FOR SCIENCE

Well, if you're going to do a post with mad scientists in mind, you might 

as well start things off with an image of the maddest scientist of them all.

So the other day, a radio mad scientist/buddy of mine who--in accordance with my own rules for Instant Internet Anonymity--I'm gonna call R-Law asked if I had done a post about mad scientist goggles yet.   And guess what, Internets?  I hadn't, but as you're about to see, I'm going to remedy that oversight very, very shortly.

So today, it's goggles on HH.  Because mad scientists wouldn't look as mad without them.  Or as scientisty, either.

First up are a pair of embossed leather goggles (hush, PETA) in a rather pretty color of green.  It's almost the color that comes to mind when I think of absinthe (which I've never even seen in real life, so as to whether its actual color comes anywhere even remotely close to the one I've imagined in my head or not remains to be seen.)

If I've retained anything from pop culture, mad scientistry covers a wide variety of areas.  Yeah, smoking flasks and Jacob's ladders may be involved here and there, but there's also the possibility that freeze rays and machines that convert lightning into shock paddles are going to need worked on.  Which is why I'm including this pair of welder's goggles, because fashion and safety should go hand in rubber-gloved hand.

Of course, there's also something to be said for being completely useless but pretty.  Which is pretty much how I'm classifying this pair of flowery goggles, although the shop selling them does give you the option of leaving  some of the floweriness out so that you can actually see through them.

And finally, just because I'm sure mad scientists need to have some sort of aviatorial skills (how else are they going to deploy their creation upon the masses or, failing that, fly away to their secret lair on the moon?) here's an aviator cap complete with goggles:

Yeah, it probably looks a little less mad than the other pairs of goggles.  But I still like 'em, and I hope you like 'em, too.

And on that note, see you Friday!

All The Little Birds On Jaybird Street

As daily affirmations go, I am loving the stuffing out of this one.

I've got a feeling in my bones, Internets, and that feeling is that spring is right around the corner.  A lot of this feeling has to do with the fact that, as a season, winter failed to launch in serious way, and I'm feeling pretty secure with the notion that the threat of being snowbound in any way, shape or form has been passed.

Granted, I know that I'm tempting fate by typing out that sentence (particularly as that the truest thing about any weather anywhere is that you can rest assured that if you give it five minutes, it'll change,) but there seems to be an awful lot of evidence around to help strengthen my belief that spring is on the way; namely, that the trees in my neighborhood are fully stocked with birds.  And not just the all-year-round birds, but the ones who tend to shove off once the going gets chilly, too.  Because those suckers are already back, which means that warmer weather can't be too far off.

So it is with all this in mind that today, it's bird hats (yet again) on HH.  Because I am loving hearing the robins going "tweet-tweet-tweet."

First up is this adorable birdie fascinator, complete with a snug little nest for the bird to rest in.  Because apparently birdhouses aren't nearly as well represented in the world of haberdashery as nests are.

Next up is this shiny filigree headband, which I am absolutely loving..  The combination of the shiny plated metal and Chinese cutwork pattern of the birds in the garden makes it both subtle and a standout.

The next two fascinators are from the same shop.  They are both so fabulously colored that I couldn't choose between them and figured I might as well post them here.

This first one isn't just pink--it is PANK.

And the second one is not just blue--it is BLAU.  And yes, both colors really ought to be pronounced exactly as written.

And just because it's been a while since I posted something with a veil, here is an origami crane fascinator that features one:

Because origami doesn't get nearly as much play as it deserves, in my humble opinion.

And on that note, see you Wednesday!

To Cap It Off

If there's anything to be learned from the bottle caps in this pic, it's that there are probably more kinds of beer out there than there are flavors of barbecue sauce.  But as the wise LeVar Burton once said, you don't have to take my word for it.

You know what, Internets?  It's been a week since I last posted something you could actually wear on your head, and well over a week since I actually posted an honest-to-goodness hat.  Now, admittedly, I've been having a lot of fun posting stuff like the unofficial tote bag for the Broads Who Breakfast, plush toys in the shape of anthropomorphic gaming systems and crocheted brass monkeys, but as the title of this blog reminds me, this blog is about hats firstly and foremostly, so I should probably get back to posting some of those before long.

And since there's no time better than the present, that is exactly what I am going to do right now.  And just for the heck of it, I'm going to be posting newsboy caps, because it's been a while since we last looked at those.

First up, there's this granny-smith green crocheted cap, which takes the apple theme even further with little buttons that resemble apples.  But not the aforementioned green ones; this time around, it's Fuji apples.

Variety: Not only is it the spice of life, but apparently it's the entire reason for apple cultivars.

Next up is this sweetly pastel-y plaid cap, which is not only adorable-looking but is also adjustable and warm like whoa, thanks to its fleece lining.  So for everyone out there who thinks that looking good means sacrificing comfort, behold: the exception to the rule.

Speaking of adjustable, this cap can also be tweaked to fit various sizes of skulls, thanks to some handy-dandy buttons.  And thanks to the lovely water lily appliqué, it'll be perfect for both spring and summer.

The only downside I can see to this hat would be the possibility that just wearing it would get "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" stuck in my head.  But even so, I think I'd be willing to risk the earworm for it, wouldn't you?

And now, just because I wish more hats featured paper planes, here's the niftiest newsboy cap of them all:

The best part is the stitched flight path.  It takes an already whimsical hat and just cranks it up into the realm of I WANT THIS HAT SO MUCH.

And on that not entirely dignified note, see you next week!

All Dolled Up

All I gotta say is this: nothing helps illustrate perspective quite like a line of matryoshka dolls.

Hey, remember Monday, when I linked back to last year's April Fools post?  Well, when I was looking over that old post, it got me thinking about amigurumi and the fact that I haven't done another post like that since then.  Mostly because, um, this is a blog about hats and amigurumi--while admittedly adorable--are decidedly not hats, and while I do occasionally step away from hats from time to time, I do actually try to at least stick with things that are meant to be worn.

The reason I bring this up is because you know how something comes to mind, and somehow just by thinking about it, it gives you such a hankering that nothing else sounds anywhere near as good?  Yeah.  That's why today's post is about amigurumi.

First up, there's this adorable little flask, which also doubles as a paperweight.  So not only is it decorative, it's legitimately useful, too.

And just because I know all too well how popular Adventure Time is, I found this amigurumi pattern for Beemo, Jake and Finn's anthropomorphic gaming system.   Which, I gotta admit, might just be my favorite character in the whole show.

Speaking of gaming, I have never played PS3's Little Big Planet, but I am impressed with all the detail on this Sack Boy amigurumi.   I mean, just look at the zipper on this thing.

And just because I know somebody out there is going to appreciate this, here's The Doctor's sonic screwdriver in amigurumi form:

And yes,  I know that a sonic screwdriver is technically not a doll.  However, if you have any complaints, I suggest you address them to this lady:

Granted, I don't know what kind of damage crocheted brass knuckles would do, but I'm willing to guess that it would soften the impact of the person throwing the punch.  Not sure what it would do for whoever is on the receiving end, though.

And on that note, see you Friday!

Holy Hotcakes, Batman!

The only thing I can think of to say about this pancake print is that none of these are burnt enough 

to resemble TH's pancakes.  But that may be more of a statement on his cooking than anything else.

Once again, it's time for those of us who do our worshiping on Sundays to get ready to live it up big time, because tomorrow is Shrove Tueday, AKA That Day We Get To Debauch Ourselves As Much As Possible Before We Have To Give It All Up Until Easter.  As mentioned last year, the most famous incarnation of this festival is Mardi Gras, but for those of us who can't make it down to New Orleans for the beaded-necklace fun there's always Pancake Tuesday, so named because it uses up all the rich things that people traditionally cut out of their diet until the end of the Lenten season; eggs, fat, flour and sugar.

Which I suppose makes sense, in the same way that those who do their worshiping on Saturdays ditch all the chametz before Passover.  And you get the added bonus of having a really fancy breakfast to boot (or even having breakfast for dinner if that's your thing.)  Which is why I figured today I'd take a look at pancake hats, except for one tiny problem: I couldn't find any.

Well, that's not entirely true.  I did find one, but I already posted it.  Last year, to be precise, so I can't very well post it again, have it be the only hat in the stinkin' post and call it a day.  Because frankly, you all deserve better than that, and also just the thought doing that makes my Catholic guilt complex kick into overdrive, so that's just not gonna happen.  However, I did find some other pancakery things which--in the same vein as last year's fruitcake post--I think will fit the bill quite nicely.

So grab your maple syrup--let's dive right into pancakes!

If anything has truly changed since I was a kid, it's that fake food has gotten a whole lot fancier, as these felt pancakes with fruit topping amply prove.  I certainly seem to recall there being a molded plastic waffle that came with one of the many cooking playsets my sisters and I received over the years, whereas the fake food made out of fabric were considered decorative knick-knacks and therefore were not meant to be played with.

Kids these days.  You just don't know how good you have it. < /old fogeyish rant>

As I may have mentioned once or three bajillion times, I don't sew.  However, I do know plenty of people who do, and I suspect that they may be in the market for a wrist-mounted pincushion.  Which is why I'm posting this blueberry pancake pincushion pattern: because it dovetails interests just ever so nicely.

So if Ladies Who Lunch is an actual thing, is there a strictly morning-mealtime group?  If not, then I would like to inaugurate Broads Who Breakfast and make these the official tote bags.  Get on that, Internets.

And just to wrap things up, if you're not all that fond of pancakes, you could always go with my preferred method of screwing up your diet for one day: the mother-flippin' pączki:

And yes, they do look a bit like jelly donuts (kinda like this fake felt one pictured above,) but trust me--they are much better than jelly donuts.  In fact, they are so good, they are only sold once a year, so if you don't get your hands on one tomorrow, your chances of tasting the awesomeness are officially shot for the next 364 days.  Just keep that in mind as you plan out your meals tomorrow.

And on that note, see you Wednesday!

Hood Ornaments

Is it just me, or does this sculpture look like a prop from an abandoned mid-1990s Radiohead music video?  

Not sure about the area in which you call home, Internets, but around here, this winter has been lacking a bit in actual winterness.  That's not to say that it's been completely unseasonable around here--there's no buds on the trees yet that I can see, and it's still a bit cool outside--but even so, winter appears to have failed to launch as a season this year.

Case in point: Tuesday morning, I awoke to snow steadily falling outside my window.  It fell thickly enough that TH had to clear the sidewalk outside our house (which, I might add, was the first time we'd had to do that all season long.)  Finally, it looked like winter might actually happen, getting in just under the wire before spring arrived.

Flash forward not even 12 hours later, and all the snow was gone.  Melted completely away.  And honestly?  That suits me just fine, although it does kind of make posting about things like toques and stocking caps seem a little silly.  It's like talking about the merits of parkas during July--it just doesn't seem right.

Luckily there's still hoods to post about, which are far more versatile when it comes to weather conditions and such. Which is why I'm going to post about them today.

First up, there's this gray hooded infinity scarf, which is both lightweight enough to make for a decent fashion accessory and heavy-duty enough to function as a rain hood.  It's like the best of both worlds!

More along the lines of an actual hood (and a bit thicker, to boot) is this mutlicolored bit of awesomeness, which I love for the sheer Rainbow Brite-like use of every color in the rainbow.  And anything that reminds me of Rainbow Brite is doing something right, so on the blog it goes.

Of course, this wouldn't be HH unless I managed to find one hood that featured buttons as a means of embellishment.  So I'm just gonna post this hood, say that I think the little button bouquet of flowers are adorable, and just move on.

 This upcycled lined hood is both cozy-looking and environmentally green.  Both of which gets it points in my book as well as gets it posted on this blog.

And just because I like to end things on a note in the key of rad, here's a lamb-eared cowl hood:

Or as I like to think of it, a softer take on Adventure Time's Finn's hat.  Either way, it's still rad.

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

Busy Little Beaver

This is quite honestly the most adorable thing you're liable to see all day. Don't argue--just accept it.

I was thinking about it recently, Internets, and I realized that I post an awful lot of animal-themed hats on here.  In specific, I probably post more octopus hats than anything else, but as a class, this blog has seen a whole lot of mammalian hats.  Cats, dogs, squirrels, pigs, raccoons, bears of all kinds, koalas (and no, they're not bears,) pandas (ditto that,) moose, lions, birds, deer, sheep, cows, foxes--you name it, and they've been commemorated in hat form and then posted about on this blog.  In fact, I probably posted so many animal hats on here that it's hard to think of a specie that hasn't received millinery-and-subsequent-HH treatment.

And then, it hit me: beavers.  I don't believe I have posted a single, solitary beaver hat on here, so that is precisely what I am going to do today.

First up is this fleecy beaver hat, complete with button eyes and a button nose.  It also has a tail, but you can't see it in this pic.

This beaver hat is also made of fleece, but is far more anime-eqsue in style than the first one.  Just look at that adorable :3 smile!

It also has a tail, in case you are wondering.

Meanwhile, not only is this beaver hat made out of yarn (!) it also does not come equipped with a tail.  But it does come with a scarf, so it all evens out.

And finally, for those who think that Canada should ditch the beaver as its heraldic beastie on the account that it's too much of a wimp, I would like you to take a look at this beaver hat:

And on that note, the "beaver = wimp" argument is null and void.  You're welcome, Canada.

See you Friday!

Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve

There's something about this print that is both rather sweet and a bit unsettling.  And for both of those reasons, I like it.

Well, once again, Internets, it's Valentine's Day.  Or it will be as of 12 AM tomorrow morning, but that's if you want to split hairs about it.  Either way, like a flare-up of a chronic condition, the day of culturally-mandated romantic gestures is back for another round, and if you happen to be a heart-shaped thing, now is your time to shine (and you would also most likely be inanimate, so how you would be capable of reading this in the first place is a mystery to me, but I'm starting to go off-topic now.)

As I was saying, hearts are all over the place right now.  Heart-shaped jewelry, heart-shaped candies, heart-shaped chocolates, heart-shaped balloons, heart-shaped boxes--basically, if you can feasibly smash things into a vaguely cardiodid fashion and paint it either white, pink or red, you will make out like gangbusters around this time of year.

Which is why today, it's all about hats that feature the shape of the season: the heart.

First up, there's this kitty-eared heart hat that makes me think of the Care Bear Cousins for some reason or another.

When I found this fascinator, the description make me think of TH and his sister, who would start singing "Chantilly Lace" every time we passed near Chantilly, VA.  Which, in turn, got that song stuck in my head.  So I'm posting this in the hopes that maybe now the song will freakin' leave my brain.

Of course, why settle for a hat with one heart when you can rock a mini hat with bunches of little hearts, like this felted wool mamma-jamma right here.

And just because this is also their time of year to shine, here's a hat done in the fashion the godfather of seasonal candies: conversation hearts.

Because frankly, if you're got the choice to either wear a conversation heart or eat one, I'm thinking the former is the lesser of the two evils.

So if you're into the Valentine's Day lovey-doveyness, then here's hoping that you have a great Valentine's Day.  And if you don't, then just remember this:

February 15th is Half-Off Candy Day, and that's something we all can look forward to.

And on that note, see you Wednesday!

Scarf It Down

As far as this print goes, if you enjoy this kind of thing, I think you'll find this the kind of thing that you'll enjoy.

You know what we haven't done in a while, Internets?  Looked at some scarves.  And seeing as it's Friday and all, I think we ought to do that.  Like, now and stuff.  Particularly since it's looking like this winter has chosen the route of the hecka mild and, while it may be too warm for a hat, scarves are for any time of the year.

First up, there's this typographical scarf, done in (what else) Helvetica.

Hey, it could be worse--it could be Comic Sans.  Or any of these fonts, really, but Comic Sans definitely takes the burrito for being The Worst Font Ever.

Then there's this fleecy Jake The Dog scarf.  Because if there's one thing I've learned, it's that there is no end to the Adventure Time love on the Internet.

Of course, if you'd rather go with something a little more obscure, you could always go with this scarf that was inspired by the one worn by Dr. Watson from the Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes movies.  As to whether it will make you look more like Jude Law is a matter of personal opinion.

Believe it or not, these California rolls are actually scarves.  And I highly suggest you follow that link back there to see how these work, as they are both adorable and freakin' genius.

And last but not least, allow me to change the subject.  See, it's my niece's sixth birthday today, and she's been having a cruddy week--stuck in bed and sick for days.  So Kayley, I wish you a happy birthday the best way I know how: by posting a picture of a birthday cake fascinator:

What can I say, kid?  Your aunt is weird.  But it's okay--you've got plenty more to choose from.

Feel better soon, sweetie.  And to the rest of you, I'll see you next week!