March Tea Party Lolita Meetup

My local lolita community had a tea party meetup for March.
I didn't take as many photos as I would have liked, but here are a few of my favorites.

Table before we all settled in.

Birthday Outfit- Pink Classic Lolita

Hello lovelies~
Friday, the 24th, was my birthday.
My significant other spent some time at the park, then we went to dinner at an upscale restaurant. I wish I had gotten pictures of the food, the presentation was beautiful, but I didn't bring my camera in with me.

Anyways, this is what I wore:

I've posted a very similar outfit with this skirt before, but I love it and felt this was my most appropriate lolita outfit for the occasion. This my first time wearing these new shoes though. I'll have to post a good picture of them sometime, they're lovely and sparkly.

Skirt- Bodyline
Accessories- Handmade
Everything else- Offbrand

Outfit Post- Pink Polka Dot Sweet Casual

Here is what I wore Saturday while I ran some errands, went out for sushi, and made a trip to the craft store. I'm so disappointed my necklace got turned around in the 2nd shot. This t-shirt is one of my favorites, even though it is very basic- I love the color. I bought two types of clay that I've never used before and I'm excited to try them out! I typically only use polymer clay (Premo), but I want to start using more varieties of clay.

Outfit rundown:

Skirt- Bodyline

Shirt- Aéropostale

Purse- Bodyline

Shoes/socks- offbrand

Accessories- handmade (except the bow ring)

Miniature Chocolate Chip Cookie Earrings

Hello lovelies!
I'm sorry this blog has been so stagnant lately. (I began waaayy too many blog posts with an apology for not blogging, don't I?)

Here is a pair of miniature chocolate chip cookie stud earrings that I made from polymer clay. The cookies are about 1.5cm wide.

I've been photographing and re-photographing many of my creations lately.
It was suggested to me that I should photograph my items with white backgrounds instead of the colorful fabrics and scrapbook paper I like to use. I'm trying it out, but I think I still prefer the colorful backgrounds, because I like cute and bright stuff. White seems so boring.

I have also been listing items in my Etsy shop lately. My shop was empty for a long time and I had pretty much given up on Etsy, but I have decided to give it another shot. I think this is the most items I have ever had in my shop at one time (16 items!)

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

 Happy New Year my dear readers! I hope this year treats you well ♥

Last year I decided to make some New Year resolutions for the first time in my life and I was very successful at failing at them.This year I intend to return to my anti-resolution mentality.

2011 felt like it was pretty uneventful, but when I think about it I realize that even though I may not have achieved anything I had planned for the year, things still worked out well.

The best thing that happened to me during the past year was when I realized what career I wanted to pursue and then went back to school on a whim. Yes, I made a huge decision without careful planning or thought in literally moments. It was a risk for me, because I honestly had no idea how I was going to pay for it. This was completely unlike me, I don't take risks or make major decisions without careful planning. It made me realize how much I've changed.

I do have a goal for this year, but it is not a New Year's resolution. My goal is to keep my 4.0 GPA and get accepted into the honors program. After spring semester I will have enough credit hours to be eligible to apply.

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season full of friends, family, good food, and gift giving.
Here are some of my Christmas decorations:

We bought an inexpensive kit that had the gingerbread, frosting, and candy to make three houses.

Our table-top Christmas tree. It is a potted Norfolk Island pine.
After Christmas I will be re-potting it and putting it on the balcony, without the decorations of course.

Snowflakes on the window.
I made these the day my final grades for the semester were posted; to celebration, I used paper from my geology lab assignments.

Fresh Fruit Tarts

Yesterday I made these fresh fruit tarts with lemon curd mousse. They were suppose to be for dessert after our Thanksgiving dinner, but we were so full we waited until today to eat them.

Outfit Post

I wore this outfit a couple days ago to class. I regretted it later, because it was so hot and this outfit didn't help out too much.

I bought this skirt on EGL awhile back. It is longer than I had imagined, but I like it regardless. I'd been wanting a brown skirt for a few months. I was pleased when I saw someone selling this one and bought it, even though it isn't exactly what I'm looking for. Unfortunately, most of the ones I really want are out of my price range.

The skirt looks much longer in this photo than it actually is.

Without the blazer.

Shoes.

Brief Update and Design Seed Color Palettes

Hello! Sorry it has been so long since I've posted anything. I'm disappointed that I have not been good at updating on a regular basis. I've been busy lately getting ready to start school and searching for a new home. Our lease expires in a couple months and we do not plan to renew it. I'm hoping to find a nice duplex or house to rent instead of an apartment.

Lately I've been looking at home decor blogs, because after moving I typically like to change up the decor. But these blogs usually make me really wish I owned a home, that way I could paint the walls, install nice cabinets, and other drastic changes that cannot be done when you rent.

It was during one of these decor reading sessions that I came across this blog, Design Seeds, which is full of color palettes. I wish I had come across this website when I was designing my blog layout.

Here are a few of my favorites.

Outfit Post- Happy International Lolita Day

Since today is International Lolita Day I figured I might as well dress up. It's a good excuse. There was a local meet up, but I had to work this morning so I was unable to attend. But that's okay, it was outdoors and today is super hot. Instead I went and treated myself to pearl milk tea. ♥ I tried taro flavor for the first time. The taste was different from what I had imagined, not that it's a bad thing.

 This skirt is kinda heavy so I have to wear entirely too many petticoats to achieve poof and it didn't last long. Maybe I should invest in a super fluffy one (like that classical puppets one), as it would be more comfortable with less waistbands and more practical.

 I like the way these two necklaces look worn together. This cameo necklace is probably my favorite necklace I own. It was originally on a gold chain, but I think it looks nicer with pearls. The pink ones are freshwater pearls. They're really nice and almost all round and symmetrical. The white ones are glass with a pink ribbon.

PoupeeGirl Talk- Fairy Event

Hello lovelies! How is life treating you?

I must admit, I am so addicted to PoupéeGirl. I love all the cute items and coming up with dress ups. I try to dress up everyday, sometimes multiple times a day because I buy new items that I can't wait to wear.

Luckily I have avoided the jewels, although it is hard sometimes. A few times I came very close to buying some, but I remind myself that I have a rule against spending money on pixels. My solution to keep from lusting after jewels too much is to simply not look in the jewels shops. Of course I can't help myself and always end up taking a peak.

Last month was the fairy event, which I love so much. I didn't buy many items during the event due to a lack of ribbons and trying to buy older items before the time was up. But I had a perfect excuse to wear my previous fairy items. I did buy some of the limited sunflower items, I love the big flower and didn't want to miss my chance. I still plan to buy more fairy items, but I'm behind on buying from previous shops and the current rainy day event isn't helping.


Anyways, here are my favorite dress ups from the fairy event. Once the rainy day event is over I will post my favorite outfits from the event as well.

Do any of you play poupeegirl? If you do, leave me a link to your profile so we can be friends ♥

Lolita At The French Bakery and The Catnip Mouse

Hello lovelies! I hope life is treating you well.
Today I have more photos to share from the past month.

I went to a french bakery downtown to eat some macarons and drink mocha. They were good, except a bit too sweet. I really wanted lavender flavor, but they were all out so instead I got rose and caramel. The caramel ones were my favorite. The first two I ate at room temperature and the one I took home I enjoyed cold. It tasted less sweet that way.

So pretty.

This is what I wore for the day. The girl at the bakery was asking me questions about where I was going and if I had something special planned. I could tell she wanted to ask about my outfit without sounding rude.

I had the ends of my hair curled, but it didn't last.

I made a catnip mouse for my kitty. He is very aggressive when it comes to playtime so it only lasted a day before it was ripped apart. He had a stuffed bird that he tore the head off and scattered the stuffing all over the house, I'm still finding pieces laying around. Maybe I should buy him those stuffing free plush dog toys...

Anyone know where this cute pixel art is from? I found it on a Japanese site, but forgot to bookmark and now I can't seem to find it. If you happen to know I'd love if you'd give me the link! ♥

Thanks for reading!

Playing Catch Up- Updates and Purchases

Hello readers! I hope life is treating you well. Sorry I haven't been blogging much or posting my craft projects. I have a few finished projects that I will be posting over the next couple of days.

 

I bought these shorts a couple days ago for a really good price, 70% off the original price. I was in desperate need of a new pair since the weather is so hot and I only had one pair of shorts, excluding gym shorts.

I love this mascara! It is physicians formula. It isn't much more expensive than the usual drugstore mascara, I bought it for around $8.99 and I have no problem with it clumping or flaking.

My cat lounging around being his usual lazy self.

There's Always Less Perfect Days Made For Crafting

The past few weeks I've been busy spending the majority of my spare time doing activities other than crafting. The weather is warm, it calls me out of my craft room and into the world. It is only a matter of time before it gets so hot I lose all interest in going outdoors (unless swimming is involved.)

Instead of spending my days at the sewing machine, I venture outside to photograph the world, stroll in the parks, enjoy my balcony garden, and ride my bike to the tea house. These days are too perfect to turn into crafting marathons. The only problem is that my crafting suffers. Or does it? No. I know in the long run my crafting benefits.This is an opportunity for creativity to renew itself, find new inspiration from external sources, explore new possibilities.

How can you expect to be a great artist when all you know is what's inside?

Updates: New Hair Color, Thrifted Lolita Skirt, Pen pal

I dyed my hair the other day. I went from a medium-light brown to dark brown. The color was suppose to be medium dark brown, but it ended up being very dark and looks black in certain lighting. I like the end result even though it turned out a little darker than planned.

Here is my new hair color, as well as a quick shot of my outfit.

I was going to get rid of the skirt because it is short and I didn't think I had anything to wear with it. While cleaning my closet out I came across this shirt I haven't worn in awhile and some black leggings, so I decided to pair them all together. I like the outcome and the skirt length isn't an issue when worn with the leggings, so I will be keeping it after all.

I received a letter from my pen pal, she included some cute stickers and a handmade cookie charm. She lives in Mexico and apparently the mail between here and there takes forever.

I found this skirt at a thrift store. I was super excited, it seems like a great find, and would work well for a lolita outfit. Unfortunately it is a bit too big, but I'm planning on attempting to resize it. I looked around online and it doesn't seem too hard of a task. Besides, even if something goes terribly wrong it won't matter much since I only paid $4.

Thanks for reading! ♥
The cute pixel dividers were made by Cherri Drop, they can be found here.

Outfit Post: Pink & Blue Rainbow Bliss

Here is an outfit I wore over the weekend. I wasn't going out for anything special, just running errands. After I got home my boyfriend convinced me to go with him to a BBQ place down the street. It was filled with the typical Texan cowboy-type and I got plently of weird looks and comments that made me giggle.

Outfit Rundown
Jacket: Sanrio

T-shirt: Hai-Koo
Skirt: Old Navy
Shoes: Sketchers
Hair accessories: Sanrio and Handmade
Shooting star brooch: Handmade
Cupcake Necklace: Handmade
The hoodie is one of my favorite jackets, mainly because of the bright blue color. The pattern is has Hello Kitty, stars, rainbows, and the words "super cute". I've had the t-shirt for a very long time, I've searched for the brand recently and couldn't find anything. I guess they aren't around anymore.

Recent Purchases- Black Bolero and Brown Shoes

Today I would like to share two of my most recent purchases.

I bought this black bolero from a girl on egl_comm_sales to match many black dresses I own. I love the dresses, but they all have straps and most of the time I would prefer my shoulders to be covered.

I have been looking for a nice but inexpensive bolero or cardigan for awhile now. When I saw this I knew it was perfect! I bought it new with tags for $8 shipped.

I also have been wanting some new shoes, its been awhile since I've bought any. Most of my shoes are flats or sneakers, so I was looking for something dressy with heels or a platforms. Also, I have quite a few brown outfits but no brown shoes other than my hiking boots. I typically wore gold or black shoes with those outfits.

I came across these shoes at a store called Shoe Carnival. I paid only $7.50 for them on clearence, the original price was $44.99 so I got a really great deal!

Yes, I have a strange love for getting a good deal, to me it is the ultimate shopping experience and makes me feel great. My bank account appreciates it as well. I like getting the most from my hard earned dollars. And I have lots of bills to pay so I'm on a pretty strict budget.

Thanks for reading! ♥

Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Blackberries

Happy Valentines day everyone! I hope you have a wonderful day with your loved ones.

Today I made chocolate covered strawberries and blackberries. I love them, they're so delicious and easy to make.

Here's the recipe
Ingredients:
strawberries, blackberries, or whatever other fruit you want
Chocolate chips or a good chocolate bar broken into small pieces (I used semi-sweet chocolate chips)

1. Wash berries ahead of time, be sure they are completely dry before you begin.

2. Melt chocolate in a double boiler, stir until chocolate is smooth and remove from heat.

Alternatively you can melt the chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave at 10% power for 2 mins. Stir. If not melted heat in additional 30 second increments, until smooth. Be sure to stir after each 30 second period, often times chocolate chips will look unmelted but once mixed you will discover they're fully melted.

3. Hold strawberries by stem, dip into chocolate. Swirl as you lift from chocolate, give a light shake to remove excess chocolate. Turn the strawberry upside down, so that the tip is pointing towards the ceiling. This will ensure the chocolate sticks to the berry and is sealed.

4. Place berries on wax paper to cool and harden.

5. To dip blackberries, stick them onto a wooden toothpick and swirl in the chocolate. Use same technique as you did with strawberries. Slide berry off toothpick onto wax paper and repeat with remaining blackberries.

It is best to make them the same day you plan to eat them. Eat within 24 hours, served at room temperature for best results. The berries will leak juices and make the chocolate weird if you wait too long to eat them (usually past 24 hours)

If you want to make them more fancy you can melt some white chocolate to drizzle over them.

Thank you for reading, please enjoy! ♥

Snow Day

Last night it snowed!~
It didn't snow much and it melted quickly, but its more snow than I've seen since I moved away from New Mexico. I'm not sure if I miss the cold weather or not, but it was always nice to look out the window at the snow-covered Sandia mountains.

It was only 1 inch of snow & people were calling it a "huge storm"

In order to enjoy the little snow I decided to walk to a coffee shop for breakfast then go to the nearby park. I get to the coffee shop to discover they were closed because of the weather! There were several other businesses closed for the day, as well as the schools. I was disappointed my day didn't go as planned, but I did find the reaction to this small amount of snow pretty funny.

New Pink Rose Classic Lolita Skirt

I just got home from work and I'm so excited. My new Bodyline classic lolita skirt arrived today! I couldn't even wait to open it until I walked upstairs, I just started tearing open the package as I  ran towards my apartment. Once inside I couldn't get it on fast enough! Sadly today is too windy and cold so I took it off shortly after.

I traded a handmade necklace and bracelet in exchange for this skirt read here. I am very happy with the trade, the skirt is in great shape. There are a few changes that I will probably make on the skirt and the bow, which are mentioned below. Overall I love the skirt. I have been wanting a skirt with rose print.

I don't like these bows, I plan on replacing them or removing all together.

The bow is detachable. I might remove the pearls and turn the bow into a hair accessory.