This past weekend was our annual Christmas weekend with our MINI club. On the registration, we found out that there would be a Creative Christmas Hat contest. Well, you all know I have to participate in that!! So, that meant making an outrageous hat to compete. I had a somewhat tired hat that I got in a thrift store and mostly used last summer when I was outside digging in the dirt. I got it from the garage, and pulled some things to glue on.
I wanted it to have some height, so I began with several stems of red berries on one side. Then I added gold ribbon and a bit of red curling ribbon.
I added a glittery sleigh to the top, and poinsettias around the edge.
After that, I went to town on it! I added more ribbons to the back, a big red bow, some fiberfill to the top to look like snow, and tiny wrapped packages around the top like they had just fell out of the sleigh. Then I put bows around the bottom, and added a spiral of wire tinsel gold with stars for more bling.
Here is the front. It’s a hot mess, isn’t it? I loved it.
We went to the 1927 Lake Lure Inn again this year. I posted about this historic inn before HERE when we went in 2018 for the first time. That post has a lot of photos of the antiques inside, along with a link to an Orchestrion video. This is the hotel that the stars of Dirty Dancing stayed in while filming, and some of the scenes were shot here too. More on that on my post from last year, HERE.
This year it drizzled and rained all weekend. The fog was heavy over the mountain as I took a photo from our room of the MINIs assembled. Ours is the red one, with the Christmas ornament magnets I made in 2018. We used them in the parade, but we didn’t do the parade this year.
Looking farther to the right, the mountain is completely obscured by fog.
We had a lovely meal at a local restaurant Friday night. Then, on Saturday morning, we lined up for a fun drive to an historic home for a buffet lunch and tour. It was my turn to drive, so My Sweet Babboo took a few pictures for me.
The drive was about an hour, but I had forgotten my camera and the phone doesn’t do well with shots in motion.
The Green River Home didn’t allow photographs at all inside, so we did the tour and went back to the hotel to help set up the silent auction.
My Sweet Babboo helped me set up my quilt stand, and hang the London Quilt. A placard on the table gave details about it, and a bid sheet was placed next to that. The quilt bidding ended at $100. The lady that won the bid said she was prepared to go to $200!
Then it was game time, and the gift exchange with a left-right passing game. We scored big, coming home with a bottle of really good bourbon and some valve stems with British flags for the tires on the MINI. Finally, the Hat Contest voting! I won second place. My friend Lester, the wonderful children’s book author I reviewed on Winter Reading, graciously provided this photo, since I didn’t take one. First place, Barry, on the left with his snow globe hat, me in second, then Max on the right with his Santa in the chimney. We have some guys that love to have fun as much as the gals, and these two are usually ‘all in’. Yes, that is my black beaded, sparkly jacket that I wore with blue jeans. The edge has red, gold and green beaded bows. I do love a bit of bling!
Now, so back to reality, LOL! This week will be pretty quiet. I need to get my Christmas cards done, and just a bit more shopping for My Sweet Babboo. Then I think I’ll be ready for tinsel-day. Are you ready? What are you doing for holiday fun this week?
Psst – Amazon has some Very Merry Deals for last minute shopping!
From My Carolina Home 
Such fun creativity!!
Love, love, love the hat contest! You look mah-velous. Three terrific ideas. Yours is reminiscent of the beautiful giant Victorian/Edwardian hats like My Fair Lady. If someone was willing to go to $200, she should go ahead & donate that extra hundred – there’s nothing stopping her.
you look wonderful with that hat and the wall hanging looks darn good hanging there glad it raised some money. Your drives look so much fun.
What a fun day and event! The hats are marvelous – congrats on 2nd place 🙂 We’re pretty relaxed about Christmas since it’s just my husband and me, but we do try to get out and see lights in a few neighborhoods. I’ve had the urge to make a lot of Christmas cookies this year: fortunately my husband’s office is glad to have them so I don’t eat too many, lol
LOVE, LOVE your hat! What a fun project.
That’s quite a hat! And love the guys in their hats, too. Looks like a very fun weekend, in spite of the weather.
I’m not likely to be ready for Christmas this year, but I don’t mind. I’m enjoying the season without the usual decorations.
♪♪♪ Oh What Fun! Love the magnets on the hood! And the fog…very mysterious! Lovely to see people out and about and having fun! And you our the leader of that pack! Thanks for sharing!
Looks like you had a fun time!! You are so creative when it comes to decorating, from the table to the hats!
Well done! Glad to see the guys willing to have a bit of Christmas hat fun.
I’ve still got 2 weeks to go before Christmas so I should get everything done………… I hope :)))
Ya’ll have more fun. cute hats and all.
My bunkbed drape project for the little girls has just about pushed me over. I made one more trip to WM this morning for supplies and if they fall apart the first time washed …so be it. I have always heard children should receive for Christmas three things. Something to read, something that will last forever and something that falls apart soon after.
What a gorgeous photo of the three place getters in the hat competition. I think it’s great that some of your Male members take part too.
Looks like so much fun! So glad things are returning to “normal” this year. My sweetie is laid up with his back so we are revising our Christmas decorating. It will be a quiet celebration this year, until the grands come after Christmas. Not quite ready yet…got behind with unexpected doctor and dentist visits this fall and two family trips—worth it, but I’m well behind where I usually am. Each Christmas has its joys and challenges!
Fun hat and congrats on the win! I love the idea to make a fun part even funner!
Lovely to see all the Christmas fun.
Well done with the fund raising with your quilt, too.
That was a fun get together, and I loved the hats! We have aborted our trip to MN, and it is for the best, as DH is having some congestion issues from the winds and once the wind stops and they open the Interstate, the temps are diving until Christmas Eve. But joy, if the roads stay clear Emily and Paul are coming home too!
Carole,
I love all the hats, what a fun idea! I’ve never been in your part of the country so I really enjoy the lovely photos!
Merry Christmas, Sue H