ezzy

today was kind of lame. but i did finish my makeup bag assignment for fashion and it turned out super cute! i made a sale and got it sent off yesterday. and i found out a way to make my hair look more bouffant-y! but i don't know if it will stay that way. hairspraaay...

Project Title: fuzzy earmuffs
Short Project Description: earmuffs made with lavender minky fabric, with a white faux-fur band and lavender fleece lining. i'm considering matching mittens. not particularly lolita, but inspired by stuff from BtSSB.
Projected Deadline: i'm gonna say next weekend, excluding the mittens.
Pattern(s) Used: just a circle pattern.
Materials needed: i have everything already.
Challenges or obstacles: maybe shaping so that the round inside panel is set in slightly from the rest of the pad. i think i will have to gather a bit, which i didn't anticipate while making the pattern, but it shouldn't be a big deal.
Progress: the band is finished. 50%
Problems encountered that halted progress: none so far.
Ways considered to solve the problem: N/A
Questions for the community: none. ^_^

Project Title: pink sailor cutsew
Short Project Description: inspired by this cutsew by Angelic Pretty.
Projected Deadline: none.
Pattern(s) Used: none.
Materials needed: i'm not sure of everything yet. i have the pink T-shirt that will be used to make this and the wide pink ribbon for the bow.
Challenges or obstacles: i haven't made a sailor collar before.
Progress: pink jersey for body of shirt cut.
Problems encountered that halted progress: none.
Ways considered to solve the problem: N/A
Questions for the community: none.

Project name: super-crazy-easy skirt of sweet frilly easiness (x2)
Progress: blue 100%, pink 80%. the last thing is adding the waistband! i was going to make a matching headbow, but i'll have to hold that off due to lack of materials. but i already made a matching katyusha!
Problems encountered that halted progress: lack of time.
Ways considered to solve the problem: not really any way to get out of that. =/
Questions for the community: none.

( progress photo )

i finished my bunny hat and my Hide/Akito sweater proxy (henceforth to be known as Cuddles) tonight. the hat isn't exactly as i wanted it, but it was really easy to make and i might offer them by commission. it wouldn't really be a good thing to have in the Alley though, i think, because there are at least 3 other people who sell hats.

things that i will definitely/probably sell online or at the booth, in order of likelihood:
-printed T-shirts
-art prints
-button bracelets
-at-con art by commission
-wrist cuffs
-katyusha/headbands/headdresses
-lace chokers and cat bell chokers
-decorated eyepatches (i really want to do this X3)
-hand-painted/decorated fake nails (they're not excellent quality, but that way they're cheap and still fun)
-stickers and keychains
-i don't know, MAYBE skirts and sock toppers

please look forward to it! *bows* haha.

yucky, it's so cold. =( it's been snowing a bit, off and on, here. which reminds me, i need to put up photos for Amaterasu-chan. i should get some of the snow! i envy you!

i'm so happy that i'm prepared this year, with coat ($6 at Goodwill!), gloves (2 pairs for $1!), hat (Goodwill!) and scarf (came with a sweater from Goodwill!)... but i don't have a lot of pants! waaah! i have boots, though, and lots of long underwear, and big fluffy sweaters! it's so tough to know how to dress around here, since it's one temperature in the morning and another in the school and a completely unpredictable one in the afternoon.

i have fabric cut for my epic fleece sweater and bunny hat combo! fleece is the best thing ever invented. *squishes it* the sweet pink skirt is close to being done.

i have a really old rainbow heart t-shirt! i'm not sure what to do with it yet. it's a disgustingly bright fuchsia color, hee. XD

i'm about finished with my 2 art commissions, but i don't like them that much. =/ i'm happy with the drawing, but the rest of it frustrates me. i don't want to take color commissions anymore until i learn to use a tablet, or unless they are in colored pencil! otherwise i take way too long on them. i need to try out the colored pens that Leandra gave me for my birthday.

i really want those boots, but they cost as much as my booth before my friends pay me back for their parts, ha. but every time i see them in an outfit, i drool over them.

i made my first sale on CafePress!!!!!!!

EDIT: i really wish we could have laptops at school, and that i had a laptop. study hall would be so much easier (i wouldn't fall asleep), and i could color my art much more quickly.

some of you have been asking how i learned to sew and also asking me for advice or wanting to commission a costume from me. so here are some of my favorite sewing tutorials (lolita, lolitable, and non-lolita). all these are basic, and you shouldn't be afraid to come up with your own ideas and ways to use these tutorials. these are the things that taught me how to make clothes, along with a little rudimentary knowledge from my junior high classes and my grandmother's advice and assistance. ^___^

my tips:
1) don't be afraid of the sewing machine! (but be careful!)
2) read, read, read! that includes your sewing machine user's manual!
3) fabric glue is your friend!
4) so are thrift stores and garage sales!
5) be as creative as you can be!

( click me for a ~huge like Xbox~ list of links! )

we went to JoAnn's today, and they seem to be reorganizing, as they had very little craft stock today. =( regardless, i got everything i needed in order to finish Mew Ichigo, as well as the pink ruffle that i needed for my other skirt, some hook-and-eye closures for my white skirt, and grommet tape for a corset that i started ages ago and never finished. haha, it's nothing special, but i really want to finish it. i can wear it on more gothicky days with a black skirt and my ruffle-front blouse. i have a black 3-tiered skirt that needs repairs, and it's too short, so it will get another tier. i'm going to try fixing my white skirt with a more fitted, corset-like high-waist with hook-and-eye closures this time. also, it looks like i will have enough fabric left from Mew Ichigo to make some bloomers for myself. (finally!) my grandpa gave me some needlenose pliers for my birthday, so i fixed my LOVELESS chain just now.

upcoming projects:
Hide sweater and hat (on commission)
white high-waist skirt ~ revised
black tiered skirt ~ revised
sweet pink skirt
pink rose skirt
black pleather underbust corset
white cotton petticoat (Leafy: EPIC PETTICOAT FAIL)
pink sweet lolita shoes
pink bloomers
lavender rabbit ear hat

Project name: super-crazy-easy skirt of sweet frilly easiness (x2)
Progress: the blue skirt needs only the waistband! some of the pintucks and lace turned out crooked on one side, but, heck, it's my first try with this style. it's not too noticeable, and i think it still looks pretty darn good. i'm setting my modified deadline for the 10th, in preparation for my birthday party. blue 80%, pink 10%.
Problems encountered that halted progress: first time making a half-elastic waistband.
Ways considered to solve the problem: draw diagrams and write instructions so that i don't think i know what i'm doing and end up doing it backwards, like i generally do. =P i'm pretty sure that it will be WAY easier than a full-elastic waistband, though! (they frustrate me!)
Questions for the community: none.
( click for pics! )

also, kodona!!!

today we went shopping at Goodwill. i had to use my own money, so i didn't get to buy as much as i would have liked. ._.' but here's what i got:

- bed sheet for costume fabric
- 2 blouses, 1 blue and 1 pink, to modify for lolita
- pink long-sleeved T-shirt to receive a BtSSB-esque print (inspired by the "Fairly Sweet Cherry" cutsew)
- pink zip cardigan
- dusty rose winter coat for only $6! yes!

i had to pass up some bed skirts, including one with card suits on it that would have made an excellent piece for an Alice outfit, and a fantastic tablecloth that would have made a nice jacket-dress. maybe i'll be lucky another time...

i made a little more progress on the skirts today, too. i also fixed up an ivory double-sidebow headband. i feel that i'm making good progress on my wardrobe. ^_^ <3

tomorrow's missions: homework and some cleaning. *determined* so i'm going to bed a little earlier than i usually do on Saturdays (and because i got sleepy watching Bones).

Teger says i should cosplay Gackt sometime. just not Illuminati, please? XD

Project name: super-crazy-easy skirt of sweet frilly easiness (x2)
Progress: fabric cut for both skirts. first row of ruffle cut and pinned for blue skirt. 2 rows of beading lace + ribbon woven and cut for blue skirt. matching blue ponytail bows completed. blue 30%, pink 10%.
Problems encountered that halted progress: not enough pink ruffle trim available at the shop.
Ways considered to solve the problem: buy it later.
Questions for the community: none.

Project name: semi-sweet rose skirt and headdress (i think)
Progress: fabric cut. lace cut and pinned.
Problems encountered that halted progress: deciding what type of design to use. not getting exactly the lace i wanted.
Ways considered to solve the problem: i plan to use this skirt as my inspiration.
Questions for the community: the fabric is a classic color of pink. i'm thinking about dyeing the lace to a more antique white.

i've been thinking that despite my crazy "MUST MAKE ENTIRE LOLITA WARDROBE OVER SUMMER!" attitude, it hasn't happened and it's not really practical to worry about it. ._.'

APRONS, however, are quite practical. -^_____^- hopefully i can whip up a cute one before my birthday so i can horde candy into it.

progress has been made on the blue skirt. yay! but i need to buy new fabric for the Mew Mew costume and some thinner lace. i tend to have a "the bigger, the better" attitude when it comes to lace, it seems. i might get some broader eyelet lace, too. i kind of... have no idea what i'm doing about the rose skirt. i've been ogling this design, but it means i need to buy buttons and cover them and learn how to make button holes. or, i already have a matching zipper. *shrug* i'll figure it out, i suppose. maybe i'll put in the zipper and the buttons will be decorative. i'll probably end up with the blue skirt halfway finished before i get stuck on it, too. but the matching hair ties are already done since all i had to do was sew some bows from Wall-2-Wall-Mart onto ponytail holders.

i'm so soooore...

i can't find my pincushion...

i hate Seimei.

EDIT: found pincushion! XD

today i looked at some pieces from Kikirara Shoten for the first time... their designers are really quite eccentric. it's really sort of... Edwardian punk? i don't really care for most of it... though i liked the pieces that were in the US GLB vol. 1; they struck me as more of a Charles Dickens-esque look. they seem to create some very interesting hats, though.

i worked on the Lucky Star jeans a couple days ago. i think i'm going to a shirt with some lyrics using the same marker that i used on the jeans, and i'll take some photos when that's done. haha, i'm so punk. wtf.

i need to make a proxy of Jacob's Hide sweater before i start using the fabric he bought for it, since i'll need to basically make the pattern using some other patterns as a base. it's not fitted, so it shouldn't be a big deal. if all goes well, i can use pretty much the same pattern for my Akito straitjacket. i think i will make the proxy to keep myself, out of some kind of fleece or knit. so i need to go to the fabric store for that, and some other stuff for my frillies.

i should really finish the commissioned art i have...

Kyouki ripped a hole in the side of her food bag to eat from the pile of kibble now on the floor, despite having some in her bowl. o_O

Project Title : super-crazy-easy skirt of sweet frilly easiness (x2)
Short Project Description: after i realized that ruffling frustrates me somewhat, and since i don't have much free time i become impatient with my projects, i've decided to take advantage of the pre-made ruffle trim offered by my local Jo-Anns. one skirt will be pink and one will be blue. i might use polka-dot fabric, but i haven't decided yet; i think it depends on what the fabric store has. i also plan to make matching headbows. * changed my mind! one headbow and one pair of ponytail bows! not sure which will be which color, however.
Projected Deadline: i won't manage to get started until August, so my deadline is the end of August for both skirts.
Pattern(s) Used: none (gathered rectangular skirt)
Materials needed: pink fabric, blue fabric, pink ruffle trim, blue ruffle trim, white eyelet lace, white beading lace, pink zipper, blue zipper, pink ribbon, blue ribbon
Challenges or obstacles : none anticipated.

Project Title : semi-sweet rose skirt and headbow**
Short Project Description: dusty rose color skirt and matching headbow ** changed my mind about this too! i decided a rectangular headdress might be more appropriate.
Projected Deadline: i won't manage to get started again until August, so my deadline is the end of September, providing i can aquire the proper lace.
Pattern(s) Used: none (gathered rectangular skirt)
Materials needed: dusty rose color fabric, rose galloon (i think that's the proper name) lace, cotton venise or raschel lace, matching zipper, headband *** i think i might use other lace in off-white.
Challenges or obstacles : ruffles...
Note: i've actually already started on this one, but then i realized i wasn't going to get too far when i had forgotten to get the lace i wanted. at the time, i was planning to use beading lace, but i think that's too sweet/amarori for the more classical color of the skirt. if you have an opinion about this, please let me know.