That Extra One

I just donated 101 baby hats! I made them over the course of fall/winter, and just got around to donating them. I was aiming for 100, but when I counted them up the other night, I only had 99. Logically, Id make another and we would have 100 to take to New Hope. After making another, I counted them up this morning, and discovered I had 102! Quite perpuzzled, I had Mom count them again and it was 101 (I trust her counting skills lol!). Oh well, I thought to myself, and put them in a couple cute bags. When I got there I gave them to the lady and told her there was 101, and how that came to be. She smiled and said simply,

"There must be a need for that extra one."

It got me thinking, God often does that. We have an extra pair of shoes, or extra money in our pocket, an extra cup of coffee, or maybe extra time...and God uses it for a reason! Embrace "that extra one"! :~)

Hats for the Holidays! Day 22

Ive had this hat for about 9 years! The crease on the top is from being loved so much. Tis among my top 10 favorite hats Id say. Lots of memories in this hat. <3

A Missing Hairbrush and other Beautiful Blessings!

#worstbloggeroftheyear ;~)

Anywho, since I have forgotten to post the past several days, here are some blessings!

~ Meeting up with my old dance teacher so I can begin strengthening myself for the dance year ahead!

~ T-Tot's surgery (last one!) for a mole went well!

~ The smell of fresh picked apples!

~ Taking a mini-vacation at Walmart! Aka......drooling over cookware and squeeing over CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~ Rejoicing that there are only 81 more days till Christmas!

~ Plotting Christmas presents!

~ Celebrating the fact it is October!

~ Squeeing over the beautiful colors on the trees!

~ Watching the kids use their imagination with their Color Clix! Here is a gun that they made!

and double motorcycles!

and, what I like to think of it as, "A Great Big Electric Whocarnio Flook" from "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas!"

~ Crocheting 85 baby hats so far!
~ Fresh Apple Cider Donuts from Grandma and Grandpa!
~ A play tea set from our "adopted Grandma and Grandpa"!
~ Seeing "twinsies" again!

~ Having a long video call with a friend!

~ Having an unexpected 10-minute visit from a friend!!

(I had to have a picture for proof that she came over ;~) Heehee!)

Nearly forgot the one in the blog title!

~ A missing hairbrush! For then I had to use a comb on the kids' hair this morning which required me to slow down and be gentle as we were getting ready for Church this morning!

Beautiful Blessings - 9/25/15

~ 90 days till Christmas!!!

~ My crochet hook, Marco, and my scissors, Polo!

~ Over 70+ baby hats made to give away!

~ Exploring with colors!

~ Delicious homemade quiche! We havent had it in ages! Mmmmm!

Beautiful Blessings - 8/15/15

~ Finding goofy Christmas hats in my room!

~ Realizing there is only 131 days till Christmas!

~ Seeing my sister's ambitious goal of the world's longest crochet chain!

~ Watching her teach her friends how to crochet a chain.

~ Cooking and freezing food with Mom.

Venerable Vintage Hats: Timeless Simplicity!

A timeless beautiful chapeau of simplicity for Church! I can envision light streaming through a stained glass window upon the lovely lady who wears such at stylish timeless hat!

"In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Venerable Vintage Hats: Wisdom above Pearls!

Job 28:18

No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal; the price of wisdom is above pearls.

Venerable Vintage Hats: Daffodils!

The Daffodils

William Wordsworth, 1770 - 1850

I wandered lonely as a cloud

   That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

   A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

   And twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretched in never-ending line

   Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they

   Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A Poet could not but be gay,

   In such a jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

   In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

   Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

(I memorized this poem as a kid, and as I was thinking about this hat, it came to mind. :~)

Venerable Vintage Hats: Primly Perched!

A cup of tea...

...a good book...

...a warm summer day...

...a kitty on my lap...

...primly perched on a white garden chair...

...a piece of chocolate...

...white gloves...

...a pale pink dress that sways in the wind...

...with a dainty gauzy straw hat upon my head!

Venerable Vintage Hats: Not Seen Everyday!

Minerva: What do you think, Mother?

Stepmother: Uh, it's certainly not the sort of thing you see everyday.

Calliope: I saw it first. How do you think it looks on me, Mother?

Minerva: Ech, awful.

Calliope: I didn't ask you.

Stepmother: How can a mother choose between two such extraordinary daughters!

Calliope: Cinderella. Cinderella!

Cinderella: Yes?

Calliope: Does it look better on me?

Minerva: Or me?

Cinderella: Well, I don't know much about hats, but I don't think it flatters either one of you.

(Stepsisters gasp!)

Minerva: What did you ask her for?

Calliope: She doesn't know anything about hats, she said so herself!

~ Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella 1997

Venerable Vintage Hats: A Stroll down Broadway!

I am in love with the velvet of this hat. It's a bit quirky, it's brown (my favorite color) and it's velvet. Best of all possible worlds!! Can't you picture wearing this hat, strolling down Broadway in New York City in the 40's & 50's? :~D Maybe carrying a purse that matches? You can hear the chatter and laughter of people who are out and about. Heels are clicking on the sidewalk and men tipping their hat as acquaintances pass by.

Venerable Vintage Hats: We Want a Hat!

Cornelius Hackl: [infatuated with Irene] Well, you see, we're two ladies about town and we're looking for a hat to Malloy and...

Barnaby Tucker: We're hats, you see, and we're looking for a lady to Malloy with for the af...

Cornelius Hackl: [signals Barnaby to be quiet] We want a hat!

~ Hello Dolly

Venerable Vintage Hats: A Little Garden!

A little garden of flowers,

sitting on my head.

With tiny white florets,

growing in the garden bed.

Every which way they sprout,

upon my lovely hat.

I dream of a spring day,

with tea, a book, & furry cat!

Venerable Vintage Hats: Satin Grandeur!

This hat has an air of grandeur about it. I will admit, I love the pillbox style of hat! The style is quite flattering. Gleaming satin, and the small touch of sparkle, makes this hat unique! I think I'm ready to don this hat and explore a chateau (or two! Or castle, perhaps?) in Europe. Anyone care to join me? Heehee!!

Venerable Vintage Hats: Spring!

Every time I look at this hat, I'm instantly transported into spring. The air is filled with the aroma of flowers abloom! The lilacs fill the trees; my apple tree is in bloom. A gentle warm breeze is blowing softly through the garden. My skirt flutters softly with the wind as I twirl in the evening light. Birds call to one another with their delightful twittering and chirping. My kitty wanders around the garden as I dance and sing with joy. And maybe, just maybe, the moon peeps out above the trees as the sun slowly sets. In the warm twilight, I look back at my hat, and remember it's still winter! lol Brrr...it's frigid outside!! :~D

Venerable Vintage Hats: A Jaunty Plume!

I've never had a hat like this before! It's such a daring jaunty hat! The white band makes it quite striking. I must admit though, it reminds me the milliner, Irene Molloy, in the movie "Hello Dolly".

Irene Molloy: What's this? A return from Miss Mortimer again?

Minnie Fay: Same old story, cherries and feathers, cherries and feathers. To catch a beau I suppose.

Irene Molloy: If you ask me, she'd do better with a heavy veil.

Heehee!

Venerable Vintage Hats!

This has to be one of my favorite hats at the moment! I have two vintage yellow dresses in this color, and I've been dying to have a good hat to wear with them!! I've also been wanting a wide brimmed hat like this, so when it came in an assortment of vintage hats my boss gave me, I was in love. Hahaha! If only spring would come sooner so I can wear them together and not freeze.... ;~)

(Here's one of the dresses, by the way. I love this dress! This is what I wore when I dressed up as Elizabeth Taylor for Throwback Tuesday)

A new year, a new series - Venerable Vintage Hats!

As you may or may not know, I collect hats. Seriously, I have at least 90 hats. I need to count them one of these days....

So, every couple days, I'm going to post a picture of a hat. This shall replace Throwback Tuesday for a while, until I feel inspired again!

So today's hat is one I was given the day before yesterday! It's a cute little hat, and I'm in love with the feathery curls along the edges! It just adds a sweet little touch to an otherwise boring feather hat. Come to think of it, most feather hats are pretty sweet! Heehee!! 

Look at the little curls!! They're just so sweet looking!! 

And if anyone wants to know, the label says "Adoria, Kaufmann's, Pittsburgh"!

Throwback Tuesday: By the Christmas Tree!

Sometimes during the Christmas season, you need something special to wear to a fancy fete! A dress like this always does the trick. Especially if it has roses and sparkles! It's also a good dress for a bit of dancing around the Christmas tree or under a star-filled sky! This is one of my favorite vintage dresses as it twirls deliciously! Heehee!! 

Throwback Tuesday: Dressed for the Holiday Social Season

With Thanksgiving only a couple days away, the start of the holiday season is here! 

This is a perfect outfit if you are going: 

to a dinner, 

the opera, 

a performance of Nutcracker ballet, 

a classy vintage movie theater to watch a Christmas classic such as  

It's a Wonderful Life or The Christmas Carol,

being a hostess for Thanksgiving,

attending a party,

going to the symphony,

enjoying a delightful tea,

or just dressing up for fun this holiday season!

Timeless yet elegant for any social event this holiday season!

**disclaimer** I wouldn't recommend wearing this for one of those ugly holiday sweater contest parties. It just doesn't seem appropriate..... ;~)