Life Update and International Lolita Day rundown!

Hello Lovelies~

 May is gone, June is here, and things have changed once more for me, which is why I disappeared through the month of flowers. I have moved once more and am now living with a good friend of mine and watching her little girl for the summer. If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram you're sure to see her in the background of some on my pictures. The girl isn't just a Ham, she's the whole Christmas Dinner.

I'm writing again. I joined and RP last year and recently stopped lurking an joined in the fun. Now all of my literary creative juices are flowing and I feel so energized it's kind of crazy. But that might also be because Summer is here and I love summer.

 Swimming, sun, cooking out. What's not to love? This is the perfect season to scale back the layers and bean the rules till they melt in the heat. Casual Lolita is easier to do in the summer and it's even ok to rock the short styled skirt that AP promotes from collection to collection when the print suits.

The Dark Eye Shadow Tutorial I promised is on it's way, along with a Makeup Brush Deco tutorial I promised a lovely reader who asked for it in the Comment Box on the side bar to the right. Though if you comment or ask questions with that, please remember to put the title of the post in there some how. I discovered the hard way that it is a direct link to me, but is an independent widget, thus it isn't connected to the Post at all, but to the Blog itself.

 ^-^; Silly me, but you live and learn.

Yesterday was International Lolita Day! (YAY!!!!) I hope ya'll had fun and did something to celebrate, even if it was just something small like wearing a bow and curling your hair or wearing Mary Janes when you usually wear sneakers or something.

 I happened to be invited to the Zoo though a strange conversation that started off as plans for other people, then morphed into combined plans, then different plans, then just all types of plans were made! But the Zoo plans fell perfectly.

When I got dressed I hadn't planned on rain, but by the time we got to the Zoo it was Pouring! It cleared up later in the day, but still. Rain on ILD.

  It was a good thing I brought one of my parasols. If you ever get a chance to get one, I recommend it. Especially one that can double as an umbrella. They are so useful for zoo trips. 7 hours in and out of the sun and I am not burned any more than I was the day before.

We didn't see everything, our Zoo is huge! But we got a good bit accomplished and even got to ride the carousel! No pictures sadly, my phone died in the middle of the trip, but I did get tons of pictures in the aquarium! FISH!!

 All of those will be a separate post. I took lots of pictures there. ^-^;

And we rode the train around the back half to see even more animals, because I don't think we'd have made it if we'd have been walking with four kids, a stroller and a wagon, each containing a child and food. o.o

 The day was finished off with an early birthday celebration for my lovely roommate. We had Pork Ribs smoked to perfection with mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, grilled Asparagus, and grilled pineapple (of which I only had one small square to try, but didn't eat more so I could avoid my stupid allergy from kicking in, despite the Grilled Pineapple being one of the more delicious things ever!)

I had a blast and it was a wonderful way to celebrate ILD. I now have wonderful new memories and stories to tell.

Now on to my outfit for the day!

I only got Selfies of myself through the day, so this photo was taken later.

Dress: Metamorphose
Socks: Metamorphose
Shoes: Off-Brand but Cute As Hell
Headbow: Metamorphose
Parasol: Metamorphose (Not pictured)

 Yes, this is an outfit you've seen me in before, but It's super comfortable for a day out and about and walking and this time, rather than adding the two Petticoats I usually wear with all of my dresses, I went without it as this dress has a built in petti.

This is an older dress, so it has a traditional Old School feel to it, shape and colors, but I love it. I have a large chest, 50" inches and it could go at least four inches larger. I love Meta dresses for this reason.


I've always had a thing for fish. Aquariums are my favorite attraction of anywhere I go, but after reading and watching 'Princess Jellyfish' I have come to appreciate Jellies all the more. So I took a picture with one!

More Jellyfish pictures later, but for now. Thanks for reading! Follow me on all of my social networking sites for more pictures, updates, and faster updates. I am even posting on my Tumblr now! But that is more for my Everything I think is awesome moods, including Shows I'm watching, Fics I'm reading, Geeky memes I find funny, Stuff like that.

 Let me know in the comments below what you did for ILD! (Even if you just took a Nap ^_^ ) Happy Monday!

Facebook: Kathleen Sweitzer (please message with 'Sweet and Simple' so I know to add you)
Instagram: Rosesandcream
Twitter: Angelshinigami
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LBC : Next On Your Lolita Wishlist

Hello Lovelies~

 "What's Next on Your Lolita Wishlist?" Is this week's Lolita Blog Carnival topic. I wasn't going to participate this week, due to trying to finish up a DIY project for a Friday post, but I pushed the DIY post to Sunday and am excited to show ya'll the Print I'm so in love with.

From the wonderful mind of one of my favorite American Designers, Elegy from Elegyclothing.com, I present to you the Delicacy and Decay Print.

 This is a pretty basic White and Black or Black and White mirror print. It comes in both an OP and a JSK. I like the JSK version myself as I feel it gives more shape to the body.

Moths, rather than butterflies, gives this print a distinctly Classic Southern Gothic feel. And the raw rough edges to the ruffles is a nice touch. It feels both structures and deconstructed. It's so wonderful and I think this print would be a wonderful new touch to my wardrobe.

D and D JSK ~ $185 - $200 (White or Black, I love both!)

Delicate Peignoir ~ $35 - $40

 

Darling Blouse ~ $65 - $70

Headbow ~ $25

So this is next on my Wishlist! I just love this print and can't wait to have it in my closet....at some point.

 If you liked seeing my Wishes, check out my Blogging Sisters from the LBC below ~

A Little Bit Of This.....

Northern Star

Buttcape

Lolita Glamour

Toothless Tigers

Mcduff's Auditorium

 

Lolita Video Love!! 'The Secret Life of the Lolita' ~ Behind the Scenes

Hello Lovelies~

 In the month or so I have been neglecting to update like the bad blolgger I am lately, 'Deerstalkerpictures' has completed their 'The Secret Life of the Lolita' series. I posted about the first video HERE and while I didn't post about the second and third videos, I wanted to post about the Behind The Scenes video.

As a Lolita that tends to put to much pressure on herself to BE LOLITA, (Don't ask me to explain the caps lock here. Just a feeling that comes over me from time to time) it was great to see this group of girls being absolutely outrageous as times and supremely silly.

 I'm lucky to have a few friends I can laugh with like these girls do. I hope all of you guys do too!

Watch 'The Secret Life of the Lolita: Derp Reel' HERE!!!

Part 1 ---> HERE

Part 2 ---> HERE

Part 3 ---> HERE

Enjoy this Mocumentery ladies. It was beautiful and silly and the Tea Party in the second video is SO beautiful!

 Of all the stuff on the table, all of the exquisite food and delicate china, I have to say I loved the odd Duck water pitcher the best. It's just so Odd and a touch out of place that it captured my heart and I want one now.

Thanks for reading!

 Kat



 

Lolita Video Love! 'The Secret Life of the Lolita: part 1'

Hello Lovelies~

 Deerstalker Pictures is one of my favorite channels on Youtube. They are the brilliance behind 'Cooking with Arpakasso' and the producers of MC Melody Doll's music videos. They do Cosplay and Fashion Highlights from the con scene all over Australia as well as anything else fun and over the top they feel like doing at the time.

 Recently, the Lolita community has come under a bit of a microscope due to a certain TLC show that I won't name, but in an indirect way, this lovely 'Mock-umentary' Deerstalker Pictures recently released is the perfect response.

It's over the top in everyway and yet....oh so true-ish. Or...I wish it were true. I swear....I would LIVE in the room in the video if I could. It's my dream room. I kid you not. To open my closet and be greeted with an over abundance of frills and finery in every imaginable print, shade, and style......heaven.

 If you haven't seen 'The Secret Life of the Lolita : part 1' yet, please click play and enjoy. It takes 6 minuets of your time and they are well spent. If you have seen it, click play anyways and relive the amazingness that is this short, but well executed Mock-u-Doc.

I am very much looking forward to Part 2!

 Enjoy!

FOLLOW ME TO YOUTUBE!!!

If you liked the video, please like Deerstaker Pictures on Facebook HERE and subscribe to their Youtube channel.

 Thanks for reading!
   

Gruesome Tooth-some! Welcome to Octomber!

Hello Lovelies~

 Welcome to October and the countdown to Halloween!!!!! This year I want to do one craft and one costume a week to celebrate! I may even throw in a recipe here or there.

This month is a bit hectic for me, personally, so I'm trying to set a blog schedule and Stick With It!.....But ya'll know how good I am at that ...>_>.....yeah....But! In Honor of it being the 1st, I thought I'd kick this month off right with a costume idea!!!

 Macabre Tooth Fairy

This is something I actually really want to do this year.

 Elegy, one of my favorite American Lolita Brands, has come out with a new print depicting Teeth! It's called 'Conncinous Crowns', and it's rather startling at first, but it calls to my inner goth girl who still loves Victorian medical drawings and anatomy sketches.

 

If I get nothing else from this collection, I need this tote. It's so creepy and cool! I must must must have it in my life!!! And for $50, I think I can swing it.

 But this is the outfit I would want to wear as the Macabre Tooth Fairy. Add to it the Tooth Badge and crown....maybe made of teeth.  o.o.... How cool would that be?

A good pair of wings, bloody gauze wrapped around your mouth with small drips trailing down your chin under it, as if all of your teeth had been pulled and you were now collecting teeth from other people to replace them or even out of rage for your teeth being taken, and a pair of lightly bloodied pliers.

 How awesome would that costume be?!

 Anybody already got their costume all planned out? If so, what are you going to be? If not, do you have a dream costume? I'd Love to hear all about them!!!

Thanks for reading!

 Kat


 

LBC : Design an outfit for under $100 ( Official for 2013 )

Hello Lovelies~

 Yes It's true! After much hoping, the LBC has finally decided to do a few of our old posts again! I am so happy to be doing this topic again in an official Carnival capacity.

To celebrate our year anniversary, I decided to do a 'Dark Carnival' themed outfit!

 Let's start out as we mean to continue. This shirt is part of the 'Conncinous Crowns' Collection from the American Lolita Brand, Elegy.

Coming in at $55, it is the most expensive piece of our outfit. I chose this shirt because winter is approaching faster than expected this year and investing in one or two really good, versatile, neutral long sleeved shirts.

My favorite aspect of the shirt is the ruffles around the neck and cuffs. It's such a romantic look that can be mixed into Sweet, Gothic, and Classic outfits very easily.

 What I love most about Elegy as a designer is that she makes all of her clothes in inches! So this shirt can be made all the way up to a 50" bust.

You can order it HERE .

I paired this adorable top with a cute, but plain skirt from Forever 21 Plus. It's a bit shorter than I would normally recommend, but I feel it would look lovely with this top and I just love the peek-a-boo window on the thighs.

At $15.80, the Forget me not skater skirt is a must have for your winter wardrobe.

 Buy it HERE .

Printed tights have been The Thing for the past year and I don't see that trend dissipating any time soon. There is so much fun that can be added to an outfit with printed tights, but I couldn't find a pair I really liked with this outfit that fit my theme, but just when I was going to give up, 'Sock Dreams' made my dreams come true.

One side striped, the other side diamonds, These Harlequin tights are just the thing to add a bit of elegant whimsy to this look.

 Your can buy them HERE for $8.

OR for a look that screams 'Sexy and Classy' I would recommend these tights, also from 'Sock Dreams'.

These are $11, but well worth it! ( I like these more than the Harlequin ones myself. )

 Buy them HERE .

No outfit is complete without something fun in our hair, like the beautiful cherry on top for a fabulous sundae!


This "Gothic Victorian Circus Carnival Burlesque Black and White Striped Hair Clip Fascinator" from Hexotica on Etsy pushes the cost of my outfit over my $100 limit, but is so pretty!!!

It has Drama, Flare, Fun, and is the only thing I found in line with my outfit that wasn't a pair of boring hair bows.

 This hair piece is $38.43 . You can buy it HERE .

Let's Break it down.

Shirt          ~ $55.00
Skirt          ~ $15.80
Tights       ~  $ 8.00
Headdress ~ $38.43
-------------------------
Total            $117.23


So, all together my outfit comes out to $117. 23. Not bad! With the striped tights, this total ends up being $120.23.


 Again, I officially didn't make it under $100....Oh well!

 Thanks so much for reading and I hope you liked the outfit I created. Next week I'll be doing a 'No Price Limit' Gothic Carnival Outfit post, so make sure you come back from that!!

If you liked this post, please check out the other ladies from the LBC who have participated in this week's topic!

Lace a la Mode

The Silent Revival

Jess Cosmic Delight

Her Lumpiness 

International Lolita Day 2013 (Picture Heavy)

Hello Lovelies~

 International Lolita Day was June 1st. It fell on a Saturday this year and I was lucky enough to have it off of work, so I got to start celebrating early! I had strawberries and cream for breakfast, then started getting ready for my day.

My day was supposed to go like this...

* Farmers Market at 8 am
* Taste of Omaha (a local celebrate the city festival) at 11 am
* Lunch at some point
* A Movie at 3-ish
* Bookstore after the movie
* Dinner
* The Circus at 7

Pretty busy day, Right?! Lol Here's what actually happened.

 I didn't sleep all night and started getting ready for the day at 2 am. I took a shower, deep conditioned my hair, and used a homemade sugar scrub with lavender and peppermint, before relaxing in a bath for an hour or so with soft music playing. Totally indulgent!

After that it was about 4 and I did my nails while I let my hair dry. I tried out those 'Instant manicure' nail strips...they took forever! They say easy, but I will never use them again, they just took so so long. Two hours. And in the end, they chipped and peeled by the end of the day, even with a top coat.

 At six I picked out my outfit and in the end, I based the whole this around a wig I didn't even wear out of the house.  ^_^;

I matched the wig with the Angelic Pretty Sugary Carnival tote bag I got with the AP Collection Mook that was released this last year. After I chose the colors I wanted to represent, I did my makeup.

Light pink and purple on the lid, light blue and mint on top, a darker purple in the crease, purple and pink eyeliner on top, gold eyeliner on bottom, purple mascara, and silver sparkles over that.

 The whole look, foundation to lips, took about an hour and a half.

Full Outfit rundown ~

Dress - Metamorphose
Hairbow - Baby the Stars Shine bright
Wig - Gothic Lolita Wigs

I then went to get my mum up for the Farmers Market and while waiting for her to get ready, I began to chat with a friend on Skype and before I knew it, My mum, Her mum, and the rest of her family were all chatting and we talked for two hours or so!

 It was really nice to get to talk to her, we live so far away and have been friends forever. She's a blast and so is her family.

As I was chatting, I realized it was beginning to get stormy, not good for wigs, so I took it off and this is how I looked when I left the house.

When we finally left the house, it was almost 11, so we skipped the Farmers Market and went to get lunch. It wasn't good. Enough said about that, BUT! On our way to lunch I saw a sign....

 A real sign, not the divine intervention type, and it said 'Estate Sale'.

Lovelies...I can not tell you how much those two words make my heart sing. A Yard sale can catch my attention, a Garage sale can make me stop if it's easy to get to and it looks clean, but an Estate Sale, well, I'll stop most every time.

 I wasn't allowed to take pictures while in the house. It is was posted all over the closed doors, but I can tell you that this house, while not much on the outside, was so elegant and so well put together....I felt so at easy and welcomed in this house....like the elderly lady who had lived there would invite me for tea and a bit of gossip at any moment.

The house was decorated in soft rose pinks and had the most eye catching paintings all over the walls. She had three china cabinets, six full sets of china, two sets of silver, and one cabinet full of Rococo styled knick knacks .

 Pink and gold trimmed swans, French Ladies escorted by Regal Gentlemen figurines, Ceramic Roses, and other such breath taking collectibles.

She had three working radios from the 1940's - 1954. The 1954 radio was pink! It was so cute and if it hadn't been $85 I would have it in my room right now. All of them still worked, not a scratch on them, it was stunning. Truly.

 Here is what I bought, I'd have gotten more if I have had more money on me.


Decorated Wall Plate ( Originally Bought for $1.50 according to the tag on the back.) 

 

Replica of a famous painting called 'April Flowers' by Pieter Casteels. (From what I can determine on line and from her house in general, I think this is a 1947 reproduction of this famous painting.)

We got another print, same artist, same time frame, but the picture wont size properly at the moment.


I was lucky enough to find three plates with this beautiful design.

It's a slightly rounded bowl, great for saucy dishes. ^_^ (I love a good gravy or sauce)

This is a saucer and bowl set, not as elegant as the other rose patterned dishes, but still pretty.

If you can tell, it's not a deep bowl , not super functional for a bowl. I like to think of it as a bowl to cleans ones fingers. Or better yet! An Ice cream dish!!!

This is a better shot of the saucer.

This pretty magnolia plate was the fist thing I picked up. It is so pretty that I thought I could use it to house some of my jewelry.

This tea cup matches the plates above. It was so lonely, a lone cup with no saucer sitting amongst a stack of dishes...I just had to get it.

My mum picked up this pretty piece from a pile of over sized chunky jewelry, I think the pretty stuff had been bought the day before. But this.... is a large piece of marcasite with a reverse image cameo carved into the stone.  It's surrounded in antique burnished silver and can be worn as both a broach and a necklace.

                This is from the Royal Albert 'Woodland' Robin collection. I bought it for $14.

                     I think it matches well with my other Royal Albert tea cup.

My mum found this old book of poems and pictures from 1934. It's a first printing and while it's falling apart, the poems are lovely.

We also found two Barbra Streisand vinyl covers. Sadly, the records were missing, but the pictures as beautiful.

Speaking of pictures! I found some pictures of the woman who owned the house!

 Now, originally I thought it a bit crass to buy other peoples family photos, but I figured if they were rude enough to sell them, I'd be the odd one to buy them. They were just to elegant to pass up.

I am looking for some really pretty frames to put them in. They are a bit haunting really. But they speak to me in a way modern photography doesn't. And she was so lovely....

This is my favorite piece! I walked into her bedroom and there it was! Hand painted, gold dusted...I'm not sure what it was used for. But I'm thinking of using it as a covered candy dish. My Great Aunt Lou has one next to her bed and she'll wake up in the middle of the night, eat a chocolate, and go straight back to sleep.

After my day of shopping, I didn't have enough to attend the circus, I was so sad to miss it! But I did get to see Iron Man 3, so I wasn't that upset.

 So that was my day! I had a wonderful holiday and lots of fun. Did you do anything for International Lolita Day?


 

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

 

LBC : Design an Outfit around an Animal

Hello Lovelies~

 Has anyone else been suffering from the 'Not Quite Summer Yet' blues? I'm feeling all kinds of drained! But with any luck the weather will change soon and I'll get back into a regular-ish posting schedule.

But for now, it's LBC day and this week we have a really fun subject. ' Pick and Animal and Create an Outfit around it'.

 Now there are plenty of animals that are considered Lolita, like Bears, Bunnies, Kittens, Dogs, and Dear. I love all of these animals, especially Dear and Bunnies, but I wanted to do something a bit more....off the typical frilly path.


Despite my love of light blue, pink, ruffles, and chiffon, I LOVE animal prints! Leopard/Cheetah being my favorite. I'm sure those of you who've been following me for awhile might remember my Cheetah Print bedspread and my pink Cheetah Print slippers.

I even have a Cheetah print stocking when Christmas comes around ^_^ So I can bet you can tell what animal I picked!

Let's get to the outfit~

 I started with Metamorphoses' 'Rose Leopard' printed High Waist Pinafore Dress. I've had my eye on this dress for a long time and am so in love with this print it's not funny.

I'm not sure about the floppy bow on the front, but the dress and print are amazing, so the bow can be over looked. Personally, I'd remove it and use it another way.

 I'm of the opinion that some dresses don't need an under layer, but in the fall and winter I would pair this dress with this super cute blouse from IW.

This is the 'Standing Collar Dobby Blouse'. It's a very nice piece that would be a very easy to coordinate with other outfits and I am all about using clothes in more than one look.

 I looked for a good pair of cheetah printed tights, but I didn't see a set I liked, so I chose a nice pair of cream tights instead. 'We Love Color' has a wonderful selection of colored tights for ALL sizes and for this outfit I went with the Light Tan or Ivory colors.

Light colored tights equal dark shoes and while 'Tea Parties' are cute, this dress deserves something you can strut in.

The 'Lace Scallop Heart Short Boots' from Innocent World was just the ticket! The heel is high enough to make the legs look great, while the boots verses high heels keeps the look from being to Gyaru.


 No look is complete without the right bag! This chocolate and beige colored 'Classical Charm' hand bag from IW is more than cute!

Above is the bag with the heart charm, and below is the bad without it.

Top is all off with a cute Beret or Bow and it's done. For hair accessory options I recommend....

The 'Beret with Ribbons and Pearls' from Innocent World.

The matching 'Rose Leopard' printed barrette.

The 'Saint's Pearl Headdress' from Alice and the Pirates.


or

The 'Leopard Beret' from Baby the Stars Shine Bright.


 I hope you enjoyed this post and please go check out the other posts from the other wonderful members of the Lolita Blog Carnival.


Hologram World

Jewellery Box of a Starry-eyed Lolita

Darkly Darling

ABC Lolita

Super Kawaii Dragon

Teh Pastel Unicorn

The Bloody Tea Party