I haven't died!

No, I'm well and doing fine. My son is over in Iraq now and I'm spending a lot of time trying to keep up with him and also posting on my Red Hat Military Mom blog.

Join me there!http://redhatnavymom.wordpress.com/

Fabulous Red Hat Society Hats

Here is a fabulous hat RRBYC1630 that Rosemarie is wearing in style! Get sassy and really celebrate your life!

Go to RED HATS and pick your style! I love them all!

Rosemarie likes to cock her hat back a little to add drama. She also wears this one to the side just a bit!

Great job, Rosemarie!

Hibiscus

This Dinner plate Hibiscus made it through Hurricane Rita and last year’s many freezes that killed all the rest of my plants. Now this Hibiscus has more blooms that I can count.

It goes to show us that no matter the hardships, no matter the bumps in the road, we come back through the Grace of God, tried and true! Prettier, stronger, and better than before!

Bloom where you are planted.

God Bless,

Cresa

How to wear a Victorian Touring Hat

I have a wonderful customer in New York (got to love New York), that really knows how to wear a hat. Rosemarie used to be a dancer and is still looking great!

What I like about the way she wears her hat is that it is tilted back a little, but has the classic dip in the front! Just stunning!

She is wearing the Purple Victorian Touring hat and the Red Victorian Shawl over her red dress! Great for the Birthday Girl.

Here she is wearing a fabulous purple outfit and the Red "Titanic Style" Hat! FULL REGALIA!

Both hats can be seen along with 6 pages of hats in the RED HAT BOUTIQUE! http://www.rrbycresa.com/redhats/red_hat_boutique.htm

Iraq

Well, I haven't posted since January, but a lot has been going on. We know for sure now that my son is going to Iraq. The thing is, he wants to go. He is a Medic assigned to the Marines from the Navy.

Not long ago he married a wonderful girl that I, as the mom, am so thankful for. A picture to the right shows what a great looking couple they are! She and I will support each other in supporting him.

I am very proud of him, but, of course, to say the least, I am concerned. I know the Good Lord will take care of him. I just pray that he is safe.

Any other moms, wives, etc. that have men in Iraq? Feel free to post comments.

The newest thing in my life is that I now sometimes watch the Military Channel on DirectTV. That is a switch from Flip this house, isn't it.

My website sells what "American Proud" jewelry I can find and do you know the most popular is the "Keep My Son Safe", "Keep My Father Safe", and "Keep My Husband Safe" Bracelets.

I will be joining the ranks of people sending "Care" packages soon. God Bless you all that do that!

Thanks for the sacrifice of all of you that have loved ones serving in Iraq. You are honored.

There are a couple of verses I have on my Patriotic Page. Click http://www.rrbycresa.com/Jewelry/patrioticpage.htm and go to the bottom of the page if you wish to read them. Warriors have been around for a long time, just read the Old Testament. This generation of Warriors is very special as they are all VOLUNTEER! So Fabulous!

God Bless you and God continue to bless the United States of America!

Life after 50 - Room Makeover OR Updating that tired dreary living room!

On the weekend of the New Year I decided to undertake the project of "Updating" my living room. Yes, I watch all the shows, Sell this House, Flip this House, and so on. I think there should be one, "Hire Someone to Update this House, Really Cheap!"

With all the knowledge I had gleaned from these really marvelous shows, I bravely went to the paint center. I started at Lowe's in my town, where a young man looked at me as if I were crazy when I innocently asked, "Which Brown do you think I should get?" Now, of course you know there are hundreds of brown on the new color wheel to become color blind on.

Did this brown have too much gold, did this one have too much green, too much purple or red in this one? Oh how I poured over the little cards with all those lovely colors. It was like shuffling a deck of poker cards.

Well, being the design guru that I have become, I chose the colors I thought would work, got a sample of each (at Lowe's it's a pint for around $3.50) and walked confidently out of the store knowing that in one of the 5 samples SURELY my dream color would be there.

At home, with my trusty new sponge applicators and paper all over the floor, I started painting the five different colors on different walls in the house. I think I saw them do this on "Flip this House". I was just so pleased at myself for this. Just think, instead of painting all of the walls and hating it, I was painting it in sections.........and hating it!

NONE OF THE COLORS worked!!!

I then thought I would try a different tactic. I chose another store!! Sherwin-Williams is where I think "Sell this House" shops. I found a color I thought I would like "Latte". This brown has a dollop of green in it, but at that time I was looking for more of a pure taupish brown.

So, the man helped me choose "Sands of Time" and "Sensational Sand". Again with my hands loaded with the wonderful cards, and two sample quarts for $4.99 of each, I headed back to the house, to try it again.

Well, the Sensational Sand was exactly the color I was looking for, but.........being a woman, I didn't like it on MY walls. I suggest these colors to anyone that wants to update there house. They make your house look like a million bucks.

I went with "Latte" just because I like the name and there was a touch of green in it.

With the Latte color sceme, I chose Startling White and Monteplier Red Velvet for the trims.

There is definitely more to come, but with week one of the "UPDATE" completed, I still have more to do.

I will write more next time. Oh, did I tell you I have a 12' vaulted ceiling and I am scared of heights over two feet!

See 'ya!

Cresa

The Fabulous Red Hat!

Red Hats abound, but I like hats with a little elegance and history behind them. Although straw hats are fine and plain wool is good, too, I personally love the Victorian Hats seen below.

Gorgeous hats with style!! Another example:

Shop for that something special!
Ladies are wearing Red Hats that have a lot of purple in them, so have fun. It would seem that the RULE does apply; there are no rules.

Cresa

How to join the RED HAT SOCIETY

I receive many e-mails and posts on this blog about finding a chapter OR starting a chapter.

Simply go to http://www.redhatsociety.com and click on "How to start a chapter" or "Find a Chapter".

The Red Hat Society website is the official website and the "Girls of the Hattitude" will be glad to help you out by phone if you can't navigate the website.

Good luck. If you need any help, just let me know.

Cresa
Drama Queen of Fabulousness

Red Hat Society "I LOVE A PARADE" Photo Contest announced!

Here is the scoop! From July 6, 2006 through December 31, 2006 Red Hat Society Chapters in good standing may submit one picture per chapter of any event in which the chapter was entered in a PARADE. This includes the entire year of 2006. So if your chapter has Great Easter parade pictures, send them on in. Remember, ANY PARADE in the year 2006!

Contest Number 2 will award three prizes. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place

First Place - $200.00 of merchandise
Second Place - $125.00 of merchandise
Third Place - $75.00 of merchandise

Just click here to go directly to the page!

Red Hat Society - The Beauty Shop Revisited!

I have decided after seeing "Monster in Law" that Jane Fonda was sporting the most wonderful hairstyle I have ever seen!

Now, if I can find a hairdresser that can do that "do", I'm going for it!

Red Hat Society - Winner of the PHOTO CONTEST

I forgot to post the winner of the Photo Contest, so here she is: What a beauty. The winner chose a Red Victorian Hat, Red Hat Toe Rings, and one other item.

The Photo was such fun and I enjoyed every one of the pictures!

Red Hat Society - Ladies Gone Wild with COLOR!

When I first became a Red Hatter and then a Queen (Drama Queen), we were mainly wearing the Purple outfit with a red hat.

Well.........have things ever "kicked up a notch"

Now we are wearing Purple and Red Hats. My shop carries mainly Victorian Hats and our clothing is purple, but we have took it a step further and are really accenting with the RED!!

Who knew Purple and Red could be so much fun!

We ladies are taking our purple outfits and adding a Red Victorian Shawl as is on my website and lots of red jewelry, pins, you name it!

More power to the Purple and Red!!

Red Hat Society Photo Contest Announced

When Queen Mom Rose sent in the pictures above of her and Vice Queen Matilda, it really put a smile on my face and made me realize what a unique group of ladies we are!

Ladies like this need to be rewarded for the bodacious, outrageous behavior! Soooo, I decided on a contest!

Here is the scoop! For one month beginning January 25, 2006 and ending February 25, 2006 whatever chapter or Red Hat Society Lady sends in the most unique pictures of what she OR her chapter is doing OR can come up with, she or her Chapter wins $100.00 of in-stock merchandise from Romance Remembered!!!! This excludes shipping which means you get $100.00 of merchandise and I pay the shipping!

So, get to snapping those pictures!! Be creative!! The pictures must be suitable for our grandkids to see! If you can't show it to your grandkids, don't send them!

At this time, Queen Mom Rose and Vice Queen Matilda are definitely winning!

No purchase necessary! Totally impartial judging of pictures! You don't even have to have bought from me before!

Why do people think that Red Hat Society Ladies are snooty rich people?

Now that is a unbelievably wrong perception of the Red Hat Society Ladies. We are a diverse group of ladies from all walks of life. We are active in our community and are the first around when help is needed. We welcome all sisters, certainly not looking at their income or how they dress,

I know lots of my fellow chapter members that donate or secretly buy for the less fortunate ladies in each chapter.

My website donates things to chapter members if we hear of someone who can't afford what my website offers.

It is a sisterhood of the most giving, involved, and precious ladies I have ever met.

The Red Hat Society venue just allows all this kindness and gentleness to come together in one place......

So don't let them just the book by it's cover! We all have a story to tell of hardship or sadness, but our message is that we came through it, we are 50 years of age or older AND proud of it!

God Bless the sisterhood!

Red Hat Society - Why am I dressing like this?

Because I can! I can wear Purple Dresses and Red Hats and get away with it, because I have earned the right and I love it!

Why not? I'm from the generation of the "Bubble", "Pageboy", and finally, my favorite (really), the "Gypsy". I loved my bell bottoms (which are back again, just lower around the hips) halter tops, and floppy hats. Flower power, you know.

I would not be caught dead in a halter top now, I would scare too many people and my kids would never speak to me again.

I love my age and I ESPECIALLY love my granddaughter! She is a hoot and a continual joy to me.

So, dressing in Red and Purple is really not a far cry from my late teens when everyone thought we were dressing crazy back then.

Where are my Glasses?

I remember the day I discovered my eyes weren't what they used to be! My son, who is 20 now, was around 9 years old and I was trying to read the bottom of children's Tylenol to see the dosage.

It was a blur and even as I held the bottle further and further away, for the life of me, I couldn't read it? Did this happen overnight? Did some jokester start printing the instructions smaller as a cruel joke?

I have no idea! It just seem to happen without any warning. That was 11 years ago and I guess I am blessed to need only reading glasses (I tried the $300 prescription glasses and found I could misplace them just as easily as I could a $10 pair from Wal-Mart) and not such a bad strength.

But how does that happen? One day I'm reading the fine print and the next day I am holding the large print as far as the length of my arm to read.

Red Hat Society Chapters Organizing Relief for Katrina

Lots of Red Hat Society Chapters across American are organizing to help in the Katrina Relief! After all, we are mothers!! Here is a picture from as far as Connecticut! Chris made some donations in our name to help out! It was a great morning at the Armory in Hartford.
Morning folks from WTIC with Papillon Queen with donations for Hurricane Katrina
Chris is the Queen of the Ruby Hat Butterflies in Connecticut.

The Beauty Shop

I know you are just like me and have gone to Beauty Shops, Hair Salons, Stylists, Hair Dressers, whatever they call themselves, and asked not to get your grandmothers hairstyle.

You know what I mean? Just because I am over 50 doesn't mean I want to look it! I don't want the above the ear haircut! I don't want a style where they use a man's shaver in the back!

I want to look cute, sassy, and sexy, too. Why can't they understand that?

I have often thought that if I could find a stylist that could make me look attractive (as I know I am) I would follow her/him to the end of the earth!

I don't know what they are thinking when they cut my hair? I can't imagine what is going through their mind. I even tried an older stylist (around my age) and she was the worst!! I even paid more money for my hair cut to look like a man's!

I am on a mission for that attractive style you see on the television, you know, like the Golden Girls. Blanche really had a great hairstyle that was so feminine!

I think that is what we all want, is to look feminine. Just because we are over 50 doesn't mean we don't want to look good!

Oh well, more at a later date!