New Creations

I haven't blogged in a while, but I have been busy and creative lately.  I've had lots of custom orders through my Etsy shop.  A pirate festival in Connecticut, 1812 celebrations on Canada Day, and an Australian Lady Gaga.  People are having fun all over the world, and I'm thrilled that they are wearing my hats and fascinators!  Here are a few non-Etsy projects I have been working on in the last month.

We updated our Maypole, a tradition in my family.  It was a little late this year, because my parents were in France over May Day, but we did it as soon as they came home.  I use strips of taffeta fabric instead of ribbon, because I can make them nice and wide so they wind around the pole beautifully.  We have a variety of colors every year, and they sometimes change, except for my brother-in-law, who will only participate if he gets a “dirt brown” ribbon.  Here is our maypole this year.

Every year at our winery’s Memorial Day open house, I hang my hand-dyed silk scarves on makeshift clotheslines.  They look particularly lovely when blowing in the breeze.

I recently made a special birthday crown for the little boy of a lady I work with.  I made the numbers out of felt and attached them with velcro so it can be changed and used when he turns two next year.  I got to use a fun new product (new to me, at least).  It’s a fabric that you run through your computer printer.  You can print words and pictures on high quality cotton.  It works wonderfully and I can’t wait to try it again.

One of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to wear more skirts, so I have decided to make myself some fun ones.  Here is my latest.  A pretty blue print with an octopus wrapping his little tentacles around the edge.  I like that the polka dots look like little suckers. I plan to wear it to the beach-themed end of year party at work this week.  I love how it turned out!   

Teacup Fascinators and a Mardi Gras Cat

Our weather hasn't been great around here lately.  First snow, then torrential rains, complete with flooding on major roads.  On my way to work last Wednesday I counted eleven places where water was visibly flowing across the road, six of them on the highway!  But if bad weather is good for one thing, it's for staying home and getting things done.  I have had a great time making my teacup fascinators, and I've been getting a very positive response to them on Etsy.  Now I just have to plan a Mad Hatter tea party!

My next project was the Etsy Dollmakers Team challenge for January- a purple and gold doll.  I made another of my big-eyed cat dolls, but to make this one special, and because of the challenge colors and the time of year, I made her a Mardi Gras cat, so she's wearing a little felt bandit mask with feathers.  I named her Martine, and I think she's pretty cute.

My New Year's resolution this year (and every year for the last five) is to go to the coast at least once every month.  I haven't made it yet, although I did get to October once.  But tomorrow I'm headed to the beach to get pictures of my new tricorns, and to plan my next project- tricorn fascinators.  The mini ostrich plumes arrived in the mail today.  I'm excited to get started on them, I think they will be great!

Coming Soon...

Just a teaser... I've been working on some new teacup fascinators based on the Mad Hatter's tea party in Alice in Wonderland.  They should be available in my Etsy shop in the next week or two, but for now, here is a picture of me wearing one in front of Alice's Shop in Oxford, England last month.