Lolita Charm

Monday, January 24, 2011

10 Ways to Cute-ify Your Room

Way back in 2009, I started writing the series It's Your Castle, about lolita interior decorating and home crafting. It's been a while since it had any fresh fodder! I tend to want to craft and redecorate mainly in the winter, when I am snuggled under covers and unable to go very far (three cheers for being snowed in!). Lately I'm not working on any huge redecoration projects, but I have lots of little ones to occupy my weekends! Here are ten easy cute-ifications for your bedroom you can do in an afternoon:

1. Line your drawers. This used to be a very popular past-time, but seems to have gone off the wayside - lining your dresser drawers. They even used to sell scented paper as a substitute for sachets. Typically they were a delicate floral. You can use floral wallpaper, scrapbook paper, or even just wrapping paper. That way when you reach the bottom of the drawers, you see pretty paper instead of the plain bottoms!

Who else loved the bedroom from Pretty in Pink?!

2. Line the backs of bookcases. Along the same lines as the previous - use pretty paper to line the backs of bookshelves! I have a very simple, white put-it-together-yourself kind of bookcase, which I hadn't been fond of, but recently found it useful for housing my wig heads and dollhouse for my Byul, Violet. All you need is a little double-side tape and perhaps a trip to the scrapbook shop and you're in business!

3. Add sheer, delicate curtains to bookcases. If you'd prefer a subtler look or wish to minimize ugly storage all together, it's very easy to add simple curtains. I got this idea from looking at snaps of Maki's bedroom, where she camouflaged her hulking PC with simple dot fabric. For bookcases, all you need is a spring-loaded curtain rod that fits along the top - add a length of sheer or simply cute fabric as a long curtain. You could also do this for large computer desks, or even as closet doors.

4. Display like things together in cute vignettes. Recently I re-discovered a mirrored tray and put it on my bureau, then collected together some of my favorite pink things like a pink ring box, Hello Kitty lipgloss, Victoria's Secret mints, and a pink bottle of perfume.

5. Put up a ribbon board of bulletin board to show off your favorite things. I am one of those people that collects and saves little pieces of paper or notecards - I still have letters my friends wrote in me in high school! The ribbon board above my desk is a collection of all things cute - samples of Angelic Pretty prints, my brand tag collection, notes from sellers on cute stationary, and even a ribbon printed with Baby the Stars Shine Bright's name. Making my own ribbon board was easy! I took an old painting canvas (and, thankfully, covered up one of the embarrassing paintings I did as a sophomore in high school) and covered it with a little quilting batting and rose printed cotton, wrapping it around the canvas and stapling it to the wooden frame in back. Next I stapled ribbons on to the frame and held the network in place with big pink buttons, stitched right through the canvas. Here's a tutorial for basically the same idea.

Ribbon boards have the added bonus of keeping all your memorabilia intact - no pin holes - but for those who prefer bulletin boards, I've seen a beautiful sample lately where a vintage lace table cloth is pinned over the corkboard for a delicate, cleaner feel. You can cover the thumb tacks with vintage buttons or cute deco cabochons if you like as well.

6. Canopies! I had a canopy bed when I was little and adored it - the first set was a carousel horse with heart-shaped balloons, the second simply lilac. As a ridiculous teenager I decided they made the room 'too closed in' and thusly my canopy bed went on to greener pastures. You might find a canopy bed at a flea market, but a simpler and cheaper option is a round canopy, often called a mosquito net. You can purchase one for around $20 - $30, or make your own with a large embroidery hoop and a lot of sheer fabric like tulle. Feel free to customize by adding roses, loops of pearl or ribbon, or even sequins. You could even drape your canopy around something other than the bed - like a vanity, desk, or comfy chair.

7. Window clings. If you can find them, jelly window clings look super-sweet on mirrors and windows. I have a set of strawberries and cakes from when Mother Garden had a US location, but they're becoming more popular lately. Look around at Valentine's Day - you may find some hearts!

8. Find yourself a jewelry rack/tree. Ever since I received my jewelry rack shaped like the Eiffel Tower this Christmas, I've loved picking out my most-loved pieces and displaying them in a shiny, trailing mass. Plus, it's easier to see your favorite items, and you'll never have to untangle a necklace when running out the door again.

9. Curtain tie-backs. Let the light in and add some adorability by making curtain tie-backs. Whether you choose something simple like grosgain ribbon (make sure to sear the ends against fraying), antique ropes of pearls, or even strings of faux roses, they'll add some pizazz. I love using pink satin for decor, so I'm going to make a few ribbon tie-backs with easy-to-use snaps.

10. When all else fails... cover it with roses. Or crystals. Or black lace. Find your favorite motif, bust out the DIY, and see what you can make. A great rule to live by: if you can't learn to love it, and you can't replace it, then just cover it up! For example: forget getting an expensive cake-shaped clock shipped from Japan and cover your ordinary wall-clock with silicone whipped cream and cookies. Get creative and get cute-ified!

Read the rest of the It's Your Castle Series - including two decor crafting tutorials!

It's Your Castle Series Start!

It's Your Castle's... Closet!

My Castle: The Bureau

Rose Lamp Tutorial

Silhouette Tutorial

Re-purposing Frames for a Lolita Gallery

xoxo,

Labels: lifestyle, lolita living

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Here, My Card: Lolita Calling Cards

Lolita calling cards: a nebulous trend that needs to become reality. Why haven't they picked up? I think it's because most lolita interaction is still, unfortunately, over the Internet. It leaves us at a bit of loss when you can't just swap usernames or links in real life!

The first lolita calling card I ever got was from Crystal of Pretty Wonderland. It was sage green, dusty rose, and printed with a gilt crown. Below 'Princess Crystal' in script, there was an email and other online handles. I was absolutely touched. How cute! How personal! I loved knowing that she had designed it herself to reflect her personality and style, and I was even more pleased to know that she thought I should have one!

For ages I knew I should have a calling card. Meeting new lolitas at meetups, tea parties or conventions is great - losing touch with one who you only know by her first name or 'the girl in the blue Happy Garden skirt' is not. Scribbling on pads, keeping notebooks, fumbling for pens... how messy! Or whipping out cellphones to give and enter numbers, a slow process. Calling cards are the ideal item to bring to any event where you'll be meeting new people - or hope to do so! ;)

If you want to get your cards printed:

Design your card in an image program like Photoshop. It's best if you use a template first, either from a send-away company or from just a business card company in general. This is great for experimenting with different graphics, fonts, photos, pink backgrounds... anything you can design, you can create! I chose a template, designed mine in Photoshop, and then took the file to Staples where they quickly printed up a batch of them, ready for the next day! (Note: don't order too many at once, in case you'd like to change yours or something isn't right with the first batch. Somehow my pretty pink cards ended up purple! And I have 300 of them so...)

If you want to do it the old-fashioned way:

Victorian ladies made their own calling cards by hand using laces, calligraphy, pressed flowers, illustrations... No two were exactly the same and each was a small labor of love. Use good cardstock paper and some crafting supplies to make a set of calling cards next time you're stuck with a rainy day indoors. Decoupage them with magazine cuttings, use cute rubber stamps, or adorable stickers. A great option if you're meeting a new friend for the first time or attending small, personal meetups. (If you're attending a large meetup of twenty or more, do yourself a favor and get them printed! Don't be up the night before gluing pressed violets onto cards!)

Don't forget to include on your calling card:

Your name - to be called in person, not just your username! Usernames are rather impersonal... I can't imagine anyone saying, for example, xobubblesox in person! It doesn't have to be your full name if you prefer, just whatever name you go by for lolita or your other hobbies. Using your full name is also cute and princess-y - usually historical and fantasy princesses had many names, and adding your middle one is quaintly old-fashioned.
A contact - somewhere they can reach you. I think an email is best, but you can use a Livejournal name, Facebook address, or instant messenger screen name.
Your website - blog, tumblr, personal journal, anything!
A picture - a lot of people shy away from pictures on cards, perhaps they're worried about how it would look design-wise? But I think a picture is so important for people who need to match names and faces. A favorite face shot of you in your prettiest clothes would be just the thing - perhaps in a gilt frame or with a faded edge?
Graphics - these make your calling card especially cute. A strand of ribbons, a spray of roses as a watermark, or maybe printed paper can make your cards stand out from the pack.
Unique fonts - you can download tons of free fonts to your computer for making your own graphics or calling cards. Try dafont.com/en or just google free fonts - Hanako Lovely even has a collection of lolita-specific or cutesy fonts. My favorite lately is the Lolita Charm logo font - called Creampuff!
Optional - add something about yourself or a cute description. I added my substyles to my card in case they weren't obvious :P But a whimsical title would also be sweet, describing your style or personality. Meetup organizer? Shepherdess of rufflebutts. Super sweet fanatic? Angelic Pretty cult member. Be tongue-in-cheek about it! I think I'll start adding Powdered Sugar Princess to mine, just because it's so silly & cute!

For extra cuteness (and organization, a word I don't use much! :P) make sure you have a business card case to keep your calling cards in. This way they don't get crumbled in your purse or lost in your wallet.You can find one pre-made, or buy a plain one and deco it with rhinestones, sweets or even just cute stickers (I love puffy stickers especially!). It's very popular for gyaru and hostesses in Japan to have cute business card cases, and I think it's something lolitas should adopt!

Have you ever made calling cards or designed your own? I'd love to collect them from a meetup or event and save them, just like brand tags! It's like a collection of mementos from friends and good times

Labels: lifestyle, lolita living

Monday, August 16, 2010

Once Upon a Time: Recommended Reading

One of my favorite things to do, especially in Seattle, is to visit secondhand bookshops. There seem to be so many here and I find some beautiful things to take home! I've always loved fairytales since I was a child, and have huge anthologies of them from cultures all over the world. Today I purchased a thick book of Russian fairytales. One of the stories is called Danilo the Luckless, and while it has an unhappy ending, it feeds me with just the kind of fanciful words I love to read about:

"I want the lovely Swan Maiden to stand before me, and through her feathers let her body be seen, and through her body let her bones be seen, and through her bones let it be seen how from bone to bone the marrow flows, like pearls poured from one vessel to another."

~Danilo the Luckless, Russian Fairytales, collected by Aleksandr Afanas'ev

That's the kind of line that makes me want to dress all in white as a lolita swan maiden, or at the very least, put on my pretty burgundy Swan Lake skirt from Metamorphose. It reminds me so much of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, and even the cute anime of a swan/duck ballerina, Princess Tutu! Stories like that just make me swoon, sometimes to the point of trying to write my own - or just to dress up and flutter around fields of flowers.

Here's my list of favorite fairytales to look for when I'm out:

(Snow-White and Rose-Red meet the Bear Prince in the Blue Fairy Book)

The Andrew Lang Fairytale books: These are Victorian fairytales compiled from many cultures by Andrew Lang, starting with the original Blue Fairy book published in 1889. There are twelve in all of various colors, and I'm always out to find the ones I don't have. The stories varying, including Japanese and Arabian tales, with - my favorite part - beautiful illustrations. On this page there are links to read the entire Blue Fairy Book online, but I love having them to bring with me, especially on dull days when even their covers are a welcome pop. My mother gave me her copy of the Blue Fairy Book and since then I'll never lose my soft spot for Prince Hyacinth, Princess Mignonette, and the little white cat, Blanchette. Like all fairytales, they have many of the same components mixed up a little different, but its their delicate voice and drawings which really make them the perfect lolita fairytale.

"They found her lying on the floor with poison in her veins and the apples spilled where they had rolled. She was the green color of certain white flowers."

~The Rose and the Beast, Snow

Francesca Lia Block: The Rose and the Beast (and anything else written by her, really): Francesca has the gift for making fairytales out of our modern world. The Rose and the Beast is a perfect example of this - her retellings of fairytales are more like spoken poetry performances which leave us guessing if this is the tenth kingdom or the strange deserts and urbans of Los Angeles. Her stories are eerie, mature, and reflect some of the real wolves girls face in the forest, like drug use and sexual assault. Her writing has a graceful, heartbeat of a flow, and brings you to a place where you are not dreaming and not awake.

(The Little Mermaid and the Prince, by Hans Christian Anderson, illustration by Edmund Dulac)

Hans Christian Anderson: I never was really entranced with the Grimm brothers' fairytales, and perhaps only mildly tempted by the works of Perrault, the French fairytale writer. If I had to name a favorite author of fairytales, it would be Hans Christian Anderson. He wrote children's stories just when people began writing children's stories - before then, books for children were either morally instructive or non-existent. He wrote many of our most popular stories, including The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, the Snow Queen, the Steadfast Tin Soldier, and even the Ugly Duckling and the Emperor's New Clothes. A statue of the Little Mermaid has been erected in Copenhagen harbor in his honor, where he spent a good deal of his life.

Tatsinda: Tatsinda is an odd little fantasy book I read as a child and had all but forgotten until I ran across a copy at one of my favorite secondhand bookshops. While the story has a very mountain-people, Lapland feel to it, it's also very elvish and distinctly part of its own world. Although it's described for younger readers, the imagery in the book is worth it. Tatsinda lives in a world of colored crystal houses and unusual animals, where she is different for not being blue-eyed and silver-haired like the rest. I remember having a very 70s style, Last Unicorn illustrated type, but can't seem to find another copy like it.

The Serendipity Series: These books were produced in the 1970s as short and moralistic, hoping to teach kids tolerance and acceptance, as well as basic kindness and even environmental care. Many featured recurring characters like Morgan the Unicorn, or Leo the Lop (-eared bunny). The artwork is adorable with lush, forested scenery and shows all kinds of creatures from butterfly-winged ponies even to one girl, who may be a dewdrop or a pauper or a princess (in her own words). I loved these as a child and still have a few left, where they are preserved carefully on my bookshelf. Every so often I pull them down and reread their simple but still relevant messages.

Shadow Castle: In this short collection of stories by Marian Cockrell, Lucy is a little girl living on the mountainside and one day stumbles into fairyland, where she meets a man named Michael - who tells her wonderful stories of a fairy family, which seem strangely connected the personless, moving shadows inside the castle rooms. Again with darling illustrations and stories about goblin attacks, Princess Bluebell, and a wise dragon, not to mention true, infatuously silly young love.

Next time you're at your local library, secondhand bookshop, or even in your own bedroom, plop down among the stacks and thumb through their fairytale section. To me, there's nothing more inspiring that unusual or Victorian fairytales, read quietly in golden sunlight and lacey, feminine skirts and petticoats. Choose your own favorites as outfit inspirations, or just to daydream about. What are some of your favorite oft-unheard-of fairy stories?

Labels: lifestyle, lolita living, recommended reading

Monday, July 12, 2010

Popkei, Puppies, and Paint!

Today I got dressed up to see some friends of mine to make cupcakes, and I chose my new Swimmer headphones as the popkei inspiration piece for this outfit :) I was a big fan of my old Swimmer headphones, which were pink with kitties, but they broke (rattling in one ear and no sound on one side, if you're curious), so I was happy to get the new generation which no longer has any black hardware - just pink!

Skirt, socks: Baby, the Stars Shine Bright
Shoes: Jeni
Bracelet, blue heart ring, cutsew: Angelic Pretty
Pink heart ring: Tarina Tarantino
Pink rhinestone bow: Chinatown
Bag: Sanrio

Here's the headphones in action! And Misu ♥ (check back for more Misu this week - her Charm Channel debut! She really is adorable to watch scurry around and get into trouble! *w*)

You may also notice something about my background - the walls are now pink! Over the weekend my father and my boy worked hard to get my room repainted - from dusty lilac to a bright, princess-worthy pink with minty doors and a buttercream ceiling. I'll be doing a video showing off my room at long last for everyone who's asked to see it :) A lot of pink mostly, in case that wasn't obvious ;) While they did the walls and ceilings, I snuck a little of the buttercream (Behr's Social Butterfly, to be specific) to finish my long-wished for dream of framing my favorite Angelic Pretty full-size ads. I didn't want to pay a lot of money for the frames, so I sifted through my local thrift store and found three frames for $2.50. One was a 70s-version nasty gold, and the other two were unfinished. With a little stolen ivory paint and putting in the glass, I now have the very cute start of my Angelic Pretty gallery. I'm looking to get a few new magazines this weekend when I go shopping in New York City, so I can add them to my collection - hopefully the Milky Planet or Fantastic Dolly ad! Currently I chose Royal Poodle (since I also have the red OP, pictured) and coats because I am excited for upcoming coat reservations! My smaller one on the side is a miniature flyer of a recent Gothic & Lolita Bible cover.

It was easy to make the frames match perfectly! My next project is a little more challenging - painting my china closet the matching mint! I can't wait to see it finished!

Labels: crafty loli, lolita living, outfit post

Friday, June 11, 2010

Moshi Moshi!

There comes a time in every young lolita's life... no, that's not right. Let me try again. There comes an item in every young lolita life's that she realizes is the most amazing, crazy thing she has ever bought. She couldn't imagine it before she found lolita; even after finding lolita, she can't believe anything this special and epic exists. It makes her want to be more; it makes her want to be better, pinker, cuter, frillier. She want to be worthy of it. She wants to have it for always. Is it her first brand dress? That cake hat? A unicorn-shaped purse?

For me, the answer is obvious.

It's my phone case.

If you've been reading Lolita Charm lately, you'll know my love and current fascination with deco. When I decided to get a new phone for the first time in two years, I wanted to go all the way. We're talking the works - case, swarovskis, pink, lace, everything. After doing some research and snooping around deco image forums, I realized I could not make all that I wanted. If I wanted to have a phone as crazy and fabulous as I imagined, I'd have to hire a professional deco artist.

Enter:

Alice Doll is the sugary and Angelic Pretty-loving label of Alex, who is well-known for bringing the cute. Her works range from phone cases to Nintendo DS cases and even picture frames and art commissions. I loved the style of her previous works - somewhere between sweets and hime, with lots of glitter and bows. So I dropped her a line and waited.

She got back to me quickly and we soon transitioned our chats from messages to instant messenger. Chatting was the best way to work out the final product. I chose a solid pink case instead of clear, because my phone was gray instead of pink - and we picked it out together for just the right shade of baby pink. When she finished the first version, she sent me pictures over IM and we could discuss it right there. I've never been able to work so closely and openly with any comissioner before - it was really tailor-made and customized exactly the way I wanted it.

Here's the prototype:

After some discussion I decided to get both the front and back done - originally I wanted to do the back myself. This way they would match. She gladly agreed to redo the case for me, and after a short time she showed me this:

Which just knocked me off my feet!

After a few more adjustments, this is the finished product I received in the mail yesteday:

(shown here in its texting mode, where it opens like a DS);

The front plate, which is done in several tones of pink swarovski crystals and pearls;

Here's the back plate, my favorite features being the bow she sewed out of satin striped fabric and the lace, which she hand-dyes to get just the right shade of pale pink. She also hand-makes the ice cream cabochons to your color specifications - mine are vanilla, strawberry (pink), and lavender (which, by the way, is a real flavor at my local ice cream stand and a perennial favorite!). The back also features a pink dipped crueller, two roses, a sakura blossom, a teddy bear, and two colors of cream topped with glitter and a few pink swarovskis.

It was the easiest thing to commission this case - she ordered the case, deco'd it according to your specifications, and then sent it out well-packaged and arriving only two days after shipping. We even talked over IM while I opened it, so she got to see my excitement and any problems could be discussed immediately (mostly I wasn't putting it on right for a minute... oops!) And for the curious, the final total was only $35. I know I'd spend much more than that on supplies and then trying to replicate this beautiful style - let alone on time and effort that still wouldn't have that touch of expertise Alex gives her finished pieces. I can't wait to take this to my next meetup and show it off!

Alex was a great comissioner to work with and I can't wait to see how Alice Doll continues to evolve and grow, with new products and options :) And you'll probably be seeing more of Alice Doll around Lolita Charm - keep an eye out towards the end of June!

Psst -- check out Alice Doll by clicking here!

Labels: crafty loli, deco, lolita living, review, shopping

Monday, March 29, 2010

Angelic Poodles on Parade

Once in a while, in magazine ad or in a street snap, they'll be there - a little fluffy bundle with wide eyes snuggled into a pile of lace and ruffles. I'm talking, of course, about lolitas pets - typically small dogs, cats, bunnies, or for the more unusual crowd, birds and reptiles. Love them or hate them, you probably know someone who has one - or you've always wanted one yourself. And if you're looking for adorable pet items, you're in luck. Almost anything your pet will need will probably come in pink - or decorated with rhinestones, ribbon roses, or with a sweets motif. I've found quite a few such items lately - here's the list!

Sweet Dreams

Pet furniture might seem inconsequential at first, but it's really part of your own human decor. A big plaid pillow in a sea of pink? A fluffy little cushion at a hunting cabin? And pets beds are especially important if you'd prefer your pet to stay off the furniture. If you don't want Fluffy to nab your sofa spot, then get him his own!

Want something cute that doesn't veer too far into wacky dog furniture? The sweet flower dog bed can blend with any cutesy decor, or for those with a sweet tooth, there's always the pink donut dog bed or the cupcake dog bed. Going for a classier, cleaner look? Your dog might enjoy snuggling in the luxurious Cuddle Cup, especially made of for toy dogs that prefer to feel secure in a sleeping-bag style arrangement. And on the very princess-y end of the spectrum is the Fairy Pink dog bed, that reminds of the Disney Fairies.

Is your dog a 'teacup' dog? (Teacup is a non-AKC recognized size that usually means 4 to 5 lbs and under, typically found within the toy group.) Or is your dog just a big fan of crumpet crumbs - I mean, Victorian teatime? For tea lovers, here are two sweet teacup-styled beds: the teacup saucer and the teacup dreams bed.

Pet Bowls

I prefer to use a recirculating water fountain for my dog and cats. For one, it keeps the water filtered free of hair, dust, or other floating particles. For another, animals prefer drinking from the running water than stagnant water, and are therefore less likely to get dehydrated (and yes, that is why your dog or cat enjoys drinking out of the toilet. It seems as fresh as Poland Springs to them.) But never fear, if you're into cute and want a pet drinking fountain - they do come in a pretty, stainless steel pink.

For simple feeding, this heart cut-out bowl is too cute! Or if your pet is a real 5th-Avenue type, there's always these gilt bowls by Juicy Couture - complete with terrier logo.

Out on the Town

Small dogs have the lucky chance of being allowed where plenty of big dogs can't go - especially since the Hollywood set has engineered the 'dog purse' or purse-like dog carrier. You can use these to go out in public, travel on the plane, or tote to the vet. (Note: your dog should also walk and exercise, and make sure to keep your carrier clean. I'm not dispensing pet advice here, please remember to be careful with your living animals.)

This particular carrier reminds me of some of the gal bags I've seen on Yumetenbou - a very classy and pretty style with quilted leather (as shown above). For an airier, country flair, try this pink gingham, or this stripy and ruffly model for a casual, day-at-the-beach style. And because small dog purses cater to the jet-set, there are plenty of designer bags if that's your taste - I always end up drooling over Juicy Couture's dog bags, like this pink suede 'bowling bag' model.

Other Ideas for Lolita Pet Decorating

Even if you're not a dog person (as I clearly am ;), there's plenty of cute ideas for your pets.

find a pretty pink castle or mermaid figurine to put in your aquarium; select an antique pagoda style or traditional birdcage for your feathered friends; use cute hamster and small rodent hidey-holes for their cages, like strawberry or tiny house shapes; adding bows to your pets' collars...

Can you think of any others? What kind of pets do your share your life with? I couldn't think of any reptile themed ideas, any reptile lovers want to share?

Now to disclaim: pets are not accessories. Please remember that a pet is a large commitment and should be treated as animal, not a purse or even a human baby. This article is not encouraging you to purchase an animal; this is more for people who already own them and would like to add a little more lolita cuteness to their pets' accessories. And I am not giving out pet advice or pet health advice - I am not a veterinarian.

Labels: lolita living, shopping

Friday, February 12, 2010

My Castle: The Bureau

Since I've been talking about decorating so much lately, I thought I'd show you a few snapshots from my room. These are details of my bureau and large mirror, where all of my hair-styling, accessorizing, and make-upping goes on.

I use a teacup and matching platter to hold some of my prettier pieces to display - like my favorite strawberry bracelet and miniature tiaras. Look for unusual dishes or trays to hold your rings, bracelets, and earrings. The merman dish below is actually for soap. I found this for $2.50 at my local thrift shop - it even says 'Made in Italy' on the bottom! He's the designated keeper of my pink pearls ♥

And this is the corner of my mirror, which I've draped with some pearl necklaces (this gold and tea colored one from Forever 21). Clipped to it are some of my favorite bows, and my favorite hairpiece, my 6% doki doki mini hat. I also keep notes from friends on cute stationary - these are from Kandy and Michelle :) The lollipops stuck the mirror are actually window clings. Mine are from Mother Garden, but there are usually plenty of heart ones available for Valentine's Day.

Here's a few other ways you can dress up a bureau, small table, or vanity:

Display your favorite wig on a wig head, perhaps with your best hair accessory. I love seeing the big pink curls on my bureau, and it keeps all of the hair in good condition.
Tack up photos or sentimental notes to a mirror or ribbon-board, whether these be of friends or photos you loved in magazines.
Put down a piece of lacy fabric or an embroidered table runner for a spot of color. Look in estate sales or flea markets for something vintage.
Tack colored fairy lights or floral vines above the mirror or bureau; or just drape swags of pretty tulle.
Dried, real, or faux flowers in a vase can be interspersed with decorative pens or makeup brushes. I somehow amassed a collection of princess scepters that are mixed in with my rose.
Got a lot of nail polish bottles? Arrange them in a holder or a row in rainbow order. I keep all my different shades of pink visible.

If you've seen some of these photos before, it's because I've just been bitten by the tumblr bug. You can follow me here. Be warned that the main themes are pink, poodles, and shoes I wish I owned ;)

Labels: lolita living

Monday, February 8, 2010

It's Your Castle's... Closet!

So now that you've cleaned out your closet, what to do with it? Do you frequently come up with only one sock? Are you unsure of how many purses you have? Is your closet door stuck from opening? If you've answered yes to any of these questions, it's time to reorganize you closet.

Step One: Look at your closet's structure. Do you have a wardrobe, a closet with double doors, sliding doors, accordion doors, or just one door? Is it a walk-in closet, or is it shallow? Are your shelves fixed, or can you rearrange them? My closet has two sliding doors, which presents the problem of only being able to access half of the closet at a time. With a little Ms. Fix-it Know-How and a screwdriver, it'll be easy to take them off the tracks, opening up the wardrobe. Then curtains can be added instead.

Step Two: What exactly is IN there? Is it lolita clothes, regular clothes, old house coats? Is your cat sleeping in the rubble of heels, or were you an avid collector of board games in your childhood? Anything you're not using, put in storage, throw out, or donate. Then it's time to decide - is your wardrobe lolita only, or do you keep your jeans or school uniform there too? For me, it's lolita only - casual things can go in the bureau.

Step Three: Prime real estate. Where is the best 'real estate' in your closet? Front and center? Where the dresses live? Do you want a special section for the petticoats to breathe in? Designate sections to categories of clothes or accessories. This shelf is for purses; this for shoes. Then it's a one-stop shopping for getting dressed, just like on Poupee Girl.

Step Four: Order and Display. I like to put my items in category first (blouses, for example) and then color order (rainbow order for me! My books are in rainbow order too.) But so long as your items are in some kind of system, it can be anything you want. The other thing is to display your better items, like in the picture about. Purses displayed facing front or on an angle can show off their pretty faces; making a giant candy-shaped stand for headbows is both practical and adorable.

Step Five: Decorating! This is the best part. Here's a few ideas to spruce up your closet:

frame the door with Christmas lights or rose garlands;
paint the doors or inside a bright color that pops from your current color scheme;
add a cupcake stand for displaying mini-hats or other large accessories;
roll socks with the displays facing out so that they fill a decorative box, then prop up like a shadow box;
if you have room, add a wall decal to the inside or door, like a chandelier or trailing flowers
the perfect place to display your collection of brand bags - taped to the inside of your closet walls, as a brandwhore shrine;
edge the shelves with homemade ruffles, ribbons, or lace;
add a pretty mirror to the inside of the door
if it's a walk-in closet, try a standing mirror - I found one at a thrift store for $15!

I hope this has helped you prettify your closet like the one above :) It's much more fun to dress when you feel like a movie star in a dressing room! And when you can find both your socks...

Labels: lolita living

Monday, January 18, 2010

Rose Lamp Tutorial

As part of the It's Your Castle series (yes, still ongoing!) I'm slowly beautifying every little corner of my room. On my nightstand is a Rococo frame with photos of my lovely girls, Miss Lumpy and Miss Julia, with purikura from San Francisco tucked in; a Hello Kitty alarm clock; and two of my journals, one for personal things and another for my blogging. But my lamp struck me as a little plain. So I set out to do something about it!

Roses are some of my favorite flowers and because of Valentine's Day coming up, the craft stores are having sales on faux roses. It was just the thing I needed for my project.

Here's what you'll need:

scissors
hot glue gun
smooth lampshade, preferably with a lip on the bottom
two bunches of roses, mine where $1 a bunch from Michael's
ribbon of your choice

First, use some masking tape and take all of the lint and dust off of your lampshade. Then take your bunch of roses and your scissors and start beheading them, with as little stem as possible. Next, use your hot glue gun to glue down roses along the rim of the shade. It's best if you lay them down on an angle instead of sticking straight up. It's a sturdier model and you see more of the elegance of the shape. Here's the first section of my lampshade finished.

Note: in this photo, the roses are not slanted to an angle. I found out the hard way and had to reposition them, softening the glue with a heat gun. Trust me, it wasn't easy! So angle them to begin with. But if you do mess up, use a hair dryer or heat gun to make the hot glue more malleable.

Go entirely around the lamp shade. Be careful not to burn your fingers on the hot glue.

Next, get out your ribbon. If your ribbon was crinkled like mine, here's a quick tip: don't bust out the cumbersome iron. Instead, use a hair straightener to easily smooth out ribbons. Tie the ribbon into a few small bows and hot glue them evenly around the lampshade. I used mine to hilight the spokes of the lampshade.

And that's all! This project took me about twenty minutes to do and cost me about $2 in supplies, as I already had the ribbon, glue gun, and lamp.

For my next project, I'll be making a bow-shaped pillow to decorate your bed, sofa, or loveseat.

Labels: crafty loli, lolita living, tutorial

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Wired and Ribboned: Cute Electronics

Many girls like to say they are from a different century - the Rococo period or the Victorian period, most commonly. But there are a couple things we'd miss if we hopped in a time machine, bound for the frilly lands of the past. Like toilets, for one, and the right to vote, for another. But right at the top of the list would also be the accouterments we can't seem to live without. Our generation is plugged, hooked, and jacked into electronics. If it weren't for the Internet, after all, there'd be very lolita lolita culture or foreign fashion. And the lolita has her own ideas of just what makes the perfect electronic. Here are my top picks for cute gadgets, geared to hook you up!

Laptop & Netbook

I write all of my work from laptop, which is a heavy thing that enjoys lounging on my sofa. Lately I'm thinking of upgrading - to a campus-friendly, traveling Netbook. Of course I wanted one in pink - a great base for decorating with glittery rhinestones or cabochons. My first choice is a Toshiba Mini. It comes in a pretty pink pearl color, very suitable for hime styles, and boasts a nine hour battery life!

My second choice, smaller and cuter and sprinkled with hearts, is Disney's answer to the Netbook. It has a five-hour battery life, which is decent (I am all about the battery life) and claims to have a Disney-themed interface. I wonder if Tinkerbell tells you you've got mail?

Or, if you're not interested in replacing your current laptop or netbook, go take a look at Schtickers. This website enables you to customize your own laptop decal, just by uploading an image from your hard drive. My friend Miss Julia has the back of her laptop decorated with the black colorway of Metamorphose's Swan Lake print, for example. Angelic Pretty ads, lolita art you love, or even just a photo of lace trim (chic on a black laptop for the more Gothier amongst us, yes?) could all be great ideas.

Deco

Are you into the gluey and glittery world of deco? If you're feeling super ambitious and flush with rhinestones, you can make your laptop an entire deco project. I have heard rumors of completely coated laptops, but haven't seen them. More likely is to get a few large cabochons and do a set of simple corner designs, or a cluster of them in the center to cover up the logo. I've recently started decorating smaller things as I get started (they'll make their appearance here eventually) and one of my favorite places to shop for cabochons as of late is Mimi Lo Lo on Etsy. She carries a wide variety of designs, more than I have seen in any other shop. Or if you want a specific cabochon you saw in a magazine or Japanese guide, you're likely to find it at dekoden, which does ship overseas.

Headphones & Earbuds

Important for listening to your electronic in public, you'll need a pair of headphones or earbuds. Some people prefer one or the other, depending on comfort (I can never really get a set of earbuds to fit into my ear correctly) or hairstyle (maybe you don't want to crush your giant curls, as if the headphone band would fit over it anyway!)

In the earbud category, crystals and decorations rule the roost. Target currently has these jeweled Hello Kitty earbuds for only $14.99. Miss Lumpy has a set and they seem to have fairly good fit and quality. Or you can get these heart-shaped and crystaled ones from Amazon.com. I bought these same earbuds in lilac from Forever Love a while back, and they seem to be fairly sturdy. Here are a few more options for buying the product - I didn't pay very much for mine at all (maybe $8?) so you can see that the price does fluctuate. Make sure to shop around!

Or there are the headphones. When I look for comfort, this is my first place - something big and squashy with a social 'Do Not Disturb' sign built in. Recently a friend of mine posted this very cute street snap of a girl with star cut-out headphones. Lucky for us, you can buy the exact same pair on YesAsia! I like how they blend futuristic, clean-cut, and cute into a great electronic. Hmm, I wonder what she hears as she gazes into the distance? Sort of a mysterious feeling, isn't it?

And of course there is the infamous Swimmer headphone series. Swimmer is a cute Japanese brand that has mingled its way over in the lolita crowd. Typically they release four to six designs of headphones in a batch. I have a pair of pink ones with white kitties on them! They even have a joint in the middle and collapse smaller for travel. I am slightly disappointed that there is a rattle in one ear however, which leads me to believe that something is loose. I got mine from Pretty Graffitti, who now also carries a bow-shaped Swimmer earbud as well!

Or if you want something more minimalistic and touted for its quality, try skullcandy. You can see the super fuschia and white 'low rider' '08 model on their website here.

And then there is one more teeny accessory I can't resist sharing, especially since it operates with your headphones. In case you couldn't 'light up your eyes' enough, you can now have LED false eyelashes. They get their power from the headphones and whatever electronic device you're wearing, and are motion-activated. They remind me of a neon light, with the figure's eyes winking in the darkness. They're pretty out there, but could be cute for clubbing, a photoshoot, or anything Candyfuture.

Extra for Experts

Pink Laptop.com - a website all about buying the best pink laptop or netbook and accessories.

If you've got an iPhone, you can now make it chocolate with this skin. Personally, I think it'd be triggering towards a craving!

Labels: lolita living, shopping

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Silhouette Tutorial

As part of the It's Your Castle Series, I'll be posting a few easy decorating crafts every few weeks. And I mean easy - no required crazy cutters, specialty glues, linoleum blocks - just things you can mostly locate around the house.

This week Miss Lumpy and I made Victorian silhouettes, the modern way. Here's mine:

Looks kind of like me, right? My favorite part was adding the style to it. I wanted something really sweet and a little fairy-kei, so I used rainbow heart-speckled scrapbook paper for my background, and Swarovski gems as accents. So, here's how it works:

1. Have a friend take a digital photo of you from the side - from mid-bust up. It's best if you do something fanciful with your hair if it's long, to show the nape of the neck. This is actually bow hair :) Make sure you stand up straight! Here is Miss Lumpy's photograph (you can see her finished, classical silhouette here). You'll notice she has short hair, so we made sure to give the back and front some definition and define her curls more.

2. After you have a photo you like, print it off your computer. Then trim around the picture's edges, removing all the background, so that you have the silhouette pattern.

3. Trace onto black paper - crafting or scrapbook is best, as it's sturdy with smooth edges (for example, avoid construction paper). Then carefully trim around the black silhouette. You can also use the picture to shape the image more carefully, like accentuating the neck or perfecting the nose or lips.

4. Cut an oval or rectangle out of your scrapbook paper background. You can get this in all kinds of styles, with hearts, stars, snowflakes, bows, crowns - just go to your local craft store for tons of ideas. I used an oval-cutter to cut my background, but you can also trace a tupperware container (the oval kind) or use your frame as a base (if you're using an oval frame, like mine).

5. Decorate! This is the fun part. Get ribbon scraps, jewels, pearls, and glue (I used both tacky glue, which dries clear, and hot glue for the larger pieces (like the 3D glittery hair bow). When you feel like it's done, affix it to the background paper. Careful - make sure it's straight (unlike me! ;A;)

And that's it! They look cute hung in your room, or given to your loved ones this holiday season (I know my mom would kill for one). It's also cute if you and your boyfriend/girlfriend make a pair and then set them facing on another. Try experimenting with different background papers, decorations, or even switch your black silhouette paper to a bright or dark color (like hot pink, dark red, or chocolate brown).

I hope you give it a try, they're really a fun way to while away an afternoon with a cup of tea :)

Labels: crafty loli, lolita living

Monday, November 9, 2009

Colombian Hot Chocolate!

A friend of mine recently spent a few months visiting the country of Colombia, and before she went back to school she graciously surprised me with a brick of bitter Colombian chocolate. Since Miss Lumpy came by to visit with a beautiful slice of cherry gateau, we decided to try making it the traditional way my friend suggested. If you want to try it, you will need:

a block of chocolate
milk or cream
a saucepan
sugar to taste

Pour a cup of milk into a saucepan and heat over the stove (one cup of milk makes about two servings in traditional teacups). Add a section of chocolate (ours was printed with sections - I'd say something about the size and depth of a postage stamp, or perhaps the size of two sugar cubes). Use a spoon to stir the chocolate into the milk, and break it up with the spoon as it gets softer. When it's fully liquid, whisk if until it seems sufficiently fluffy and one liquid. Pour into cups. It does have a thick residue, which you can strain with a tea-strainer if it bothers you - but it's just shavings of chocolate, so that's more to your preference.

The hot chocolate tastes much more like a coffee drink or a mocha, because it's not tempered with added sweetness. Use a few spoonfuls of sugar or maybe whipped cream to sweeten it up if you're not fond on the coffee flavor. The slightly bitter drink is best paired with a sweeter chocolate in a dessert, or a fruit flavor like strawberry or cherry or raspberry.

Psst - you can also sneak a peek at my new Milky-chan onepiece in this photo! It's really sweet, I love that milk chocolate color and the teeny silky bows. You'll definitely be seeing more of it soon!

Labels: cooking, lolita living

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

It's Your Castle: Series Start!

I've been asked recently about my personal lolita space - my bedroom and closet! - and how I make them into my own. Well, no hiding here - despite collecting cute accessories and items, my room can still manage to look like a lolita clothing-and-shoe bomb hit it. Quite often, actually. It's not really my best achievement! And I bet sometimes you wish your room or apartment was different - do you also suffer from lolita bomb syndrome? So instead of just posting cute photos of the room when it's been redecorated and readorned, I though I'd walk you through the process - and turn it into a project! Every new article in the It's Your Castle Series will include a step or idea in turning your space into a reflection of your personal taste, with my results from following the same article. So get on your ruffly aprons, pop open your paint cans, and fire up your vaccuums - and start!

Before Your Begin

This is probably the hardest roadblock when it comes to redecorating and lolifying your room - cleaning and decluttering. It requires dedication and a willingness to schlep through old papers, books and stuffed animals for an afternoon. If you need help being motivated, ask a friend to sit on your bed and prod you every time you quit cleaning, or include routine breaks for a sit down and a cup of tea. Basically, this is what you need to do:

Sort your things into sections. They are as follows: I need this, I don't need this, and This should have been thrown out last Christmas for God's sake. First, take all the things you don't need or don't find pleasing to the eye (especially for knick-knacks and other bric-a-brac) - decide if they should be put in storage, given away, or sold (sold usually this means lolita clothes you're not wearing for any reason). The things that should have been thrown out... well, you know what to do with those.

The things you need, decide if they need to put away or displayed. Displayed means something that is aesthetically pleasing, and that makes you happy to look at it often. Things like your collection of origami cranes, photos of your family, or maybe your favorite dress. Things that you need but don't add to the decor of your room need to be stored. If you head to your local craft store, like Joann Fabrics, you can often find very decorative boxes and hatboxes.

Clean. Shake out your rug, wash the windows, the whole shebang. Dust. You want a clean pallette to work with!

Theme

Now that you've cleaned out your space, it's time to pick a theme. Look to your favorite objects, your interests, or your lolita style to choose one. Brainstorm a list of things you already like in your room, or motifs you'd like to add. One of my favorite things is my pink strawberry area rug! My theme is somewhere between whimsical antique and super-sugary sweet. I have a collection of porcelain figurines and dolls from my grandmother, and like to use her embroidered table runners, but I also love my collection of Baby the Stars Shine Bright post cards and pink fairy lights. You can make your theme anything - maybe classic lolitas would like a theme based around a British library, with plush bordeauxs and four-poster beds; or perhaps a gothic lolita would like something stark with wrought iron.

Color Palette

Next you'll want to decide on a few colors. I recommend no more than three - one or two main colors and an accent. Since my room receives minimal light, the lilac walls I currently have are a no-go - they increase the shadowy, lethargic quality of the room. To pep it up, I've picked out a warm caramel color and a peppermint candy pink, with accents of cream. Since the caramel and cream are mostly neutral, it'll be easy to add other colors in the accessories in small doses, like yellow, lavender, or mint.

Where to Put Your Attention

Which item dominates the room - your bed, your bureau, your desk? It's usually either the biggest item or the item that gets the most use. My top two would be the bed - typically a haven for Care Bears - and the bureau, a large cherry piece with a full mirror. Because the bureau is so large, I've decided to keep it clean on top, except for a few choice pieces: my carousel jewelry box, my curly pink wig (excellent for displaying hats or favored hair accessories!), and a tea cup and saucer set with my best brooches and jewelry.

As for the bed, I'll bo focusing on finding the right bedspread (it's essentially a huge canvas - what do you want on it?) and adorable decorative pillows. Right now I'm eyeing a bedspread from Romantic Princess, who specializes in princessy decor - from bedframes to tissue-box covers.

Links

Lolita Inspired Bedroom Decor from the Archives of the Princess Portal

Lolita Living-Space on Egl

My lovely friend Sarah Ruth of Pink Macaroon's sewing room!

That's all for this installment! Go get your pads and adorable fluffy-topped pens and do some brainstorming. Expect the next section sometime early next week - with a few DIY decorating projects!

Labels: lifestyle, lolita living

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Pocket-size!

Aliceincandyland did a beautiful chibi of me! Thank you so much for it, it's beautiful!

I was so excited when I saw this image that I did the silent scream and hand-flap of aspiring beauty contestants! This just completely made my day, so I decided to give you, my lovely readers, a taste of it!

I'm wearing my Bloom and hugging my mint ice cream pendant (which I made, and yes, there will be a tutorial on!) Her style is so soft, colorful, and adorable - sort like a rainbow-colored kitten!

She's going to be open for commissions soon if you're interested in getting artwork done by her. Click here for her DeviantArt, and here for her Livejournal.

So, you may have noticed a few shorter posts on LC lately (like the post about Crumbs cupcakes! So delicious!). These are posts more about just ordinary lolita living, with the same philosophy as my vlogs. Not only do we talk and ponder about lolita, we are also living it. As lolitas, we are shaping the lolita lifestyle, image and culture just by our daily lives. So you can consider watching me live my lolita life as almost artistic voyeurism. I write my blog because I want to share beauty and bravery with others, and perhaps a little candid look into my dollhouse will help. Don't worry, there will still be plenty of the discussion cultural pieces and style tips - in fact, you can expect more Lolita Charm updates than before!

Labels: lolita living

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Cupcakery

Today Miss Lumpy and I met up on campus (!! yes, we'll be going to the same college this fall!) and she had a special treat for me: cupcakes from a new bakery! The two cupcakes above are Green Grasshopper (mint chocolate chip with a mocha ganache filling) and Chocolate Covered Strawberry (chocolate ganache icing with strawberry preserve filling) . These are quite huge! Like the size of softballs!

If you're in New York City or Fairfield County, Connecticut, you can go to the cupcakery for yourself. Crumbs also sells whole cakes, brownies, coffee, and cookies, if you're not in the mood for cupcakes. And if you're in the continental 48 states of America, they also deliver!

Labels: cooking, lolita living

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Lolita Charm

Monday, January 24, 2011

10 Ways to Cute-ify Your Room

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Here, My Card: Lolita Calling Cards

Monday, August 16, 2010

Once Upon a Time: Recommended Reading

Monday, July 12, 2010

Popkei, Puppies, and Paint!

Friday, June 11, 2010

Moshi Moshi!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Angelic Poodles on Parade

Friday, February 12, 2010

My Castle: The Bureau

Monday, February 8, 2010

It's Your Castle's... Closet!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Rose Lamp Tutorial

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Wired and Ribboned: Cute Electronics

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Silhouette Tutorial

Monday, November 9, 2009

Colombian Hot Chocolate!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

It's Your Castle: Series Start!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Pocket-size!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Cupcakery

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