DIY Kentucky Derby Hat - Canadian Version

Hello everyone!  Today is the Kentucky Derby and my husband and I are invited to a Derby Party!  There will be prizes for the person that chooses the winning horse and also for the best Derby Hat.

To celebrate the esteemed tradition of wearing big and beautiful hats at the Derby (and who doesn't like to win a prize!!) I transformed a hat I had bought at TJ Maxx last week.

Since we're Canadian, I am 'hooking my hat up' with some Canadian culture! 

Here's the hat before:

And here it is after:

The front....Maple Leaves galore:

The back.....See the cute little beaver and the Canadian flag?:

I love how it turned out, it was so much fun to make! 

I made this hat so that I could remove everything that I added (since the next time I wear this hat it probably won't be at a Derby party!).

This is how I made it:

Supplies:

Faux maple leaves - Michaels
Plastic Beaver - Michaels
Paper Wrapped Wire Stems, 6 pack - Michaels
Hot Glue
Hot Glue Gun
Needle
White Thread
Canadian Flag Toothpick.

Tutorial:

Take a paper wrapped wire stem and bent it at the end to form a hook.
Hook it onto the black banding in the flower area so it doesn't show.
Attach maple leaves to the wire stem with hot glue.
Attach beaver onto one maple leaf with hot glue. 
Hand sew this leaf onto brim of hat with white thread (so the thread will not show underneath).
Poke the toothpick into the same maple leaf and bend the bottom of the toothpick to make a small L shape.
Hotglue this part of the toothpick onto the bottom of the maple leaf so that the toothpick flag will stand up straight.

That's it!  You're done!!

I hope I win a prize....do you think I might be a contender to win one?

Happy Kentucky Derby Day!!!

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