LBC: If I had a Lolita Themed Cafe......

Hello Lovelies~

 It's been a while since I've participated in a LBC challenge, but this weeks theme was to intriguing to pass up!

If I Had a Lolita Themed Cafe.....

Isn't it delicious? We've all thought about it at one point or other, whether it be when passing an empty store front and thinking, 'Wouldn't this make a quaint little tea shop?', or when browsing though a local antiques shop and you pass an old table with scalloped edges and the thought of covering that large scratch in the middle with a lace doily and a tea service for two amongst the books and brick-a-brack is so over whelming you can almost smell the wafting aroma of Earl Grey, at some point or another we all think about it.

 The theme, the menu, Will I serve cake or chocolate croissants with afternoon tea? Sweet? Classic? Gothic? Guro...?!

These questions boggle my mind sometimes and to be honest with all of you, my lovely readers, I can't choose!

 They are all fun choices! But for the sake of this post, we shall go with a sweet theme.

If I were to have a Sweet Cafe I think I would call it, 'Butterfly Kisses'. In my mind....the walls would be painted a soft ballet slipper pink, the floors would be a soft grass green, and the ceiling would have blue chiffon draped to the four corners of the room to signify the sky. I would hang cloud lanterns all over and have flower garlands wrapped around the legs and back of the chairs.

  My menu would include things like Honey Lavender Ice cream decorated with a ring of edible flowers. Scones with Orange Zest, served with Wild Orange Blossom Honey and Honey Butter. Toast points and Tea, where the toast looks like butterfly wings and the tea would taste like flowers or fruit, all served in flower shaped tea cups.

Elegant, Sweet, a little classic all at the same time.... this would be my shop and maybe one day I'll actually open it ^_^

 Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed my artical, you should check out the other cafe ideas from the rest of the LBC family!

EGL Community

A Lace Jail

Lace-A-La-Mode

F-Yeah Lolita

Geisha Baby

Beyond Kawaii

Suns In Our Hands

Annie Old Fashioned

Hello Batty

A Life In Disguise

Carnivale Salt

Paivanarjon Alla

 

Product Reveiw: Etude House Missing U Hand Cream

Hello Lovelies~

 This is my first real post of 2013 and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update, but my computer is currently down for the count and I am borrowing my mum's until I can figure out why my baby won't turn on anymore....

BUT!

 The other day I received a package from my favorite online beauty supplier, PrettyandCute.com, and I am sad that I can't upload pictures right now, but Here is the link to the adorable new hand cream I got!

Missing U Hand Cream by Etude House.

 If you clicked on the link and can see the cute little owls, then the one I purchased was the light green Kakapo which is filled with Sweet Apple scented lotion.

First let me say.....oh my lord! This owl is SO cute!!!! it fits in the palm of my hand and as odd as this may say, it make me want to cuddle it all the time! ...>.>....ok. So other than that, back to the serious business of this review.

 This hand cream has many good and less than good points. Nothing bad, per say, but just not so good. First, let's cover the good points.

The Good~

* The cute packaging

  ~* Not only is the owl itself cute, but it comes in a little house shaped box with a tree on the front so it looks like that owl is sitting on a tree branch.

* It smells like Fresh Picked Apples.

 ~* I love the smell of fresh apples verses the smell of apple candy. So this was something I didn't know before I got it, so it was a gamble on my part and I was pleased how it paid off.

* Price for what you get.

 ~* The description doesn't say how much of the product you are actually getting, so I figured I'd be paying $9.99 for mainly packaging, but I was surprised to discover how much hand cream I actually received.

* Non Greasy!!!

 ~* I'm not sure if any of you lovelies have this issue, but I hate the slick, sticky, too much lotion, feel I get after I use some brands, but I like the fact that the Missing U Hand Cream is light weight and absorbs after only a moment of rubbing it in.

* My hands are really soft.

 ~* This is both a pro and a con actually. While it's true my hands are not drying out as fast as they were before I started using this cream, they are not getting any softer, which is something I look for in a moisturiser, but it's still doing a wonderful job at keeping my hands looking beautiful.

* Eco Friendly

 ~* Is one of your resolutions to be a little more 'Green' this year? To help protect the wild animals that are slowly disappearing due to humans encroaching on their habitats? To reduce the amount of harsh chemicals that you put into and onto your body?  Well then this is the perfect product for you!

This cute hand cream is packaged in a 100% recycled box, gives a percentage of proceeds to help save the endangered owls, and is parabens, sulfate, ethanol, and Mineral Oil free!

The Missing U Hand Cream is made with Shea Butter and Herbal Water, that's it.

 But with the good come the not so good....

The Not So Good~

* The scent doesn't last.

 ~* It's a sad truth, but the lovely apple smell lasts for a very short time before turning a bit darker as the hands heat the lotion and eventually disappears all together after about...seven minuets or so. (Yes, I timed it.)

That's it.

 See? Not bad at all, lol.

I really really like this product and will be collecting the other adorable owl friends as I get the money too.

 So here is the break down Lovelies....Out of 5

Shipping : 4-5 Not bad. For Economy shipping to Nebraska it's about....$8 or so. And I usually receive my order by the end of the week.

Price : 5-5 $9.99 for a Cute Eco-Friendly hand cream?? I'm all for that. There was no guilt over spending the money.

Quality : 4-5 I wish the apple smell lasted longer, but other than that I am very pleased the the quality of this product.

RESULTS : I totally recommend this hand cream. I am really liking it and a little goes a long way, which is a very nice thing indeed, especially when one is on a budget.

 Thanks for reading!!!

Small resolutions for 2013

Hello Lovelies~

 Welcome to 2013!!! Thank you for staying with me for another year. Throughout this year, I'd like to blog more, attend more meetups and become more active in the Lolita community.

What are your resolutions? Did you have a good New years eve?

Book 7 of 50

Hello Lovelies~

 By now we all know I am not going to make 50 books by the new year, but I figure 'why stress?'. I'm going to continue my challenge for me, reading new interesting books when I get the time. And before 2013 is here, I wanted to share the latest of my interesting reads.

 I am a big fan of the show 'Pretty Little Liars', In fact, it's safe to say it's one of my favorites! and after two seasons of loving it so so much, I finally decided to get the first book to see if my love would translate.

The first book in this long running series is 'Pretty Little Liars' by Sara Shepard.

I was surprised how different the book is from the show...It's not just a little separated...it's like a whole different universe, but that's ok. I think the main glaring difference is the time that has lapsed since the character Alison's disappearance. Instead of a single year, it has been a long stretch of three years!

 Three....

A lot can happen in three years, so the the fact that for the whole book the girls rarely if ever interact is quite understandable. The book immerse you in the Liar's worlds and allows you to come to know each character deeply before mixing them all together. Aria is still caught between who she was, who she is, and who she might become tomorrow. Spencer is a high functioning obsessive compulsive when stressed and wants to be more than what her family wants her to be, but is pressured into becoming just like them with all of their faults. Hanna is a bulimic stress eater who thinks she has it under control but doesn't. And Emily is in the middle of an identity crisis revolving around swimming and the pretty new black girl she's falling for. It doesn't help that he mother is racist and her siblings are perfect swimmers on scholarship to fantastic schools.

I liked getting to know my favorite characters better. For instance! Aria is a knitter. She is very Bohemian and Eclectic. Spencer Likes Interior Design and wants a kitten. Hanna was thin until her parents started having problems, she then ate to escape the fighting and make the pain stop. Emily has two older siblings and a younger sister whom she shares a room with.

 These are little details that are different from the show, but can be seen in the on screen character development. I am currently re-watching seasons 1 and 2 to see how what I know now adds to the story...

 What I didn't like was the fact that the whole book was all about Brand Dropping. The coke wasn't a coke, it was a 'Vanillia Coke', The purse just wasn't a purse, it was a 'Kate Spade'. The whole book was like that and it was hard to loose myself in the words when the sentence flow was constantly interrupted for Brand Names.

I am looking forward to reading the second book, but I only recommend this series for those who have seen the show and want a bit more background and insight into the story lines.


 

Lolita Blog Carnival : Week 11 : Lolita Inspirations

Hello Lovelies~

 It's Friday again!! LBC has thrown me a curve ball this week. We are to blog about our Lolita Inspirations. What inspires me as a Lolita...it's a hard question to answer. I am inspired by people, by concepts, but moments in time, so much goes into how I see me, that breaking it down will be hard, but I'll try.

When I first started out all those years ago I just wanted to wear pretty dresses and look on the outside as delicate and beautiful as I felt on the inside. I didn't start out with a Gothic Lolita Bible or with Kamikaze Girls like most of the time did. Instead I attended conventions and researched Brand Models and I knew then that I would end up merging this amazing style into my everyday life.

 The first person to really inspire me as a Lolita was Violet LeBeaux of Tales of Ingenue ....Wait...isn't she a Hime Gyaru? Yes, yes she is, but it's part of her life, she lives it all the time, not just the weekends and she started out as a Lolita. She made me want to craft, want to get into nail art, made me want to love the color pink again. She really inspired me to grow as a person and discover more about myself. For that I can never thank her enough and I am proud to call her my friend, even though we are so far apart. It's funny how technology can connect us.

The next person to inspire me was Victoria Suzanne of ParfaitDoll.com formally Lolita Charm. She not only inspired me as a Sweet Lolita, she inspired me as a blogger. She helped me see that in the 'Lolita Blog Boom', when everyone who wore a petticoat ~had to have~ a blog, she showed me that blogging was more than a fad. It was something that could help me express myself though the ups and downs of life and fashion. She helped me find my inner voice that until I started this blog, had only been expressed though Fanfiction.

 Aoki Misako is the final person I'll share with all of you that I draw inspiration from. She is a model for Baby, the Stars Shine Bright. Not only is she a wonderful model and consummate kawaii ambassador, and that is inspiring enough, but the way she inspires me is how many pictures she takes! That girl will snap six photos of her outfit before she leaves for the day and post all six on her blog. Three are the same picture with her feet sifted just slightly. I love it!~

She also always dresses to impress. Her nails are always done, her makeup always look right, her purse matches her shoes...and I myself tend to be a bit lazy and absent minded. I'll get completely dressed and walk out the door, only to realize later that my nail polish doesn't match anything I'm wearing and it's so chipped it's almost embarrassing. Miss. Misako inspires me to pay attention to the little things and remember that 'The Devil is in the Details', or The details are important and anything worth doing is worth doing thoroughly.


That is just a taste of what inspires me. I draw inspiration from history, from books, from art, from music, and maybe someday I'll tell you all about it. ^_^

 But for now, I hope the amazing people who have inspired me inspire you as well. I hope your world is filled with wonder and beauty.

Thanks for reading! Make sure you check out the other girls from LBC and see what inspires them.

Palace of Frills

Fashion Fairytales and Sewing Secrets

Paivanvarjon Alla

A Sweet Little Strange Thing

Teh Pastel Unicorn

Beyond Kawaii

2 tsp of sugar

A Lace Jail

Christmas DIY : Gift Tags

Hello Lovelies~

   I really enjoyed the tutorial I did the other day so I decided to do another one ^_^ This one is fun for those who scrapbook or like to collect pretty paper, or just don't want to spend $5 for a package of tag that happen to be Christmas themed.

I had these designs on hand, but scrapbooking paper about this size is only...say....$0.57 cents at your local craft shop regular price. Hit a good sale and the savings get pretty crazy ^_~

 Ok! So, what you'll need for this super easy project is :

- Three triangles of different sizes
- Decorative paper
- Glue
- Ribbon
- Flat back pearls (Optional)

First make your patterns. I cut the corners off of a piece of sketch paper, but if you have a ruler handy you can be more precise than I was.

       Then use your patterns to trace on the back of your pretty paper, then cute them out.  

            If you like, cut out a 'middle piece' in a different paper for a bit of contrast.

                                Stack them up, glue them down, and let them dry.

                                          Cut a bit of ribbon long enough to loop. 

                                               Then glue that down as well.

                       And you're done! You can now add any special messages you like!!

For an extra special touch you can add flat back pearls, rhinestones, and a pretty star on top. This turns the gift tag a bit fancier, but it sure makes it look cute!  

Thanks for reading this tutorial! Have a wonderful Holiday!!

Lolita Blog Carnival : A DIY Gift Idea! (And Tutorial)

Hello Lovelies~

 LBC is going DIY this week and with the holidays right around the corner it's the perfect time of year to start pulling out your project book and pushing up your lacy wrist cuffs ladies and gentlemen.

This time of year can get out of hand, what with everyone is trying to out spend the other and the Jones's across the way putting up ANOTHER set of lights, we tend to get swept away and before we know it our purses at empty and we're to stressed out to think! Let alone wrap gifts or bake!

  But take a breath, grab a cup of tea and a hot glue gun, because I've got a simple gift idea that'll make crossing your friends off your holiday list!!!

This is a project for the shutterbugs out there! Or anyone with a handy camera or camera phone. Photos make great gifts! Be it a family photo you're sending to far away relatives, or a group shot with friends you want to share with the whole group so everyone will remember that time and place for years to come, it's a quick and inexpensive way to tell others you're thinking of them or that you miss them.

 But with the ease and convenience of digital photography, having real photos on hand is something almost novel. But I am a bit old fashioned and as much as I love my digital camera, I am often seen at my local walmart selecting pictures off of my sd card to have actual tangible photos of. $0.28 cents for a 5x6 photo in glossy or matte isn't bad at all!

Only....you can't just send a picture....well....you could. But Frames were created for a reason! You needn't spend a ton on a frame, we often spend more on the frame than we do the picture!. Instead run to your local dollar store and pick up a few frames and decorate them yourself!

 So here is what you'll need!

 - Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
 - Picture Frame
 - Lace
 - Ribbon
 -Various Decorations

I already had all of this in my craft box or laying about my house, so this didn't cost me anything, but all together, this project shouldn't cost more than $10 with lots of extra left over to do three or four more frames if you like.

                   If you have a plastic frame like I do, be careful with the temp. of your glue gun.

First glue down your lace on the outside of the frame

       Then glue down your ribbon to the inside of the frame. If you have seams, it's ok. You can cover them later with decorations.

I don't have pictures for how I decorated the frame. I was on the phone with my mum at the time I was gluing everything down. I made the bow myself and the buttons on the bottom are from Holly Tea Time. To add a bit extra, I attached large flat back pearls to the other corners and I think they really pulled the whole thing together.

              Add your picture and it's done! Ta-dah!!!

So there it is. My frame might be a bit more cute than you want to go for, but everyone is different and that's what is so fun about DIY, it's completely customizable and personal!

 Thanks for reading this week and I hope you'll check out the rest of the LBC family and their awesome DIY ideas for the holidays.


Sparkle Girl

Let's Go!

A Life in Disguise

Lemontree

Spider Sugar

Pop Princess

Make Lovely

Monochrome Sparkle

Dollhouse Diaries

Inspirational Photos - November

Hello Lovelies~

 A lot has been going on in my life these last few weeks. I lost my job, got a new one, and have been dealing with other personal issues that are still not concluded and until they are, I would prefer to keep them to myself. But I thought I'd share with you a few of the pictures I've found over the month that has kept my spirits up.

             This one says to me, 'There is Beauty and Grandeur in the world, and one day, you'll see it for yourself'.

            This one appeals to the OTT sweet lolita in me that will never see the light of day. All those layers would last for maybe one or two pictures before I stripped them off and they ended up in my purse for the day.

This one inspired me for the hair. It's a cute and different way to wear pigtails and a cute wig color to boot.

                                                 This quote is embroidered on my heart.



I hope you find these pictures inspiring! Thanks for reading!

Lolita Blog Carnival : 5 Themed Meet Ups

Hello Lovelies~

 I love hosting meet up, so this weeks LBC topic was right up my alley. '5 Themed Lolita Meetups'! Let's get right into it.



                                                       Teddy bear Picnic

How much fun would this be? Perfect for the late spring, early summer, or early fall, This meet up would be great for Lolitas who love plushies or who have Little Lolis ( children of Lolita).

 Everyone brings a favorite dish, a teddy bear, and a blanket. Then it's like a giant potluck with games and stories and pictures.

A fun way to make this meet up even more fun would be to have everyone try to incorporate a bear aspect to their outfit, Like a teddy bear ear hair styles or cute paw prints on their stockings.



                                             Under the Sea Tour and Luncheon

  I remember when I was little that 'The Little Mermaid' was one of my favorite movies. I've read the original book a dozen or so times and to this day, the most relaxing and magical place for me is an Aquarium.

Starfish, sharks, jellyfish, fish, creatures of the sea all in one place to see and marvel over. Wouldn't it be fun to dress in your favorite Mermaid inspired outfit with pearls and charms in aqua or teal, white chiffon that reminds one of sea foam....nails decorated with gold chains or marbled to look like the sea.

 Lunch after a tour of the Aquarium would be a light spread of delicacies of the fish like variety or sushi!




                                                       Secret Agent Loli

Dun dun dundundun dun dun dun dun dun dun dunana....dunana..dun dun~! That's right! You read that right! Or...that's how it plays in my mind...

 An afternoon of laser tag and the latest action movie out in theaters. Black and white are the colors of the meet. Mix the two together or show your true colors. Do you always want to save the day? or do you tend to be the 'One Million Dollars' type?

Do gooders in Black, Baddies in White. Mix it up or surprise everyone and be a double agent!

 A fun game to play during laser tag would be Telephone. One person has a the beginning line, and the first person they run into through the maze, they pass the line on, then that person passes the line onto the next person they run into and so on and so forth until the game ends. Then The winner gets to say the line out loud. No win, no loss, just fun!


                                                      Up in the Air

Go to a Hot Air Balloon Rally. The colors, the grandeur, the colors...did I say that twice? Lol I love hot air balloons. At the Rallys you can see more than 100 balloons, all with different designs, take flight and brighten the sky.

 Sometimes you can even find someone willing to give balloon rides! Gather your frilly friends and a corndog from a quickly set up booth and enjoy the magnificent site.



                                                    A Vintage Treasure Hunt

You know that thrill you get when you find an old Merry-Go-Round? or the tingle that runs though you when you find a wooden roller coaster? Why not map out all of the older amusement attractions in your area and send the coordinates to your girls via picture mail.

 Have them take pictures in each location to prove they were there, then rendezvous with them at the next location.

This meet up requires two hosts. and two groups of girls. One group will get to the next location and send the picture and the second. At the next location, you and your co-host switch groups and you get to lead the girls to the next location.

At the end of the day both groups meet for dinner or tea and everyone gets to share pictures and stories from their day.

This meet can also be done with antique stores or local tourism spots in your city.


 So those are my meet up ideas. I hope you liked them and give one of them a try. Thanks for reading!!!

If you liked my ideas, you should check out the ideas from the other wonderful creative bloggers in the LBC family.


Beyond Kawaii

Darkly Darling

Lets Go! : May Cause Cavities

Sweet Lolita Doll

Palace of Frills

A Life in Disguise

Paivanvarjon Alla

Lolita Cor De Rosa

Geisha Baby

Hello Batty

Creative Friends

Hello Lovelies~

 We all have amazing friends. My friends make their own cosplays, bake delicious sweet treats, and even make their own jewelery!

The friend I want to introduce ya'll to today is one of my oldest friends. She is absolutely incredible! Not only does she ride both side saddle and astride, she travels all over the world, and even makes her own clothes!

Look at the dress! She made this, I was so blown away that I had to show all of you!

She actually did the embroidery and floral cut outs herself. I want her to make me a dress like this ^_^ It's so adorable!

Not only did she make her dress, she also crochets and her afghans are......breath taking to behold.

                    Yes....she made these. My favorite is the pink one!

She has her own Etsy shop, go check it out, this girl is exceptional!

 ASIImagi

It stands for  'A Spur of Inspiration and Imagination'.

I'm lucky to know this brilliant and inspiring girl. I hope we stay friends for a long long time.