Christmas Dress Progress

I didn't make a Halloween costume so I've been working really hard on my Christmas dress this year, I've had this idea in my head for several years now, ever since I picked up this Re-Ment Mystery Box.

 I adore these spiderwebs, they are just so sweet. I immediately started thinking of ways to incorporate the design into lolita.

 This was the first design I came up with, it's a simple skirt, there's also a bow in the back but other then the applique it's fairly straight forward.

 This is my second design that I did a few years later, I still like it even if it's not what I ended up choosing in the end. The skirt is a JSK, there's more detail with several bows, scalloped edges, and plenty of lace.

 As you can see I've gotten lazier with designs over the years, I don't even bother to draw the person anymore. I've incorporated elements from both earlier designs, it's an under-bust JSK, it keeps a few of the bows in the front like the second design and has a bow in the back like the second. I've also toned down the lace a bit.

 

 The fabric is a pale pink silk/cotton blend, it's really soft. I don't usually enjoy shiny, but this is not too reflective. I used some batting in the bows to make them cute and puffy. My boss was nice enough to let me use his sewing machines and give me a few pointers.

 

 He showed me how to sew a seamless strap. AWESOME!

 

Drawing of the big web

 The applique so far, it was a lot of work and I was terrified of doing irreparable damage to the dress. I am so in love with the spider, look at her cute legs!

The spiders story from the Mystery Box.

I plan on wearing the glitter shoes you all saw from an earlier post with it. Stay tuned for pictures of the finished product.

The Last Few Months

 I moved a few months ago, those of you who follow my blog closely probably remember. It affords me more time to spend with my awesome cat pal Gawain. Isn't he huge? He sheds like crazy and drools when he's happy.

Teal sent me a house warming package filled with Sentsy tarts and a night-lite tart warmer. I dearly loved the wrapping.

Since my move I've gotten into crosswords and puzzles, this one Anissa, Randall, and I finished in about 6 hours, but it was only a 500 peice.

My favorite puzzle so far, 1000 peice Alphonse Mucha.

1000 piece Vincent Van Gogh Starry Night. Just the most difficult puzzle I've ever happened upon. Impressionists...bah!

 

I spent Easter with Brenna and her awesome family. We had dinner, candy and watched Kamikaze Girls, I dressed like the best Easter Egg ever.

Lipstick is Geek Chics Back to the Fuchsia.

Upon my return from California I realized I had too much random fabric in my bin, there was no room for the new stuff I'd bought. Most of which was too small to make an outfit out of so I made a bunch of small projects out of them. I used left over pieces of my Spoonflower Black Forest print to make these cute pennants to hang my pins on. I have an awful lot of pins and I forget to wear them because I never see them, this way I'll have an easier time remembering.

 

Anissa spent the evening rolling dozens of balls of yarn because she's been heavily into knitting lately and she got a deal on a bunch of really nice soft skanes. It's kinda pretty, like a pile of pastel planets.

My new boss is amazing! He makes me lunch when I work, this is cherry tomatoes with saffron rice, sprouts, and a baked dumpling with an egg and cream cheese inside. It was delicious!

Royal T and the Pier

It's been my plan to go to Royal T long before I set foot on California soil. A few of my favorite bloggers are always going there for parties and gallery showings, and I wanted to go too! There wasn't anything actualy going on when I went, but they had a few cute exhibits.

I call this one Pinata Fruit!

Bacon towel! Exhibit filled with a few things they sell in the shop.

This was my favorite, it's like a produce market, but the produce was all stuffed fruit and veggies with faces. I'm kicking myself now, I should have bought a happy red apple.

Our food was quite good and a reasonable price, the three of us got sliders, and the Royal T plate with it's cute sandwiches and desert, at the top is a fresh baked cranberry scone, It was the best thing there. I did feel a bit sad though because Royal T doesn't put a lot of it's focus on tea, my Iced Royal T Milk Tea, tasted bland and uninteresting. It was a lovely little cafe but it doesn't hold a candle to my Mint Tea back home.

Although, Mint Tea doesn't have their waitresses dress up like maids....

Also check out my Tarina Tarantino ring mom got me for my birthday. It's not a great picture I suppose, but it's so lovely, just perfect for my style these days.

After Royal T mom and I went for a walk on the Redondo Pier. My grandparents have lived just across the street from it for as far back as I can remember, and though it's changed over the years, some things are still the same.

This is the Fun Factory, these creepy clowns have graced this wall for a LONG time and on lazy days I would beat it down there with 10$ to play video games until dinner. A few years ago they filmed a episode of Dexter at the Fun Factory, Randall was with me and I maybe freaked out a little bit, it was pretty cool that some of my childhood memories now include Dexter.

These guys are part of a small park near the pier, they've been there forever but you might be able to tell they've seen better days poor things.

These stairs are not new but the tiling on them is. It's super cute and kinda looks like I'm surfing.

The docks.

The pier used to end where that boat building is and you used to have to turn around and come back the way you came. But in my early teens they built more pier out into the ocean. It circles around and connects to the other side.

This "new" pier had all sorts of art embedded into the concrete, whales, dolphins, jellyfish, and flying fish pictured above. When it was new it was lovely, now a days it's a bit faded, and usually there's gum or bird poop on it.

On our way back to my grandparents condo we took a loop around the back side of the pier and there was this little man made grove with a waterfall so I had mom sit while I snapped a picture.

Galaxy Bins

I landed on a Galaxy theme for my new room, I'm taking it one step at a time, but in this case I just up-cycled a few items I already had.

I Used:

• Peroxide
• Krylon Fusion for Plastic in Navy and Purple
• White Acrylic Plaint
• Large Sheet Paper
• Masking Tape
  

I started with my old laundry bin. I've had issues with painting plastic before so I started by cleaning it up with a bit of peroxide. This should take care of any residual oils that might have built up on the surface and could cause the paint to wrinkle.

I didn't feel like wasting paint so I taped paper down to the inside.

I used Kyrolan Fusion for Plastic so I didn't bother priming, but if you're looking for a color that this stuff doesn't come in you'd better pick up a plastic primer which is kind of like the base coat for nail polish, it helps the paint stick. This shade was Navy Blue but it took a few coats before it got dark enough to look navy. I also didn't color it too evenly because you know 'galaxy'.

With my wastebasket I didn't color the whole thing with blue I did sort of a random swirly fade out.

When I was done with the blue I added the purple swirls with some more Kryolan spray. I really liked the way it looked, but I kind of wished I'd have had some teal with me to have added more depth under the purple.

I added the purple to the waste basket as well, I had to add quite a bit since the pink blended with it too well.

To finish it all off I splattered on some white acrylic and it looks awesome!

I liked the waste basket too but the laundry bin really takes the cake.

Random Pictures

Pictures from the last few months that didn't really feel like they went anywhere else.

An old coworker of mine went out of town for a few weeks, the rest of my coworkers proceed to take that days newspaper and wrap all of her stuff in it. This was about half way done.

Joelle with her lightsaber cookies. Super cute but they didn't hold together real well.

I was helping some friends move. Also I'm weird.

Rocking Evil Shades Just Like Candy Hardcore Lipgloss.

Grandmas cat Keizi in a box, eh I though it was funny.

Randall at Mint Tea.

Delicious dessert food cart Cake On A Hot Tin Roof.

I made a star shaped tart, this one had egg, cheese, and homemade smoked tuna.

I liked this outfit, it matches my awesome hat from Teal.

Awhile back I decided to watercolor something. I've come to accept that watercolor is something I'm never going to be amazing at, but it was nice enough to do.