Bound to Be Creative

handmade hats and bags

Inspiration

YOUR FACE SHAPE AND HANDMADE HAT

One common roadblock to confident hat-wearing is simply not knowing what type of hat looks best on you. Your face shape and handmade hat go hand in hand – let’s find out more!

Confident hat-wearing begins with knowing what face shape you have and what type of hat looks good on your face shape!

Maybe you tried on a hat that one time, and it looked awful and now you think all hats look terrible on you. Or, maybe your friend laughed at you because they thought you looked ridiculous when you tried on a hat an art festival.

The fact is that you weren’t trying on the right type of hat.

Knowing your face shape is important in picking out the best fit for a hat. Every face shape is different, but most can be categorized into five basic face shapes.


Long, Round, Oval, Square and Heart

YOUR FACE SHAPE AND HANDMADE HAT

Long Face Shape
A long-shaped face should avoid hats that sit high on the top. They tend to add height when more of a fitted fit is optimal. Deeper crowns covering ample portion of head is ideal, such as a deep rounded cloche that sits close to the crown. BEST STYLE: Cloche, Wide Brim, Slouchy Knit

Round Face Shape
A round-shaped face should have a hat with height up top and sharp lines. It should have a crown proportionate to the face. Tilting straight brims create attractive lines. Brims that are asymmetrical work well, while symmetrical brims should be tilted to offset the round. BEST STYLE: Sister Newsboy, Curvy Sister Newsboy, Slouchy Knit

Oval Face Shape
If you have been blessed with an oval-shape face then we all envy you! Most hat styles will look great on you given they are worn across the forehead and hairline. It now just comes down to choosing something you love!
BEST STYLE: Limitless

Square Face Shape
Square-shaped faces look best in softer, rounded hats because they balance the lines of the face. Asymmetrical hats allow for contrast to sharp jawlines creating an attractive softness. BEST STYLE: Cloche, Slouchy Knit

Heart Face Shape
Heart-shaped faces need to balance out a wider forehead. Hats with small- to medium-sized brims are perfect for this face shape. If too large of brim is selected the forehead appears wider then normal. This face shape allows for many different styles.  BEST STYLE: Cloche, Sister Newsboy

download my face shape guide


Your face shape is a beautiful shape and there’s sure to be a handmade hat that looks great!

A handmade holiday season!

Bound to be Creative welcomes you!
Welcome to the handmade shop in Lake City, MN. Handmade awaits you as you browse through the different handmade hats the Bound to be Creative makes and the colorful lanyards that are hanging around! Are you a grandma or have a little person in your life? The Doodle Coloring Totes are a perfect creative addition to a young child’s imagination!

SHOP LOCAL AT SHOP·TIQUE
200 N. 10th St. in Lake City, MN

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I would love to meet you and I welcome you to browse the many different handmade items that I make! 200 N. 10th St. Lake City, MN (behind the HWY 63 Kwik Trip on the north side of Pritzl Storage)

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Bound to be Simple

keep life simple

Went on vacation. Came home from vacation waiting for that a’ha! moment of creativity that I always get when I return to my shop. I waited….and waited….and waited. Honestly I’ve been home for a week now and nothing is stirring my friends. Yes, I’ve created some new burlap bucket/boater hats (BTW adorable – check ’em out). I’ve been trying to chip away at some new hats for the Fall and Winter season…and to be completely honest peeps….I’m not getting very far. Call it still summer, college kids moving out, post-pandemic slump or simply the ticker ain’t tickin’. There’s no justification for it and it occurred to me that I’m just keeping it simple and not even knowing it. God has a way of doing that doesn’t he?…yes.

Simple.

Planning ahead is always been a bit of struggle because I live by the seat of my too-tight pants. Quite fittingly my motto this entire summer has been: SIMPLE (ask my family). All you seasoned moms and g-mas out there know that a person reaches a certain age and life needs to be simplified #amiright? And if you’re a new mom or g-ma and know this S%$# already – then good for you, truly. At the beginning of the year some will choose their ‘word’ for the year (I’ve done this trendy thing – blah blah blah), but for me it’s so much pressure because the year just began! My word didn’t float to the surface of my alphabet soup bowl but rather I did a little bit of living and it choose me based on what I was already feeling. And like I said – the planning thing isn’t my BFF.

sunrise sunset

Sunrise Sunset
Curious?…cliffhanger (or you’ll have to read the bottom of the cereal box to find out) #sorrynotsorry. Regardless if it’s the rising of morning sun or the closing of the nighttime sky – it’s simple. Enjoying it for what it is and keeping it simple is where it needs to be and stay. Sorta like my pajama yoga pose that my daughter snapped….yikes, to all you yoga posers out there – I’m so sorry.

bad yoga pose

Wear the Opportunity
When the moment is in front of us – keep it simple. We try hard to make it just right and be on our game at all times….okay maybe just me, but ya know what I mean. I fretted for some moments and beat myself up over not bringing products for a photo shoot – like duh?! right? You’re at the lake Shelly! I mean…really – we wear handmade bucket hats at the lake, we use our handmade big bags and small bags at the lake…seriously, Shelly – okay, I’m over it now, sorta. I kept it simple and my daughter was in her I’m-already-in-my-cute-clothes-not-sick-anymore outfit and was eager to get the job done…just for you!

handmade yellow bucket hat for summer

How are you keeping it simple this summer? Here are some tips:

  • breathe in and out and feel your breathing
  • keep a thankful list
  • journal it out – I recently revisited this and wow, so good
  • read your old journals about the younger you – it’s funny actually
  • make a realistic list of things to be done
  • be in the moment and only the moment
  • clean out that junk drawer in 10 minutes
  • give chores to your kiddos so you can enjoy your coffee
  • delete an app on your phone – I nixed a big one and it never felt so freeing

XO,

Shelly

bound to be creative

Women’s Fashion Bucket Hats

Recycled Coffee Bean Bags turned into Adorable Bucket Hats
Taking something that has an expired purpose and turning it into something C.U.T.E is a summer project that keeps me persistent and excited. You ever get that feeling of persistence and excitement?…thought so – can we be best friends? In the back of my nagging creative brain, for nearly a year, I was convinced it wasn’t possible to take some stiff burlap bags from a coffee shop and bend them into these fisher fashion women’s bucket hats. They’re even a winner with my young nieces!

SHOP RECYCLED BURLAP BUCKET HATS

Tie it in a Bow (or knot)
Each burlap bucket hat comes with a removable headwrap tie that coordinates with the inside of your hat. They’re sewn with frayed edges and all to give a weathered look of “I just came from the barn and I’m still cute” sorta feel.

Women’s Fashion with Passion
You can wear women’s fashion bucket hats passionately and it can say a lot about you, as a person. It can help you:

  • Feel confident with a hat you actually wanna wear
  • Hide the dirty garden hair when you realized the family needs milk from the market
  • Tame the second day hair syndrome (trust me – it’s a thing)
  • Know where your handmade product came from and the story that goes with it
  • Express your personality no matter which way you wear your hat

How Do I Wear My Fedora Bucket Hat
With the pliable brim you can rock your bucket hat any which way, but here are some ideas just to get you started!

Oh, wait – don’t have a bucket hat yet? Click here to SHOP BUCKET HATS FOR WOMEN!

SHOP WOMENS REVERSIBLE BUCKET HAT

Women’s Fashion Bucket Hats

Bucket Hats Not Your Thing?
Some of us women may like a little variety in our handmade hats so sticking to one type of hat doesn’t always do the trick. Other types of handmade hats can add a little pick up to your step as well- especially if you’re a woman experiencing hair loss or just simply want to add a different look to your headwear wardrobe. Check out some other options in my other blog right here!

You Can Wear Hats

adjustable visor

You Can Wear Hats
You’re in the right (handmade) place if you struggle with wanting to…

  • Find hat colors that compliment your wardrobe
  • Measure your head to get the right fit for a hat, click here
  • Get enough shade coverage for your head
  • Need to wash your grungy hat but fear it’ll fall apart
  • Find a cute, functional and timeless hat that’s totally you

You Can Wear Hats!

Two Sides to the Story
Trend colors come and go and the key to a good hat reversible hat is you get two sides to your hat! Whether your wardrobe is a full color wardrobe or you’re more of neutral gal – no problem. Because my handmade hats are reversible I suggest you wear hats with one side that’s neutral and the other side with a little more pizazz – just for fun! The summer line-up is full of color and neutrality for your lovely head. Here’s the breakdown friends –

Curvy Sister Newsboy Hat – all solid linen-blend colors, great for outings that require a little more than casual, but can be worn mowing lawn (my mom!)
Visor – reversible with colorful fabric and linen-blends, hook and loop closure for a one size fits most, great for those that need a lot of shade
Bucket Hat – great for the beach (or mowing lawn), reversible, great color choices
Cloche – reversible in pre-made color choices (I make it easy for you!), best for hair loss, weddings, funerals (I’m sorry for your loss – truly as it’s been a crappy year), brunches with your bestie

Jazz it Up
The reversible visor makes splash this season with some new colors! The hook and loop closure assures a nice, good fit and I’m so happy that I have TIE-DYE for you…can we say “yeah baby!” The visor brim choice is available in two sizes to accommodate how much coverage you want for shade. Check them out here!

Did you say Washable?
Yes.

Functional and Timeless
As I said before, trends come and they go. We are all timeless treasures and so is your awesome hat because it’s custom for you – not “them”.

Peek into Handmade Bags

handmade market totes

A Textural Dream
These new colorful and reversible totes are just the thing to give you Spring Fever without even packing away the winter gear. These handmade market bags are a super colorful collection of eclectic upholstery fabrics that scream…”please don’t leave me at home!” Because I sometimes struggle making things that are non-reversible these tote bags are beautiful on both sides giving you not just one awesome bag, but two!

While I LOVE making your awesome handmade hats this new line of spring bags for 2021 has been a welcome change not only visually but also texturally.

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Show Your True Colors

fleece beanie earflap hat

Your brisk morning walk just got an upgrade and you can start to show your true colors!

In between distance learning with the kids, virtual work meetings and baking it may be tough to get outdoors and breath in the fresh air.  Getting outside clears the head, refreshes the soul and jumpstarts the day.  While I shirk on the everyday walker chart finding any time of the day is good to get out and take in the landscape…even if it’s not that pretty of a view. (heck, anything is pretty outside my house right now because I’m living with seven people).

SHOW YOUR TRUE COLORS WITH A WINTER FLEECE HAT

THANK YOU TO ALL MY NEW SUBSCRIBERS!!
YOU ROCK MY SOCKS!

I want to be a hat person!
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Shop Opening October 2020

When someone asks me…why? a lot of times I follow-up with… why not? I’m not gonna beat around that paint brush…I’m thrilled to announce a….

Shop Opening October 2020 in Lake City, MN

Over the years watching you stroll around my show booth has been nothing short of a cool experience. Not only has been so great to meet you but to also get to know you and know your story. You inspire me!  

You inspire me so much that I’m thrilled to announce….

A shop•tique experience awaits you!


(pronouced: /SHäp,tēk/)
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Upcycling through Handmade

Have you ever felt a little rough around the edges or a slight bit edgy – okay a lot bit edgy? Raise your hand if this fits for you (by the looks of the virtual hand-raising you’re not alone). Read on to see my new adventures and how Upcycling through Handmade stitches new life with frayed edges and threads. Find out how you can tackle your “‘maybe someday” project, too.

Rough Around the Edges…literally
Allowing for a bit of self reflection on what was, is and what will be has been things as of late. Not only do we need to do a self-check every now and then but also self-reflect. We’re not perfect and life is not perfect. As a result we can maybe finally accept ourselves flaws and all. Moreover letting go of things that we can control vs. the things we can’t is what makes us well rounded and acceptable to ourselves and others. The future is somewhat unknown and all I know is the now and thank goodness God takes care of the rest.

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