Let's Make Paper Hats!

Hi everyone!  It is so good to visit with you again after the madness of the holidays.  I have been a busy bee, with lots of things on my list that I want to do.  One of those being, making paper hats for New Year's festivities.  My Granny turns 80 on New Year's day, so I thought, she might enjoy a paper hat herself...

Now, the goal here is to make your paper hat as wacky as possible, using as much throw away holiday scrap as possible...

    

My base for my wacky hats are brown paper grocery bags.  I love those Trader Joe's paper bags that have all the clip art on them because you can use them just as they are, without having to cover them up...

  

I start off by making a heap of paper junk, that will quickly transform itself into endless supplies...

  

Then I take a paper bag and cut the ends off.  Cut the bottom amounts off depending on how tall you want your hat.  Then cut the bag open to make one long piece.

  

Take a tape measure and measure your head.  Or take a ribbon (to use as a measuring tape) and tie it around your head adding two inches or so, so that you have some room to overlap your paper bag ends when you tape them together.  Then cut the ribbon, and voila, it becomes your measuring tape.

At this point, your bag will be open like a sheet of butcher paper.  Now, take your tape measure or your ribbon (with the extra two inches) and cut your bag at that length.  Then test the bag around your head to determine where you are going to tape it shut.

    

Then join those ends, and tape them together inside and outside.  (I use heavy duty, clear packing tape)

    

Now the fun begins.  Cut into the top and make crown points, or anything you wish.  Get creative, go crazy.  It can't be ugly, because no matter how wacky it is, putting something on your head elevates it to a whole other level ;)

  

    

See, you can make more than one at once, fun fun!

  

At this point, you can do anything your heart desires.  Glitter, birds, moss, anything!!  Embellish to your hearts content.

  

  

Paint glue on anything, like leaves, and then dip them into sparkles...

  

  

Test your hat as you glue things on it (I used hot glue for the non-glitter embellishments.  Please be careful & also, don't test it on your head until the glue cools)...

  

Make sure you like how all your little bits and baubs look.

    

I am in the process of making several more hats.  I might even try a top hat and a few man hats, so the boys don't feel left out on New Year's.

I have a bunch of wooden utensils, so I silver leafed one and put it on the pointy hat...

  

Then Miss Mannequin thought she should get to wear it for the day...

  

But then, she got greedy and couldn't make up her mind...

    

Don't you think you should look for some scraps and get your hats started?  I think you should.  I want to see how wacky of a hat you can make ;)

I am off to finish up my others... 

  
  

♥  ,V

 

ps:  I will be collecting wishes from you this weekend after I write a proper "wish" post in a day or so.  Then we will set them free next week.  Like in 2008 and 2009 .  Remember? 

     

Let's start thinking about what sort of magic we want to wish for, for 2010.  No wish is too grand.  You can share them in the next post if you'd like, and I will find a fun way to insure that they get to the wishmaker...

Comments

[Tara Bradford]

Love the hats - so clever, especially using leftove Christmas wrapping and decorations. And am looking forward to your wishes post. No wish is too grand, indeed! Happy New Year, dearest V! Love you lots. xoxoxo

[Jennifer]

Now those are fantastic! I love the red one, great idea for using the trader joe's bags as well. How fun.

[somepinkflowers]

good graciousness!

i love how you are so wise
for your young age!
yes
yes
yes
i LOVE it!
your wisdom makes me smile

see-----> :-)
this wisdom of yours!

what
what
what do i mean
???
you ask
???
???

well, when you said this-->

"""...because no matter how wacky it is,
putting something on your head
elevates it to a whole other level..."""

such a wonderFul obServation,
i knew you had greatness in U!

{{ well, in truth,
i always suspected as much }}

seriously,
U R so right
with that statement!
anything you place on your head
decidedly
tells the world
you are a force 2 B acknowledged.

oh yeah.

:-)

i think we should bring back tiaras
for normal street*wear,
don't U ?

in the meantime:
Happy Birthday 2 Your Granny!

Grannies Should Rule the World!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥♥ ♥ ♥ ♥♥♥ ♥ ♥ ♥♥♥

{{ FYI: i am lining up my wishes
even as i type THIS! }}

[Valarie Kraft]

The hats are fantastic. I love that you recycled so much to make them fantastic. My motto is there is never enough glitter, so I appreciate that you glittered them also.
Have a fantastic New Year.
Valarie

[Pixie]

Loving the hats! I want to make some...yours look so pretty and I have a LOT of leftover paper and a LOT of glitter.

[Sonia Rodriguez]

V....when I grow young I want to be just like you.....I alwys smile in your world.

xoxox

[Tristan Robin]

These are uber-fabulous!!!!!!

Between you and Gabriela, I could spend my life making fun paper hats and crowns!!!!

You're just the tops!

[Renee Lange]

The hats are beautiful and fun! You make it sound so easy, I think I have to try making one. I'm alittle scared. Thank you for the inspiration. Just AMAZING!

[Joyce]

What a magical idea! I think that I will make hats with the grandchildren and we can celebrate New Years Eve in our fancy new hats!

[A Forest Frolic]

Happy early birthday Granny! V, those hats are so awesome...I love Trader Joe's too, tee hee! I'm sure I have a bag or two laying around...I'll let you know if I come up with anything!

Jamie :)

[carolee]

What fun!! LOVE the paper hats....

I've been writing down wishes and intentions too - much better than resolutions, I think. Must remember to stop by and share them, and read yours - I know they will be wonderful!

Oh, and Happy Birthday to your Granny! (Who I'm certain is 80 years young!)

♥ Carolee

[Nicki]

I love crowns, but I'd really love to see how to make a top hat. I'd love to find a good condition vintage top hat for myself and well...dad, too, he's a magician he should have one for his collection, but really because I love the idea of decorating my mantle with vintage top hats, clocks, pocket watches, etc. for New Year's. Saw it in a Romantic Home magazine a few years back and it was so cool.

While you are making hats I'm making good old fashioned mincemeat cookies, come on over and try one... If only you could smell the house after I was done baking them - ohhhh, the smell is delightful.

[Bella Dreams]

Really love those hats! They are so much fun. Thanks for the tutorial, I will have to try making a couple now.

[Lucinda Keller]

Holy cow! How wonderful! Hmmmm... the wheels are turning thinking about my leftover adornments...
Thank you for the eye candy, I am excited!

[Shell]

These hats are so pretty and colorful. Your Grandmother is going to be looking swanky in her hat for her birthday.
I will be thinking about my wish for 2010.

[Kristal]

Ah, well, I guess great minds think alike because I have been itching to create a Fun Happy for the New Year. And now you have given me permission! Thanks so much. And I can't wait to see Granny in her spiffy hat! Off to gather all the wishes for 2010...

XoXo,
Kristal

[Meghann]

Just gorgeous! I have to try that now :)

[Deborah]

Be still my heart, for it flutters faster than the wings of a hummingbird simply at the sight of your fabulous creations. PROBLEM: I have to work today and tomorrow and Dee and I NEED NEED NEED a crown for New Years Eve. We shopped at Black Market last night and were very naughty and very successful! AND we are making The Men wait for the Big Reveal...involving leggins. teehee. Oh how I adore you, My Joy. **blows festive kisses** Deb

[Renee Khan]

I love the hat you made your grandma. Only you could make something so brilliant.

Happy birthday to your grandma.

xoxo

[Sue Castle]

Happy Birthday to your Granny, she and I share a birthday, although I'm only 53 years young. I hope when I'm 80 my family loves me as much as you obviously love your Granny. I so enjoy following along on your blog and wish I was a free a spirit as you are. Hugs and Smiles, Sue Castle

[Nelly]

Vanessa you are such an inspiration! I love and admire your eccentric style,I can soooo relate. Thank-you for sharing your world with all of us sweetie:)

[Theresa]

What cool hats! I should definitely like to try to make some. I especially loved that you used Trader Joe bags! :) Have a great day, Theresa

[Rhonda Roo]

ok firstly: "(I use heavy duty, clear packing tape)"

HAHAHA! Was ever a truer statement made??

and secondly: EEEEEEEEEEEK! This is brilliant. Brilliant because u r pure genius and brilliant because even us crayola girls can do this, and i am expecting nothing short of phenomenal results indeed!!

I'm going to go find bags right now and make the Lost Boyz some funky hattage for new years eve...of course, when they shoot fireworks i will request they kindly remove said crowns.

Thirdly:
GO GRAMMY!!! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Fourthly-I am totally with some pink flowers-lets start a tiara wearing, mitten bearing, scarf swaying boot sashaying revolution in 2010!!!

Xoxoxo to all in my favorite place which is not this piece a paradise in which i reside. ♥

[sadira]

Very festive V! I only have one wish this year...I just need to figure out how to word it ;)

[Kim]

Vanessa:

These hats are supremely fantastic! I'm almost falling off the edge of my seat because I can't wait to get started! I'm just thinking of all the wonderful bits and baubles that I can glue on our hats for New Years!

Thanks for sharing another great idea:
Kim
Gerushia's New World

[dajon]

Fab Hats
Happy Birthday to your Gran

My Gran is 95

[Lori Anderson]

I love the hats!

My wish -- is it ok to be selfish and wish it all on me? I desperately wish for a year with no headaches.

[Teresa...Blooming on Bainbridge]

Vanessa!
I must say...not much in life amazes me to an enormous extent...BUT you my dear...just so utterly amazing!
How does your hubby handle having such true magic flittering about him 24/7!
Well he would probably say...
just as my greg says...
"what works...is that teresa is not to be handled!" ha!
You are magic my friend...and I am telling you...you do need your very own world-wide television show!
Wonder what you would name it!
It you EVER create anything I could proudly attach to my blog sidebar to represent your loveliness...please do let me know!
I would so love to have you there.
I would love to pop over more often!
I find it hard to focus on clicking on goggle reader!
XXOOXX
Oh...the hats...well...just amazing!!!!!!!!

[Chris]

This is PERFECT!!

I have about 7349 Trader Joe's bags at home! I can't wait to try this.

YAY!

And many happy returns to your grandmama!

[Johanna]

I am soo making hats with the wee boy tomorrow! We shall wear then with pride to ring in the new year :)

*Happy New Year to you dearest Fanciful one!*

XoXo's,
The Good Girl

[Sarah]

Fantastic idea and a great way to recycle the lovely holiday wrappings that normally just get tossed into the trash. This would be such a fun tradition to begin with one's family of small chidren. I'm going to share this idea with many friends. Thank you! ~ Sarah

[Krista Komis]

Eeeeks! Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh I gotta try this! You always come up with something super duper fabulous that I want to try but never do, but I really should do this because how fun is it?? I need some cool hats. This will give me a chance to try to do a steampunk-y kind...oooh thank you and your amazing brain! :)

xoxo

[mere]

Are you KIDDING me? You are an artistic genious! AMAZING! I MUST make these :)!!

[Misha/DawaiOser]

What a cool thing to do. DARN IT! We already threw away all of our refuse/misc wrapping paper of I'd have saved it to make a magical NYE hat. I'll have to wear a tiara instead. ';)

[ana balbinot]

Dear Vanessa,
I hope you have a wonderfull new year! With lots of joy,peace and harmony.
Xoxo

[amy faldet]

Thanks for the email and I will go now and look at your wish days. You are a kindred and a sweetheart. Blessings.

[Mo'a]

For you I would wear paper hats :) perhaps a crown would be better for me...me being a Queen and all.
Happy New Year to you and your family and Happy Birthday to your Grandmother. xoxo

[Marina]

Feliz año mi amiga bella!!!
Shiny new years!!!

xoxo

[Linnea-maria]

Wonderful hat and crown! Have a wonderful new year. Best wishes /linnea-maria

[Edytheanne]

Great hats... wonderful use of stash. That's my wish this year.... lots of cool ways to enjoy using up the craft stash and some new online friends to join the challenge.

[Gabriela]

Happy New Year, Vanessa!

Those party hats are totally awesome!
I would say..."a scream"!!!

Have a total blast!

~ Gabriela ~

[Danielle Hayes]

You are so wonderful Vanessa! Your blog always brings joy to my heart!!

Those hats are so divine! I would have had to start making them back in September to get even one hat as grand as yours are!!

Wishing you a very happy new year!

HUGS
Danielle

[Courtney Mroch]

Just stopping by to wish you a Happy New Year! Also, to celebrate on my blog, I did a Best of 2009 Award and I wanted to stop by and congratulate you on being one of the winners!

[Betty @ She's Sew Pretty]

Happy New Year Miss V. I'm thinking that the hat with the red striped ribbon is just about perfect!!

[Laura]

Helloooooo Precious YOU!

I am so in love with these recycled wrapping paper and whatnot hats. DRAT DRAT DRAT! We just BURNED the rest of our scraps. I saved a bit of all my favorite papers to remind me of Little V's first Christmas, but not enough for hats. I MUST remember this on ALL subsequent giftwrap occasions. And I giftwrap the Baby Bejesus out of stuff all year long, so thanks! We didn't burn the paper out of some weird pagan ritual (we do that during the Yule Log evening) but because we live so incredibly far out from normal people that they don't come and whisk away our trash for a pennance like they do in the city. Or even outside most cities. It actually seems pretty darned technological and special that most people don't even have to THINK about their trash, doesn't it? Or SEWER-----EW!!! But I just refuse to think about that too long. Peee-yooskies. Speaking of Pee Yooskies, Mooskies the half chihuahua has another relative now. I'll have to mail the info to you, as they are a very private family. I'll let Roo know also.
I wish you the MERRIEST of New Years. New Year's? What in the world do we call this past 10 years? (I'm counting year 0) The aughts? That's just soooo granny. The 'Ohs'? Too SexAndTheCity. The Early Years? We need a NAME! It was a good decade, wasn't it? Ooooh----so old. Thinking in decades. I can practically feel the wrinkles attacking my face. Back, BACK!!!, I scream with a chair and whip at the ready.
Have another (HIC) glass of bubbly for me, V!!!! And a sidelined, only on the outer whiskers extra smooch to Lovee past midnight from me. But just a pestery, little sisterly one. And then bother him for sparklers or firecrackers or something.

[Amisha]

As always, anything you make is gorgeous! And these hats are so deliciously fun!

[Candace]

V, I am so so so there and so so so ready for fun! Wishes, well. If wishes were horses, my feet would never hit the ground. HA.
Candace in Athens.

[SueAnn]

Oh dear! Oh dear! I missed out on making my hat!! I just read this today. Darn! I could have had some wonderful hat to share for the party. But I will remember this for next year and I will have so much fun. Thanks for sharing your beautiful hats and the fun!!
Hugging you
SueAnn

[Rosa]

You make me smile, soooo big.

[Gifts Philippines]

What a good idea is that? I am sure may nephew gonna enjoyed doing this. Anyway, thanks for sharing this post. Keep posting!

-fern-