The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades

You tell 'em, little Fisher-Price Little People man.  You tell 'em.

Well, Internets, now that Memorial Day has come and gone, you know what that means.  Well, if you happen to call any one of the fifty states of a certain set of united ones your home, you do; if not, allow me to explain.

See, it is not the American way to wait for things like, oh, the summer solstice to declare the start of  what is easily the most anticipated season of the year.  Nope--that's for all the rest of you silly saps.*  As far as we're concerned, summer starts roughly 20 days before the subsolar point reaches the Tropic of Cancer (AKA latitude 23.44° north,) and we celebrate accordingly by barbecuing, swimming and basically anything else that strikes us as particularly summery.

However, don't go thinking that we're bogarting all the summer--we also believe that summer ends on Labor Day, which--interestingly enough--clocks in about 20 days before the autumnal equinox, so we get about as much as everybody else.  We just seem to think it starts earlier and ends sooner than the rest of ya'll do.

So it is with this in mind that today's post is all about that most summery of summertime accessories: the sunglasses.

First up is this lovely pair made from bamboo.  Which is pretty cool in and of itself, but then they went and painted them green, which pushes them over into Critically Cool.  Because Green = Awesome.  Always.

Speaking of things made of wood, I am loving this stripey-veneered pair of sunglasses.  The pattern is deliciously retro, but since I don't  recall there being many sunglasses featuring wooden veneers back in the '80s, the material keeps them looking fresh.

This handpainted pair of sunglasses is inspiring in a very bad way.  Why do I say that?  Because it looks so pretty and after you look at them for a little bit, you start thinking to yourself, "Hey, I have a paint pen, a pair of sunglasses and a house free of people to talk me out of this--I can totally make my own pair!"

Note: I am not saying that this did happen.  I'm just saying that it could have happened.  There is a difference.

Granted, this painted Pac-Man pair is no less inspiring, but the temptation is easier to resist when your sunglasses' frames happen to be brown instead of black.  Can't think of too many old-school video games that had a brown background screen, can you?

And just because I'm aware that the crystal-studded look is all the rage, here's a pair of embellished heart-shaped sunglasses:

Sure, they may not be as sparkly as some, but admit it--if they make you as happy as the woman currently modelling them, who cares about sparkle?

And in that note, see you Friday!

* In regards to those who also live in the northern hemisphere.  For you southern hemisphere types, that's your winter solstice and you have my sympathy.

Rendering Honor

United States Joint Service color guard pic taken from here.

To those who gave their all in service to this wacky little country called "home," our hats are off to you.

By The Ear

Note: If you want to look for art featuring earrings on Etsy, the majority of it will be some sort of 

spin on Vermeer's 'Girl With A Pearl Earring.'  This print just happens to be the spin I like best.

You know how people often talk about doing a double-take?  I did one of those the other day, although in an odd, only-on-the-Internet kind of way, and the thing that made me look twice were these:

For the record, those are crocheted earrings.  Now, admittedly I am not much for jewelry (the last time I wore earrings was to my brother-in-law's wedding three years ago,) so it tends not to register in my mind when it pops up on Etsy, Pinterest or any other website.  However, instead of the above earrings just passing right out of mind shortly after seeing them, they did a perfect U-turn, came right back and made me sit there and think, "...Did  I really just see crocheted earrings?"

And what do you know--I did.  That puzzled me a little, because I wasn't even aware that crocheted earrings were even a thing.  Who came up with them?  When did they become popular?  I have no idea, and apparently opinions differ a lot.  And what's more, there are even more of those out there than I could've guessed.  Because crocheted earrings are the new hotness, and honestly, that's just fine by me.

So today, it's crocheted earrings on HH.  Because I can't be the only person who didn't see these coming, but I'm pretty cool with them now that they're here.

First up, there's these leaf-shaped earrings, which are pretty snazzily understated.  Y'know, for earrings made from yarn.

While I remain uninterested in all things colored pink, I will say that these crocheted oval-shaped earrings are
really stinkin' cute.

However, I will freely admit that these green granny-square earrings are far more to my liking, although for some reason they make me think of that Huey Lewis and the News song, "Hip To Be Square."

And finally, because I know there are people out there who like them some statement jewelry, here's a pair of dangly-beaded crocheted earrings:

As to what kind of statement they make, I think that's up to personal interpretation.  My interpretation is "I LIKE CONFETTI.  LOTS OF CONFETTI."

And on that note, see you next week!

Strait-Laced

This original work reminds me of an art project I did back in elementary school.  

It goes without saying that this is way better than my second-grade handiwork, though.

You know what, Internets?  I'm in the mood for something pretty, and you can't get much prettier than lace. Especially when it looks as pretty as this pearl-studded pillbox does:

Admit it: it's lovely, ain't it?  Well, just you wait--there's plenty more where that came from.  For example:

There's this pretty blue-and-gold lacy fascinator, complete with complementary-colored beading and feathers.  It is just screaming to be worn to a cocktail party.  Or a really classy tailgating party.  Whichever's clever.

Speaking of beading, I heartily suggest you embiggen the pic on this embellished pillbox.  Trust me--it'll be worth your while.

The best thing about this red-and-white fascinator, other than the fact that the color scheme means it'll be perfect for the holiday season?  It's gotta be the dyed ostrich feathers.  That detail seriously makes this fascinator for me.

And just to wrap this post up on a high note, here's a fabulous Venetian lace fascinator:

So if  there happen to be any brides out there reading this and are thinking about alternatives to the tiara-and-veil thing, consider this my candidate for the finishing touch for your Big Day.

And on that note, see you Friday!

Bearing Fruit

Say what you want about the WPA, but they 

had some rad posters.  Like this one, for instance.

So I was on Facebook the other day, procrastinating taking a little break from work when I saw this gorgeous piece of millinery show up on my News Feed:

As you'll see should you follow the link, the hat is for the Milliners Of Etsy challenge for the month of June, and it is freakin' amazing; all sparkly and fruity and colorful and stuff.  It is a work of awesomeness and I love it.

Anywho, so I saw the cocktail hat above, that was when I decided that I really needed to do a post on fruit-laden hats as soon as possible so I'd have an iron-clad excuse to share this with the rest of you.  Which pretty much brings us up to speed on the current state of things.

This fruity percher fascinator is a bit more subtle but no less stunning.  I particularly like that the little fruits are vintage millinery fruits from somewhere in the 1930s or 1940s; it's a nice little touch.

This fascinator has a wider variety of fruits than the last one, and it even has a little fuchsia birdie nestled in it to boot.

And because a little randomness is a good thing every now and again, here's a pair of vintage fruit-themed platform shoes:

Yeah, you might break your neck trying to walk around in these bad boys, but I think it's safe to say that you would die in style.  And probably make an above-the-fold story in your local paper, too.

See you Wednesday!

Getting Back To Nature

This collection of flower and dandelion prints is proof that 
just like every cloud has its silver lining, every garden has its weeds.

Confession Time: My inner child is apparently a flower child.  Not entirely certain why or how that is, as that  there is very little about me that jives with the hippie movement (classic or modern-day interpretation,) but I find that the more time I spend out in the country, surrounded by nature and doing stuff like eating fresh-picked berries, fishing with a cane pole or just walking through fields, the more tempted I am to start making daisy chains and garlanding them around my head as I commune with nature.

That's usually around the time that I get bitten by some sort of bug, step in some poison ivy or realize that I've come down with a wicked case of sun poisoning, and then I want to get back in the car and find civilization ASAP.

Okay, so maybe my inner flower child is more about the aesthetics than the politics, but whatever--there's something about being out and about in nature that makes me want to stick flowering plants in my hair.  It just seems like a natural conclusion, and since I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one out there who's felt that way, I figured that maybe making a post of floral head decs might not be a bad idea.  Which is precisely what I am gonna do right now, starting with this:

Because dang it, you don't have to go to San Francisco to put flowers in your hair.  A crown of bluebells would probably work just about anywhere.

This floral headband was actually inspired by Billie Holiday, which makes it doubly awesome if you ask me.

Of course, if you prefer your floral cranial decorations to feature the real deal instead of silk, you can't go wrong with a circlet made of dried flowers.

Then again, there is something to be said for silk flowers.  Particularly if they come in crowns like this. Because if one row of flowers is good enough, than two rows is even better.

And finally, while it doesn't boast a flower, here's a cocktail hat made to resemble that staple of the natural world: grass.

Think of the tiny little ladybug as the cherry on the sundae.  It's pretty much the same thing.

And on that note, see you next week!

The Opposite Of Downcycling

Note:  It's freakin' difficult to find art that references upcycling 

and repurposing, but I think this Earth Day print does the trick nicely.

You know what, Internets? It's been a while since we took a good, honest look at upcycled/repurposed hats, and I think we ought to do something about that.  Which is precisely what I'm gonna do right now, starting with this cocktail hat:

Looks pretty good for being made out of a old necktie, doesn't it?  I particularly like the little brooch added as an accent; it's a nice touch.

Next up is this ginormous flowery fascinator, which was made from what was once a fair prize ribbon. Not bad, huh?

Then there's this cheerful little stripey fascinator, which used to be a scarf before it was given new life as a hat.

And finally, here's a fascinator that--believe it or not--once started out as a vinyl record:

Or at least the base of it did.  But even so, it's still a rad transformation and I like it.  And hopefully you like it, too.

And that's it for today.  See you next week!

In Abstracto

It's not often that you see kaleidoscope-like prints, which I think is a bit of a shame.  

Particularly when so many of them are really neat-looking, like this one, for instance.  

I hope you're feeling anywhere between somewhat-to-supremely arty today, Internets, because I've got some fascinators inspired by abstract art that I just gotta share with you.  Because art and hats are like chocolate and peanut butter--the result is always gonna be Awesome with a capital A.

Don't believe me?   Then check this out:

Yeah, that's what I thought.  Try all you want, but you can't front on Neo-Plasticism.  Especially when it's in fascinator-form.

Is it just me, or does this fractal fascinator look like it was designed in the Bauhaus?

Granted, the colors of this circular fascinator are pretty muted, but it reminds me of  some of Kandinsky's softer stuff.  The inclusion of wood is a nice touch, too.

And just to remind us that we all have dabbled in abstract art once or twice, here's a Spirograph necklace:

And what's more, that necklace is actually part of a jewelry suite--it comes with a bracelet that serves as the stator to the necklace's rotor.  You'll have to supply your own markers, though.

See you Friday!

Making A Beeline

As touching sentiments go, you gotta admit that this one is rather sweet.  (Pun slightly intended.)

Not sure what the weather was like in your area this past weekend, but it's been pretty warm here in Centraliana.  Like, in the 90s warm, and when it gets warm that means pretty much every single bug-type-critter decides they're gonna assert their personalities all over the place.  Thus far, I have had run-ins with ants, crane flies, house flies, mosquitos and--in one freaksome encounter--a spider on my bed.

For the record, if you ever want to have a crappy night's sleep, I heartily suggest lying down in bed and discovering a spider chilling out on your pillow, mere inches from your face.  But I digress.

Anywho, as you might have guessed by the title of today's post and the amuse-bouche, there have also been bees.  Quite a few bees, in fact.  Enough bees that I felt compelled to see if I could find enough bee-themed hats to make a post out of them.  And as you're about to see, that little exercise worked out really well.

First up is this pseudo-saucer sun hat, complete with a ginormous bee appliqué.  Because if you're going to rock a bee on your head, you might as well as go with one roughly about the size of a tennis ball.

Quick question:  Have I posted this bronze fililgree bee headband before, or have I just seen it around for a while before getting to post it?  Either way, it's stunningly pretty.

 Of course, if you're not into actual bees, you could always go with a hat that happens to have a bumblebee color scheme, like this felt-and-lace cocktail hat.

Hey--you create a post about bee hats, it only makes sense to include a knitted beehive hat.  Especially since it happens to be really cute.

And just because I like it, here's a big 'ol flower fascinator, replete with veil and a to-scale bee: 

Because if you're gonna wear a floral fascinator, you might as well go with one that is all flora, all the time.  With a little bit of bee on the side, natch.  A veil is nice, too.

See you Wednesday!

Scruffy-Looking Nerf Herders Need Not Apply

If the title didn't clue you into what today's post is about, this print should make it all abundantly clear.

Yes, my dear Internets, it's one of the best made-up geek holidays of the year:  Star Wars Day.  It's not the same thing as the Universal Day of the Jedi (which coincidentally falls on the 25th of this month, as you can read for yourselves,) but when you consider today's date, it does make sense that if you're going to create a silly holiday about the events of a galaxy far, far away, today is the best day for it.

Why?  Because it's May the Fourth.  Get it?  No?  Try saying the date aloud and adding "be with you" to the end.  You see?  Don't worry, I had to do the same in order to figure it out too, so I'm not gonna judge.

However, I am gonna post some Star Wars stuff.  Because really, I only need half an excuse to post Star Wars stuff anyway.  And to start this off properly, here's the best crocheted Boba Fett helmet you are ever gonna see:

Admit it--it is, and it deserves to be shown from all angles.

In a world where Princess Leia buns are dime a dozen, these certainly stand out from the crowd.  Because these aren't just earmuffs; these are earmuff covers, which also means that they fit on certain headphones, too.  And as an added bonus, you can get them in different hair colors, in case you want to make them match your own hair (or just not be brown.)

Of course, if you want something a little less character-specific, there's always this Star Wars comic book-patterned pillbox hat.  That is, unless you add the Darth Vader veil (which I'm showing here.)  Then it'll be a bit more character-specific.

And just because, here's the best crocheted Yoda hat you're ever gonna see:

Admit it--it is, and pugs make the best Yoda cosplayers.

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