Makeup Confessionals~ Black Eye Shadow and Me

Hello Lovelies~

 I love makeup. Period, end of story. I love it. I used to sit at my mum's side when she would get ready for a date and watch her peruse her vast collection of colors and liners and everything from liquid to solid and I knew the first time she put it on me that I would never be the same again. She taught me everything she knew, going through each step every time she did her make up, they are some of my fondest memories from my childhood.

And while I had the passion for makeup even way back when, I didn't start actively wearing makeup until I was in middle school, and then for awhile I collected lipsticks, but never wore them until my senior year in high school.

 By that point it was relearning how to ride a bike. I hadn't forgotten, but I didn't have any finesse with it either and I was Goth adjacent, Tripp skirts, thigh highs, and heavy eyeliner, oh the joys of the early 2000's.

But the one thing I never learned how to do was apply Black eye shadow. I know! Right? Goth girl who never wore black eye shadow. Pretty rare for back then, but it seemed silly on me and always smeared into a big mess, making me look like I had been hit a few times after far to little sleep.

 So I tried it once and never tried it again. That's it!

'All that for a lousy 'I don't know how to put on black eye shadow'?!

 Yes. Honestly, I've always felt like I was just a step to the left of "Getting It" because of my lacking in this area. The Smokey eye trend came in and I never even attempted it because of my general fear of darker saturated pigments that smear everywhere, even with a good primer.

So Today I was getting ready to for to Free Comic Book Day and I was putting on a dress I usually pair with various pinks and a black eyeliner when I stopped.

 'Why not try something new today?' I thought. It's not like if I didn't like it I couldn't take it off and start over. So I bravely reached for the up opened trio of black, grey, and light silver I got in an Ipsy bag months ago and got to work.

This is the result of hard work and determination to get it right.

I wish I had taken more pictures of just my eyes. I am really proud of how they came out! I'm going to attempt to do this look again on my youtube channel, which will be posted here and on my facebook as well, so look out for that.

  I never thought I would be one for dark eye shadow. I always wanted to brighten my eyes rather than darken them, fearing they would end up looking small, but the black and grey look was really pretty and I think when done right, it's a stunning, head turning look.

Thanks for reading!

 Kat

My Trip : Part 2 (Picture Heavy)

Hello Lovelies~

 Part 2 of my vacation and if you thought I took a lot of pictures in my last post, You haven't seen anything yet. Sadly, I don't have most of the pictures from that day, but only the important ones will go here, so as to keep ya'll attention and not over load your poor computers...or mine for that matter. ^_^

Make up before the day started. Light natural eyes and bright pink lips. I used the 'Tarte' lip color that changes depending on your person PH balance. It you haven't tried it, it recommend it! It usually turns a Strawberry Rose color on me, but it changes to a Ice Pink on my mum. It's an awesome lip color.

Metro!! The small train ride from the first day at the air port was nothing compared to my excitement at actually getting to 'Ride the Rails'. I wish I lived in a place that had a metro system. I love trains.

Above is the day pass my friend got me and below is the map of the metro system and the trains we rode.

           We got on at the blue line. Switched to the yellow line, then to the Red Line.

A picture of the train we rode. It was very cool to see all of the different people who rode the Metro. From the fashionable to the rushing off to work set, the metro was a great place to people watch.

 I took this before I was informed I was not allowed to take pictures at this particular station, but I got to take lots more pictures of the walls and ceilings, which are amazing! (Please refer back to my post Lighting and Detail work from D.C.  to see these pictures )

                                                A far away picture of the White House

                    A far away picture of the Washington Monument under construction.



The entrance to the National History Museum. The Elephant is pretty spectacular, I must say.

 Kelly and I hit the gift shop before we saw any of the exhibits. Just incase we forgot by the end of our excitement. Which happened, because we forgot to go back and get anything ^^;

The panda ears were SO cute! But at $12.99 a set, I thought I could make a set for less.

This was one of the Jelly Fish sculptures.

Bio-Luminescent Jellyfish

Largest Shark jaws ever!

 

Best part of my trip right here!


   DINOSAURS!!!!!!

o.o....Yes. This really was amazing. I never ever grew out of my Dinosaur phase as a child. I do to the 'Walking with Dinosaurs' exhibit ever time it's in town. I even have a stuffed Triceratops named Midori.

Anyways. Pictures. All taken with my Cell phone by the way ^_^

From the 'Unlocking the Human Genome' exhibit. I love the shine of the light. The yellow marks are supposed to be genetic code. It was beautiful to see.

I also saw the Hope collection. It was stunning! Amazing! Breath Taking! But my phone couldn't get any pictures due to the lighting.

Chinese D&D it was pretty cool to see.

The entrance to China Town in D.C. But sadly....this was the most exciting part of the experience. It was a bunch of restaurants and no shopping what so ever.

But I really liked this gate. It was very cool!

 Stay tuned for Day 2 part 2. I swear, this was a long day! It was awesome though.

LBC : The Non Lolita Style I've Fallen In Love With

Hello Lovelies~

  I love the Fashion of Lolita. So do you, or you wouldn't have stumbled across my blog and kept coming back ^_~*  But while Lolita may consume most of our waking fashion thoughts it's not the only style between the glossy pages we flip though, no matter the language of our chosen 'zines.

I know girls who are hard core 'Lolita-is-my-life-nothing-else-matters-or-exists-in-the-whole-wide-world YAR~~~~!!!' types and good for them. But Me? Yes, I am a Lolita. It's who I am at my core. But that doesn't mean I'm going to spend my life wearing only over the knee socks and praying to the border print gods to grant me one more release of 'Sugary Carnival'.

I want to experience everything Fashion can hand up, from the insanity that is Alexander McQueen, to the elegant, kawaii, sensuality that is Liz Lisa!

 So without further Ado, here is the style I've been enthralled with lately!

Hime-Gyaru


I think the thing that draws me to this fashion is the hair. It's so.....big~! And no one looks at you weird for wearing a tiara.

 I think Hime Gyaru and Women from Texas have the same philosophy. The bigger the hair, the closer to whatever god you happen to believe in.

The dresses fall above the knees, the dresses are usually made in soft pastel colors or black and whites. Fur, Pearls, Lace, Chiffon, anything luxurious and over the top goes. Open toe shoes as low as mules and as high as stilettos are often seen on these girls feet.

The main brand catering to the Hime Gyaru girls is La Parfait. La Parfait is the brand you see in most of the pictures below.

If I were to ever wear another style other than Lolita, it would be this one!

 Enjoy the Pictures below. I found all of them on Google Images.

What's that you say? It's so close to Lolita there isn't much of a leap? Well. You'd be right. But what I love about Hime Gyaru is that it's feminine and sexy, but still cute and girly and makes you feel like a princess!

 So that's the Non Lolita Style I've fallen in love with lately. What styles have caught your attention? I'd love to hear about them below or Through Facebook where I can actually message you back ^_^

Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed this post, please check out the other articles from the other LBC girls.


ABC-Lolita

Derpland

Kira Kira Shoujo

Masquerade Doll

A Sweet Lolita's Disney Life

Lace-A-La-Mode

Her Curious Elegance

My Un-Lolita Confessions

Hello Lovelies~

   This week has been a rollercoaster for me, Up one minute, Down the next, and just when you think you've leveled out, there is a sharp zag to the right! So I am so very happy to be doing this post.

I often think I'm not Lolita enough due to how much I consider 'Un-Lolita' about me, so I do my best to be even more frilly, and then I just over stress myself.

So this post topic allows me to breathe, take a step back, and take some of the weight off of my shoulders. (Even if the weight is imagined....).

It almost makes me uncomfortable to admit this to all of you, but I am HIGHLY unorganized! My room often has clothes on the floor, not my pretty dresses or anything but rather t-shirts and lounge pants and stuff. And the clothes that are clean are often in the laundry baskets I take them down stairs in. Folding clothes is a chore!!! I hate it, so I tend to just leave them be.

 I stack my books vertically, so I have various towers of teetering literature threatening to fall over if breathed on wrong. I shop a lot, but often forget to unpack what I shopped for. If it isn't un packed within a week, I tend to leave it in the bag so I don't forget where whatever it is IS for when I have need of it.

On top of that rather embarrassing confession, I have another, since I'm coming clean about what I feel is Un-Lolita about myself.

 I am horribly forgetful. Seems normal right? Everyone forgets something at some point. But for me, it's a bad cycle.

I have anxiety issues despite my bright and out going personality, so when I forget to do something I say I will, even something small like mail a letter, I worry about it. Over and over and over until it becomes this big thing, when really it's a small thing most people shrug off.

 I have stacks of letters I've written that I've never sent because by the time I remember to send them, the information in them is old and to keep things current, I'd need to write a new one. It's a bad cycle that I've been trying to break for years.

Add to that that my room where is boring and consists of band and geek t-shirts and lounge pants rather than adorable fuzzy shorts or knee high slippers (Which I am totally trying to make a pair of!), and you now know all of my most Un-Lolita truths.

 So my lovelies, now you know my dark secrets. And while I don't feel that these things make 'Everyone' un-Lolita if you happen to be messy or like your band t's rather than a frilly dress to hang about in, these are strictly my feelings on Me.

Thanks for reading!

Do you have any dark secrets you worry about letting the world know? You don't have to tell, but know it's ok to have them and while they may seem huge to you, they really aren't that bad.

 Nothing makes you less of a Lolita unless you let it.

If you're interesting how the other girls of the Carnival answered this question, please check out their blogs below.


Teh Pastel Unicorn

Le Boudior

Ramble Rori

Alice in Lolitaland

Curious Wendy

 

Makeup Monday

Hello Lovelies~

    Summer has ended and Fall is here! Luckily there won't be to many more days of high temps to melt our carefully applies make up, but that doesn't mean we're safe from makeup melt downs. In the fall the weather cools and it is important to keep your EMK handy.

What is an EMK you ask? Well an EMK is an Emergency Makeup Kit. This is a small makeup bag containing a dry powder compress, mascara, hydrating lipstick or gloss, blotting sheets, and a small bottle of hand lotion.

  Don't worry about adding eyeshadow or blush to your EMK, this is not a substitute for a full makeup bag or doing your makeup at home. This is a small kit that can fit in any purse and is for quick fixes or touch ups.

But if an EMK is to big for your date night, here is an even smaller kit  that will fit in even the smallest of purses. I call this my Last Resort.

 Lip gloss, Mascara, Blotting Sheets.

I always have these things in my purse, but I was surprised to find that a lot of people don't. These three things should be on your 'Never Leave Home Without' checklist, but if you don't carry anything else carry your Lip gloss or Lipstick with you.

 This is the one beauty tip I will swear buy. In fact, I never leave the house without my lip gloss. I have it with me on the floor at work for quick touch ups and once my clear gloss even fixed a badly broken nail. It was just sticky enough to hold the nail in place while I dried it under a hand drier and it stayed all the way until I got home and could fix it properly.

Lip gloss is your friend.

 Next Monday I'll show you pictures of my EMK, but I have to find my camera first ^_^;

Thanks for Reading!  

Life is all about....

Hello Lovelies~

 The word of the day is 'Balance'. Have you ever looked around and said to yourself, 'It's all to much!'?!... I know I have. Between two jobs, sleep, trying to craft, and having a social life, my world is making me dizzy it's spinning so fast! More times than not I am slipping and dropping one thing or another trying to try and keep everything together.

I have come to realize that life is all about Balance. Working myself to exhaustion then coming home to blog and sew before making plans with friends that I can't always keep, (which upsets me and them and I am very sorry about it.)... it's not working and over the last month I have come to the conclusion that something will have to give!

 So to save myself the pain of becoming a work-a-holic, I will be going back down to one job.

It was a hard choice, one that I'm very sad about, but these things do happen. We make these choices all the time be it paying bills verses getting a new dress, or staying home to help out with the house work rather than run off with friends to have fun.

 Never forget to take time for yourself. If you find life closing in around you, it's ok to disappear for a bit to center yourself again.

Here are some pictures I have been inspired by this last month. I hope they inspire you as well and remind you that when everything is in balance, beauty is more easily appreciated.

  To end this post, I'd like to leave you with a few words that have been a guiding light through the tough times. They aren't mine, and I don't know who said them first, but they ring true.

"Learn to Balance a Dream and a Job until your Dream becomes your Job."


(( All of these pictures were found on Weheartit.com))

Playing with Makeup and Wishing for Autumn Weather.

Hello Lovelies~

 Last night while playing with my make up, I found a color combination that's just ~perfect~ for fall!  (As always, please forgive the lighting in my room. I'm working on fixing it ^^; )

 This look is called 'Dreaming of Sunsets'

What I Used! : All Over - Light Gold
                       Eyelid - Light pink
                       Crease - Tangerine
                       Eyeliner - Gold
                       Second Liner - Red
                       Lips - Molten Honey / Light Bronze

Here is the look from a bit further away. I really light how this turned out. It makes me long for the trees to change colors and hot apple cider. I love sunsets in early October, thus the name ^_^            

The orange shirt wasn't planned when I did this look. It's actually may favorite shirt for doing most anything when I'm not in my frills. I've had it for just about ever and it's been though yard work, painting houses, painting scenery sets when I took drama classes, and now it goes through make up sessions with me when I decide to get chocolate brown eyeshadow all over my fingers and somehow run out of makeup remover.  ~"^o^"~

 Does anyone else have a favorite Non Lolita item in their wardrobe? One that is always there for you when you feel down and make you feel better when you put it on? For me it's a baggy plain orange t-shirt. What's yours?

 Kat

Why do you dress like this? (part 1 )

Hello Lovelies~

 In the past week I have dealt with a few issues, not my own mind you, that forced me to look a my life a little bit and when I did, I saw that the question 'Why' was a question I had avoided answering.

That seems a little vague, please let me elaborate.... When I first got into Lolita my Mom asked why I couldn't have a less expensive hobby. My extended family asked why I wouldn't wear pants like a normal girl. I get questioned by strangers and friends alike. The questions are phrased different, but they all have the same meaning....

 'What do you dress like this?'

I finally have answer to this question. Or...I've always had the answer to the question, but it's tended to be difficult and a lengthy explanation, but now I have a simple answer. A true answer. An answer that cuts straight to the heart of the matter...

 I dress this way for me.

O.o....that's it? Yes! It's that simple. I get dressed every morning in petticoats and Jumper skirts and I do my hair and pain stakingly apply my make up because I feel beautiful when I do. Not that I don't feel beautiful when I have a down day. I have lots of clothes and not all of them are frilly yet, but when I leave my house to go out to eat with my mom or meet friends downtown, I like showing off a new dress I just acquired or the new socks that match the outfit just so.

 My clothes allow me to express the beauty I feel on the inside.

I wear Lolita for myself and no one else!

. . .


Do you have something you do just for you? Do you blend tea to enjoy the way the new flavors marry and compliment one another in a way they never have before? Do you make doll clothes to dress up your doll family and take pictures and put them online in a story like display, just because? Maybe you bake or cook to experience the joy of the first perfect bite or your creation, even if you've made it tons of times before....

 What is it that you do for you? What do you do that makes you, you? What do you enjoy that no one can make you give up?

Green is not always a good color....

Hello Lovelies~

 Do you have a sin you associate with? Are you greedy? Do you indulge in that extra slice of cake? Is putting things of for another day an art form for you? Maybe you have a quick temper....

It happens. No one is perfect. Sometimes I think I should've been born with green eyes rather than blue. My sin would have to be Envy.

It's not a pretty sin to admit to. I don't always long for what everyone else has. To be honest I am usually happy with what I have in my life, but from time to time my green eyed monster flares up and I want to throw fits and kick and scream and be completely bratty until I get what I want.

What?? That's not good! You should be proper and sweet all the time! .....Who says? I'm human just like anyone else and I'm not to proud to admit that I am very jealousy and envious of a friend of mine that is going on the BTSSB/AatP trip next week.

 But my envy burns bright and then is gone. I think my inner monster has the sin of sloth, because once I'm done being jealousy I'm over it. I don't hold on to those dark feelings.

I hope my good friend has a great time in Japan. She is planning on taking tons of pictures and shopping and knowing that she is going to go and have such a great time make me want to work even harder to save my money and go to Japan myself.

I don't look good with green eyes. I much prefer my natural blue color which is as calm and deep as the ocean.

 It's alright to indulge your sins. Eat that extra piece of cake if you want, just cut it in half and know that to much is to much but a little extra is just fine ^_~ Have a lazy day, then get up the next day and do something productive like laundry or sweeping. Be angry, then let the anger go! Don't let you inner monsters control you or take over for to long.


                                                     i i i i i i i i
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Speaking of cake........ >.<  Above is my first attempt at Keyboard Art.... Does it look like a cake?