fine & dandy

Look – it’s snowing!

In between filling holiday orders, I whipped up a cozy new style: the Fine & Dandy.  I think it’s what would result if a newsboy, a slouch hat, a crusher and a beret all got together and had a love-child. 

fine & dandy in black italian wool

 

fine & dandy in black italian wool

 

fine & dandy in black italian wool

 

fine & dandy in black italian wool

 

fine & dandy in black italian wool

The fabric is super soft & plush, and super warm to boot!  Available here.  There are some new Capricious, Fedorable, Sweetheart & Confidante hats in the shop too.

I hope that everyone had a marvelous Thanksgiving and that you are enjoying this lovely season!

hello there

 

winter

And how are you?  I know it it’s been days and days since I’ve written but I’m here, keepin’ on keepin’ on. Feeling very quiet.  Life seems to have sped up and slowed down, all at the same time.  Does it seem that way to you?  I’ve been sticking pretty close to home, head down, working away.  Experimenting really, with how I work.  It’s a fun adventure and I’m so grateful for the time and space that I have right now.  Money is tight and sales are slow, but that’s to be expected.  It’s fine really and quite freeing, in it’s own way.  The extra time has allowed me to focus on designing and trying things that may lead me somewhere wonderful or nowhere at all. Just joyful creating. And we’re staying in NYC for the time being.  Bruce has decided to not continue with the new job in Vermont.  It just wasn’t the right fit, and though it’s not the best of times to turn down financial security, it’s always the right time to follow your instincts and I’m proud of him for that.  I think we’ll end up in Vermont eventually as we do love it there, but we want to go with full and happy hearts.

So in between working, I’m making holiday cards and gifts and I have a couple of loved ones with birthdays this time of year too.  My friend Mark’s birthday was yesterday, and the image above is from the book I gave him to celebrate.  Mark is a very talented musician and the book was an old children’s songbook, published in 1900.  All the songs are about nature and how to care for it – very au courant – and there are lovely illustrations throughout.  So beautiful, and I think Mark really liked it. 

Beginning tomorrow, I thought I’d share more of my process, both designing and making.  I’ll start with some pictures of my little studio, where I’ve been spending so much time.  Until then, I’ve been making weekly shop updates and there are a few new hats there, including more Fedorables, for which I’ve had some requests.

Be well, stay warm, and thanks for stopping by.

I should take breaks more often

Wow! Since my little break, the Phillies won the World Series, Obama won the White House, the Democrats won the House and Senate, and a big-name editor called me asking for samples.  Yippee!!  I hope everyone had a great fortnight as well.  I must say, I’m just now recovering from all of the excitement!

In the meantime, I’ve done a little updating to the shops, adding a few new hats & fabrics, as well as a new style, the “Confidante”. My idea for Confidante was to create something that would look great any day of the week, and be the perfect hat to take while traveling.  So I designed a combination of a sleek little skullcap and an asymmetrical cloche.  What do you think of her?  Here are a few pictures:

 

confidante in wool

 

confidante in wool

 

confidante in wool

 

confidante in wool

 

confidante in wool

available here, here and here

Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you!  I’m participating in Indie Fixx’s Holiday Galleria from now through January 5.  There are lots of great designers showcasing beautiful work, so it’s definitely worth checking out for your holiday shopping!

yoga and hat of the day: 10

 

my yoga mat awaits

Now that I am solely self-employed, and I work from my home, I have to be very disciplined about taking breaks, using my time effectively, and especially, making sure I get some daily exercise.  Running used to be my very favorite way of working out, but since I was injured a year ago while training for a marathon, I haven’t fully recovered and I’ve just never been able to get back into a regular rhythm with it.  Money is tight, so I don’t want to join a gym and even some of the yoga classes in my area have become cost-prohibitive for me right now.  So I was very happy to find Yoga Today.  Have you heard of it?  They have a great website where you can stream dozens of one-hour classes, at all different skill levels, and it is completely FREE.  I’ve been “taking” classes 4 or 5 times a week and am loving it!  I especially like that I can do it at any time of day, and I can choose whatever class is right for how my body is feeling at any given time.  I highly recommend it.

The other thing I have been making a point to do is to get out and take a long walk every day.  Today is a gorgeous fall day, sunny and in the high 40’s. I’m headed over to Astoria Park to collect some leaves and I’ll need to bundle up a bit as it’s on the river and can be quite windy at times.  So I think I’ll waer a cozy cream wool sweater, a heather grey merino wool scarf, and this hat, because it’s so lightweight and soft: 

Gemini in wool & silk tweed chenille

 

Gemini in wool & silk tweed chenille

 

Gemini in wool & silk tweed chenille

 

Gemini in wool & silk tweed chenille

 

Gemini in wool & silk tweed chenille

available here, here and here

Thank you for stopping by – I hope your Wednesday is lovely!

National Design Week and hat of the day: 9

Did you know that this week is National Design Week?  A project of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum here in NY, there are special events in NYC, online, and in cities all over the country.  You can even cast your vote for your favorite in the competition for the 2008 People’s Design Award.  Voting ends at 6pm EST today, so hurry!  If you are in NYC, the Cooper-Hewitt has free admission all week and some great events.  Tonight I’ll be attending National Design Awards Winners’ Panel discussion.  It’s always a thought provoking evening, with designers from different disciplines, all at the top of their game, weighing in on a variety of topics.  I’m especially excited to hear the winner of the award for fashion, Ralph Rucci.

Since I’ll be going to such a design-y event, I really want to wear something beautiful, something that I made, and something that has become sort of a signature for me: the Sweetheart.

 

Sweetheart in blue wool & cashmere herringbone

 

Sweetheart in blue wool & cashmere herringbone

 

Sweetheart in blue wool & cashmere herringbone

 

Sweetheart in blue wool & cashmere herringbone

 

Sweetheart in blue wool & cashmere herringbone

available here, here and here

Because I want the color to really pop, I’ll stick to mostly black for clothing and other accessories, though everything will have lovely details.  

 

thrifted coat, vintage purse, very old but comfy Charles David boots

And yes, the zippers on the coat are completely functional!

Have a terrific design-y Tuesday!!

 

 

happy monday! and hat of the day: 8

    

roller boogie

I know not everyone likes Mondays, but I actually do!  Especially since hats are now my full-time gig.  One thing that has been getting me up and running faster than usual for the past week or so is having a new and delicious roller boogie number delivered to my email inbox every morning.  It puts the fun in funky and before I know it, I’m dancing around the studio even when accomplishing the most mundane of tasks.  I highly recommend it to jumpstart your day!

Now a little something funky for your head:

 

Cape Hatter in blue & silver cotton/lurex

 

Cape Hatter in blue & silver cotton/lurex

 

Cape Hatter in blue & silver cotton/lurex

 

Cape Hatter in blue & silver cotton/lurex

 

Cape Hatter in blue & silver cotton/lurex

available here, here and here

Pair this with some

bell bottoms,

 

big silver earrings, and

a little silver lurex top,

Now you’re ready for a very funky day!

hat of the day: 7

 

 

sunday morning

 

  It is quite chilly here this morning, in the low 40’s so far.  I awoke to the sound of the heat hissing through the radiators and a flat flinty sky.  A perfect morning to bake banana bread and curl up with the crossword puzzle.  First, I’m headed out for a walk around the neighborhood and to get the paper, bundled up wearing this:

 

Dalliance in blue wool & cashmere herringbone

 

Dalliance in blue wool & cashmere herringbone

 

Dalliance in blue wool & cashmere herringbone

 

Dalliance in blue wool & cashmere herringbone

 

Dalliance in blue wool & cashmere herringbone

available here, here and here

Have a cozy Sunday!

hat of the day: 6

The temperature has dropped a bit in New York and it really feels like fall.  Cool, crisp and bright – delicious! I’ll be doing a bit of work this morning, but this afternoon we’re headed to the NY Botanical Gardens in the Bronx to take a stroll through the forest, and then down to the Whitney to see the Calder exhibit.  I’ll be wearing my beloved vintage 60’s orange wool cape, and a woodsy/arty hat like this:

 

Moxie in grey windowpane check wool felt

 

 

Moxie in grey windowpane check wool felt

 

 

Moxie in grey windowpane check wool felt

 

 

Moxie in grey windowpane check wool felt

 

 

Moxie in grey windowpane check wool felt

now available here and here

Have a spectacular weekend!

hat of the day: 5

Happy Thursday!  Just for fun, let’s borrow a little from the boys, shall we?  

Fedorable in blue tweed wool

 

Fedorable in blue tweed wool

 

Fedorable in blue tweed wool

 

Fedorable in blue tweed wool

 

Fedorable in blue tweed wool

 available here and here

 

hat of the day: 4

Though my usual inclination leans toward the melancholy, I’ve really been working on letting my natural joy bubble up and through.  With this hat, I was going for a lighter feel, both in the weight of the fabric, and the silhouette.  But of course, I couldn’t help making it in black!

 

Dalliance in black Italian crinkle wool & nylon

 

Dalliance in black Italian crinkle wool & nylon

 

Dalliance in black Italian crinkle wool & nylon

 

Dalliance in black Italian crinkle wool & nylon

 

Dalliance in black Italian crinkle wool & nylon

available here and here