Easter Bonnet

So just where does the term ‘mad as a hatter’ come from? I’m glad you asked. You see, in the 18th and 19th Centuries mercury was used in the creation of felt, which was used in many of the fancy hats that were made at the time. Over the years the substance would build up in the system of hat makers and would sometimes cause spastic, uncontrollable body movements that made the poor milliner appear to be a bit off of their rocker.

Thankfully we now know how dangerous mercury can be, and the hat makers of the world no longer face that awful threat. That doesn’t mean, however, that a little bit of craziness can’t go into the creation or embellishment when it comes to adorning one’s noggin. And what better time to get those creative thoughts flowing than when thinking about your Easter bonnet?

After all, the famous song doesn’t say that the Easter bonnet has some of, or even a whole lot of frills upon it. No, if you live your life by the lyrics of those old, classic standards – and who doesn’t? – it is suggested that your Easter Bonnet has all the frills upon it.

Whether you find yourself at church, a brunch, a family gathering, or at an actual Easter parade this year, you’re bound to see dozens of women proudly wearing their holiday headgear, ranging from the classic and beautiful to the downright ostentatious. And whether you have decided to buy a new hat, or refurbish an older style, nothing can show off your creative streak more than a few flourishes of decoration.

Brightlings Beads has all of the organza ribbon, Swarovski flat-backed crystals, Majestic Crystals, chain, beads and charms that you can think of to take that humdrum bonnet and add to it all the frills you can think of! (And if you find yourself with a few extra sparkly adornments, perhaps using them to make one or two particularly well-decorated eggs for the annual holiday hunt wouldn’t be such a bad idea.)

So get the artistry in that skull of yours flowing, and then decorate the exact same cranium this Easter with all of the spring colors, shiny pearls, cute charms, gorgeous beads and dazzling crytstals you can think of, and be prepared to turn some heads with what you’re wearing on yours!

Top O’ The Morning

There are a plethora of T-shirts, greeting cards, signs hanging in taverns, and idle chat between morning talk show hosts on and around every March 17th that remind us on St. Patrick’s Day, everybody is Irish.

And I guess that goes for ol’ St. Patrick himself, because, you see, he wasn’t Irish at all, rather he was British. (Go ahead, look it up. And feel free to use that little bit of knowledge this St. Patrick’s Day!) He did live most of his life in Ireland, however, and went through a very hard life while apparently doing all kinds of good things, so it’s not like there’s no connection there, it’s just that, well, he wasn’t Irish.

But, as everyone knows, we’re all Irish on March 17th, so let’s not let too many days slip by until we start thinking about some St. Patrick’s day adornments we might be wanting to wear that day. Whether simply putting on a pair of earrings with a small, green crystal in them, or going full throttle with jewelry practically dripping of shamrock charms or Irish phrases spelled out in alphabet beads, you don’t want to be sitting there on March 16th saying to yourself, “Darn it, what I’m I going to wear to work tomorrow to acknowledge the holiday?” (Or, even worse, if you plan on attending the festivities at a pub where plenty of green beer will be served, and realize you can’t find your ‘Kiss Me I’m Irish” shirt!” No, you want to be prepared. )

And it’s not just green that you need to wear to give that Irish feeling. Remember Leprechauns, and what it is they love to hoard: Gold. And as far as iconography goes, the shamrock isn’t the only image associated with St. Patrick, remember, he (supposedly) drove all of the snakes out of Ireland. So in an effort to out-do your St. Patrick’s Day co-workers/fellow partiers, you might want to add a little snake charm, or perhaps a glass pendant in the shape of the snake.

And of course, Brightlings Beads has all of these things and more that will help you celebrate the holiday. So stop by, and start thinking green!