Product Review: Broadway nails.

I don't use fake nails very often, but sometimes I am in a jiffy. Tonight I was tired, but I am going to the first obon festival of the year, so I had to try and look decent.

For years now, I have experimented with false nails on special occasions, especially when they are the last thing I want to worry about. The brand if press-on nails that has suited me best is Broadway. They always have a wide array of styles catering to everyone! ;)

I got these cute gyaru-style nails. They remind me of how I had formerly done my nails when I had more time. Doing nails used to be a passion of mine, so I couldn't resist when I saw how similar this design looked to one of mine.

This particular set is medium length, which is kind of long for my piano playing self. These are the kind of nails that you break while zipping up your pants! The kit comes with everything you need -- glue, nails of varying sizes, and a manicure stick.

While the box says that the nails will stick on for a week, it's more like three days for me, which I don't mind. Overall, it's a cute product if you're hurrying to get your nails did for cheap. ;)

Simpler Times

Right now, my friend Brian is working on a graphic design project, re-branding Rite Aid. He's asking my dad about what it was like to grow up in the 1950's, and it's all very interesting because Dad never really tells us anything. I almost want to cry because of how golden this all sounds.

Dad is explaining about how everything depended on what you could afford. Some people were lucky to have simply ice cream. My dad said that, while in elementary school, he was sad watching other kids eat ice cream because his family could not afford it. Later on, he worked at a newspaper stand making a dollar a night, and he would occasionally buy ice cream after school. Now he has mentioned a stand that used to sell buttered tortillas for a nickel. [That's still his favorite thing next to ice cream.] He explained that when he had parties, if people bought ice cream, they had to eat it right away because the family's ice box would not have room to keep it. Although, some lucky families nearby had freezers and they could eat the ice cream as they pleased. [Brian is realizing that this is the schmoozy stereotype of the Golden 50's.]

Just hearing the mention of rolling up to a drive through movie theater, his 1959 Ford, learning to drive in manual with a 1949 Plymouth... it's just a huge realization of how different times were. Parties weren't about drinking or doing drugs. They were about dancing and having a good time and trying out Bubble Up when it had just come out. Parties were about listening to 45's with friends. He had a flat-top hairstyle that he later changed to a pompadour. He loved the Everly Brothers. This is all news to me, and it's so awesome.

There is something very organic about the fun he used to have -- marbles and jacks in the street, jump-roping, hiking, biking, driving from one city to the next just to take a joy ride. Having very little money in their pockets, they'd just go the whole day without food or drink but still had a good time. Dad said that everything you could have wanted was on Whittier Boulevard. Woolworth's was the big store, just like Target is today. Comic books from the drug stores were all the rage. He said that you could sit in the shop and read the comics and put them back if you could not buy it, and the store clerk wouldn't mind. That is so amazing... Today, stores WANT you to buy the book!

Dad grew up in a predominantly White suburb near the city of Commerce. McDonald's wasn't extremely close by, but diners were prevalent. It's so cool hearing about how the jukebox works and how Dad and his friends would enjoy a song or two while they spent their hard-earned change on a burger. So amazing. Times were so much simpler and straightforward.

Oh. He is getting into his junior high years as a saxophonist in the orchestra during the SCSBOA Festival. [How funny, I went through the exact same thing! :D Some things never change.] Apparently, there were tons of buses filled with students from all over that wanted to compete. SCSBOA even made records back then of the music the bands played so that they could hear their playback. That's pretty cool. While they make CD's and tapes now, the fact that they played records is so much cooler. Dad said they had special jackets for their band.

Growing up, Dad watched the live action Superman TV show. That's so rad! He said he had an RCA black and white TV. "We had black and white for the longest time!" Apparently you could take out the little tube inside if it ever stopped working and go to the store to get a new one. Also, TV stations didn't run 24hrs, but they would have some kind of design to take the place of shows for the rest of the night, "like a little Indian or something there." Hehe. Dad said he would watch TV while being home alone, and back then, you could be home alone and no one would care. You could leave your doors open and no one would steal from you. How amazing!

Fun was driving to Tin Can Beach or to Crystal Lake along highway 39 [azusa]. Ice cream was a luxury. My dad was human!

Sometimes I just want to go back and enjoy this. The world seems so whack today.

1 year later?!

Hey, everyone!

So it has been almost a whole year since I've last updated my blog. ALMOST A WHOLE YEAR. Where has time gone? I'll admit, I was suffering a little bit from PTSD from that hospital trip over a year ago. In the mean time, I have been working on new products, always looking to improve my designs. I don't have a whole lot to talk about since my thoughts are all jumbled up, but I suppose I can provide a few pictures of what I have been working on. Visuals always help. (n___n")

I have been participating in Fullerton's Farmers Market every Thursday since it opened up in May, I think.

Every week, I go and set out my things, hoping someone will take them home. Since this photo was taken, I have added a considerable amount of new items. I am also selling the bear face shirt for men and women. Every day, I try to find things to improve my display. I am hoping to eventually move to Frank and Sons.

While duct tape bows are growing in popularity, I decided to put my own spin on them.

Most of the time, I've seen duct tape bows just folded and scrunched up in some mish-mosh, and sometimes I see small shops consigning them for $7! Imagine paying the amount you'd pay for 2 rolls of tape for a scrunched up piece of tape! Blasphemy! So I've decided to make the bows look like my butterfly-folded obi when I wear yukatas in the summer. It's kind of a cute, merry spin on the duct tape bow scene, and I only sell these for $3 a piece.

I have also been working on sewing up some cute fabric bows. Most of these will sell for $5-$7 each.

Bows have always been a big part of my life since I was a kid. I especially love a pronounced, slightly over-sized bow in people's hair. Some bows that I've seen retail for so much -- I guess that's the price you pay for beauty. I have always been budget-conscious [I grew up broke in a family that struggled for money, which led me to learn to make my own clothing and accessories], and I am also budget-conscious for YOU, the consumer. I don't put any less love into these... in fact, I want you to have them for these prices. The patterns and prints come and go like fashion does, but in essence, the bow is such a timeless piece.

I have also recently [FINALLY] had time after my schooling has ended [I took a class to help me get paid more at work], and I have developed some cutesy sweet bows. These ones were inspired by the things many Sweet Lolitas wear. They're fluffy and made of terry cloth, aka TOWEL!!! <3

I have also very much loved dolly-kei and mori-girl looks. This one could also work for vintage, Victorian-inspired, Bohemian-like looks. I am trying to diversify the products I make... I don't want to just cater to super sweet Lolita-like looks... I am all about J-fashion, no matter what it is.

Come to think of it, perhaps I shouldn't market myself as simply kawaii-inspired, and maybe I should market myself as being part of a J-fashion scene. I don't know. (^_^;;) Meep?

I have also worked on making affordable Gothic-inspired fashions.

Back when I was in high school [OMG early 2000s], I used to dress very darkly... A part of me still loves it and appreciates delicate, not-too-over-the-top Goth fashions. [This one here is $4, btw.]

I have still been working on clay creations. However, it sort of seems like I am at a stand-still with those due to working on a variety of hair goods. I am slowly but surely designing new decoden-inspired and goth-inspired earrings, as well as a variety of rose earrings [they're so popular that I sell out every week].

As far as my personal life goes, which I rarely talk about with anyone, my love life has been interesting to say the least, and I have made a ton of lolita friends in the last 3 weeks alone. At the same time, I have just found out that I was gluten-intolerant, which was causing me to swell and get 20lbs heavier. Sad. One of my friends just went through the same thing a year ago, and now she looks so thin and happy. I was wondering why, if I exercised frequently, I would gain 20lbs instead of lose it. Now I know.

If you compare this photo with my recent ones [all above ^^^], you can see how my puffiness went down quite significantly. It's so crazy what 3 weeks of going gluten-free can do to you. And my theory is that, perhaps all my life, I had been gluten-intolerant and that was why I was always the "fat sister." [That alone is another story... might sounds like I have self-esteem issues up the wazoo if I ever told anyone.] I can't believe what a difference my diet made, especially in just my face. I have lost about 4 inches off my waist, and a couple pounds... However, I had something with gluten in it on Tuesday [I didn't know! :[ noooooo...], and I re-puffed up. It felt like 3 weeks down the drain. So I am continuing acupuncture treatment to help me deflate, and I am resuming a very careful nit-picky diet. It has been a tough journey, but I am getting better everyday, I think.

This entry was sure a handful! I will update you all soon. Lots of love~~~

Wedding Dress Commission!

The big day was July 23rd, and I had this wedding dress all set to go by a week before! Haha, a little bit of a short notice -- I had 1 month to complete the whole thing, but alas, I have done it!

What I had made:
- Corset top
- Gypsy style skirt [option 1]
- Sarong style skirt [option 2]
- Lace-up arm cuffs
- Bridesmaid skirt
- The belt to the alternate bridesmaid dress

Time for pictures! And explanations! :D

This is the corset top with the gypsy style skirt. It looks sort of loose here, but the bride was very busty, so it looked better on her. More pictures of her to come!

This is the corset top with the sarong style skirt. She wanted two skirt options because she was having a beach wedding, and she liked the gypsy style, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to look more beach-appropriate.

The bridesmaid skirt. My niece was the maid of honor, so she picked out some random dressy top for this later on. It has lace elastic for the waistband, and it is an interesting pink satin!

The waist tie for the alternate bridesmaid dress. [She left her gray tank on, haha.] She was leaning towards wearing the skirt though...

Corset detailing. The bride had chosen an interesting type of lacing. I really love it!!! :D It's so cute!

Here is the corset arm band. This looks so cute for an nontraditional wedding! I think this was my favorite part and the most fun to make! :] I want to make more of these in the future.

So I had fun making the wedding outfits and accessories... the bride bought me all the patterns I needed and material, and she let me keep everything. Amazing, huh? I'm not sure if I would make a wedding dress again, but this was so much fun! :D

A Collection of Treasuries

On Etsy, there is this option to make a treasury of items that you like, and it is almost like a mini promotion for the items that you choose. I had not realized so many of my items were listed in these treasuries of different people, and that makes me pretty happy! So I would like to thank those that have included my jewelry -- it's people like them that keep me going!

Here is a list of treasuries that I found that had my jewelry listed in them!

Out with the new, in with the old
Rice Ball!
Death is not the end...
Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Did someone say chocolate?
TRUST ME - I am a HEART DOCTOR!
I Never Wanna Grow Up
Sweet Summertime
Bright Summer
Miyazaki Masterpieces
My Neighbor Totoro

Thank you for your support! :D

Crazy new things!

I apologize for the lack of a better title, but it has been so long since my last post that I don't even know where to begin.

I had gone paintballing for the first time on Memorial Day, and seeing all the splattered paint had inspired me to make more colorful crafts. The night before, I had sewn some barrel-slips. I'm not sure what material the outer layer is, but it feels like a backpack strap. The insides are lined with either flannel or old t-shirt, and they strap onto your gun with a large elastic hairband.

I took my boyfriend to his first swapmeet yesterday [I grew up going to them, but he has never been to one] to get inspired by some antiques. Instead, however, I ended up finding a great pair of cropped jeans for $10 and seeing a plus-sized Mexican Barbie-type of doll. After seeing that doll, I didn't know what to think - it had a tiny waist, but everything else was "large" for a "Barbie." Meh.

Recently, I have been purchasing sets of Lalaloopsy dolls to create a scene-in-a-box to photograph my items in. I haven't done any shots with any of my items, but I finally created the scene, more or less. I hope to create more. Here, I'm having fun with Crumb and her mouse, using scrapbook paper for walls, and wooden miniature cabinets that I had purchased and painted from Michaels. There's a Re-ment set of food behind her as well. :]

Continuing on my craftastic journey, I began to bake again all weekend following my graduation. [Oh, yea! I graduated from Cal State Fullerton. Commencement ceremony speeches and other things were a little bit of a drag, but I'm just glad I'm out of there!] So I decided to bake vanilla pudding cookies with chocolate chips and add some homemade Bavarian cream to it. That strawberry in the picture was picked by my mother and I at Cal Poly Pomona. Haha, I've been keeping busy since I've been done with school!

Although I have a degree with a wide range of possible career paths, I still have no idea what to do. Originally, I decided to pick this major to start a career in teaching, which is pretty dead right now. With few job openings, I've just stuck with Etsy and my part-time office job. I'm hoping another opportunity comes my way. On a brighter note, a friend of mine offered to take my photos for me. I did graduation on a budget, borrowing a cap and gown from another friend, which means I couldn't decorate anything [my friends were surprised!].

And finally, I went to a Japanese memorial service, which celebrates the lives of all who passed away in the month of June [they have these services monthly]. My boyfriend's family made it a joyful event, spending a day in Little Tokyo, buffet included. We stopped by a kitschy little shop, where I found these key caps that looked a lot like my dogs.

Aren't they cute? Although I had a pretty awful evening last night [trying to avoid thoughts on family life, but let's just say it can get violent], today made my day. My other family is so much fun, and when we're together, anything is possible!

Now, onto sewing a wedding dress...

Summer is coming...

This warm weather lately has made me feel especially good and crafty. I grew really ill in January, and although rather traumatized, I'm recovering well. In fact, I probably am recovered -- I'm just traumatized. I ended up in the hospital then, ended up quitting one of my jobs, and it took almost a month to get back onto regular food-eating... However, I don't think I've ever been happier.

I graduate from CSUF next month, and I'm so excited. After doing two craft shows, I'm taking a break to finish up my final studies, and then I can proceed with my life in crafting. Of course, my parents would like me to go to grad school, but I would also like to see where my passion will take me.

Since then, my brother has moved out, leaving me an empty room that I have converted into my workspace. I even finally bought a TV! Since being traumatized, everything has me anxious or nervous to some degree, so I find myself mellowing out to classical music lately... I sound like a total loca, I know, but if it gets the job done, then hey, it can't be that bad, right?

I just wanted to share a few photos from my last craft shows, as well as a few things I've been working on. My plans for the summer are to post tutorials and other fun things. Who knows, it may keep me busy! :D Not that my day-job isn't already... HAHA. Quite honestly though, being stuck in a tiny office with no windows within reach and very little human interaction takes a toll on the mind.

But away from the bland and not-so-fun stuff, and onto the good stuff!!!

That was from when I had set up shop at the Pink Parlour Festival at the end of March. It took a whole hour and a half for someone to bring a table, and I was lucky that I brought my own chairs because the chairs they promised us never came, sadly. However, it was a worthwhile experience, and I made many new friends! A couple of helpers and I ended up taking a silly photo at the booth two spaces away:

That unicorn had me screaming, "It's so fluffy, I'm gonna diiiiie!" :D I loved Despicable Me, and unicorns are so cute. Hehehe... Especially that one that probably had a million germs on it.

Every year, I participate in an event called the SOC Pancake Breakfast [which reminds me, I need to find their address to send them my percentage donation!!!]. This event funds sports and scout groups for the local Japanese American community, which also extends to other communities. I always see familiar faces, and each year I do better. This year was a great surprise, and I helped a friend launch her Etsy site, as well. Check it out if you're into Kindles or Nooks or other E-readers!

With tax returns coming in and the success of these two events, I couldn't be more appreciative of being alive right now. Even after the trauma, the homework, all of the projects and doodads that it takes to graduate college... all of the blood, sweat, and tears honestly paid off. I just need to pull through the next month and get things done!

I'm so thankful to my friends who have helped me along the way. :] Whew, a much need update, so until next time, see you all later!