I'm a little schoolboy!

I like to think that even if I can’t make it as a pretty girl, I can at least pass as a pretty boy~! :D


Ever since I found out about BJDs (ball-jointed dolls), I have spent my days lurking Tumblr and Flickr to collect a bunch of their photos. I sound like such a creeper, hah! But they're so inspiring, and one thing I want to do is to recreate some of their looks that I like.


It’s really a crash-course for me, since their makeup always involves lots of eyeshadow—something that I hardly ever use. For my first attempt, I tackled this schoolboy look:



And my result….



*cricket chirp chirp*

…Well, not so stellar! I’ll be the first to say that I really FAILED this one! >"< Sure, I got the clothes and the wig (sort of), I look like a boy (I think!), but it’s clear that I have a loooong way to go before actually looking dolly...

But that’s okay~ We all start somewhere!! I know what I have to do to improve. Once I realized that I didn’t look the part, I came out of character and decided to be myself, dolly or not :)






▼ I’m supposed to be grabbing the bowtie here, but it looks like I have an invisible backpack on instead!

▼And a half-profile picture, since I think I look best when I’m not facing the camera. T_T

Oh, and these photos were actually taken by my boyfriend. It was his punishment for forgetting my tripod at his work...! He also captured some candid shots, which I think are always fun!

This is me getting embarrassed, as I always do when someone else takes my photo~


(▲ That's a mirror I'm holding! Gotta touch-up the wig~)

This is me reaching for the camera and asking my bf to give it to me:
I think I look either like a creepy person trying to possess you, or a perverted boy trying to grope you


Well that’s it for now! Other than that, I just want to mention that my posting frequency will drop, as the next two months are “crunch time” at work. :( Please bear with me! I’ll still post, but it may be once every two weeks. Come December I should have much more time! ^^


P.S. I’m just waiting for some tights to come in and then I can take pictures of my Lolita dresses! Until then~!

An old love rekindled.

While I have been writing these posts on old projects, I remembered how much I love embroidery. It seems to have sparked a new desire to do more again.

So on came a new internet search while I was supposed to be writing my first assignment on Medusa. I am studying Myth in the Greek and Roman worlds, this year. I would like to share with you what I found.

Here is a site that has some lovely free patterns and a FAQ section.
http://embroidery.about.com/  it is heavy on advertising but definitely worth checking out.

http://www.royal-needlework.org.uk/  the Royal School of Needlework, lots of information. I would like to do a couple of their courses next year if  funds allow. In the meantime I stocked up on books from their on-line shop to learn some new techniques.

I have rotated that picture several times however it wanted to appear sideways each time. sorry.

http://www.embroiderersguild.com/
who have two magazines -
stitch and embroidery , which are both worth looking at.

For those of you who are interested the exhibition below is taking place at the ashmolean museum in Oxford.
On the Saturday 1 December there is a  big stitch event. I also hope to attend.

Threads of Silk and Gold: Ornamental Textiles From Meiji Japan Exhibition | 9 November 2012 – 27 January 2013 | Galleries 57, 59 & 60 | £6 /£4 Concessions Many of us are aware of the beauty of the traditional Japanese kimono: Threads of Silk and Gold introduces the less familiar but equally spectacular ornamental textiles that were made in Japan for the foreign market in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Intricate embroideries and tapestries, dyed silks and velvets entranced Western audiences with their sophisticated designs and brilliant craftsmanship. The exhibition highlights Meiji textiles from the newly-acquired collection of the Sannenzaka Museum in Kyoto, one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of its type in existence.


Wow so many events to do, we also have comi-con/expo (just found out Matt Smith, Doctor Who will be there) and hyperjapan that we want to attend.

How do you decide what to do when there are so many good things going on, On what to visit / do and what not to do. Perhaps we should play Diceman.

Sew Vala. x

Old Projects part 5

Another kit from the 1990's. Not something I would have bought myself, I remember it was a present, and I can not remember who from. If you, the giver, are reading this I am sorry I did not like it, but please read on. This is a printed canvas tapestry and it looked very blocky. I could not figure out how the blockyness (?) could create the smooth hair or the flowing dress fabric. But I was determined to give it a try.

Yeah, close up it is blocky. But I have come to realise this piece is best viewed from a distance. The original dress had some kind of swirly broach at the centre, this I did not like so I just carried on with the dress pattern.

Once it was finished, I thought a little more of it. It was ok.


   

And today when I went looking for it to photograph I have decided I love it.
So whoever you are who bought me this present Thank you very much. And I promise one day to frame it and display it lovingly in my home. That will not be for a while yet, it is quite large and will cost a pretty penny, but one day I will. In the mean time this fair lady is carefully wrapped up and hidden from daylight.

Sew Vala. x 

Old Projects part 4

This was my very first cross stitch kit started way back in 1990/91 when I was pregnant.
And yes it is still not finished.

And I doubt it ever will be finished.

You see I did not realise until after I had run out of thread, that the stranded cotton is meant to be split. So I just used all 6 strands through out. When I figured out why I did not have enough, no problem I thought just go buy some more after all you have the chart listing the make and colours needed.

I carried on regardless and it took some time before I realised the shading was different. Well of course dye lots, I know that now and I also know to read instructions a couple of times over.

So now my work lies in a box in the sewing room. Every now and again I 'find' it, remember it, and smile.
Although I do think it would have turned out rather good, if I had paid attention in the first place. These days I take much more time on things. Was it youth, impatience, loss of brain cells in pregnancy. More likely all three.

Next time I have something special to share.

Sew Vala. x  

Old projects part three

This time I have a tapestry to share

This I made many years ago but the kids seem to think it became somekind of oracle.

Grainy close up of the ginger and white cat.

Muffin can be seen in the lower part of the cat climbing frame.

And Charlie who we adopted at the same time as Muffin, from the same person.

A coincidence or not ?

Sew Vala. x

Old projects part two

Another of the pre-sewing machine projects,

This time a picture I made for my daughters room. She was a toddler in love with Strawberry Shortcake, due to a quiltcover bought at a charity shop. This daughter is now 21 and still asks what happened to her favourite quilt. I have no idea.

This is also hanging in the hall way, although the little girl looks out of place. As this is where I hang all my signed Sci-fi pictures and my signed drumskin of the chili peppers.
And yet I am still proud of her as she made my little girl so happy when I put the picture in her room.



Sew Vala. x

I am displeased.

Have you ever had a shopping experience where a lot of little negative things just added up to an overall, bad experience? Well, that’s basically how I feel about Bodyline! (To recap, I bought a Lolita dress from Bodyline a few weeks ago.) Now, each little problem wouldn’t have been a big deal on its own, but when they all added up, I felt pretty disappointed overall.



This is no secret. It’s hard to navigate, loads slowly, and only works with IE (gasp!). I actually didn’t mind at first, but when I tried to order, I had the hardest time ever! I kept getting this fishy error blaming Paypal, and I had to wait in between tries because my shoes were the last pair, so they kept changing in-and-out of stock after each unsuccessful attempt.



I rarely saw anything below M. They did list the measurements (in ranges), but even the smallest extreme was too big for me. Of course you can tighten the lacing on the back, but it wasn’t clear whether those measurements had *already* accounted for lace tightening or not. In the end, I had no choice but to try!

...Aaand it turned out exactly as I feared. I have to tighten the lacing ALLL the way, which I reaaally hate doing. And here's why:

Not tightened all the way, with visible criss-crossing:

Tightened all the way, no visible criss-crossing:

Because you get this weird, random line on your back! Ugh, is there a problem with selling size S, huh?!




People always say you get what you pay for, but tbh, I wouldn’t even pay $53 for this had it not been a Lolita dress! The ribbons and bows look really cheap, like the kind you get in a pack for 3 bucks at Michaels.

I wouldn’t really mind, except that their cheapness stands out from the rest of the dress...


See how papery and stiff they all look?




I emailed them a total of three times. One time, I never got a response. Another time, I got a response a week later. They were quick to blame Paypal (about my order problems), even though it clearly wasn't Paypal’s fault.

The one time they did respond promptly was in the waaay beginning, when I had half-heartedly asked about the Japan trip thingy. (Long before I read the rumors!) And this was their oh-so-quick reply: -________- What kind of crap response is that?!




My shoes were placed directly into this thin bag/envelope without any extra padding whatsoever.


Now, I have low standards for packaging, but at least double-bag it! What if the bag got pierced?! Or got crushed by a heavy box?! D:



Last but not least, my silcon bra! They sent me a different brand than the one that was pictured and it’s cleaaarly a cheap imitation brand. I mean, just look at it!

Un Bra? As in, Nu Bra?

And let's not ignore this GLORIOUS photoshopping:
(Her head is pasted on!)
And my favorites. Love their work here:

I'm guessing the original brand probably wasn’t much better, but still! It’s one of those little surprises that annoy you, after everything else you’ve put up with, you know? It’s also smaller than I expected...More like a B cup rather than C. Minus points again!



...Sooo yes, I am displeased.

I’m probably just unlucky, but it was just so many annoyances to deal with all at once. Even as a lolita newb, I don’t see myself buying from them again. Especially considering that my money goes to him!


...

But other than that, the dress and shoes are still undeniably cute! I will definitely take pictures once I become less busy~

Bai baiii~~