Colorful Zippers for Sewing Dresses and Skirts

  I have been sewing a lot these days and when you are sewing you need zippers. In the store zippers are expensive ($3 to $5 a piece) and I don't have the money to spend that kind of cash. So, I looked on line and found some great zippers at a lesser price. It is great saving money. I took a few pics of the colorful zippers that I scooped up. They are kind of pretty when you see them all together.

These are all the zippers I picked up. I ordered several specific colors and quantities but then I had the seller choose 8 colors of their own choosing. They gave me those bright yellow zippers (which are so bright, I love it) and several other colors I am sure will be used. The black, light pink, and light blue are the ones that I think will get used fastest. 

Ah! So pretty! I can just picture the dresses and skirts that will include these zippers.

How To Save Money: Wait A Few Days

One of my and many peoples downfalls of spending money is impulse purchasing. It is so easy and fast to just buy something up, but many a time I have buyers remorse after my quick purchase. So, to stop this I have come up with a waiting period for purchasing. I am not talking about spending $5 on a cute little bag but on bigger things. Say I see an amazing pair of boots in the store and they are $75. I really want them right now, but will I feel that way in a few days? I wait and mull it over. If 2 days pass and I still can't live without them, I will get them. Sometimes all it takes is time and some thinking to realize that you don't need an item.  Many times I don't even remember what I wanted.

I understand this does not really work well with auction sites and other sites like the egl sales comm. Even there you might find your time waited worked. There have been several items that I have seen and immediately wanted but I waited and 2 days later it is still up for grabs. And because I waited a few days I asked for a cheaper price and got it.

Try it. If you don't save a little money I would be very surprised.

Non Lolita Fashion Inspiration

These days most of my fashion inspiration comes from looking at Lolita. It is a very large part of my life. But, every now and then I find some one or something that is not Lolita and it just calls to me. I find Tumblr is a perfect way to find any kind of inspiration. I stumbled onto the page of a very fashionable young Asian woman, Dotthy Wong. 

 How cute and lovely is she? She has got multiple pages where you can see her great coordinates. Tumblr and Look Book.  I would kill to look through her closet and play dress up. My favorite thing of hers is her collection of bags and shoes. I hope she has well executed organization because I feel like she has quite the collection.

I love that fur collar she is wearing. Check out her awesome pages and see for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

Rings and Earrings For Sale and a Bracelet For Good Measure

Pretty rings are one of the greatest accessories for any Lolita. They are inexpensive, easy to switch, come in uncounted colors and styles, and are just so much fun. I always wear a ring or two when I go out and I get compliments. My favorite ring is a hot pink plastic sea horse ring. It is so eye catching and cool.

Earrings and I have an interesting thing going on. I love to design earrings. You can do so much when you are making earrings. As much as I like to make them I just can't wear them. Never have been able to wear them. I have my ears pierced and wore the studs but that is pretty much it. So, I will keep on making them and not wearing them.

Onto the goodies! I made some rockin' rings, elegant earrings, and a beautiful bracelet. All prices include shipping anywhere. These prices are lower on here today and will go up on my Etsy page at the full price tomorrow. So, be sure to grab them now.

More and Larger Pictures Here!

Heart Lock Earrings $5.50

Cookie Rings $6.50

Large Rings $7.50

(These rings are BIG)

Earrings $6.50

Stars Bracelet $9.50

 

If you want to scoop up one of these cute goodies just let me know in the comments. You can also  send me an e-mail to AmanoUsagi@gmail.com to figure out the details. Thanks for looking!

2 New Bags

I have been buying more bags, Lolita and not, because it is fun. I have been trying to match my bag to my outfit if I go out. I don't go out very often because I am done with school and work from home but when I go out on the weekend I try to spice it up. 

Anyway, I bought 2 new bags after Christmas  with a little spending money. One from my local Target and the other from the Good Will. Target is so much fun to walk around and just fill your basket up if you have a little spare money. The Good Will is it or miss. I either walk out with hand fulls of clothes or nothing at all.

Xhilaration  bag from Target

 I saw this bag from across the isle and I ran right over. It was all by itself and on sale. Normally $24.99 I scooped it up for $16.99. Not bad. It is a pinky peachy color. I love the bow. It is a perfect size to carry anything I need on any given day. I like bags that can handle my phone, Kindle, wallet, tissues, gum, cap stick, and other misc. items. I tend to carry quite a bit with me on an average day so I like a bag that can carry a bit. Just add a cute bow and dangle charms and this bag will coordinate well with any Lolita outfit.

Bag from Goodwill

I really like this bag. I got his for $5 and I think it was a steal. It has a solid wooden handle and is a cute little bag. The people I went shopping with did not like it. They actually grabbed it from me and tried to hide it. It looks to be vintage, from the 70's is my guess. The outer blue fabric can be removed and it looks like you could change the fabric to another outer shell. It has pretty bright green fabric on the inside which I love.

3 Second Hand Stores I Like

Being a Lolita on a budget I really like going to second hand shops looking for "Loliable" goodies. Every time I step into a shop it is like starting a treasure hunt. You just have to take the time and be patient. There is at least one thing that you will love and will make a great addition to your Lolita wardrobe. These 3 shops are my favorite and you should check them out too.

Goodwill:

I started with my absolute favorite. I go to my local Goodwill every other week. It is pretty new, it popped up about 3 or 4 years ago. It is quite large and I could spend 2 hours browsing easily. Goodwill is awesome because they carry 2nd hang clothing and also new clothing. Much of their stock is overstock from other stores that is highly discounted. Also, every article of clothing is given a color tag. Everyday a certain color is 50% off. More often than not I walk out with a full bag of new clothes and other goodies.

Salvation Army:

This one is a no brainer. I think there is a Salvation Army in almost any town or at least close to you. Much like the Goodwill, it is a treasure hunt for great buried treasure. There is so much at the Salvation Army and you can find so many different things. Clothing, jewelry, shoes, bags, accessories, and more. The prices are great and the stock is ever changing. Help out a little too by donating to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. My friend just donated 2 computers to the Goodwill this weekend.

Buffalo Exchange:

I don't ave a Buffalo Exchange close to me now but when I lived in Philadelphia there was one 3 blocks from my home. It was great. Buffalo Exchange is a 2nd hand shop but it is a bit of a step up. They only accept certain clothing. They are picky about what they sell. They try to sell only trendy and popular styles. When you bring clothing in they go through your stuff, pick what they want, offer a certain amount for it, and you can take cash or store credit. The prices are higher than the 2 above stores but the stock is younger and trendier.

Heart Mini Hats For Sale

Mini hats are great! They look cute with any Lolita coordinate and I love to make them. They are a little hard to find as well. I know brands make them sometimes (but not often) and they are quite pricey when they do. 

I love making these petite hats and selling them. They are my favorite thing to make and I love seeing them go to good homes where people wear them with love and are proud of them. I have been expanding my designs a bit and my latest thing is HEARTS! Cute little heart hats. So, here they are. I do hope you all love them. And remember, they will be sold here at a discount today and then be sold on the egl sales comm at the full price tomorrow (egl sales comm price $30.00 plus shipping).

$30.00 Shipped Anywhere!

*More & Larger Pictures*

Red & Black Lady Bug Heart Hat

Minty Blue & Black Heart Hat

 Music Heart Hat

Pink & Black Flower Heart Hat

White Shiro Heart Hat

If you want to scoop up one of these cute hats just let me know in the comments. You can send me an e-mail to AmanoUsagi@gmail.com to figure out the details. Thanks for looking!

Super Sweet Review and Cute Blog

According to my Google Blogger Dashboard I currently follow 178 blogs. The majority of them are Lolita themed or have Japanese Fashion. It is nice having oodles of new posts to read every day. It is always fresh and never stagnant. One of the blogs that I follow and read is Rainbow Star Candy. The name of the blog reminds me of Paradise Kiss. The jar of "medicine" that Miwako eats when she is not feeling well.

Anyhoo, Kieli Heart writes her cute blog and is one of my most active readers. A little while ago she had purchased a mini hat from me. She actually scooped up the red and black deck of cards inspired hat. That one was one of my faves that I made. I am happy that it went to a good home. 

She sweetly did a review on her blog. She does "What's in the Box Wednesdays" where she shows and does little reviews for things she orders ad gets in the mail. I love seeing posts like that. You can vicariously through people when they get new things and show them off. I wish I ordered more things to show on my blog but I don't and the latest thing I ordered was 2 dozen zippers. Exciting. I did get lots of colors but I don't think this is the place to show off my amazing package of zippers.

Hop on over to her blog and give it a read, Rainbow Star Candy. She does lots of nice posts on goodies she buys (she did one post on an amazing coat she bought), has pictures of super cute bunnies, and lots of positive words.

3 Artists I Like

I have always enjoyed art. I think most people if not all people do. Art does not have to be an oil painting by a master, it can be and is so much more. There are so many talented people on the internet who share their gift with us and their styles are so varied.

I don't really have any art in my home except for one painting (which I can't even decide where to hang it). This is mostly because I don't have the money to do so. If I did have money in a serious way I would love to have my walls covered in all types of art. And, these 3 artists would be among it.

Dim:

Dim has makes some of the sweetest and cutest pictures that you can find on the internet. Her super sweet looking girls and attention to patterns and details make her pieces fun to look at for more than 10 seconds. The longer you look the more you see and the more you enjoy the piece. I had so much fun leisurely browsing her site. Each girl she draws I wish I could meet and make my friend. More pictures on her website!

Matsuo Hiromi:

I want to be the girl pictured above in the middle. How cool is she? Long and amazing curly hair (I get a little jealous of girls with curly hair because mine is straight as can be) and long limbs make her super cool and sexy looking. Matsuo's style is soft and colorful and I love the way she blends. She has a great talent and I want to see so much more of her work. She has a way of setting a tone in each piece that is amazing. Take a little peek at her site and treat your eyes.

Mihoshi:

First, I just have to say the name Mihoshi just makes me think of the blonde and super likeable character from the anime Tenchi. She was just too cute. I first saw the art of Mihoshi last year and fell in love with clean lines and stark color contrast. Most, if not all, of her pieces highlight a lovely lady or two. These cute girls stand amongst flowers, water, animals, and other visually catching scenes. Check out her site (which is in Japanese) and browse through her gallery. You will not be disappointed.

New Skirt Design Revision

I have been working on my grey and black skirt for a few days now and I have made a few changes. Upon closer inspection I realized that the grey plaid fabirc is heavier than the black. Therefore it needed to go underneath the black. If I didn't make this change the skirt would not sit well. It would look droopy. Boo, droopy. So! I just switched and I think it looks perfectly fine.

When I make skirts and dresses I like to use lost of fabric to make the skirt and ruffles. I think makes it fuller and gives it more movement when you walk. The fuller the skirt the prettier it is. 

It is almost done. All I have to do is sew the 2 layers together and attach the waist band. This will take a bit of time as to avoid bunching fabric.  I hope to finish it today and take pictures. It will be quite lovely once it is done.

Tokyo Fashion Cute Baby The Stars Shine Bright Girl

Tokyo Fashion is a really fun sight where you can look at oodles of pictures, keep up on current trends, read entertaining articles, and more. You could spend half a day just browsing pictures and reading. They have a nice website, an app, and you can like them on Facebook. I like them and everyday they share a street snap of a snazzily dresses fella or gal. They feature all fashion types and I like seeing all the different people and clothes.

Most days the people they feature aren't Lolitas but today we hit it and got a cute one. 

 Here’s a friendly 17-year-old Japanese Lolita named Aki who we met on the street in Harajuku. Aki’s red tartan dress caught our attention when we first spotted her.

Aki’s outfit features the red tartan Baby The Stars Shine Bright JSK/dress under a white fuzzy Baby The Stars Shine Bright jacket with toggle-fasteners, a large lace hair bow, Baby The Stars Shine Bright strawberry-print tights, and shoes (with bows & pearls) that she purchased at Marui One. She bought her cute ice cream-print handbag in Harajuku. Aki’s favorite band is SID and her favorite brand is – you guessed it – Baby The Stars Shine Bright.

Taken from Tokyo Fashion.com

 Her simple make up and hair style fit the outfit very well. I know wigs, bows, barrettes, and other accessories are the norm for many a Lolita but it is nice to see subtlety.

 That bag is great. The cute ice cream Sunday motif is adorable and the colors are great. The more bags and purses that I buy, whether they be Lolita or not, I find that I want more. Buying bags is turning into a bit of an addiction.  I purchased 2 bags this past weekend with some Christmas money and I already want to buy more. Heck I want to buy this bag.

I recommend that you like Tokyo Fashion on Facebook. The don't post so much that it is overwhelming but they post often enough to keep you interested.

3 Things I Like

Bopping around the internet I found these super cute goodies.

Snifty Scented Pens:

First, what a cute name? These cute and colorful pens not only look cute but them smell great as well. Each pen smell of blueberries, chocolate chip cookies, cup cakes, and mint chocolate chip ice cream. Yumm.  You can snag them here. They are $2.45 each.

Modify Watches:

Watches are so much fun. There are an unlimited amount with unlimited looks and designs.  You don't even have to spend too much money on them. But, a watch is a watch and you are stuck with how it looks. Modify Watches allows you to buy different bands and faces that can be switched when ever you want. How cool is that.  I designed the ones above. The lavender one with the dot face is so cute. Very Lolita. Hop on over to their site and make a few of your own.

Yurakoro Egg Shape Kittens:

Anything that is cats or kittens and I love it. Like 98% of the internet I love cats. These adorable egg shaped kittens are like Weeble Wobbles. They swing back and forth but never fall.  They are supposed to bring you luck and fortune. They also meow.  So cute.  Grab one for $10.20 from Strapya World.

New Skirt Design

It is not super fancy but I think it is cute. A two layer skirt with ruffles at each hem and gathering at the waist are simple designs. This makes it easier to coordinate with. Shirring in the back on the waist allow it to fit multiple sizes and also lets you wear it at your natural waist or on your hips. I tend to wear skirts on my hips, it is just more comfortable for me.

I have some lovely black and black/white type plaid fabric and they look very nice together. I am going to be designing and sewing more Lolita clothing in addition to making Lolita jewelry and accessories.  I finally have everything that I need to make clothes on a professional level.  I great sewing machine, a serger, a form, and the knowledge to design and make clothing.  Not only that, but I have lots of designs just sitting in my sketch book and in my head just waiting to be realized.