Sparkling Beads for baby!

Recently I was asked to create a set of sparkling ears for a baby. Knowing that the rhinestone chain I usually use for such ears might actually scratch the delicate skin of a baby, I suggested that this hat would be better done in sparkling beads. So I chose a bead type that has a square hole lined with silver (like a mirror) to over stitch the name added at the park. But I changed the shape of the "S" because I didn't feel the original cursive "S" would read well in beads. I thought it came out very nice. Of course it sparkled better when moving.

Leather Oswald

I finished a set of leather Oswald ears and forgot to post about them! Silly me.

I had finished them just after I finished the set of Mickey ears for Eric. It was really a way to fix the mistake I had made by putting a "k' on the end of the name before I had added the "Er." Soooo, I was forced to salvage the leather piece by applying it to the set of Oswald ears I had planned on making for my self. Darn, Tee hee.

They went to Badger Flat with me and to Knots Scary Farm with the bears Thursday before Gay Days Weekend.

Spikey Mickey

Finished this hat for a client in Philadelphia.
Wanted a hat covered with spikes; no name just spikes.
Client chose the original felt surface rather than covering with leather
(Extra time to shape and apply leather would have made it impossible to finish before deadline anyway.) I lined it with felt to keep the bases of the spikes from getting caught in longer hair.
So I went with 23 of the 1 1/8 inch spikes.

Mickey's expression is ironic with the spikes.

No name just spikes!

I lined it in red felt.

"Mr. Burning Man", a la "Mad Max" Ears

Front with Flash

Front without Flash

Back with Flash

Back without Flash

the ears before.

I recently finished a hat for a client, Ron, who will be wearing it at "Burning Man" later this month.
He wanted a "Mad Max" feel so he asked for the leather to be distressed. It was a challenge for me to treat the leather roughly enough to cause the distressing, but I sucked it up and made it so. He also preferred not to have a Mickey medallion on the front but rather to have his personalization there in stead. In fact he didn't want any of the medallion shape to show through the leather. I had to use a set of baby blue infant ears as the base to get that smooth shape for the hat. Which meant that the ears needed to be painted first so that they would be the classic black. As an added feature for the windy playa he asked or a set of leather laces to replace the elastic, attached them through grommet holes under each ear.

I really think they cam out great!

Studded Leather Ears for LA's Reigning Leather Stud!

Finished a set of ears for the current Mr. LA Leather, Eric Paul Leu. They came out great!

Front w/Mickey Medallion

Back with Name in Studs for THE stud!

Busines Cards and a New hat to match...

I have had my first run of business cards printed, take a look:

With that card in mind, this hat is intended to coordinate with my business Cards.
The aquamarine rhinestones set in a silver chain were really a difficult find. And they were priced to reflect that!
Still if you love the color as I do, it's worth it.
Since the stones were smaller than my other stones this took more stitches to hold down in place.

As a hint of the amount of work and planning that goes into one of these hats, here's a picture of the hat just under half way done.

Key Chain Size!

My Salesman Sample of the Leather Mickey Mouse Ears has been popular.
So I've calculated the price and have put that style up for sale on Etsy:

Leather Key Chain Mickey Mouse Ears

Leather ears were at Disneyland today!

Today the Studded Leather Mickey Mouse Ears I made for Mr. Kevin made it to the park on his head. I suspect he likes them.
There will be more photo's I'm sure.

Posted a new style of hat to Etsy; Oswald

Oswald was Walt's creation before Mickey.
He lost the rights to the happy rabbit, and was forced to create the famous Mickey Mouse to replace him.

Now that Disney has secured the rights to the Oswald character, they are offering a new version of the famous ears based on Oswald's rabbit ears and the same black felt hat the was the base for classic Mickey Mouse Ears. The machines that personalize the Mouse ears won't work on the Oswald Ears though. But since I work by hand stitching I CAN!

So I am offering the Oswald ears personalized in the way my ears have been personalized, as well as simply chain stitching them like the classic Mickey Ears.

The Oswald Ears 

Personalized Oswaldo Ears on Etsy

Order Now for Holiday Gift Giving.

The December Holidays are rapidly approaching.

If you want to give a pair of beautifully plussed, personalized Micky Mouse ears as a gift I need you to contact me now to discus what you want.

I can add hand embroidery, beading, appliqué, sequins, rhinestones and crystals, and repaint the ears themselves to a new color to work even if we re-theme them completely. I am also prepared to cover the felt portion of a hat completely with real leather, and use studs to personalize with name and picture of Mickey on the front.

I don't say no to ANY nicknames like they do in the park.

As you can tell from my pictures I can really create a unique set for you that is either subtle or over the top, but entirely "YOU."

All ears will be completed with a name, nick name or other identifier on them.

Saint Patrick's Day

Click any photo to Enlarge.

This hat is the most complex I have created so far. The Leprechaun's pot of gold is velvet and stuffed to make it rounded like a pot should be. The gold is created with a mix of various gold, cooper and silver beads. there are three leafed clovers and one four leaf shamrock in the open green spaces. The Rainbow is individually sewn down sequins and the Cloud is made of pears and has a surprise when viewed from a very specific angle.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/169221693/saint-patricks-day-mickey-mouse-ears?

Mixed Crystals, silver, pearl and clear beads.

At the top of the "G" is a
Swarovski Crystal Butterfly

I made these ears for my Figure Skating Coach Garry's Birthday.

They are a mix of sliver metal, silvered glass, sliver lined glass, Swarovski crystal, and pearl beads.

Click any picture to enlarge.

The swirl at the end of the "y"
 has a stack of beads that
stick out from the hat.

Order NOW! Gift Season is almost here!

The December Holidays are rapidly approaching.

If you want to give a pair of beautifully plussed Micky Mouse ears as a gift I need you to contact me now to discus what you want.

I can add hand embroidery, beading, appliqué, sequins, rhinestones and crystals, and repaint the ears themselves to a new color to work even if we re-theme them completely.

I don't say no to ANY nicknames like they do in the park.

As you can tell from my pictures I can really create a unique set for you that is either subtle or over the top, but entirely "YOU."

Casual Crusin' Blue Jeans

Click on picture to enlarge.

These ears are subtle to say the least. The stitching is in stem stitch to match the detail stitching that brings out the jeans motif. The Pocket flag is cut down from a full size red hanky and easily pulls out of the pocket to be exchanged for other colors, based on the mood. O.K. so the ability to flag on a pair of Mouse ears is not really so subtle but not everybody would understand what's happening with that anyway.

Small Ears

Mango in his Ears

Click any pic to enlarge.

Close up of the stitching

Mango's mini
Mickey Mouse Ears


I hand stitched this hat in a shimmery white thread for my friend Marvin to give to Mango. The hat was the bear size hat from build a bear, so it's too small for the machines at the park. Marvin didn't want anything too flashy for Mango. So there aren't any beads, or crystals. It is real hand sewn chain stitch though. Note the ears stitched onto the final "o". As you can see it fits. I assure you that mango likes it; Marvin said so.

Rhinestones!

Click photo to enlarge.

This is full back rhinestones set in a metal chain, fitted to the machine embroidered copy of Walt's handwriting (that embroidery used to be available as a standard stitching with the purchase of a hat at only one location in the park.) It is the quickest form of embellishment I can offer and one of the best at getting noticed. But the materials cost is on the higher end. 

My Pearls

Click photo to enlarge

These more conservative or subtle ears are beaded in seed pearls with a sequin flower to dot the "i". The original stitching of my name was some of the last hand controlled, chain stitched embroidery available at Disneyland.