Treats!

Hello Lovelies~

 This year, as well as resolving to blog more and take more pictures, I decided I wanted to try more Asian snacks. Most people that are into Anime and Japanese culture flock to the well known stuff like Pocky, Yan Yan, Hi-Chew, Ramune, or Hello Panda and while all of these are addicting and delicious, there is so much more out there!

Here in Omaha, we have a few really good Asian Markets and while shopping around I came across lots of my favorites and lots of new things and normally, I'm reluctant to try new things. I enjoy the same thing because if I venture out and try something new and don't like it then I've spent money on something I could've spent on something I know I like.

 I know I'm not the only one out there like that and I know there are others out there without the access I have to different Asian options and they might never know the amazing yummy options available to them. So this year I want to do a segment called 'Treats', in which I'll talk about new and or favorite treats that I'm trying and I'll even be doing giveaways for some of them so that all of ya'll can have the option to experience the yummy-ness as well ^_^

For my first 'Treats' post, I'll be talking about a Korean sweet potato chip!

I am currently munching these addicting little chrunchies and let me tell you....I think I've found my new favorite snack food.

 I'm not sure if they are officially Sweet Potato chips. But they are fluffy, crunchy, and sweet, tasting both like Sweet Potatoes and Honey, and just a hit of Sesame, so all in all, it's a delicious treat for less than $3.

And for about 136 calories a serving if you count that sort of thing, it's more satisfying than a small bag of Kellogg's cookies or brownie bites or any other '100 Calorie' type snack that just leaves you pissed off and hungry five minuets later.

 I rate these a 10 out of YES I'LL GET THEM AGAIN!!!!  

Lol ^_^  

Thanks for reading~ !
 

06-18-14 Outfit Of The Day and Mini Haul!

Hello Lovelies~

 Just the other day I caught a wonderful sale while out shopping with my friend Al. I love a good sale and I can never pass up clothes that are 50% off clearance! If you follow me on Instagram you'll remember having seen the new skirt I got a week or so ago and I finally got to wear it!

I didn't know how I was going mix it in with my clothes. I mean, most of the stuff I own just doesn't go with Hot Pink and Leopard Print, but I fell love with this skirt the moment I laid eyes on it and just had to have it.

 So before I show you what I got yesterday, I'm going to show off the evolution of my outfit!


If I hadn't been taking pictures, I'd have just settled with draft of the outfit. It's not bad, but Not good at all. I thought the pinks would go and be cute together and in the mirror it was! But on film....not so much. So off with the shirt.

 NEXT!

Then I thought a solid colored shirt would work well, but seems I've lost enough weight that this shirt now looks frumpy on me and tucking it in looked worse. Not to mention that it made the skirt, which I wanted to highlight, just ...There and rather be the star of the show, it looked out of place, so this too was rejected.

 NEXT!!!

Whoever 'They' are, they're right. Third time's a charm and I really loved this final product. In the beginning I was worried about mixing my patterns, seeing as the Putumayo top had pink and grey stripes and a decal, but the mixed well and I felt awesome.

 While it's not my normal frills, super dressy or casual, I loved it and even wore my Metamorphose headbow to tie it all together.

I truly felt like I could've been in a 'Kera' street snap yesterday. It's not pictured, but after I found the right outfit, I did do my makeup, but it's wasn't wild or crazy, just simple and done with pinks ^_~

Top: Putumayo
Skirt: City Streets
Pants: Yoga pants (No idea where I got them)
Shoes: Black Mary Janes (Got them at DSW)
Headbow: Metamorphose
Necklace: No idea (It was a gift)


 I don't have a lot of money coming in right now, so to feed my shopping habit, which I usually keep a very tight reign on, I have been shopping at the local 'Second Life' shop for 'On Trend' type clothing called 'Plato's Closet'.

When I first heard of them, years ago, I was much to big to even fit the occasional 2X the sell there, but No I am wearing 1X-2X and am very please with myself and can now browse with my friend and don't just dream of wearing the cute clothes I find.

 Here is what I found this time!

This Top is originally from Forever 21. It's a 3X, but their sizes run small and for $3, marked down from $6, I figured why not?

 It's soft and flowy. Half cotton, Half chiffon, and poka-dots! How cute!

My favorite part is the Peter Pan type collar and the gold rimmed buttons. This can be worn for casually, on an interview, or even a date. The designer of this shirt really did a great job.

Next is this super cute gold skirt. It's on an elastic band that's shot through with gold threads and the whole thing bounces and has great movement. I tried it on when I bought my pink skirt, but passed it up due to budget.

 This skirt was originally $8. I bought it for $4, only to find out it had it's original tag on it and was first bought for $44! This was an AWESOME deal!

And finally we come to my impulse buy. Anyone who knows me knows I carry my life with me in my purse. The bigger the better! But when checking out I looked over and saw this beauty and just knew I had to have it!

 Originally sold for $8, I bought it for $4 and it's so pretty! It'll go very nicely with a Hime outfit I've been buying pieces for for a year or so now.

 And that's it for my Mini Haul!

 All together I spent $11.45 and I think it was well spent. I am so excited to add these to my collection of Non-Lolita, But Still Cute! clothes.

Thanks for reading! Make sure to stay in touch!

Facebook : Kathleen Sweitzer
Twitter: Angelshinigami
Instagram : Rosesandcream
Tumblr : Livinglolita

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

Getting Organized : Deco Storage

 Hello Lovelies~

     Now that it's spring, it's time for me to do some spring cleaning. I'm generally a 'Put it somewhere and that's where it goes, Don't move it.' Type. And that tends to lead to a very messy life, even if I know where everything is.

So today I have separated laundry and then decided to finally reorganize my Deco Box.

 Here it is before~

As you can see it is very full and below is what I needed to fit in there.

Usually, I keep all of my Nail Art supplies in the bottom section of my box, but why let all of this space go to waste?

I divided my acrylic pieces into separate bags and put them into the bottom section. There just wasn't room for them on the top.

Then I was able to put all of my new pieces and parts into their new compartments ^_^  I even have a free spot up at the top to keep specific parts together while I'm working on projects!

I have a lot more things to organize and clean, but one step at a time, or so they say. I think my next project will be my jewelry...

 Thanks for reading!!

Kat

DIY 3 Ingredient face mask useing Bananas! (For Sensetive and Dry Skin)

Hello Lovelies~

 Tonight I'm hanging out in a quite house surrounded by three very loving cuddly dogs and it's just a relaxing night. So I thought, why not a Spa night?

I looked around Pinterest and found a few DIY masks that I had the ingredients to mix up and settled on a Banana mask that seemed the best option for my skin type.

 I have combination sensitive skin and the mask I made was a Banana/Olive oil/ Egg mask and it worked very well!~

Before you make this mask, make sure your skin is clean. If it isn't, the mask will sit on top of all the days ick and won't help much.

Here's what you'll need!

Half a Banana (Eat the other half it's good for you.)
2 Tea spoons of Olive Oil (I used Extra Virgin and it worked just fine, but you can also use Coconut oil if you have that on hand.)
and
1 Egg Yolk

Step One ~ Mash the Banana up with the Egg Yolk until combined thoroughly, then add the Olive oil.

Step Two ~ Apply to face. Hands or Brush, either is good.

Step Three ~ Relax with soothing music or your favorite show or a book/magazine for 15 - 20 minuets.

Step Four ~ Rinse off and lightly pat your face dry.

 And then you're done!


This is an easy quick mask that takes less than 5 minuets to put together, and it does feel odd at first, but in the end it's worth it. I like a smooth non chunky consistency, so I mashed the bananas until smooth, but if it's just a rough mash, that's ok as well.

 The actual recipe calls for a Whole Banana, but this mask doesn't store well, so I shortened it to Half.

WARNING!!!

 This recipe is NOT GOOD for those with severe skin conditions such as Eczema. According to feed back on Pinterest this recipe can cause intense redness and itching in rare cases.

I hope ya'll give this a try and let me know how it works out for you in the comments below or On my Facebook! (Kathleen Sweitzer)

 Pictures of this mask can be found on my Instagram -Rosesandcream

Thanks for reading!~

Product Review : Lioele Waterdrop Sleeping Pack

Hello Lovelies~

  Recently I received an order from my favorite Asian makeup site, Prettyandcute.com!

 I am a constant stalker of their light pink digital princess perfection and my favorite section is the skin care. I really love their Facial Mask selection. My favorite is the White Rose from Beauty Diary I think. I also really like the Sakura Blossom one, but those are reviews for another time.

Lately, I've been browsing the moisturizers. Each time reading and rereading the properties and weighing the price and I usually find a reason to leave the site before I buy a thirty-three dollar something or other that may and or may not make my skin go crazy. (Having dry, combination sensitive skin is such a pain sometimes.)

So when I order my latest round of dye and saw a trail package of one of the products I had been debating on for free I didn't hesitate for a second to choose that rather than the BB Cream sunscreen I usually get.

 It's one of my better impulse choices, let me tell you all about it ^_^

 

I have been looking at and lusting after the 'Waterdrop Sleeping Pack' from Lioele from a few months now. It promises to Brighten, Moisturize, Calm redness, and Reduce puffy-ness.

 Honestly, it sounds to good to be true, but I'm willing to boldly blaze the trail others have blazed before me in pursuit of less red skin and the reviews on the site sing it's praises. Loudly.

The sample size is just enough for the full face and it's so cool when going on, it was like my skin was sighing and instantly relaxing. The product absorbed nicely and left no sticky or greasy residue, which I highly appreciate.

 While it didn't take away the redness in my cheeks, in the morning my skin was soft and there was no morning swelling from pores begging to be cleaned. In fact, since the Waterdrop Sleeping Pack is a water base, my skin felt very light and refreshed.

A small bottle is $9.99 and it's on my list of things to keep in my life. Now that I've found it, I wouldn't want to go without it.

 Hopefully I'll still feel this was after using it for a few months as it's rather hard to make solid statements after one trial.

Pros!

* Not Sticky or Greasy
* Light weight
* Cooling upon application

Cons!

* Didn't reduce the redness
* (More cons may arise with further use, please stay tuned)

Verdict = YES! 

Below are the links for both the full size and the sample size Waterdrop Sleeping Packs. If you're unsure if it'll work for you, go with the sample size. 3 for $2.50 isn't a bad deal.

Full Sized Waterdrop Sleeping Pack for $9.99

3 Samples of Waterdrop Sleeping Pack for $2.50
 

Book 10 of 50

Hello Lovelies~

 Right now I am in the middle of a lot of changes, so I don't have access to the net as much as I like. Rather than freak out about it, at night I am reading. I have read five books in the last week. One while in the middle of another. I think I'll be able to review quite a few new books in the coming month if all of these changes persist.

For now, My next book!

I've had this book on my shelf since it came out and finally got around to reading it. I was less than impressed, but got though it anyways.

 'Insatiable' by Meg Cabot, is a typical vampire book with a typical Mary Sue, under the guise of a 'Vampire book with a Twist!'.

The first words on the back of the book are, 'Sick of hearing about vampires? So is Meena Harper.'.

 When I read that I was so excited! I thought, 'Finally! A non vampire, vampire book that won't take itself to seriously.'. The book is written by the woman who wrote 'The Princess Diaries', so I was all ready for an amazing book!

What I read was less than thrilling.

 Sure it started out alright. It turns out that 'Insatiable' is actually the name of the Soap Opera the main character, Meena, is a dialog writer for.

Now I have a not so secret love for Soap Operas, so this was an awesome premise to me. Sadly, her job, which is a Big thing in the beginning, gets put on the back burner and turns into an after thought after....eight chapters or so.


 The main character, Meena, is an honest to god Mary Sue. The Vampire prince fall in love with her practically at first sight, the vampire hunter fall in love with her after fighting with her and continues to show his affection by snipping at her and practically pulling her pig tails. She hates the vampire when she finds out what he is, but continues to sleep with him because she just can't resist him.....

This book was a Hot Mess. And then to top it off, there was a Dragon.

I'm not saying it's didn't have it's funny parts. I'm not saying it wasn't written alright, despite all of the WILD brand dropping, (Think Pretty Little Liars style), and I'm not saying that if you have a free afternoon and nothing better due like....weeding a garden, doesn't have to be yours, or washing you hair for the sixth time that day, then go ahead and give this book a try.

 That's as much as I'll say about it though.

I didn't like it, but others might.

Recommendation : Spend the money on something else, like a manicure or pancakes. Both options with give you more satisfaction with life than this book will. And they don't have sequels. 


























 

Lighting and Detail work from D.C.

Hello Lovelies~

 I got really caught up in the Lighting and Architecture in D.C. I took more pictures than I think my camera could handle, but I got some great shots, so I wanted to share them with all of you in a separate post before I got to the Museums and all that fun.

These first pictures were from the Metro underground tunnels. I think the lighting on the ceiling was stunning and these are the best of my shots.

 


The next set are from the Museums themselves.

This staircase really caught my attention. Look at the railing. It's so beautiful!

More from my trip soon, but I hope you liked these pictures!

 

Makeup Brushes that Sparkle!

Hello Lovelies~

 Over the last year I have been trying to add cuteness to my life though DIY. Right now I am making my makeup brushes more exciting. It makes me really happy to do my makeup when the first thing I reach for is a super cute makeup brush!

I'm going to show you three of my favorite brushes.

This is my face powder/finishing brush. I used a Large red heart as a focal point, and used a 'Everything But the Kitchen Sink' technique.

My next brush is my smudge brush. I don't use this one as much as my others, but it was way to pretty not to decorate. I did a striped pattern top and bottom, but let the middle open because I love the fuchsia color!

I did this one last night. It's not the design I planned on, and honestly, I'm going to have to be careful how I clean this brush, but it's so pretty!

Are ya'll doing any small DIY projects to make your routines a bit cuter? I'd love to hear about them if you are ^_^

200 and going strong!

Hello Lovelies~

 Can you believe this is my 200th post? It seems almost crazy to think about, but I am very pleased and thankful that all of you have stuck with me and come back week after week, month after month, to read about my thoughts and opinions on various things or about a great day out I had all dressed up!

It's because of you that I keep doing this, so Thank You!!!!

 Ok!

So, for this post I debated about doing a lot of things. I reread my first ever post, thinking I might do an updated version of it, to mark the occasion, but what I realized was I still stand by what I said all those years ago.

 Skirts and Blouses are great ways to maximize your wardrobe without selling your kidney. Five skirts, Five shirts, and various accessories can keep you style-ish all month long. Mix and Match to create new looks and don't be afraid to express yourself with colors and prints!

 I also started updating my layout. I'm not finished yet, but it's a start. I really like the background. It's like a pastel galaxy! So keep an eye out for more changes to come.

Finally I decided to do a post about a different type of beauty. Which is inner beauty.

 I talk a lot about what I'm buying and what I'm doing and that's all well and good, but I also like to volunteer and enrich my community. While I'm not one to go out and help build a house, I participate in a project called, 'World Book Night', which is coming up on April 23rd. 20 copies of various chosen books are given out for free all around the world!

It's all about helping light to non readers find joy in books. It has a large age bracket, but is generally meant for teens and up.

 I am a Book Giver this year and I am so excited. I just received 20 copies of Rick Riordan's best selling book, 'Percy Jackson and the Lighting Thief'. I'll be stopping by The Boys and Girls club in my area and reading to the book groups there before giving out a few copies of the book, then will be going to the local shelters to give away the rest of the books to the families there so that the families can read together.

I am really proud to help this wonderful cause!

Book 8 of 50

Hello Lovelies~


     I've been sick for about a week, as my last post indicated, so I've been able to have some down time to catch up on my reading. Last night I finished reading 'Warm Bodies', a zombie book which has recently been turned into a movie. I'm not one for zombies, but after seeing the movie trailer, I knew I had to read the book before I bought my tickets.

'Warm Bodies' is a wonderful new take on the classic story of 'R'omeo and 'Julie'tte. R is a zombie of a different sort and Julie is the daughter of a bohemian free spirit who passed her love of life onto her daughter. The two star crossed lovers meet at a party of sorts that is filled with screams and gunshots rather than laughter and music.

 You'll have to read the book, but it is the general plot of Romeo and Juliette. It's hidden in a smear of blood, but this book is funny in all the right places and grips you from the first page.

While reading this book, I saw a few Shakespearean connections, but I was more interesting in the under lying theme of Nature vs. Nurture.

 The question, 'If we wake up and remember nothing about who we are, would we still be us.' So we know what we know because it's taught to us, instilled in us, over and over and over, or is there a higher plan? A greater design?

 Whatever the answers are, I'd like to share with ya'll a quote from the book that stuck with me, made me think about it for more than it was, but what it could be saying....


    "I have begun to wonder where I came from. The person I am now, this fumbling, stumbling, supplicant... Was I built on the foundations of my old life, or did I rise from the grave a bank slate? How much of me is inherited, and how much is my own creation? Questions that were once just idle musings have begun to feel strangely urgent. Am I firmly rooted to what came before? Or can I choose to deviate?" --- R. Paragraph 1, page 59.


For a book aimed at young adults, with it's roots in the Shakespearean past and it's hands stretching out to the apocalyptic future, it is has layers, like a lotus flower.


  This book might have a small opening for a sequel. But it's a solid read. I would recommend this to anyone who likes Romance, Zombies, and Searching for a deeper meaning.
 

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.


 

My First Book!

Hello Lovelies~

  As a few of you know, I've been really busy since my birthday with various projects of this and that. I small deco tutorial, a few beauty reviews, and I wrote a book.

o.o...

 What was that? Could it be? Why yes!!! Lol It could be! ^_^ I wrote my first book and published it on my birthday. I purchased two sample copies and am so pleased with how they turned out!!

As you can see, the book is called, 'Beginning Your Lolita Journey'. It's 34 pages long and consists of the 10 steps I feel are most important when starting out in Lolita. I have been in this fashion for a long time and I've seen things come and go. But these steps are simple, cut and dry. 10 steps to Lolita. It does not cover where to buy clothes or the breakdown of clothing pieces. There are plenty of sites that have talked about all of that into the ground.

 This is a book for girls just getting into the fashion who don't know where to start. Who feel a bit over whelmed and want a bit of guidance.

It may not be for everyone, these are my opinions on how to go about finding your footing in the large world of Loli, but if you look at it, This book could be titled, 'Beginning Your ( Insert any fashion style here) Journey', and the rules would still apply.

 Whether you're Lolita, Mori, Gal, Hime, Gyaru, or Otome, and still haven't found your way, this book is for you.

I even made it plain black and white on the cover so you can personalize it, because fashion is personal. No two people will wear the same outfit exactly the same way, unless it's planned that way, so what should everyone on different paths read read from a book that's all the same.

 A Pink and deco'd book wouldn't suit a Gothic girl, and a book with Black lace and red crosses wouldn't suit a Classic girl. We are all different, so celebrate it!

You can buy a copy of my book here ----->  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3510018

 Thanks for reading for so long you guys. This wouldn't be possible without all of you.


 

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))