As a milliner, how often do you think of the importance of your hands and wrists?   Of course, we all know that we need strong hands to block, but during your typical daily activities how often do you think, "I better not do that, I could hurt my hands or wrists?"  If you are anything like me, you cut, chop, pull, push, and generally use and abuse your hands, wrists, arms, and yes, even your ribs. all day, every day.  That is until that fateful day.

Who knew a regular daily activity…

Karma Dickerson, WHAS 11, interviewing one of the more colorful characters at the Kentucky Derby infield.  Karma needed a hat that was unique, fit her personality, and met all the requirements set forth by the news station. One of those requirements was that her face be visible.  I achieved that by creating a hat that could be worn turned to the side and back. The sheer brim also allowed her face to be seen…

Check out the April 2013 edition of Today's Woman Kentucky Derby issue for some beautiful hats, including one of mine on page 44. Anyone else in this edition? Speak up, so we know which are yours!

http://www.todayswomannow.com/p/the-magazine.html

As a new milliner, my craft/obsession needs to support itself.  That means that my equipment/supply fund can be a little lean.  I can be found daily digging through drawers, my husband's tool box, kitchen cabinets, flatware drawers, my potting shed, even my grandaughter's toy box looking for something, anything really that can be used to replace actual millinery tools.

Recently, while canning this year's harvest, and pondering the need for a steamer, the jiggling of the pressure…