I'm Back

And I promise to stick around a bit longer this time!

I am indeed back in Japan with a head full of ideas and chomping at the bit to get back to work after my amazing road trip (with my mum) from Seattle to San Francisco with a wee stop at Yosemite and Vegas for good measure.

Congrats go out to the fabulous Mr & Mrs Watt who tied the knot in Vegas in true rock n' roll style.

Lou's Aka Tombo pink birdcage veil with pink and purple leather roses and pink feathers looked Vegas bride perfection with her gorgeous short silvery white dress.

Love you guys!

Lots more blogs about the travels to come as well as a sneaky peek at some alternative bridal stuff I have been working on.

Beltane

It seems that during my trip home I have missed more than a few important dates so I am going to attempt to catch up, which may make it seem like I am a little behind the times but I see it as giving you plenty of time to get your hats ready for next year. Starting with Beltane.

I was planning on posting my beltane hats on May day but everything was taken over by royal wedding hats and so I rescheduled to post it on Picti beltane celebrated by the Scottish Picts on the 15th of May but that passed too. I love this festival and all the crazy hats that go with it so I have decided to blog it today with no significance whatsoever to the date.

For those of you that don't know Beltane is one of the four Celtic fire festivals marking the quarter points in the year with Beltane marking the beginning of summer. Fire was believed to have purifying qualities as well as representing the sun. The ritual welcoming of the sun and the lighting of the fires was also believed to ensure fertility of the land and the people. Animals were transfered from winter pens to summer pastures, and were driven between the Beltane fires to cleanse them of evil spirits and to bring fertility and a good milk yield. The Celts leapt over Beltane fires - for fertility and purification.

Edinburgh Fire society's May Queen attendants

There is only one major beltane festival still held in Scotland today, on Edinburgh's Calton Hill, where the Beltane fire society put on their annual show depicting the story of the May Queen and the green man.

This seems to be one of the few festivals of the year where men really get into the hat vibe and outshine the girls spectacularly! The hats below range from home made recreations of the Green man to couture...well, recreations of the green man, with a few May Queen options thrown in too.

Blessed Be*

Wedding hats!

I'm Back...finally.

Sorry for the prolonged silence but I am finally (but briefly) back on my side of the world and fighting with, what feels like never ending, jet lag.

My trip home was everything I was hoping it would be with an amazing millinery course taught by the unbelievably talented Rose Cory, several meetings with stylists (I will keep you posted on the results of these meetings) and of course the main event...the family wedding.

Congrats go out to the newly-wed Mr and Mrs who are soaking up the sun in Mexico as I type. The chapel was gorgeous as was Rhona, the food lovely and the music and dancing good enough to leave me with ceilidh arm for over a week! (for those that don't know, ceilidh arm is an injury caused by over enthusiastic cousins performing something similar to an arm wrestle but using the upper arm while dancing to traditional Scottish music. Look up strip the willow on you tube and you will understand).

For all you hat lovers out there below I have posted some of the hats on show on the day starting with the fabulous hat worn by Mother of the Bride Auntie Chris. Apologies go out to AuntieLinda who was sporting a gorgeous big hat but seemed to disappear at photo time so I can't show you it, but for the record it was fab!