finishing up wips

sorry to just disappear for the last few months; I'm in the final quarter of classes for my doctoral program, which also happens to be the last quarter in which I take 20 credits (twice a full-time load) and teach. Ugh, I am SO tired and so stressed and so busy all the time.

So it's kind of amazing that I've found any time at all to work on old works-in-process (WIPs) this winter and start finishing them up. But, I have. I've also started and (almost!) completed some new things. So I should have a few fun things to show you over the next few weeks. I have a big plans for spring break: painting my shower, woodburning matryoshka dolls, a full skirt and some harem pants to sew, etc. In short, hoping to get back to posting a bit more regularly around here.

I can't believe it's taken me a year and a half to get this simple project done. I found this heavy leather hat at a vintage shop in Sept. 2009 and snapped it up. I was so in love - I'd never seen anything like it before! Of course, now I am seeing hats like this in catalogues everywhere, which is kind of crazy. I had no idea it would be a "thing," but seeing as it has the makings of a trend, I thought I'd better don this baby before it becomes ubiquitous. Rather than push the "Western" feel, I wanted something that would temper it, make it feel a little more equestrian/British than Western/American, and it has taken me 18 months to find a ribbon to make a proper band. I had planned to do a whole lot more embellishment, but I just haven't figured out a combination that I like yet; perhaps a spray of pheasant feathers will eventually find its way onto this baby. For now, a pale honeydew-green strip of silk dupioni, that I pleated and stitched on by hand, will have to do.

I want to wear this with a long, slim linen dress that looks like it belongs in the 1910s. And flat lace-up boots. Fun!