Henna Hair Color Update

PLEASE NOTE:  I did NOT use any henna from Alibaba or Keo Henna, and can not endorse their products.  They "borrowed" my pic for their listing.  I have used henna from Henna Hut or EathDye for many years since I posted this.  And, I get nothing from either henna supplier if you decide to try their wonderful henna.

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Wanted to give an update on how the Henna Hair Dye was going.  It's been about a year now since I started coloring my hair with "Red" Henna about once a month.  Have to say I love this stuff.  It's a beautiful color and pretty easy and pleasant to do.  But, I've heard a few suggestion for adding various things to the henna to get different results, such as essential oils, lemon juice or tea.  One was that vinegar would help set the color.

I have noticed that even weeks after I'd washed my hair I would still see color bleeding out into the drain. Thought I'd give the vinegar a shot.  I tried rinsing my hair with Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) diluted 50/50 with water after shampooing.  The next wash, I didn't see the color in the drain anymore.  So, I've come to the conclusion that it must either set the color or rinse the excess out.  But, thankfully I didn't notice any change in the color of my hair.



So, yesterday I tried using the ACV with the Henna for the first time.  This is the first time I've altered the mixture from just tap water and henna.  I used about 2 parts water to 1 part Apple Cider Vinegar with the henna.  After one hour (as usual) I rinsed with water and let set overnight. This time I also applied Coconut Oil to my hair after rinsing and slept with it in until morning when I washed my hair thoroughly with color safe shampoo.  I think it is a slight bit darker, but this could be due to the coconut oil conditioner, too.

Vinegar is supposed to make the mix more acidic, which is why it is used in other dying like fabric and Easter eggs.  I guess it works by stripping the oil/residue off so the dye can penetrate better.  I'm sure if I'd used more vinegar it may have also gone even darker.  Others have suggested using lemon juice for an even darker color, but this will also dry out your hair quickly and may produce a brassier orangish color.

The Coconut Oil is good for smoothing hair.  A little goes a REALLY long way.  Use sparingly.  It can also clog your drains.  But, it makes hair soft and can be used as a detangler.

So far, I'm not sure the vinegar is worth the added trouble of adding it to the mixture.  At least it doesn't cost much.  But, I do think rinsing with it afterwards helps prevent the color from staining the shower and towels.  I'll keep you posted if I try any other ingredients or techniques.  To read about my first experiments with henna check out this post.

New Halloween Painting Tutorial on Etsy.com

Ever wondered how I paint my Witch BOO'ts? Or, have you wanted to paint Halloween scenes on something, but too intimidated to try?  After many requests, I've put a tutorial together that is full to the brim with ideas and techniques to help you decorate your own projects.  And, these techniques can be used on a variety of projects and different surfaces.



This follows up on the Paper Mache Witch BOO't tutorial starts with the priming and preparation of the sculpted boot and continues through to sealing with varnish.  It includes tips at every step in the process, as well as 10 techniques for copying and transferring images with suggestions on which to use for different purposes.


Also included as a bonus are 4 complete Halloween scenes and some various elements to use in them.  I've included images of how they might work on one of my witch boots and recommendations for how to apply them.



Each scenes is separated out to make it easier to alter and apply to your project.  And, each are totally different, so you have a variety of inspiration to work with.

Plus, I've included 2 pages of elements including witches, cats, skeletons, tombstones, trees, JOL's, and much more.  These elements can be used with the scenes or on their own.

Hope you like the new tutorial.  You can find it here:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/159755866/halloween-painting-pdf-tutorial  If you try it, I'd love to hear how it works for you!

Quick, Simple and Inexpensive Facelift for Leather Items

As I've said before, Steampunk fashion doesn't have to be expensive or difficult.  And, owning/creating unique leather accessories is not as intimidating or as costly as one might have you believe it has to be.  You really don't need to spend a fortune on tools and specialty products.  With a little black permanent marker, a few products around the house and a few minutes of time, these old boots renewed and transformed.  

I found this pair of leather boots at the thrift store awhile back for like $2.  I was drawn to the side embellishment that reminded me of the buttons on Victorian spats.  But, my new-to-me boots were a bit abused.  It looked like a kitten had climbed up one leg and used it for a scratching post.  There were tiny scratches all up one side of one boot.  They weren't deep, just deep enough to damage the finish, so I gave the boots a chance.   (The steps I go though below were to clean and repair, and decorate my used/damaged boots.  Some of these steps can be skipped, if you find boots that are in varying condition.)

Leather Cleaning - When I got home the first thing I did was clean the boots with Saddle Soap and replace the insoles.  I just happened to have the leather soap around.  It's not terribly expensive and can be found at leather and possibly feed stores.  This stuff is just a soapy substance with oils in it to prevent the leather from drying out.  You can use any other leather or shoe cleaner or even Murphy's Oil Soap.  Note though, if you chose Murphy's, you may not want to use it regularly to clean your leather items unless you intend to oils them as well.  It may dry out the leather.  

Once the boots were clean, I could better see what the damage was.  I sanded down the scratches.  There were also some small stains and scuffs.

Removing the Finish - I wanted to get the old finish off as best I could, which would also help remove the appearance of stains and other surface damage. Plus, the surface would better accept whatever I decided to do to it (This step is not necessary for permanent markers).  The Saddle Soap is great for removing dirt and grime, but I wanted a nice even, non-oily surface to draw on.  I did some quick research online and found out that most of what they sell as "dye prep" or "deglazer" is actually just stuff you can get over-the-counter at any discount or grocery store for way less.  You can safely use acetone (nail polish remover), non-acetone nail polish remover, lemon juice, rubbing alcohol or even pretty much a mixture of any of these to "deglaze", or prepare, leather for dying or in my case drawing.  All these fancy words mean is taking the finish off of the leather to restain or refinish it.  (Yes, these chemicals can also remove the oils in the leather, so use sparingly and with caution.)  After stripping the leather, you'll want to wipe off any residue with a damp cloth.  You'll know the stripper is working if water penetrates the leather quickly.  I wiped my boots off thoroughly and let completely dry.

Permanent Markers - After the boots were dry, I colored the black portions with a fat tipped black Sharpie marker and let it dry.  I've also used fabric dye, water colors, acrylic paint, etc... to decorate leather.  But, markers are another inexpensive and less messy way to add color and interest to plain objects.  It may take a few markers to cover large areas.  And, you may need to go over them a couple times, preferably in different directions to avoid streaks and stroke marks.  You can also use finer tipped markers to get in tight spaces.  (Beware that black markers can vary in color slightly, even within the same brand.  Test your markers before using on your project.)

Conditioners and Sealers - The last step I chose was mink oil.  Again, I conveniently had this around.  You can use any other finish or sealer for leather or shoes.  Just be mindful not to smear the marker with your choice of sealer.  The mink oil didn't seem to affect the marker in any way.  It's always best to test it out in an inconspicuous place first.  You can also seal with acrylic sealer from the craft store, but I didn't want my boots, being used and older, to crack at the ankle.  Eventually, I may recolor and seal with acrylic, as well.  But, the good news is, since I used a marker to decorate these boots, I can use the marker to touch them up if they gets scuffed or worn off, too.

So, now I have a unique pair of boots to wear with my steampunk outfits that cost me less than $10 including the supplies!  Hope this will inspire you to see the potential in plain ordinary items.  Until my next post, be crafty!

Another Cowboy Hat into Steampunk Top Hat

Found another lonely cowboy hat at the flea market a few weekends back for five bucks.  So, I thought I'd put together a bit more info on how I reshape them into top hats for those who want to try it. 

 

This hat was in pretty dingy dusty shape.  But, it was a smaller sized hat that would fit me, which seems rare in the cowboy hats I find.  We tend to only find them in larger sizes. 

 

This project will require a felt hat (beaver felt is the best choice), scissors, a ruler, a contrasting color of pencil, a sink filled with water, and a towel.  You may also want a sauce pan lid or drinking glass for shaping and a seam ripper for removing stitches.

Remove Decoration - In this case, the decoration was simply a ribbon hat band.  Used a seam ripper to remove the few stitches holding it on.


Pull Out Lining - I removed the satin lining from the inside.  The lining is usually just tacked in with a little glue.  This one had an internal leather hatband that was surprisingly still in really good shape. So, I decided to just leave it in. If it was rotting or worn, I would remove it all.  Might take a seam ripper to get the old band out.  They can be replaced with a simply piece of bias tape. 
Clean Off Loose Dust and Lint - I was intending to cut this hat for an experiment, but it was actually in a lot better condition than I imagined before cleaning it up.  So, I decided to just reshape it.  Being a used hat, I took it outside and dusted and brushed off loose dirt and lint.  I push out the dents and straighten the brim  to make this easier.  Scrub off any stubborn spots.  At this point it's easier to see any damage that needs to be taken care of, like moth holes or stains.  If the damge isn't something that can be repaired, I may decide to try a different style that will eliminate the damage all together.  But small holes can be plugged and felted with scraps from the brim. 

Trim the Brim - Next, I measured how wide I wanted the brim.  I went with 1 1/2" wide all around.  I made small marks with a light colored pencil and a ruler about 1/4" apart.  I trimmed to the marks with a sharp pair of scissors and sanded off any rough crooked areas or bumps with sandpaper.(You could also do the trimming step after shaping.  Especially with a hat that may stretch or shrink while cleaning and shaping.  But, since I was dying my hat, cutting off the excess would conserve dye.) 

Dying (optional) - The hat wasn't a very flattering brown on me, so I decided to try some red fabric dye, but it didn't hold as well as hair dye did on one of my previous experiments.  But, it gave it just enough color to make it more flattering to my complection.  I prepared the dye according to the package and painted on the dye with a paintbrush, let it dry completely in the sun and then washed it off in our stainless steel sink.  In the future, I think I may try henna on one of these hats just to see what happens.  If I wasn't dying the hat, I would just dunk it in a sink full of room temperature water until it was completely soaked.  If the hat is dirty, as with this one, scrub it gently with soap and perhaps a toothbrush.  Don't agitate it too much or it could shrink and distort.

Shaping - After dying the hat will be wet.  I use a towel to blot dry as much of the excess water as I can remove.  Then, set the damp hat on a dry towel to reshape.  I wanted a top hat, so I needed to stretch the top out more.  I used a small sauce pan lid to enlarge the top the the size I wanted.  I push the lid into the inside of the hat (handle out) until it is even all around.  I keep pulling the hat down over the lid until I get the wrinkles out of the top the best I could.  Once it is even, I carefully pull the lid out and fix any distortion with my hands.  (Note that when stretching the top, you will lose some height and make the hat shorter.)  Laying the hat upside down, I push the center of the top back out in a slight dome.  You can used a drinking glass to smooth this out along the inside.  I also curl up the sides using a round pencil and shape til I'm happy with it.

Drying - Lastly, I just wait for it to dry.  Setting it on something will help to keep it from getting flat spots on the brim.  If you decide you don't like the style or it is crooked, just redunk the hat in water and try again.

Final Touches - Once I had a style I liked and it was completely dry, I rummaged through my stash to decorate it.  You can use ribbon, scarves, feathers, pins, goggles, patches...just about anything you want.


I tried a few different scarves.  And, narrowed it down to a long black net scarf with the ends hanging down in back. Also, added a couple feathers and stole the goggles off one of my other hats. 



As always, if you try one, I'd love to see your results!  It's a really easy and rewarding project.  Next, I hope to get a post up with some pics of the Bustle Bar.

Henna Hair Dye and a Couple Quick "Tips"

PLEASE NOTE:  I did NOT use any henna from Alibaba or Keo Henna, and can not endorse their products.  They "borrowed" my pic for their listing.  I have used henna from Henna Hut or EathDye for many years since I posted this.  And, I get nothing from either henna supplier if you decide to try their wonderful henna.

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Tried Henna on my hair for the first time about a five weeks ago.  I was so excited, I shared my results on Facebook as soon as I did it.  But, I'd like to share a few more things I learned. 

I've only altered my hair color a few times in my life.  But, as I've gotten older my hair sorta changed to a drab dark blonde and starting to get random grays popping up.  So, I wanted to try a new color.  I tried going dark brown and then almost black for a short time.  I didn't like the price of salon upkeep or the the chemical smell and constant fading of the home coloring kits.  When I became interested in tribal belly dancing, I'd started reading a lot of good things about henna.  I really wanted to try it.  People have been using henna to dye hair and skin for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.  But, alas, I couldn't find anyone that did it or anywhere to buy it near me.  It just never caught on in the US.  A couple years ago someone I met told me of a place online, but I'd totally forgotten all about it 'til now.  (Actually, I was kinda intimidated to do it myself.)  Finally, on a whim I took the plunge. 

Pure henna is more of an orange color and is most associated with Lucille Ball from "I Love Lucy" fame.  But, there are now mixes available for many color variations from red-orange to burgundy to brown to even black that uses a flowering plant called indigo, as well.



On the left of the pic above, it shows the day after I used a red mix on my hair.  (I didn't style my hair at all.  That's my natural curl.)  The right is a week later after a couple washings with regular store bought shampoo (and I got around to straightening it).  It was so easy to do.  Just add warm water, mix, apply, wait, and wash out.  I had my man, Mr Sam, help me with mine.  I knew that if he missed any spots, I could always reapply. 

Henna works with your own hair color and highlights, so the color varys a lot.  And, you can't go lighter, only darker.  The smell is pleasant enough.  But, most surprisingly, it really does seem to make your hair softer and healthier looking.  I think this is due to the shine it gives it.  It realy glows in the sun.  The "red" color I chose looked like chocolate pudding going on, but was more like mud when dried after the hour I left it on. There are no harsh chemicals, so you can apply it as much or as many times as you like without harm to your hair.  You can pretty much use it anywhere, too! Even on pets and kids, if you wanted.  I tried dying my eyebrows with it!  (Boy, did I look funny while I waited!  I looked like Groucho Marx!)  It will dye your skin temporarily, but if you apply it late in an evening, it will wear off your hair line by the next day.  Hands will take longer, especially fingernails!
You may be wondering why I took so long to share this info on my henna experience.  (What am I saying?!  It always takes me forever to post things!)  But, I've waited until I had completed a touch up to the roots, just to see how much success I would have with it.  They recommend touching up the roots about once every three weeks or so.  I waited just over a month.  But, it turned out just as well as when I first dyed my hair.  The color on my ends is really holding up to the washing.  But, it IS a permanent dye.  My mom has been using home kits for some time now.  And, they fade well before a month has passed.  After seeing my results, she decided to try henna as well, so I helped her a couple of weeks ago.  She bought the "burgundy" color, but since she already had a dark burgundy color on her hair, I thought it best we just try doing the roots and see where it goes.  We could always reapply to all of her hair.  It ended up about the same color as mine, which was a wee bit disappointing...well, maybe a tad darker.  But, it blended with her faded old color quite well. 



When doing my mom's roots, I didn't opt to purchase the application kit.  Instead, I tried a suggestion of just clipping the corner off of a ziplock bag.  However, the hole in the bag began to get larger and larger as I worked. And, I couldn't set it down or it leaked everywhere. So, I though, "there has to be a better way!".



And, looky here! There was a better way. And, it's an "upcycled" way!  So, here's a quick "tip" for those who want to try henna themselves and don't want to purchase the application kit.  Just make your own applicator tip.  Believe me, it works!


I was inspired by my dollar store pastry bag with interchangable screw on tips.  But, I wanted to recreate the idea using the tip off of an old bottle to apply the henna.  I couldn't just pour the mix in the bottle.  For one, the neck is too small to be practical.  But, also, I don't like when I get air bubbles and splatter mess everywhere.



I looked through my stash of bottles and decided on cutting the top off of an empty school glue bottle. They previously had non-toxic contents and have a nice narrow tip.  With a daughter in elementary school and all the crafting we do, I get a lot of these bottles. So, I cleaned one up really good with soap and water.  You could probably use other containers, like those for fabric paint or even a ketchup dispenser.  The flat design of the glue bottle is rather handy, though.  I left the shoulders of the bottle on to have somethinge to hold on to when twisting the cap on and off. 

 

After preparing the bottle, I cut the tip off of the ziplock bag as usual.  (It doesn't take a big hole.)  Then, I unscrewed the applicator cap off of the bottle and dropped the shoulder portion of the bottle into the bag.  Then, I just screwed the cap back on over the bag on the outside.  That's pretty much it!  You're ready to get dying.  Just open and close the top as needed to apply the henna like icing a cake with a pastry bag. I suppose you could do this with regualr henna for applying mehndi designs, too.  Or heck, ice a cake with it!
But, here's another tip:

 

One of the videos from the website suggested putting your bags over a cup to fill them.  Just pour the mix of henna powder and warm water into the bag over the cup.  (It took 1 1/2 bags that are 100 gram each to cover my long thick hair.  But, when reapplying only on the roots, I would say it only took about 1/4 of the bag.  I mixed 1/3 and had way too much left.)  Push out the air and seal up the bag.  You can use a rubber band around a large bag to keep it more manageable.  That made it really easy. 

I'm wondering if it would be possible to just mix the henna right in the bag?  Whatcha think?  I think I'd have to use a gallon-sized bag and mix it to the opposite corner of the applicator tip.  I may try a small batch next time and see how it works.

Yay!  Now, I'm a red head!  And, being so easy to keep up with, I think I'll stay this way for awhile.  I've found that it ends up costing me much less than the store bought home kits in the long run.  I can use one bag to do at least 4 touch-ups.  If you're interested, I got my henna "red" color from Henna Hut (www.hennahut.com).  They're a family run business near Houston Texas.  But, I believe their business is done strictly online.  The website is full of useful info and testimonials.  They were great about getting it to me right away.  And, they're conveniently on Facebook to answer any questions.  Hope you give it a try.  If you do, let us know how your results turn out!

"Cool" Organizing Tips to Try This Summer

If you've followed this blog long, you know I love to upcycle stuff.  I'm constantly looking for ways to reduce our waste and avoid having to purchase things I can make myself.  Well, here are a couple things you can try while cooling off this summer.



Any grade school'er will tell you that popsicle sticks make versatile crafting supplies, but there are other frozen treats with handy things worth saving, as well.



Take the simple Push Up Popsicle for instance.  Ever thought to use it for organizing your sewing notions?



Use them as an easy way to organize bobbins and thread spools together so you don't have such a difficult time finding them. All you need is that plastic stem off you a push up. Turn it upside down and slip the spool and then the bobbin on the stick. You can store these together vertically in a drawer or box and never have to search for the set again.   Just pick them up by the stem to pull them out.

 

I should point out that there different brands to look out for.  Push Up by Nestle brand have removable hollow straw sticks, while other brands are molded in one piece.



If you get the Push Up type with the removalbe stem, you can put another end on the other side and store them sideways to see the colors better.  The great part is they don't touch the sides of the container or each other where stains can discolor them. 



If you want a handy carrying case for those thread/bobbin sets, store them in a gallon-sized ice cream tub.  These tubs are great for storing all kinds of things.  I keep my can tabs, bottle caps, paints and other supplies in them.  I even used to store powdered laundry soap in them when I was back in college years ago.  They not only keep things all in one place, they're a good size for traveling and are stackable. 

So, those were two ways you can feel slightly less guilty when the family is enjoying a frozen treat this summer.  :)  Next up I'll probably be sharing another reworked cowboy hat or my recent adventures with hair coloring.  Until then, be crafty!

DIY Dog or Cat Beds - Made from Old Sweatshirt and Other Things Around the Home

A new friend, Carol, sent me a DIY idea for a dog or cat bed that I thought was absolutely brilliant!  It's made from an old sweatshirt, a pillow, and some other stuffing.   She didn't know, but we'd been pondering how we could make our own just days before she sent this.  So, we whipped one up over one weekend, and I thought I'd share our experience. 



Very little sewing on this project.  Only took about an a hour or so to gather, prepare and finish the project with stuff we already had around.  Lindy isn't really sure about the bed, yet.  She's never actually had one before.  But, we are trying to train her because she's starting to have trouble jumping up to the bed.  She tries it out every once in awhile.  Beats the cold hard floor, I'm sure.



Here is the pic she sent that inspired us.  By the watermark, it looks like it came from a facebook post by pensedenovo(https://www.facebook.com/AllGodsCreaturesPetServices/posts/165953616875336), but the author may actually be here:  http://caninablog.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/ciccilo-mostra-cama-com-conceito-reciclavel/


 

An average size sweatshirt may be okay for a cat or small dog.  But, you're gonna want a fairly large shirt for a larger dog. Our IG, Lindy, is a medium-sized dog at less than 20 lbs and shorter than 2 foot from nose to base of tail.  I already had an old oversized sweatshirt that would be perfect.  When Lindy was cold as a puppy she would actually crawl into this sweatshirt while I was wearig it.  (There was plenty of room for both of us.)  So, she even had history with it.  :) 

For the pillow, we had some used polyfil bed pillows that flatten out over time.  When they get flat, I normally take out a seam and sew it in to a square size refluffing as needed.  Then, I cover again with pretty fabric and use them to camp with.  But, I had one left over that hadn't been repurposed, yet.

The side stuffing in the sleeve portion in ours is old carpet padding that we shredded up.  This took most of our time, but the stuffing created a much denser walls that will hold it's shape better than the polyfil to provide more support.  Afterall, we don't want her rolling off to the floor.

As for the sewing part.  You want to close up the neck hole first.  Then, sew a line right across the chest where the sleeve starts.  Doesn't have to be perfect.  Now, you just stuff the sleeve/chest portion with stuffing of any kind like old clothes, pillow stuffing, or carpet padding.  You may even want to try plastic grocery bags.  Close up the ends of the sleeves and attaching them together.  Shove an old pillow into the belly portion through the bottom and sew up.  The last thing is to attach the sleeve to the bottom of the belly portion where you closed it.  We didn't sew all around this.  Just tacked it in the center and a little ways up both arms.  This will allow crumbs and lint to fall through, instead of accumulating in the bed.



Here's a whimsical variation using jeans:  http://crushable.com/other-stuff/the-daily-wtf-here-is-a-dog-bed-shaped-like-a-lap-953/



And, a bed made from a suitcase:  http://moxandfodder.com/2011/10/24/vintage-suitcase-dog-bed/  This is nice if you want to hide it under the bed or somewhere when not in use.



And, the same idea leaving the top on:  http://www.atypicaltypea.com/2011/03/11/rethink-reuse-suitcases/suitcase-dog-bed/  Leaving the lid on might make it easier to toss all the toys in and tuck under the couch when company comes calling.  (Might want to secure it so it won't fall down on the dog when in it) 

Hope these ideas inspire you to make your own dog/cat bed for your pet, instead of purchasing an overpriced one from a store.  Continue on crafting!

Free Felt Bat Pattern for Halloween

Sure wishing the weather would start cooling off here.  I'm so ready for fall and Halloween to get here.  Oh, but wait!  Then I'd have to have all these projects done!  Nevermind.  :) 

While the daughter was busy sewing her felt/polar fleece stuffies this summer, I sat down with her a few times to create this bat for her. 



He's about 10" wide and 3.5" tall and made with mostly felt scrap, a piece of chenille stem and some buttons. The chenille stem makes the wings slightly posable.  I have to say that, though I enjoyed myself, handsewing the entire thing has really made me appreciate my sewing machine.



If you'd like to make one of these, I've put together a free pattern with some brief instructions on Craftsy.com:



http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/toy/felt-button-bat/160384 - I'd really love to hear if you give it a try!

BTW, while I was making my bat, the daughter tried her hand at a baby bat, too. :)  Isn't it adorable?! It's pretty small at only 4" in length.  She gave it to me and it is now sitting on my computer speaker until I find it a better spot.  She's still at the stuffy making frenzie.  I'll post some more of her work, soon.



Hope you're having a crafty time! 

Porkpie and a Cocktail - 1 Hat into 2

Be amazed as I tell you how we turned one ordinary unassuming cowboy hat into not one...but TWO totally new hat creations just like magic!  Yes, you read that right.  We created this porkpie hat for Mr. Sam...



...and a cocktail hat for me... 



...out of one used cowboy hat!  Well, okay, it might not be too terribly "amazing" or "like magic" in any way.  But, it is definitely thrifty, right?! :) 

Not so recently we acquired another cowboy hat (this one is from my dad who heard us yammering about our interest in reshaping felt hats).  Right away Mr. Sam had started making it into a short top hat style like the previous brown one, but he didn't like how it was turning out due to the red vent holes on the sides and gave up.  After it sat for awhile in our craft shelf, I finally pulled it down, reshaping and shortening it even more on top to the porkpie style we've come to know and love. 



This one is much shallower than the brown one because of the deeper fold.  When he put it on I kinda thought he reminded me slightly of when Johnny Depp wore a porkpie in "Benny and Joone", except that this one is black and the brim is shaped slightly different.

 

After finishing it, I don't think the red rivets look so bad.  Though, I think it would be nice with an extra wide hadband with red in it.  You think?  I'm contemplating making a band out of seed beads.  Perhaps a snake pattern or something.



Then out of the blue, I managed to pull a second hat out of the first.  Or, should that be off of it?  All I know is there's one thing we keep accumulating from all these felt hats.  (I think 8 now actually, not including our gazillion tabistry and leather hats!)  It's lots of scrap felt from the excess brims.  Cowboy hats tend to have really wide brims.  And, we keep cutting them down to about 1 1/2-2 1/2 inches, leaving me with a pile of felt rings.  And, you probably know by now that I can't throw anything away.  :)  So, the other day as I was straightening up the craft room, I was inspired by the coiling of the scrap felt as I put it up.  It looked like it would make a unique little cocktail hat for a rockabilly-ish night out.



I made a kind of tapered slanted pill box by wrapping the felt around in a more deliberate coil.  The top was then covered with a piece of scrap felt.  I embellished the front with a big black removable pin.  This way I can be indecisive and change it to match my outfit.  Like the red paper hat I posted about, I used a piece of netting (probably from produce or something), this time in black, to make a short veil.  Later, I went back and added the black lace trim.  (Forgive me for "photoshopping" the top of the hat in this pic.  I actually didn't put on the lace trim until a few days after the event.)



For this last mintue event, I just pinned the hat on my head using hairpins.  There is a ridge created just under the outer ring by the overlapping coiled strip that I secured the pins so that they weren't visible.  But, eventually I will sew in a clip/comb or two to keep it in place.  I have to say, the hairpins kept it in on my head pretty well considering how wild we can sometime dance!  :)

 

We had a really good time.  Watched some talented performers and, best of all, listened/danced to some great live music.  Need to do it again soon! 

In other news, I've got a mile long list of crafting to get back to on top of tutorials to write.  And, Halloween is approachng very sneakily.  So, if you don't hear from me for awhile, don't panic.  :)  I hope to have some spectacular stuff to show when I come up for air.  Until then, be craftastic!!

DIY Hats for Stylish Hobos and Outlaws

 

You may remember a few posts now where I mention how we discovered the joys (and savings) of reworking felt hats, particularly cowboy hats.  Well, I'm finally posting about Mr. Sam's (my SO) attempts at reshaping felt.  This brown top hat was the very first.  It's been almost a year and three other felt hats since then!



The hat originally started as a used cowboy hat, like the others.  He found two, one black and this brown one, at the local flea market complete with boxes along with the black leather he used on my riding hat and some other stuff for $20!  (I'm still amazed when I repeat that!)  Really, these were in too good of condition when we got them.  Even if I'm not a fan of modern cowboy hats, these were really nice.  Being his first try, I'll admit I had my doubts on how this would turn out.  Hate to potentially waste perfectly good hats.  But, I told myself that there is an abundance of these here in Texas.  :) 



It was painful for me to see him start cutting on them, but I'm so glad he did!  This hat looks SO good on him!  Right?  Personally, I think he should consider wearing this one everyday, if not at least all fall and winter.  I jokingly insisted he needed the hobo-ish daisy flower on it.  So, low and behold, he made a matching one out of leather to put on his custom leather band.  I think it fits his personality to a tee!  Not too tall, not too short, and not too flashy.  And, the shaping and color are great.  Perfect for a casual Steampunk outing.


 

After finishing the brown top hat, he them started to work on the black one.  He decided to keep the wide brim on it and make it more the pork pie fedora style.  Gotta give my sis credit for finding the now metal chain hatband at a thrift store near her where it was living life as a belt.  I love this hat on him, too.  Still has a western, or cowpunk?, look to it with the wide brim, but the shape makes it more vintage looking than the modern-ish tall taco-folded cowboy hats.  And being black, it kinda gives him a "bad guy" or outlaw thing.  A girl's gotta swoon over that!  ;)

I'll have some more hats to post very soon.  We just can't seem to quit making them.  Don't know what it is about hats.  Guess it's like shoes or tattoos.  You just can't seem to have enough of them.  I've already had to build a makeshift wall-mounted rack for our collection using old hangers and a shower curtain rod just to get them out of my craft space.  :)  (More about that another time!)  Until next post, happy crafting!