I recieved my Bodyline Cherry JSK, Yea!

 I got my Bodyline dress in the mail a few days ago and I love it. The fabric is very soft and seems to be of good quality. The lace is the same, very nice. The previous owner took off the flare sleeves which is fine because I was most likely going to do the same thing. I have to decide if I want to keep it as a JSK or if I want to add some sleeves.It also has waist ties and I think I will take them off. I can use them to make something else. Perhaps a cute bow or accessory. The dress came with a bow as well but I find I don't favor large bows on my dresses.

I really love the print. The happy and bright cherries and wavy bows are so light and cheery. I really do love it. It makes me want to go on picnic. It is a perfect dress for sunny days and walks in the park. When I used to live in Philadelphia there was a park close to me that was so green and full of life. I want to wear this JSK coordinated nicely in that park and have a carefree day. I don't have a parasol that matches the red or sax color. Perhaps I will have to try and acquire one, one day. 

Well, I hope everyone has a great week and is excited for Christmas. It is coming. Less than a month now. Just like last year I am going to post what I would like for Christmas. It is fun to make a little list even though Santa doesn't get it anymore. Happy Holidays!

Making a Minty Dress Part 1

During the early part of this year I found some amazing fabric in NYC that I just had to buy. It reminded me of Emily Temple Cute and a fabric and patten that they would use. I was able to get it in a pretty pinky melon color and  a nice mint. I saved it until I came up with the perfect idea for it and last week I make my first cut and stitch. I found a pattern at JoAnn's Fabrics about a month ago for just $1. It was a shirt with capped sleeves. I really like the sleeves so I bought it pretty much for them. I mixed the pattern with my own ideas and my Minty Lolita dress is about half complete.

It is a cute and simple Lolita design. Capped sleeves, empire waisted, gathering at the bust, and the super cute minty bow fabric. The sleeves look large in these pictures and they are not quite that big. I think it is just the way it is hanging on the dress form. I tried the top on and it fits quite well which is good because it does not have any gathering in the back or any elastic.

The skirt lining is not attached yet and won't be until the bottom part of the dress is done as well. (Disregard the black and white ruffle on the bottom. That is just another skirt that was on the dress form that I kept on it to give the lining a nice silhouette.) The bottom of the Op will be pretty basic. 2 ruffles along the hem and perhaps a couple of cute little bows. Every Lolita likes bows. 

I will have fabric left over after I am done with this garment but I am not sure how much. I will just have to see. I hope there is enough to perhaps make a skirt. I still don't know what i want to do with the pink melon version of this fabric. It hasn't "spoken" to me yet. What do you think I should make with it?

New Purchase on the Cheap: Bodyline Cherry JSK

A few days ago I was on the egl sales comm browsing around for fun and I spotted something that I couldn't pass up. A seller that lives only a few hours away from me was selling Bodyline's Cherry JSK in blue/sax for $20 including shipping. I have always taken note of this dress and admired it for being a pretty print from Bodyline but I didn't feel like shelling out $40 plus shipping for it. But, for $20 shipped, it's a great deal! 

I think it is coming in the mail today. I can't wait. I am going to alter it a little when I do receive it. I think I will give it little capped sleeves and perhaps add a ruffle along the hem of the skirt. Give the dress a little more substance, a little more fluff. The dress will be a good addition to my closet because I don't have much sax and it is good to have a variety of colors. (Even though I always seem to be leaning towards black)

I am getting a print that i have wanted to quite some time. Is there a print that you are wanting our lusting after?

November Ipsy My Glam Bag: Inexpensive but Nice Make Up

I have been wanting a subscription to My Glam/Ipsy for quite some time now, since they started about a year ago. I finally was able to squeeze in when they had subscriptions open again. For those of you who are not familiar with Ipsy i will give a quick little explanation. Ipsy is like Cheese of the Month, but just make up instead of cheese. For $10 a month Ipsy will send you a cute little make up bag every 30 days with 5 pieces of make up or beauty products. Since I am all about Lolita and not spending lots of money this is the perfect say to acquire a very nice make up collection for very little. You can very easily spend $10 on one make up item at the drug store. Ipsy allows you to get so much for so little. The shipping is free if you live in the USA and it is now available in some other countries with additional shipping. (Additional Info Here)

This bag that I am showing is the second bag that I have received and I have loved both. When you sign up you take a little quiz that asks you about your tastes and style when it comes to your looks and beauty. They ship the bags in the middle of the month and you are super excited to see the bright pink envelope in the mail box. Here is what came my way this month....

My hot pink shiny padded envelope. My bag and all of it's goodies are safe in this bubble wrapped envelope. I haven't gotten anything broken or loose. I have received liquids in bottles and never had any leaks or problems. I know they have a FAQ about missing or broken items so I am sure it won't be a big problem if it does happen.

 The dark chocolate bag with gold zipper and has a glossy zipper pull. It is lined and looks nice on the inside in addition to the outside. The bags that the make up comes in are perfect as a small satchel to carry in your bag or purse. I use mine to carry my chap stick, lip gloss, little mirror, and cuticle moisturizer. Each bag also includes a couple post card sized cards that offer discounts on the brands that are in the bag.

 Oooooo. So many fun new things to try out. The bags are a little different based on the quiz that you take but here is what I got in my bag. Chella Eyebrow Defining Gel, Nailtini nail polish in Millionaire, Meet Matte eye shadow in Matt Batali , bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie lip gloss in Dare Devil,and Starlet eyeliner in black. Nice! I have tried out everything and I really liked all of it. My favorite is the nail polish. I am not really a nail polish kind of girl because it drives me crazy when it chips and it feels like it chips hours after you apply it.

The Chella Eyebrow Defining Gel is something I never even thought existed. I just kind of thought eye brows got plucked and that was that. Well, now I can make sure my eye brows are neat and pretty with this gel. It is very light and has a pleasant and subtle smell.

 I told my sister in law that this months bag had nail polish in it and since I am not really in polish that I would most likely give it to her. Well, sorry sister in law. I have to keep this one. Nailtini nail polish in Millionaire is so much fun. The gold glitter and little specks of teal blue are too much for me to let go of right now. 3 coats and I am very happy with how sparkly my nails are. Also, it dries so fast. I proclaim Nailtini nail polish in Millionaire the winner of this bag for me.

Eye shadow is one of those items where I just can never have enough. The Meet Matte eye shadow in Matt Batali is a welcome addition to my collection. The color is a deep purple. It is such a deep purple you don't even notice it at first. I really love this color. I have been using it to do a simple cat eye look and it is awesome. It spices up the regular back cat eye. It applies very nicely and stays put.

Lip gloss and lip stick are something that I don't use too often but this bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie lip gloss in Dare Devil is pretty nice. It looks bold and dark but once it is applied it lightens up and just adds a shine and hint of color. The thing that really surprised me was how minty it was. I think I will be using this one around the holidays. It is the perfect size to slip into your small bag or purse. And, if your anything like me you need your lip glosses and chap sticks to be small because you carry lots of them with you all the time. (Do I really need 11 lip products with me at all times?)

The last item is the Starlet eyeliner in Black. It is your standard black eyeliner pencil. It applies nicely and stays on. I did a little test on the back of my hand. I know it sounds like I am not crazy about it and it isn't the pencils fault. I only like liquid eyeliner with a brush. I have tried many different eyeliner and it is the only kind for me. I do like the pink and white pencil and the small box that it came in. I don't know why but I love it when things have small matching boxes. It makes them feel special. I think I will save up the things from my bags that I am not crazy about and do a give away with them. A nice little bundle of make up.

I can't say enough great stuff about Ipsy and the things they send me. I like them on Facebook and it is very active. There is also a nice Michelle Phan(She is the creator of Ipsy)/Ipsy YouTube that has oodles of things to watch. You can learn quite a bit there. I really hope you girls and guys enjoyed this peek into my Ipsy bag.

Daily Lolita Highlight: Elfie78

The changing of the seasons makes people take pictures of the new surroundings. Whether it's new blooms in Spring, fiery leaves in Fall, or icy frost and snow in Winter it is nice to see. Now that the colder months are upon us we will be seeing lots of lovely Lolitas bundled up in coats, scarves, and gloves standing among the snow. I love winter. I think it is my favorite season. The snow, cold temperatures, holidays, and lots of baking and cooking cookies and stews make me happy. Also, hot cocoa. Yum.

I know it isn't quite jacket and gloves weather in these pictures but it is a celebration of the first snow for Elfie78. I have yet to see our first snow of the season and I know how fun it can be. I am looking forward to it very much. I love that she went with what would be a traditionally springy floral print and matched it with white accessories. I especially love the knit beret and the large Meta bag. You don't see very many larger Lolita bags. Her coord is a mixture of brands.....

OP: Victorian Maiden

Bag: Metamorphose

Berret: Accesorize

Boots: Bodyline

 In addition to the first snow of the season she posted a few pictures from a little bit before. I think the world I am looking for is darling. This coordinate that she put together and these pictures are just darling. The bright white paired with the dusty rose pink make a great match. I kind of wish it were mine. Her OP is Juliette & Justine, I don't have anything by them but I really like the print.

OP: Juliette & Justine

Parasol: Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Hat, Mittens Cardigan : Offbrand (Seppälä)

Shoes: Bodyline

 Her style is very free and effortless. It isn't overly fussy which is hard to do with Lolita. It is such an eye catching style and there are so many details so often it can look over worked and forced. Elfie78 does not have this problem. The flowing hair, minimal make up, simple color schemes, and smart use of accessories are something to be desired.

You can see these pictures and many others on her blog Toes on Lace. It is a pretty little blog and is a joy to scroll through. I hope the cold weather is treating everyone well and inspires many pictures of you in your wintery finest. please, post all your amazing pictures on Daily Lolita.

3 Lolita Blogs I Like Part 2

There are so many great Lolita blogs out there so I knew I had to do a few 3 Lolita Blogs I Like posts. This is part 2, you can read part 1 here. I will most likely be doing more, a part 3 and 4 are probably in our future. It feels like new Lolita blogs pop up everyday so it is hard to keep up. I find I have to make the rounds about once a month looking for new Lolita blogs. It also feels as if as many blogs that are appearing there are ones that are disappearing. I know a lot of you already know these blogs but perhaps you don't and these will be new and now part of your Lolita blog reading. Now, 3 MORE Lolita Blogs I Like....

Luna Rain:

I have been reading Luna Rain for quite some time and have enjoyed every post. Many of her posts are on new prints and of different series by the popular brands, pictures and details about local meet ups, and orders of new goodies she has purchased. I l-o-v-e seeing the things that people order. It is so much fun, you can kind of live vicariously through them. Posts where there are lots of pictures and details are the best and she does those well. Hop on over to her site and have a good time.

New Vogue Children:

Just like her banner above, New Vogue Children has some of the prettiest pictures. I love looking at all her pictures. She has tons of pictures of what she wore that day, wardrobe shots, shoe pics, cute bunnies, and more. If I had a chance to snag her Lolita wardrobe I would be the happiest camper.  She has quite the collection that any Lolita would be proud of. Especially her parasols. I have a fondness and weakness for them and she has some really nice ones. She has been writing since 2009 so there is a nice backlog to read through. Enjoy!

Ramble Rori:

Some of you might know Ramble Rori from egl. For quite a bit of time she was doing Lolita based surveys pertaining to brands, relationships, family, money, and more. She has quite a few and they are worth looking at. I remember participating in many of them and I really enjoyed seeing the results. GO take a peek at the results of here surveys and learn a thing or two about your fellow Lolitas. In addition to her surveys she writes about daily Lolita, being a bad ass, and more. I always enjoy her site and look forward to new posts.

I know I read a lot of Lolita blogs but I am sure that there are many that I don't know about. Do you read one that you really love? Do you have any recommendations? Let me know, give me your suggestions.

Ick: Super Cute Indie Lolita Clothing Shop

We all know the big Lolita brands; Baby The Stars Shine Bright, Angelic Pretty, Meta, and more but apart from these big names there are many indie brands and seamstresses out there who make beautiful dresses and blouses. Ick happens to be one of those cute little shops.

I saw her post on egl last week and was please to see her cute designs that I think any Lolita would really like to wear. There are a few pieces in her shop which I am particularly fond of. I like the Little Bear JSK and the Rose Series Skirt. The Rose Series print is so feminine and delicate. The prices are reasonable and wouldn't put anyone in debt. The dresses range from $80 to $150. Some of them even come with a matching bow and/bag. Awesome. Matching goodies are the best. If you want bloomers I think her shop is the place to get them. They are very reasonable and cute. They have short and longer ones from $12 to $20. Save yourself from any embarrassing moments by wearing bloomers. Windy days will no longer be an issue.

 These two dresses are super cute. I would plan a spring picnic for the first one and an evening on the town for the second one. Her shop offers a few different collections and there are more on the way. If she keeps sewing and expanding I can see a successful indie Lolita brand. I think it could be popular.

In addition to the shop, Ick has many other pages that support it. Ick has a Facebook page, a Twitter page, an Etsy shop, and a Tumblr. If you want to follow Ick and be up to date on all of the cute dresses and skirts make sure you follow one or all of their pages. I know I am going to follow Ick on Facebook.

Go take a peek at the cute clothes and tell me which is your favorite.

Lolita Runway Challenge: Project Summer hosted by ABC Lolita

ABC Lolita made a post today proposing a cool and fun idea. A
Lolita Runway Challenge just like Project Runway but just spanning the summer. The first challenge would be to make a replica of the Op or JSK of your choosing. Here is a little excerpt...

Lolita Runway Challenge: Project Summer

I was chatting with another Lolita and came up with the idea for a Project Runway-type challenge that spans the summer. If successful, there could be more challenges in the future, but we're starting simple for now.

The timeline would, of course, be much longer than the Project Runway timeline.
1) Challenge Announcement
2) Fashion Sketch or Fashion Drawing or Technical Flats (basically, get your idea in)
3) Material Hunt
4) Drape, Pattern, Alter, etc.
5) Sew forever
6) Photo and post!

The first challenge would be to make a replica, but you can change the details. It still must be obvious which dress you are replicating (I wanted everybody to replicate the same dress to see everybody's take on it, but that can change). This would be an easier first challenge because you can simply make an exact replica if altering patterns or designing are not your forte. This allows beginners to participate as well as seasoned seamstresses (see if you can make it EXACTLY like the original!)

 I love this idea! So much fun. This gives me the final push to make a certain outfit I have been wanting to make. I fell in love with the Milky Rail Train Set by Alice and the Pirates.

 The first time I saw it I knew it was love. So pretty. I guess it is one of my dream dresses. I just realized it. It is a dream dress. But, I don't have over $500 for one dress so I continue to dream. Hence, this challenge is the perfect time to make my dream dress. If I do a good job people won't be able to tell the difference.

I am sure there will be more info and more details in the future. Right now it is just an idea that will hopefully happen. It is open to anyone. So, tell your friends and spread the word. It would be great if lots of people participated.

3 Lolita Blogs I Like

As of right now I am following/reading over 200 blogs and most of them are Lolita. There are some cat, cute, Japanese Fashion, or food related but the majority are Lolita in nature. Some of them are very active and some haven't posted in some time but I still follow them since they might post any day. Reading Lolita blogs makes me happy and smile everyday and I want to share these blogs that make me smile with you. It was a bit of a difficulty choosing just 3 Lolita blogs that I liked and wanted to share. I feel this might have a follow up post of two. Now, onto my 3 Lolita blogs  that I like......

Kaho's Lolita World:

Kaho's Lolita World is such a cute blog. It is about a mother and daughter who both wear Lolita together. So cute. My favorite part of her blog is her posts on new dresses. Kaho and her daughter get so many cute Ops and JSKs. I am a bit jealous. Her blog is in English even though she is from Japan and now lives Singapore. We are all lucky she knows English and chooses to write her blog in English. She has a nice little backlog of posts that you can read so hop on over and check it out.

F Yeah Lolita:

If I am not mistaken F Yeah Lolita is one of the first Lolita blogs that I read/followed. It was popular even then. She has been writing since 2009 and many of her posts are very well written and informative, especially for a new Lolita. She has many posts for you to read. Some of her popular posts which include how to avoid being an Ita, how to build a strong Lolita wardrobe, and more. Her blog is full of information and you should put on your frilliest bathing suit go swim in the pool of a Lolita education.

Parfait Doll:

When I think of the Parfait Doll blog and its author, Victoria Suzanne, I think of pink. How can I not? It is all pink when it comes to her. Pink hair, pink layout, and pink posts. As a fellow pink lover I really love it and appreciate it. Her blog is very well written but I love her pictures the most. I can spend a bit of time just scrolling through looking at her pictures. But, if you want to take your time and read instead of just breezing through you are in for a treat.

Daily Lolita Highlight: duplica_chan

Happy June Everyone! Summer is almost here. To me summer and Lolita means pastel colors and light fabrics to remain cool. Tea Party Shoes and floral head pieces. It is a nice time to be a Lolita.When it is not too hot walking around in your best coordinate always feels good. I love carrying my Angelic Pretty parasol on sunny days to stay cool and save my pale skin.

If I could steal new coordinates from anyone right now it would be from duplica_chan. Her post on Daily Lolita is full of fun, lovely, tasteful, and gorgeous coordinates that anyone could wear with pride. Her wardrobe that she shows off in her post is eclectic and spans many brands. AP, IW, Bodyline, Secret Shop, H&M, JetJ, Suppurate System, Atelier Pinky, Vivienne Westwood, Baby The Stars Shine Bright, Meta, and a replica. Woo! That is a collection.

I love this coordinate. You don't see a lot of brown in Lolita and I think it looks great here.  It all goes so well together. The cream blouse, brown under-bust jsk, gold shoes and bag, and great accessories. That bag is pretty amazing. Book bags and crown bags are awesome and I would love to have so many of them. She looks so pretty. If I looked like her in that amazing outfit I would be pleased as punch.

 She looks like an angel in these pictures. The lovely white Vivienne Westwood JSK and gold tidbits are so pretty. Her make up and hair match perfectly. The black eye shadow and pale lips show off her outfit and do not over shadow it. I especially love her up do. Up dos in Lolita are so nice.

 Most Daily Lolita poss have a couple to a few pictures at most so when someone does a post with lots of pictures it is a nice treat. Especially when it is full of fun coordinates and lots of looks. duplica_chan was sweet enough to post tons of pictures in her post and post even more in the comments. Make sure you see all the pictures when you visit her post.

 Twinning is at its best when it is done in Angelic Pretty, in my opinion. AP makes such recognizable prints and when you see two girls in the same print and dress, hair, accessories, and shoes it is super cute.

♫ Kitty, Kitty Rhapsody ♫ print by Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Baby did it again. They made a print that I just fell in love with instantly. The moment I saw they made a new print with cats in it I knew I was done for. And, with the name ♫ Kitty, Kitty Rhapsody ♫  how could it not be the cutest thing ever?

 I really love these JSKs. The design is pretty basic so it is almost all about the print. The flattering and classic Lolita silhouette and subtle design elements like the lace hem, smart use of bows, and pretty straps make for smart dresses. I could wear them anywhere. They are causal enough but pretty enough to be versatile. 

Now the blouse. I am not crazy about the blouse by itself. The fabric looks soft and the way it drapes is nice. The peter pan style collar and the ruffles are cute aw well. What I am not crazy about it the large bow at the neck and the larger ruffle along the collar. For some reason the proportions look wrong to me. But......

Look how nice it looks under the JSK. It comes together so well and fits perfectly. Don't you think? I could wear that coordinate everyday. It is a brand new print and they just started taking reservations for it. So, if you have a spare $500 and want your very own, it can be done. Again, I wish I had lots of money for pretty dresses and the like.

Stars & Hearts Rings For Sale

Sweet Suzette Rings

 

$2.00 Shipping Anywhere in the World

 All rings are on adjustable in size.

Buy 3 or more get a free surprise gift. (It's a pair of earrings. Surprise!)

 More pictures HERE!

 $6.00 Each (adjustable ring)

$8.00 (chunky plastic ring) approx size 7

$14.00 Large Wind Up Robot Rings (Set)

Just let me know which rings you would like by listing the number to scoop up and give me your paypal e-mail address. If you want to do cash in the mail, check in the mail, or money order that is fine too.   If you wish you may also e-mail me at AmanoUsagi@gmail.com if that is what you wish.