I finished skinning the hat with sheet metal, but still have trimming to do on it. I also have elaborations to add, metal trim, feathers, ribbon...

I have placed the frame of the hat on the outside of this hat as opposed to the pencil rod frame being on the inside of the three dresses. i think it adds a more of a finished quality to the edges of the cut sheet metal.

I have been experimenting copper acid etching with Chuck and love it! I think I am going to add a copper trim on this hat. The different metals compliment and contrast each other at the same time. The acid etching creates a textured surface in comparison to the shiny surface of the polished copper.

The acid etching of the copper makes me what to explore making entire forms out of copper. The sheer beauty of the copper is stunning, and the range of colors one can achieve from copper oxidation versus steel oxidation is much greater.