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Saturday, February 28, 2015

Making Your Mark in Lolita Fashion

I think it's something we all go through from time to time... a certain feeling of inadequacy, or a strong urge to be known, to make an impression, to go out there and DO something and have others witness it.

Now, more than ever, those who wear lolita clothing cross-post outfits here, there, and everywhere. Through tumblr especially, lolita has been spread to a wider audience and as a result, more and more people have discovered the style. In the last year alone there have been numerous "kawaii" related contests in which you must submit your best coordinate photos, and then get people to vote for you to win some sort of prize. So-called "e-famous" lolitas have found themselves overwhelmed with the popularity they've ended up achieving for themselves, and getting an unexpected backlash which forces them to reconsider even wearing the fashion they once loved so much. I can't help but wonder if the shift of the online community from its cosy, humble Livjournal beginnings to the internet at large is to blame for not only the change of atmosphere, but also the change of expectation when participating in the fashion.

There have always been lolitas who are more popular than others: the ones who would get the most comments on daily_lolita, or who ran a blogspot with a lot of followers. The difference then was that there was no real pressure for them to be anything more than a regular person occasionally sharing their outfits, or someone running their amateur blog. Lately, it seems as though people enter this fashion with the very aim of posting the best coordinate photos as a way to increase their online popularity, and with the aim of putting together the most dramatic outfits specifically for photoshoots they can post to tumblr for notes and eventual notoriety. That isn't to say I believe there is anything wrong with wanting attention. I think, at the core, we as human beings are all attention seekers to a degree. If I wanted no interaction with others, this blog would be private. If I didn't ever want opinions on my outfits or my thoughts, it would make more sense for me to have no online presence whatsoever. Of course I want people to see me!

However, I do believe there comes a point where you cross the line between wanting some recognition for pulling off a particularly cute outfit, and getting dressed up for the sole purpose of having content to share with your fans. I think it's a matter of priorities, and how we view ourselves within the lolita community at large. We must not be consumed by the urge to be "the best", the "most popular", the "most easily recognised" or the one with the "most impressive wardrobe." When these things come to epitomise the lolita experience for you, it won't be fun anymore. You become self conscious. You use meetups as photo opportunities rather than a chance to make friends and meet new people. You begin to treat clothing as a competition, and rather than going with the flow and being involved in lolita for the pure joy of it. You begin to compare yourself to others. You begin to come up with unrealistic expectations for yourself, such as the number of likes your photo should get each time, or how many followers you must gain by a certain date. What once was a beautiful method of self expression becomes a toxic, vicious cycle. How do I know all this? I speak from personal experience.

Lolita was the first fashion I ever got into that I felt suited me. It was also the first time I was able to break away from an unsatisfying social life made up of shoddy relationships gained through being in education, and instead surround myself with people I actually had things in common with. I got into the fashion fairly young, at around 16, and during the first few frilly years, I became too obsessed with measuring up to everyone else. Even now, there are older coordinate photos that I can't bear to look at. Not so much because the clothes looked off or ita (which they sometimes did), but because I remember how I felt the day the picture was taken. I remember my low self esteem. I remember every occasion I returned from a meetup only to cry because I hated every single photo of myself from that day. I remember painstakingly taking photo after photo of myself on self timer, and never achieving the perfection I craved. Every derpy face, bad angle, and poorly put together outfit impressed upon me that I would never be good enough. I desperately sought self validation through my mediocre blogging, and underwhelming outfit photos.

Between October 2011 and January 2013, I didn't attend a single lolita meetup or event. I wanted to leave the emotional baggage of lolita behind, but I couldn't bring myself to get rid of the clothes I adored so much. As a compromise, I decided to have no real life interaction with other lolitas. I think that hiatus was good for me. I finished school, was thrown into university life, and was able to come to terms with a lot of things about myself I hadn't been able to previously. The big thing for me was the realisation I wasn't truly this antisocial introvert. I loved meeting people. I loved talking to others. I knew I needed to give it one final shot. But before I could, I knew I needed to stop wanting popularity so badly. I needed to stop measuring my worth against how much of a mark I had made on the lolita world, and the world at large. I do not exist to be seen as successful or useful or important. I exist to exist, and what I choose to do with my existence needn't be spectacular in order for it to be one worth having. With this firmly in mind, I began attending meetups again. I grew the confidence to take photos of myself again. I gradually improved my styling of hair and makeup and filled the glaring holes in my wardrobe essentials. I treated all of these as personal missions, rather than public declarations of my worth.

I feel a lot better about myself these days. I have made wonderful friends, and I love attending lolita events with them. I revel in the excitement of planning new coordinates, of meeting up with friends to chat about lolita and also life in general. Lolita is truly a fun thing for me now, and I didn't need to do anything drastic to make that happen. Maybe one day I'll carry out my own little plans for my local communities. I would love to have a big J-fashion bring and buy sale that everyone could participate in. I would love to organise proper activity-filled meets. I would love to be ambitious, and make attending local lolita meets a super fun thing to take up the time between the large scale lolita events. But if I do choose to go ahead with my plans, it won't be because I want to prove something to the world, but because I think they would be fun things to take part in, and believe others would think so, too. Nothing more, nothing less.

The biggest thing for me is that I stopped comparing myself to others, and now I have a lot more confidence. The fact I'm not adored by endless fans or considered anyone's style inspiration is no longer important to me. Right now, the only mark I feel I need to make in the lolita world is to treat every person I come across with kindness, and continue to make good friends within the community. I am being the best me that I can be, both as a person, and as a lolita, and that in itself is more than enough. 

 

Friday, February 27, 2015

How to Make Paper Flowers


There are some beautiful flower tutorials on the web and today, I'm offering a paper rose pattern I tried out over the last weekend.  It's simple and can be adapted to create a variety of open and closed flower designs [whether they accurately resemble a rose or not....].

What I Used:
Red A4 Card
Template
Glue Gun
Ruler / Scissors / Pencil

         [right click and save to your computer to print]

Cut out the template shapes - two circles, seven petals, and the curved strip [cut into 5 sections]: 
To start, I created a bud.  Cut the smaller circle in to a spiral with your scissors.  
Do the same to the larger circle, however; curve your spiral lines:
To the small circle, begin to roll from the outside in, following the curve of the spiral until you
 reach the centre to form a bud.  Fix in place with tape or glue:
 
With the second, larger circle, this wraps around the bud - if you wrap loosely, it will form a small flower [which you can then use, with the creation of several more to form a beautiful small bouquet] to then add petals to: 
....or wrapped a little tighter, will add to the bud and form a tight structure to add petal to.  For the my first flower, I'm going with a tight structure:
[but you can see the full effect of a loose wrap towards the end of the post]
To create movement in the petals, use a round pencil [or anything you have with a tight curve] 
to help form the card around to create curls in the edges of the petals.  I also cut the base of a few to help me shape them around the bud without causing folds in the card:
Once all the petals have been curved, start fixing them in place, starting at the base of the bud and working your way around, overlapping the petals to help create the form of an opening flower [I also found having a google image to help me really useful in the placement of the petals]:
Once you have added as many petals as you like [use the template to cut more if needed], 
I moved on to the more angular petal, created by cutting the strip petals and folding and gluing in 
place the cuts to the base:
  I also and cut small indents that would help me place the petals around the base of the flower and shape them according to how open or closed I wanted them to look:

Begin gluing the petals in place around the base:
...forming them until you are happy with the overall shape of the flower:
For final detail, curve any petals:
...and your flower is complete:


 ...and just to show you the difference by gluing the petals in a more 'open' formation:
 see you next time x
If you're interested in paper craft, or trying out a flower design yourself, have an experiment - there are no end of designs, colours and materials.  Here are two other easy flower crafts:

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Baroque Gold Cupcakes

So, the ladies coming to my Baroque Cupcakes classes haven't been loving the mustard paste I've 
been presenting them with! It's a mix of ivory and egg yellow. And no it's not pretty, but it's a necessary precursor to bold gold.
 Prepare to be amazed ....
Ok, not really. But it sounds impressive ;o) 


 


                                          Mustard....



                                                                ... lustered ...


                                                                   ....gold

So much better!

And if you play around with your base colour, you'll get different shades of gold.
Whether you dry brush or paint on the lustre will also make a difference.
 Find out how to make gold paint here.

Happy decorating!

xxM

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

How to Make a Mouse Pad


Todays post is the easiest-peasiest of DIYs and is another big tick off my to-do list.  
Marks on my desk top are no more - I made a mouse pad! Whoop!

What I Used:
Corkboard Trivet [Set of 3: Ikea]
Sticky-backed Vinyl/Plastic [HobbyCraft]
[thinking about it, I used exactly the same materials as this pinboard DIY - get some new ideas, Sophie!]

  Look at my sad [and slightly in need of a good dusting] desk space.  I like minimal, but this just made me sad.  This is why I chose a plain block of colour for my pad top - but there are a wealth of colours and patterns available to you that could make yours much more exciting.
Simply, I traced around the outside of the corkboard trivet on to the back of the vinyl.  The trivet has a curved edge, so I made sure to angle my pencil inline with the curve:
I carefully cut around the outside, where the thickness of the vinyl made the process much easier
 to get a smooth cut [you could also use a craft knife if you prefer - use the trivet to help guide
 your curve if helpful]: 
 Starting by peeling back a small section, I began to stick the vinyl to the top of the trivet
 - smoothing the vinyl as I made my way from one side to the other:
 Once all the backing is removed and the vinyl in place, you can tidy any areas that may over hang - turn the trivet upside down and carefully cut any plastic showing over the sides:
  ...and you're done.  
You could also try this out with a foam sheet instead of the corkboard - but I like the colour, 
sturdiness and texture of the trivet.  If you are in need of a mouse pad, or mouse pad makeover - 
give this a go!
see you next time x

Wondering what else you can do with the extra two trivets? Here are some ideas for you:

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Japonica Market Review

I must rather shamefacedly admit that I had never bought anything using Japanese auctions before the experience I am about to tell you about. I used to psyche myself out whenever I read online explanations of using a shopping service, and just sort of gave up on the idea. And now? I've decided to stop being a wimp and limiting my options for secondhand lolita goods! 

After hunting fruitlessly on the western secondhand market, and also Japanese secondhand stores, I decided to trawl my way through Yahoo Auctions in an attempt to find the black bag my heart was aching for. A friend recommended Japonica Market to me for this very purpose in the past, so I decided they would be who I would try this time.

Ordering Process
On 30th January I decided to go for an Angelic Pretty bag that only had about 17 hours left on its auction. I wasn't sure how often Japonica checked their emails so I did what their website advised about auctions ending soon, and sent a deposit to them via PayPal. And then, I went to bed because it was coming up to 1 in the morning.

About an hour after I went to bed, I received an invoice for the PayPal fee for the deposit. I paid this, and then simply had to wait for Japonica to bid on the item for me.

I was emailed the following day from their agent, Tajima (who always emailed in such a timely, easy to understand manner, making the process very simple for me!) about the fact I had won the bag. I then waited for the bag to reach their warehouse. This happened on February 6th, and they emailed me asking for the go-ahead to pack up the item to be shipped out to me. I said this was fine, and they responded the next day (the 7th) telling me they could take a few days to do this due to a backlog of orders they needed to work through. Immediately after this email, however, I received my final invoice, which I paid the same day. Later on, I got an email telling me the package would be shipped out the following Monday as this was a Saturday.

Shipping
So, on Monday 9th February I received a final email from Japonica telling me my package had been shipped out, along with a tracking number to use.

The package made it into England on the 12th and then... the tracking information remained the same for 5 days. What on earth were they doing with it?! 

On the 17th it finally started the journey to my local postal depot, was retained on the 18th (which of course meant a nice big import VAT charge looming as I completely forgot about trying to bypass the fees by asking for the package to be marked down. SO annoyed at myself!) and on Friday 20th, I was given the fee slip. 

On Monday 23rd February, I finally had my package! By the time it came I had half forgotten about it and it meant I was super excited to open it!

Packaging
My bag was sent out in a sturdy box.

After slicing it open, I was greeted with this.
The bag was carefully wrapped in bubble wrap, and had no space to move around in the box. The bottom of the box was also carefully padded with bubble wrap.

The bag out of the box. Here you can see how they secured the bag straps. The bag itself was stuffed with huge wads of tissue paper to help it retain its shape.

My beautiful bag! It's Angelic Pretty's Jewel Ribbon Boston Bag (2011 release I believe.)

Summary
Apart from the minor hiccup about ending up shelling out an extra £22+ because I didn't mark the package down, I would say this was an overwhelmingly positive shopping experience! Tajima was a pleasure to work with due to their fast emailing, and easy to understand breakdown about how far along in the ordering process I was. The packaging of my item was great, and I really liked that you get asked beforehand about whether or not you are happy to go ahead and have the item sent to you yet. Japonica's fees were incredibly reasonable given how attentive their service is, and I would happily recommend them to anyone. Thanks, Japonica Market!

I hope you found this review helpful! If you have any questions about my order, then please feel free to ask! See you next time  

Monday, February 23, 2015

How to Make a Plaster of Paris '&' Ampersand Symbol

We're going right back to GCSE Art lessons: Mod Roc, Plaster Roll or Plaster of Paris - whatever you called it, I'm sure you came across the weapon of choice for todays DIY at some point during school art.  After seeing a roll of plaster on sale at HobbyCraft, I couldn't help but find a project for it.
In my continued efforts to make accessories for my home, a Decopatch symbol and a 
bowl of water was all I needed.

What I Used:
Decopatch '&' Symbol
Water / Paint

This DIY is actually pretty simple and is in no way as messy as I remember - all you need to make
 sure is that everything you need is on hand - have a protected surface, cut your strips of plaster roll
 and have a bowl of water near by - then you're good to go.
I started my plastering with the edges - this way, you can fold the plaster in place over the front and back, which will then be covered later.  Starting from the centre, I dipped my plaster roll briefly in 
to the water, wiped off the excess and then smoothed over the Decopatch symbol:
To neaten any corners or edges, I placed the plaster roll in line with the symbol: 
Continue for the full length to ensure the symbol is fully covered:
...then move on to covering the front and back of the symbol:
Cut smaller pieces of the plaster roll to ensure the inside sections are also covered:
Once fully covered, leave the symbol to dry fully over night [or longer if you fancy starting this 
project at the start of the week and finishing at the weekend].  Once dried, you can leave the 
symbol as it is, but I wanted to give some colour with a little silver, black and white paint:

I started with a complete covering of silver paint:

...and then highlighted areas with a dry brush and small stipple of black and white paint:

...which added a little more dimension and detail:
Leave to dry fully and then it is ready to display:
see you next time x

Like an excuse for a DecoPatch project? Step right this way: