A Thrifting I shall go!

I have a confession to make.  Here goes...I am a Thrift-acholic!  I love thrift shopping!  Almost my entire outfit I am currently wearing is from a thrift store (or 2 or 3 thrift stores).  While I like being thrifty in general (let me at those coupons and specials!) I especially like the idea of reusing things that are no longer of use to someone else.  You can call me "environmentally aware" or "environmentally friendly" but I'm in it for the deals!  AND the great finds!

I go thrift shopping most every week.  While I keep my eye out for things that I might need in my "normal" life I am there for the cool stuff to go on my hats!  I am constantly thinking..."oh, that would look cool on a hat!" or "how can I make this work on a hat?".
I am dead serious!  I am CONSTANTLY thinking about hats.  I fall asleep thinking about hats and wake up with ideas about hats.  It is an obsession and one I care not to cure.

It just seems very natural that my thrifting nature and my hat obsession go together!  It isn't all about saving money, although I love the idea of that.  But thrift shopping has many levels of value.
Such as....
-Unique items that aren't in production any more
-I upcycle items which is such a cool thing all on its own
-My shopping habits benefit the community!  For example, The Arc Greater Twin Cities' programs help adults and children with disabilities.  The Goodwill Easter Seal (where I also shop often) prepares people for work.  I feel good when I shop at these types of thrift stores.
-I donate frequently too.  Things I can't use anymore will give some other "treasure hunter" the opportunity to make a cool find.  Win, win!

Recently, my sister, niece and I took a trip to Arc Value Village in Bloomington, MN.  A hot spot for high fashion on a dime and all sorts of goodies to boot!  My husband's cousin's wife (there has to be a special word for that) is Arc's personal shopper, Michelle Raven.

The sea of clothing at the Arc Value Village Bloomington, MN location.  A little bit overwhelming but so exciting!!!!

First of all Michelle's personal/career story is a super cool one.  She is the Goddess of thrifting...I bow to her thrift finding abilities.  We all have a super power and I'm convinced that her power is finding the perfect outfit among thousands of pieces of clothing and most likely they are from top of the line brands!   She had always loved thrifting and basically created this niche (personal thrift shopper) all on her own!  Admirable to say the least. You can make an appointment with her and she'll search for what you are looking for!  She offers this service at all the Twin City locations.

Michelle is so cool she has her own sign!                                                      Michelle and Me!  We are both excited!

 Michelle invited me to come check out the digs at the Bloomington location (one of 5 Twin City locations) as it just recently opened.  I was NOT disappointed!

I made a game out of it as I knew I wanted to blog about this "thing" about me.  I enjoy thrift shopping so much and it is a very big part of making these hats.  It fits the bill for my reasoning behind starting this blog.  I want to write about what I do and how I do it...so here goes!

My task was to find as many items to make individual hats.  I knew that I would be using some of the findings I already had but I wanted to make hats primarily out things I found at Arc that day.

Picture of my cart at the end...should have had a wide angle lens for this one!

My first stop was the jewelry section.  I always think about deconstructing an item like a necklace or bracelet for the beads.  I also use earrings and brooches.  I like mixing vintage brooches with steampunk fixins' to make my own unique brooches.  Creative juices are always a flowin' when I visit the thrift store!  I found some bracelets and a few funky brooches.

I found this funky brooch and a good yard of Royal blue scarfing fabric.  I used additional thrifted items to make this pretty little tea hat!

I visited the fabric section and picked up gold lame, gold netting, silver taffeta and royal blue scarfing.  Seriously!?  I got 2 yards of dark silver taffeta for 1.00!  Unheard of!

I found my way to the toy section and found a bag FULL of toy horses.  Toy horse you say?  What will I do with toy horses?  Um....Derby hats!  They will be perfect!  I had a few customers ask me last year to put horses on a hat but I couldn't find any.  I have a whole herd of them now!

Neighhhhhhh!  Yes...a wee little plastic horse CAN look fantastic on a hat!  Ready for the Races!

Next I perused the trinkets and flower section.  I grabbed some pretty pink flowers and some fake gold pheasant feathers!  I didn't find much for trinkets that day but not uncommon not too!  You just never know what you are going to find.  I have walked away empty handed out of a thrift store but it doesn't happen too often (my fabric drawers can attest to that!).

How on earth can these color look "OK" together let alone GORGEOUS!  If this hat doesn't scream Mardi Gras I don't know what would!  The photo does not do it justice at all!!!   I forgot to list...pair of purple satin pajama bottoms.  I always have a hard time finding this color.

On to the clothes!  Why shop in the clothing section for hats you ask?  I have found some of my best fabric from old prom dresses, vintage shirts, mens' ties, old pants, blazers and skirts.  You CANNOT buy fabric like this in the fabric stores!  You just can't!!!!  Vintage fabric is my favorite!
I also love using tablecloths, curtains, shower curtains, scarves, pillow covers and napkins too!  Again...can't buy this stuff by the yard at the fabric store!

I love men's ties.  Period.  They have some of the most interesting patterns and luxuriously thick fabric.  There isn't a lot there though so I usually put it on micro minis or just an accent on larger hats.  This is a mother daughter duo...can't you just see it in an Easter Parade?

As I was almost ready to leave I took a look at the candle section.  I have never, nor will I ever put a candle on a hat...just can't see an occasion where I would do that!  However, I have found plenty of candle stands that I use to put my hats ON.  All the "stands" that hold my hats in the photos you see here and in my etsy shop are thrifted candle holder bases.  Brilliant!  Go get one for your hat today!
Anyway...I found this horribly ugly candle holder.  It was in pretty bad shape but I loved the wired beads.  Viola!

One last go around in the shirts as I waited for my sister and niece to try on clothes (that they actually would wear instead of cutting up into pieces for glorious hats).  I found an awesome pinstripe navy blue silk shirt!  Again...can't buy this stuff anywhere else!  I can only get a few hats out of it but for $4.99 it was totally worth it!  I made it into a sort of nautical themed hat.  I love it!

Now, before ya'all start thinking how horrible it is to cut up perfectly good clothing I will say this; if I find something exceptionally nice I leave it for someone else.  I have my limits to cutting up super nice, ultra chic or amazing vintage clothing.  I think somehow it would be a crime to cut up a vintage Chanel skirt for example.  I'm sure the fashion police would come after me...or Michelle would.

After a pleasant day of shopping I came home with a plethora of goodies (and after thrift shopping at 3 more shops that afternoon...more than enough to get my fix for at least another week).

Because of my thrift addiction you can be certain that you are truly finding the most unique mini top hats (and mini pirate hats) on the market!  Where else are you going to find a hat with blinking doll eyes, plastic horses, flamingo heads, vintage and antique brooches in tapestry, silk or velour?  Where?.. no where else except at Chiki Bird Hat Studio!  You can find all the hats listed above in my shop right now (unless someone else already bought them).

Because I'm pretty confident you'll find SOMETHING unique and fun in my shop I'm offering a coupon right now (good through January 31, 2015).  Just enter "THRIFTY" in the coupon section at check out and recieve 15% off your entire purchase (not valid on custom orders).

See you at my Etsy shop or at the thrift store!

In The Beginning....

Welcome to my blog!  This is my very first entry!  I'm a excited but a little nervous too.

My goal is to make this spot interesting so you keep coming back.  I want to get you hooked!  It is also a place to keep my head in the game.  I sometimes get lost in production.  I want to be able to look back and see where I came from...a journal of sorts.  I hope you join me!

So...let's do what Maria suggested in the Sound of Music.  "Let's start at the very beginning".  Because, heck, it is indeed a very good place to start!

Three years ago my sister convinced me that I needed to go to the local Renaissance Festival.  She told me I had dress up as her whole family does and if one does not dress up you will feel like a big loser.  Not wanting to feel like a big loser, I complied.

 I had wanted to make myself a wee little top hat as I had seen in some photos when I googled the "Ren Fest" in MN.  I thought they were adorable and having the "DIY" gene in my blood, I set out to make one myself.

After much googling and youtubing, I made myself a black mini top hat.  It looked like this...

My first hat...I won't be offended if you gasped in horror!

Death warmed over...or a can with a bunch of glue and fabric on it.  It is horrible!  It now resides in a box...somewhere...hidden deep within the bowels of my attic.  It is the thing of which nightmares are made.  Seriously, it is awful!  Needless to say, I did not wear it to the Ren Fest.

It is possibly the worst thing I ever created ever...and that's saying something!  Not sure what possessed me to keep trying.  But I did and I eventually (after 30+ hats) I came up with templates that I liked and techniques that I felt I could  master.  I gave them all away to the neighbor kids and friends.  Then I started to get serious.

I got better fabric and better doodads.  I made more and more and after many visits to Etsy.com admiring other hats that were for sale, I convinced myself that my hats were just as good and figured I'd try selling mine too.

 Etsy's platform is so very easy to follow.  I did however spend a week reading everything I could in their handbook and on the forums.  I can't say that I was "ready" to sell, but I took the plunge anyway!  "Plunge" is a 20cent investment on Etsy...seriously, not a real big risk there!

This is the first hat I ever sold on Etsy...

The first hat I ever sold...I was so happy!

It went to Hawaii to party at a Gala event on the head of Maggie!  I loved that I knew where it was going and what it would be doing!  I felt I was off and running.  Since then, I have created a number of different sizes and shapes and types of templates all in mini form and over 2000 hats sold!  I absolutely love making them!

I wasn't Chiki Bird at first...I was "Something Fancy" for almost a year before I decided I really had something here and wanted to change my name.

My Uncle Bill had called me "Chiki Bird" since my birth and until he passed away.  Always!  It seemed completely appropriate to call myself Chiki Bird.  It seemed doubly appropriate since I adore little birds as well.  Chiki Bird Hat Studio was officially ME!  Thanks Uncle Bill!

I have many customers simply call my Chiki Bird and I love it...it is a great homage to my Uncle.  The guy who taught me to try new things, play honestly, lose gracefully, bet on the ponies and pose for pictures (I was a bit of a ham when I was little).

Uncle Bill...1943. A handsome chap indeed!

So, that is the story of my humble beginnings!  I hope it was of some interest.

I promise that I shall get better as I go along the blogging road.  I just received my book "Blogging for Dummies".  I hope it helps!