen to work somewhere where corporate has a sense of humor, then maybe these will squeak by.)  So if you get called out at work for wearing one of these, that is so not even my fault and don't you dare blame me.

...You know what?  I'm just going to start off with this one from aorta, and let you figure out why it got picked to be featured here.  Because at this point, it's just really freakin' obvious.

P.S.  It looks like they're having a sale on squid stuff.  SCORE!

For some reason, this tie by HOOGS looks to me like something a character in a comic strip would wear. Y'know, like Charlie Brown's zig-zag shirt; a visual shortcut to help make the character more memorable.

Personally-speaking, I would be sorely tempted to name the character wearing said tie Francis.  Because I'm a nerd like that.

And speaking of nerdity...

...this post would be rather lacking in it if I neglected to post quite possibly the most awesome robot necktie ever made.

You can thank Sugar Lust for this, by the way.  Y'know, for making your lives just ever-so-much more awesome and stuff.

Of course, sometimes it's nice to play it down.  Which is where Grawad Halsbekleidung has got your fabulous-but-doesn't-beat-you-over-the-head-with-it necktie needs covered, as the above tie proves rather neatly.  And prettily, as well.

And just in case some of you out there are not really loving the whole appliqué thing, never fear.  I've got a silkscreened tie with you in mind:

Internets, anybody who can come up with using airplanes as a means of putting a new spin on the (admittedly, even though I love it ) rather stale argyle print is worth giving a shot.  Ergo; you should seriously go and check out Cyberoptix Tie Lab.  Now.

See you Wednesday!

Monet's Got Nothing On This Post

The title of this print is apparently "Serentity."  Because that apparently comes by the bowlful now.

If there is anything I miss about living in the Great Lakes region (and trust me, Internets, that is a very, very short list,) close to the top of the list would have to be, well, lakes.  Or just largeish bodies of water in general.  I mean, there's creeks here, but they're just not the same as a huge freakin' lake or a decent-sized river.

Which is odd, as that I can't swim well and hate boats.  By definition, I am not even remotely a water person and yet, I really do find myself missing being able to sit on the sand and watch the waves break against the shore.  Heck, I even miss ponds, as they seem be in rather short supply around here.

Then again, I suppose I don't have to worry nearly as much about mosquitos come summer, but still.  I miss water.   So since I'm feeling nostalgic, how's about some water lily stuff?

I thought you'd approve.

First up, there's this red-and-white colored fascinator.  And while I've never seen a multicolored water lily in real life, but it's only a matter of time before botanical science gets on that.  I mean, if we can dye carnations five different colors, I think we could make a water lily another color other than white.

Science, I'm begging you:  MAKE THIS HAPPEN.  IT WILL BE AWESOME.

Of course, there's always some love left for the lily pad, as this fascinator amply proves.  I particularly like the way the teal thread contrasts against the green fabric.

And just because I'm turning into a sucker for pretty much anything PeachyTuesday ever does, here's a printed lily fascinator, complete with accompanying buttons.

Because, really, it's about the buttons.  You know it, I know it.  Buttons = Cruise Control to Rad.

And as for this last one, as soon as I saw it, I knew it had to be featured here on the blog:

I think you can see why I said that.  That is one huge honkin' water lily fascinator, and it deserves to be shared with the world.  Or, at least, that fraction of the world that reads this blog, anyway.

And on that note, that's it for this week.  See you Monday!

Let The Sun Shine In

For the record, I am loving the color in this print.  It looks so warm that if I could take a nap in it, I TOTALLY WOULD.

T.S. Eliot famously wrote that April is the cruelest month, although he added another 'l' to 'cruelest,' which I am guessing is a British thing.  And while my spell check has all sorts of problems with that statement, I have to say that I have no problems with the sentiment behind it.  Why?  Because April certainly seems to like to jerk a person around, at least when it comes to the weather.

Case in point:  Sunday, it was 80 degrees and sunny.  Not even 24 hours later, it had dropped down into the 60s and rained so much that I fleetingly wondered whether or not I should get to work on building an ark.  It's gotten to the point where I don't even want to glance at the five-day forecast, just because I don't want to get my hopes up and/or get my heart broken.  At this point, pretty much the only thing I can count on is that the days are getting longer.  Which is really nice on the sunny days, because that means it stays light out until nearly 8 PM.

Which, when it comes to this blog, means that it's time for sun hats.  Which is what we'll be looking at today.

I know that the floppy hat is all the rage now, but for my money I like something with a firmer brim, like this straw hat.  It looks like it would do the job at keeping the sun out of the eyes, but it stands out from the crowd without being too terribly showy.

Of course, if you prefer something showy, you really can't go wrong with something terrifically old-school, like this Audrey Hepburn/Givenchy-like sun hat.

For the record:  I have no idea exactly how well the brim on this puppy would actually work at shading the eyes.  And yet, I can't help but think it's adorable.  I'm going to chalk that up to the funky shape of it.

And just because I can't believe I found this, here's a painted leather sun visor from the '70s:

So if the sun visor tries to make another attempt at a comeback, you now have another option other than the usual canvas-and-vinyl junk 'o mess.

Because I am here to help, Internets, in any way I can.

See you Friday!

Cute: It's What's For Breakfast

Yeah, today's post is pretty much going to be this freakin' cute.

As the post title and accompanying amuse-bouche should have warned you, today's post is going to be loaded with cute.  Which is pretty appropriate, seeing as today we'll be featuring fascinators from Etsy's own you cute.

Why?  Well, remember my April Fool's post?  Yeah, the fascinator posted as the fake amuse-bouche was from that very shop, and frankly, there's a lot more in that shop that is totally worth sharing.  Which is why I doing that today.

So if you're allergic to cute, now would be an excellent time to hit the Back button on your browser.  It's only going to get worse from here on out.

To my way of thinking, if Homer Simpson were A.) a real person and B.) so inclined as to wear a fascinator of any kind, I think he would heartily approve of this donut fascinator.  It's even got sprinkles!

Mind you, I have never had a fruit tart, but if they look anywhere near as cute as this fascinator does, I would seriously feel conflicted about eating it.

Conversely, as anyone who has ever lived with me will tell you, I tend to associate tea with being ill and therefore will not drink the stuff unless I am well and truly sick (which does nothing but reinforce the association, but there you go.)  However, I think that if cups of tea were to look this adorable, I would most likely increase my tea consumption.

Funny how that works out, isn't it?

Hey--seeing as we seem to be on a breakfast-themed kick, how's about a cinnamon roll fascinator?

Seriously.  If my breakfast was this cute in real life, I would never partake of The Most Important Meal Of The Day ever again.

And now, because one of the things I thought as a child was that, when I finally grew up, I could eat whatever I wanted for breakfast, here's a macaroon fascinator:

Not that I have ever gotten to eat macaroons for breakfast (or have eaten macaroons ever, to be perfectly honest,) but they were just too stinkin' cute to leave out.

See you Wednesday!

Paper Beats Plastic

Of all the wedding trends out there right now, I'm backing the paper bouquet.  Particularly the snazzy ones like this.

A long while back, paper hats were featured on this blog.  Last I checked, that was a pretty popular post, so it only makes sense that I should follow that one up with another post along those same lines.  Which is exactly what I'm going to do today.

Hey--sometimes I do nice things.  This is one of those times.  Or things.  Whatever.

First  up, we've got this stunner of a fascinator/headband, complete with crystal accents for the lilies and a beaded center on the anemone.

I'm not sure what it is I like best about this fascinator; that the paper was dyed by hand, or that the piece is referred to as a "poof". It's a tough call, really.

Hey--if you happened to really dig the amuse-bouche up there, there's someone out there who sells.the same kind of flowers in fascinator form.  Just thought you ought to know.

And lastly, we've got two hats from Madame Alyn's Bin.  And once you see them, I think you'll see why they were saved for last:

It's because they're FREAKIN' AWESOME.  Particularly the baguette bag cloche.  That sucker is the bomb track, in my humble little opinion.

And on that note, that's it for this week.  See you Monday!