I love getting feedback (nice) via comments, email, facebook etc. I have had lots of requests and comments that you would like us to be open on a weekday. In order to schedule the time to do this, the hours needed to be cut back slightly, but.... I think it will be a good thing.
Starting tomorrow, we will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 12:00 noon untill 4:00 PM.
How is that?
xo
mi
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When I launched the sale of the incredible collection of 125 extremely rare hat blocks as a lot, it created quite a buzz. I received many, many requests from people who wanted to buy them individually. Alas, they did sell as a lot, but...
While I still do have over 200 blocks that I am keeping, I managed to pull ten more that I am willing to part with. Here is a single photo of each of the blocks, along with the asking price.
These blocks are available via the Rose Mille web-site. Just follow this link; Hat blocks
Add $15-20 for shipping and handling to the continental US. We will ship elseware pre-arranged, plus added shipping.
hello@rosemille.com
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This is Jenny and her mom Joan, here to pick up the collection of 125 vintage hat blocks from Rose Mille in Stillwater MN. Jenny will be taking the blocks to Dallas, but she'll never forget where she came from; Minneapolis MN.
{Thanks Shawna for the reference}
I have had the blocks ready for Jenny for over a month, boxed up so I wouldn't be tempted to change my mind.
There they are, all cataloged, sorted and ready to go.
Let's look inside just one of them.
{Oh my}
We loaded fifteen boxes into Jenny's rented van, ready for the trip back to Dallas.
I'm thinking that she is imagining all the fabulous hats she is going to make with these blocks. And I can't wait to see them! Enjoy the blocks Jenny, I know they went to a good home.
Okay, now that that is done, as promised, I am finding a few more for those of you who did not get to purchased the lot. The next post will show the 10 new blocks that will be up for sale soon.
xo
mi
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I hope you are enjoying your summer. It has been glorious here in Minnesota, rather wet, but not so much those violent summer storms. With all the rain, it's looking very green around here. Green and lots and lots of beautiful flowers everywhere.
Speaking of flowers, one of the crafts we have been working on this summer are these gorgeous giant crepe paper roses.
Since we carry the double sided crepe paper from Germany, we googled what you can make with them and found this wonderful tutorial. A pattern for it is also found on the Martha Stewart website but you have to enlarge it to 150% or 200%. To make it easier for you I have done that already and enlarged it 150%. You can download it if you like. Make sure you get both pages.
Download Crepe-paper-Rose.pdf (61.6K)
Download Crepe-paper-Rose-Parts.pdf (93.9K)
We are also working on a tutorial with a few of our own ideas, such as adding flower stamens and an easier way to form the calyx.
But most importantly we have put together a kit, including the awesome crepe paper, wire stems, floral tape and flower stamens. We will also include a printed pattern. The kit is only $15.00 all you have to do is choose the color.
Oh happy day!
Come back here and follow Kelly's tutorial at Studio DIY!
xo
mi
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I am offering almost half of my collection of vintage millinery hat blocks for sale. OFFER ACCEPTED Mostly these are blocks to make "suit hats" worn by fashionable ladies, perched on the head like a fascinator. These are the kind of hats seen on the silver screen in the 1930's through the 1960's. There are berets, caps and blocks that telescope the material forming interesting peats.
All but two of them are solid wood, (two are actually paper mache) and about two thirds of that are 5-piece sectional.
Individually the blocks total over $30,000 however I am offering this collection of 125 blocks starting at $20,000.
You can find individual pictures of them on my flickr page by following this link:
You may want to check out these hat block sites for more information about hat blocks and millinery:
I will be accepting offers for the lot for two weeks, after that if they are still available, I will offer them individually. I am happy to answer any questions via email or coments here.
hello@rosemille.com
Please see the previous post for more information about the blocks.
xo
mi
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Many years ago I purchased a Milliner's lot from a popular milliner Pearl Hemenway, near San Francisco, when I lived in San Jose California. This purchase literally changed my life. It was then that the idea for my shop Rose Mille came into being.
I wrote a post about the beginning of my shop way back in the 2008 archives, check it out; Once upon a Time.
Before I opened my shop, I was teaching hat making in several places in the Bay Area, and operating a thriving custom bridal veil and hat making business, while simultaneously learning everything I could about the Millinery trade. I learned that these hat blocks, or molds were very important. I would sometimes find one here and there at antique shops. They were expensive but fabulous. I also found a small manufacturer (in Minnesota no less) where I could purchase more modern blocks in any head size. I purchased a crown, a large brim, a charming cloche and a tapered top hat, at over $300 a piece. I did get a lot of use from those, and still will.
One day I was shopping at an antiques show where there was a booth filled with vintage and antique hats, mostly from the 1910's and 20's, they were fabric, and fabulous, and very expensive I might add, but hats from that era are very rare as they did not last too long. I chatted with the owner and gave her my "Custom Millinery" business card.
It wasn't long before I received a call from the agent of Pearl Hemenway, the milliner in San Francisco. The agent had picked up my card at the shop of the women I spoke with at the antiques show, and thought I would be interested in looking at Pearl's estate. My heart started racing so fast, I called Bob at work and asked him to come get me and take me to Pearl's, he did and we did. When Pearl took us into her Millinery workshop, we were weak in the knees and had to leave the room to get some air. It was like the scene from Jurassic Park where the scientists first see the live dinosaurs. We had never seen more than 5 hat blocks together in one place let alone over 500. Even Bob was stunned, and he thinks they are really cool wood sculptures.
In summary, I purchased everything, all the hat blocks, millinery flowers, hats, beads, fabrics, and all the trappings of a milliner from the 1930's through the 1960's. Right away I sold almost 200 of them, mostly to my friend Heidi. She was so envious I just had to share.
I never thought I would say this, but I still have too many of them.
So what are these blocks that I am talking about? They are rare molds to shape all different kinds of hats. They are almost always made of wood, and they can be made in one piece or they can be what I call puzzle blocks, which are made to come apart so that the hat can be removed once dry, without distorting it. Every single one of my blocks are different, for a different style women's hats.
After I hauled over 300 of them across the country to Minnesota, my husband made a special room for storing them and there most of them sat, waiting for me to use them or share them or something. I did not do hardly anything with them, but it's time I do.
I have spent many hours over the past week, sorting out the ones I would be willing to sell, dusting them off and cataloging them. There are 125 blocks that I will be offering for sale in the very near future. Being that these are so rare, I will be announcing a date that I will offer the entire 125 piece collection as a lot, with a fabulous discount for that lucky person or organization who wants them all. The prices range from $50 to $300 each, most averaging $175-$225.
If they are still around a week or so after that, I will offer them individually with the incentive that the more you buy the better the price.
A funny thing happened to me after I pulled out the ones to sell, as I looked over what was left, guess what? I am inspired to make some hats! We shall see.
Okay, I have said too much already. Further details will be revealed shortly.
Stay tuned.
xo
mi
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I hope you had a nice Mother's day weekend. We sure did at Rose Mille. Look at the AMAZING creations that came out of our Mother's Day Tea & Tiara workshop!
Everyone started with one of our "Dresden" embossed tiaras, then got right down to painting and embellishing!
I just LOVED how everyone expressed themselves with their creation. Whether they were made just to wear for fun or for a daughter's bridal shower or for a Mother-in-law on Mother's day. These tiara's are fit for a Queen!
And the Tea, the afternoon Tea, was devoured before I could take any pictures of it. The royals sipped on Earl Grey Tea, while enjoying organic strawberries, vanilla bean mini cupcakes, cucumber sandwiches, sea salt brownies, meringues, and a variety of colorful cookies.
Don't be left out, join us next time!!
{Yes, this week I am working on some kits, but which ones to do???}
xo
mi
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In addition to being open on Saturdays, we are holding fun workshops like we did for years when we first opened in 1998. Kicking off our re-opening with a Mother's day Tea and Tiara workshop.
Bring your mom, daughter, best friend or neighbor and spend the afternoon at Rose Mille making gorgeous embossed foil paper Dresden Tiara's while sipping tea.
{or wine?}
Imagine putting together a fabulous fanciful tiara using all of our unbelievable supplies. Paper Dresden's, glass glitter, vintage bling, millinery flowers and silk ribbons.
Starting with a premade tiara base, then "antiquing" with regular craft paints, glueing trims and gems, then tieing it together with a silk ribbon, fit for a queen or princess.
Tea and Tiara workshop includes everything you need to make your own creation and afternoon tea.
Saturday, May 10, 2:00 to 4:00
$55 each or 2 for $100
Kit coming soon!
Mature children only please, must be accompanied with an adult.
See you soon!
xo
mi
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Starting May 10th, Rose Mille is going to be open on Saturdays!
We 've been very busy with our web-site, designing new projects and going to shows, but we noticed that there is just something missing. And that something is you! We miss our talented and creative and nice customers; whom we think of more as friends than customers, and we miss having the shop open on a regular basis. Of course we still need time to do everything else, so we think that being open on Saturday's only, will work well for everyone.
If you just can't make Saturday work, try calling ahead during the week, we may be able to open for you, especially if you are from out of the area. 651-342-0206.
So, starting on Mother's day weekend, every Saturday, unless we are at a show somewhere around the country, like maybe San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York or Houston, we will be open from 11:00 to 5:00.
Check on the "Where" page on our website to keep up with where we are, and when we are open.
xo
mi
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