1912 Hat...the Bigger the Better!

Ok, so here it is...finally. I love this hat. Black with a touch of white. And my sweet little Bird of Paradise birdie!!! Oh, they are so very lovely!!! Made of black silk, black velvet, antique lace, wide antique ribbon, and 4 huge willow ostrich feathers....mmmmmmm....I sooooooo cannot wait to wear this with my ivory and black dress!!!

May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose!

Ever since I met Lonna Miller, I have been obsessed with Bird of Paradise feathers. They are beautiful, lacy, fine, wispy, mesmerizing... So when I decided to start making Edwardian/teens outfits, I set about looking to acquire bird of paradise plumes. Watching ebay and etsy, I found a few and they now live comfortably in my home. Then one day, my heart jumped at the sight of a BOP body with head and glass eyes (unfortunately there were no glorious plumes, but I already had those)!!! Squee!!! Seriously! There it was on ebay ready to be purchased by yours truly! But first I had to win the auction...curse you ebay auctions!!! I nervously watched for days as the auction time wound down to the end. To my delight and utter disbelief, NO ONE had put a bid in for it!! Finally, the day of truth was upon me...I sat anxiously in front of my computer feeling the adrenaline coursing through my veins (I'm sure if my doctor had taken my blood pressure at that moment, she would have ordered me to NEVER play the ebay game again). The time was ever so slowly counting down...it is at these moments that I find it absolutely curious that seconds seem to expand until they feel like hours...almost like I am in some sort of space time whirling vortex. Anyway, as I sat in front of the computer, palms sweating, heart palpitating, mouth dry, arms shaking, I entered my low bid and then my high bid. I was on the verge of vomiting when I decided to walk away, thinking "If I win, I win. If I don't, I'll throw a colossal fit worthy of a 4 year old, then get on with my life." Next thing I know, my phone chimes with an e.mail notice. I look at it with great trepidation, and read to my utter and complete surprise the most wonderful words I had read that day...."CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE WON THE BIRD OF PARADISE BODY AUCTION!" Seriously? I yelped so loudly that it drew the curious stares once again from my family. Now all I had to do was pay for the pretty little bird and wait anxiously for it to appear in my mail box! When it finally arrived, I lovingly removed it from its wrapping and set about putting wings and tail on it....After sewing, wiring, molding, and tweeking, I had before me a bird fit for a HUGE teens hat!!!

Can't Have a Suit Without a Hat!

What would those stodgy, proper, Edwardian Society Matrons think if I stepped out in public without having my head full of copper curls properly covered with an appropriate chapeau? Not knowing any personally I have no idea, but I can use my ever fertile imagination! "Why that trollop! What would her Mother think?" My Mother would probably laugh and say, "You go girl!" But I digress....

During my ever ongoing search for fabulous antique millinery feathers, I happened upon a rather large lot on ebay. To my shock and most happy surprise I won the bid! Yeah for me! Imagine my giddy delight when I discovered a HUGE Bird of Paradise plume hidden amongst the offerings!!! Be still my beating heart! Then the very next day there was a composite bird in brown and pale copper bird of paradise under the Buy it Now category....SOLD!!!!! Well, I have been playing around with the feathers and hat (who would have known that Burlington Coat Factory has really neat wide brimmed hats? My fingers are loving that store right now!!!) that came already made in deep copper. Mind you it is not even remotely close to being finished, but I think I will like it when it is!