You may have wondered why I stopped posting after such a successful Designs by Alina launch. I have been busy making and selling my designs which leaves me with less time for reverie.

But we also have some news which explains the reference to the Beatles' Hello, Goodbye song...

Shortly after introducing Designs by Alina, Bernardo was offered a fantastic business opportunity in the vibrant city of San Francisco. Besides the logistics involved in closing one door and opening another with three young children, a horse, two poodles and a jewelry business in tow, the news has left me conflicted about what this new adventure means to our family. We are excited about relocating to our favorite large city in the country, where my husband will be working in the mecca of his industry, Designs by Alina will continue to flourish in a cosmopolitan environment, and our trio will grow exponentially from their new experience. We love all that San Francisco has to offer and yet it is not easy to say goodbye to Santa Barbara, our beloved small city, in which Bernardo and I have lived the happiest fourteen years of our lives. "Bittersweet" they call it, and I can taste it just about now…

Yes, Santa Barbara is a great place to raise small children, walk barefoot on the beach, find a peaceful moment on horseback, embrace your spouse, and be whimsical in the garden. There has never been a shortage of love around our table or in our home. Yet as I reflect upon the wonderful times we have had here, I realize that the memories people build are what makes a city great, and we look forward to doing just that in our new environment.

As the next chapter of our lives unfolds, I will continue to write about all things design and jewelry. I will also share musings on what our family will miss about this lovely piece of paradise and how we will embrace our next one.

The juju hat's first wall in 2012

They say that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and if you subscribe to our lifestyle newsletter, you already know that one of those “trees" is my mother. Equally inspiring is my beloved uncle, who carried a sketchbook wherever he went because “you should never miss an opportunity to cultivate your passion”. I lived with him and his family the summer we moved to Venezuela, spending most of my time in his atelier with my cousins making clothes for our dolls and dresses for ourselves. Flash forward a few decades and my own daughters find joy in creating beautiful things for us, their friends and their room.

While visiting Harbour Island, I spotted what I later discovered to be a juju hat, sometimes referred to as a Cameroon hat, and immediately knew that a brighter, more playful version would be perfect in our daughters' bedroom. We were in the midst of renovating our home when I embarked on a mission to secure two perfect fuchsia juju hats for the girls. However, at $600 each, I decided instead to fabricate a pair with my daughters, a feat that proved to be remarkably easy and a ton of fun. In the end, for about $200, my crafty girls and I made a pair of hats that would make my mother and uncle proud. 

This is what you will need for one 16" diameter hat*

• 2.5 yards of 4-5" long strung feathers. 
• Glue gun
• Tons of glue sticks
• Scissors
• Thin cardboard or plastic mesh circle (like this one from Walmart) and heavyweight paper like watercolor paper.

* A 16" hat requires two yards of 4-5 inch feathers and a 10 inch template.. A 20 inch hat requires 3 yards of 4-5" feathers and a 12 inch template. A 24 inch hat requires 4.5 yards of 5-6" feathers and a 15" template.

I opted for the paper and mesh vs. the cardboard because I liked the sturdiness of them together and the holes in the mash makes it easier to hang on the wall and store. 

Cut the cardboard (or watercolor paper) into a circle according to the size guide above. A dinner plate will work fine as a template. If using the mesh and paper, glue them together first.

Simply begin to glue the strung part of the feathers onto the outer edge of the paper circle with the curve of the feathers facing up. The next row, which will be a bit smaller as you continue the concentric pattern towards the middle of the mesh, should be glued with the feathers curving downward. Continue this alternating pattern until you reach the center to create lots of volume. Save bits of feathers to glue at the very center and anywhere else needed to make certain your juju hat is fluffy and full. You will likely end up with five to nine rows of feathers depending on the size you choose. The fuller the better so go heavy!

That's it! A simple, beautiful, and satisfying bonding experience that will yield an eye catching piece of wall art for years to come. 

20" juju hat in our new home, July, 2018

This post was updated in July, 2018 to illustrate how three houses and four years later, these hats are still as gorgeous as ever.

Enjoy the experience which is as fun as the long lasting result.