Outfit Snap: Chinese New Year

February 25, 2011May 19, 2015 by alice ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I am so behind when it comes to sharing pictures and generally posting anything interesting–whoops! My winter semester just came to a close, and lately when I come home from work the last thing I want to do is type anything meaningful on my computer. I curl up with my knitting, some tea, and chat with my husband. ♥ I’ve been working on knitting through all of the yarn that I’ve collected, so my main focus is on turning that yarn into items! (So that I can buy… more yarn. It’s probably clear how this goes.)

I still make time for lolita fashion, of course~ I’ve been wearing it as much as I can, although we’ve had a few frigidly cold days where I just couldn’t bear the thought of any outfit that didn’t involve a snowsuit over it. (Yes, I own a snowsuit. It’s not beribboned or frilled, but it’s awesome when the snow is up to your thighs and the temperature is icy.) In early February I met some friends, and several new acquaintances, in Chinatown to watch the New Year’s parade for this year of the rabbit!

It was so snowy and chilly that I didn’t dare take off my coat for any pictures outside.

I like to wear red for the Chinese New Year, because it symbolizes good fortune! This is my token red dress that I always wear for occasions where red would be nice, so of course it shows up here. I could have worn even more red, because I do have a red cutsew, but I paired it with a long-sleeved white blouse so that I could wear a thermal top underneath. That proved to be a very good idea, because the weather was so cold that we all stood around waiting for our feet to freeze so our toes wouldn’t hurt!

I wore thermal leggings, as well, along with tights, knee-high socks, and another pair of shorter socks. I still wasn’t exactly “warm” or even “comfortable,” but it was much better than if I hadn’t bundled up so thoroughly. Just before the event, my winter boots and my rain boots both developed serious holes and tears that ended their functional lives. I had to wear another pair of significantly-less-snow-ready boots, which contributed to my chilly feet.

My beloved bunny pochette went through a phase of little use, but he came in handy to hold my camera during the parade.

I brought my bunny pochette as a nod towards the sign for 2011–the rabbit. It had been at least a few weeks, if not a few months, since I last used this purse, although it is my favourite. I don’t like to carry a purse if I don’t have to, and the pockets in my jumperskirts and one-pieces are usually able to carry everything that I need. If I have my coat on, that adds a few more pockets. I planned on actually taking pictures during this parade, and having a separate space to keep my camera made things easier than digging around for it.

Mallow needed a little bit of attention, since it’s his species’ year.

I wore my hair up in two braided buns due to the weather. It was quite windy and there was a chance of snow–and in fact, that “chance” provided copious snow during the entire length of the parade. Having my hair up from the back of my head makes it easier for me to tie and adjust my earmuff headdress, which is a necessary layer of defense against frozen ears. Braiding pigtails and coiling them into buns made my hair wind-proof; I didn’t have to brush strands away from my eyes or lips, and it didn’t get tangled or unmanageably frizzy after standing outside in all that snow.

I had a really wonderful time at the parade–I’ll share more about that very soon!

Update: Hearts Abound

February 14, 2011May 19, 2015 by alice ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I really love Valentine’s Day~ ♥ Even before I met my husband, it was a holiday I enjoyed. I like leaving notes for the people I care about–just a little extra something to let them know that they’re on my mind and in my heart. It’s something that I enjoy preparing for, and I hope that it brightens the days of my recipients~

I’m at work today and I have class this evening, so my ability to really go over the top for this year is somewhat dampened. I exchanged gifts and cooked a fancy dinner with my husband last night, and I’ll be attending a Valentine-themed party over the weekend, though~ I’m going to get in as much fluff and love and hearts and ribbons and bows and happiness and cheer as I can manage for this year!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful day today~ (Even if you don’t do anything “Valentine-y.”) I’m sending my love and best wishes out to everyone~ ♥

Old-fashioned artwork used in image courtesy of The Graphics Fairy.

Photo Set: Year of the Rabbit (…Dragon)

February 13, 2011May 19, 2015 by alice ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The weekend before last I attended the Chinese New Year parade in Chinatown. I keep intending to write about the meetup, but in the meantime I thought I’d at least share some of the pictures that I took~ I love the parade–the bright colours and festivity keep me coming back every year, even though it’s always freeeeezing cold. It was snowing very heavily this year, but I took pictures anyway.

Out of everything in the parade, the dragons are my favourite part. I love the sequins, glitter, and fur! The dazzling, often neon, colours add lots of pop to an otherwise dreary winter day. The frills or scales billow in the wind. When the dragon dancers are having fun being a part of a dragon, it’s even better! They shake the head, open and close the mouth, and make the dragon seem to dance down the street. I love it~! ♥

That said, here are some pictures of dragons from this year’s parade!

The entire set of photos can be viewed on Flickr. (Warning: it is not 100% dragons.)

Ruffle Review: LittleMacaron Hairbow

February 8, 2011May 19, 2015 by alice ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

When my little sister last visited Japan, she bought a lot of fabric–most of it with the intention to sew various lolita garments. One of the fabrics that she bought was an “Alice in Wonderland” print with ribbons and flowers. She was sweet enough to sew me a jumperskirt of this print. I was surprised to see the same fabric weeks later in a sewing project on EGL. Then there were more photos of the jumperskirt, a photoshoot, and then a post about hairbows~ I decided to buy a hairbow to wear with the jumperskirt my little sister made for me. ♥

The hairbow was made by Little Macaron. (The designer has a blog, Little Macaron Fashion.) I purchased this hairbow as a ready-made piece, not a commission, so I didn’t have to discuss aspects of the order or wait for it to be sewn. It is a part of the “Alice and the White Rabbit” collection.

The shop is located on Etsy, so check-out was simple and secure. I purchased the bow on Sunday, January 30, and received a message from the seller that it had shipped on Monday, January 31, along with the tracking number. It was delivered on Friday, February 4.

The hairbow atop the tissue paper, plastic bag, and padded bubble mailer that it arrived in~

The hairbow arrived in a new padded envelope. Inside, it was wrapped in pink tissue paper and sealed in a plastic bag. Overall, it was very well-packaged and protected. The bow was accompanied by a fabric swatch in its own small plastic bag and a small note.

A close-up of the beaded chain and rose charm.

One of the highlights of this accessory is the small decorated chain that dangles across the bow. The pink pearl beads are smooth and unscratched, the small pink crystals are very sparkly, and the gold findings are neatly wound. There are no sharp or rough edges that might catch on hair or skin. The chain is removable–it hooks on to small loops behind the bow at either end with a lobster-claw clasp. I really appreciate that it can be removed–not only does it provide a slightly different “look,” to the bow, it is also easier to clean.

It took some effort to get my camera to focus well on the edges of the bow.

The bow is well-shaped and firmly sewn. The edges are neatly pressed, with crisp corners. The lace trim is well-secured inside of the seams, with no unraveling bits sneaking out.

The back seam of the center portion was hand-stitched.

The small piece of fabric that wraps around the center of the bow is hand-stitched in the back. This work is also done neatly, although the stitches are slightly larger on one side. It is well-stitched–I’m not worried about it coming undone.

Another detail shot to show the back of the bow.

The bow is nicely-gathered and very even. The back of the bow is pleated well; it doesn’t look lumpy or awkward.

The bow is attached to a fabric-covered headband.

I really like how the headband is covered. The seam is neat, and the stitching is even. The extra fold of fabric at the end of the casing prevents the headband from poking; it provides a bit of extra cushioning.

I love the gold-edged floral pattern on the front of the card!

The hairbow arrived with a cute hand-written note on very pretty stationery. That’s always a lovely touch~ ♥

(On a scale of ♥ to ♥♥♥♥♥…)
Communication: ♥♥♥♥♥
Shipping: ♥♥♥♥♥
Construction: ♥♥♥♥♥
Materials: ♥♥♥♥♥
Overall Quality: ♥♥♥♥♥

I am very, very satisfied with my purchase~ Now I’m curious to see what Little Macaron will come out with next!

Rose-Tinted Living: Marron Cream

January 30, 2011May 19, 2015 by alice ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I sometimes forget that Sanrio has created more than the handful of characters that I see most frequently. This shouldn’t really be something that surprises me, considering that my all-time favourite character is obscure. (I love Shinkansen–he’s my man! …Or maybe they’re my men?)

I was very recently at the Sanrio store looking for a new wallet. I love character goods for their cuteness, particularly if they’re useful items rather than merely decorative. While looking around, a particular pattern caught my eye–pink flowers on a sky blue background. I am quite fond of floral designs, but the wallet in question was very large–a checkbook-style wallet–and thus didn’t meet my “fitting in the coat pocket” criteria. It caught my best friend’s attention, too. She doesn’t necessarily share my love of pink and flowers, but she adores almost anything blue–particularly pastel shades of it.

The company describes this little brown bunny as “a bright and cheerful girl with good fashion sense.”

This item that caught our attention was not a Hello Kitty product, but actually a design for a lesser-known character called “Marron Cream.” According to the company’s description of her, she’s a girlish French bunny with a penchant for crafting who wears a signature red polka-dot dress. Marron is French for “chestnut,” and she is a chestnut colour~ I think her name might also be a nod to the Mont Blanc dessert–puréed and sweetened chestnuts topped with whipped cream.

All of the “50th Anniversary” Maroon Cream items have this pattern. I particularly like that it’s coated fabric, so it doesn’t get soaked from snow or rain.

Marron Cream’s character goods are delightfully floral and sweet~ I feel like they have an “idyllic countryside” feeling. She’s often featured on stationery, lunch accessories, handkerchiefs, and tote bags. I wish she was more popular–there’s a certain style to her products that I don’t often see from Hello Kitty or the other prominent characters.

Now that I have the totebag, which has quickly become my new favourite, I find myself wanting other cute Marron Cream goods~ The totebag is perfect for carrying my knitting. It has one small pocket on the inside, which I use to keep lip balm or other small items from falling into the bottom. The lining is a matching blue with cute little white ribbon bows printed onto it~ I like the depth of the bag–I don’t have to worry about balls of yarn flying across the L car if I give them a sharp tug while working on a project. (I seem to do most of my knitting on the bus or on the L, so this is very important~)

I did also manage to find a new wallet~ (Along with a number of other items I wasn’t necessarily looking for… that’s just how Sanrio gets me.) The new wallet is much larger than my old one, but still fits into my pocket.

These little cutouts of Shirousa and Kurousa are perfect for my desk~

The store that I frequent usually attaches little “extras” to the outside of the shopping bag, secured with a sticker. This time the extras were stand-ups of Shirousa and Kurousa, the Sugarbunnies~ ♥ I didn’t know what to do with them when I first assembled them, but I realized they’d be perfect decorations for my desk at work. They sit ontop of my tower and make me smile even when it hasn’t been the best day~

The illustration of Marron Cream was taken from the Sanrio character website.

Reading Corner: The Mystery of the Yellow Room

January 27, 2011May 19, 2015 by alice ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

As a child, one of my favourite stories was The Phantom of the Opera, but I only knew it from the musical and a 1990 television miniseries that my mother taped on VHS. I adored the miniseries and would watch it whenever I was home sick from school. I always wondered about the plot differences between the musical and the miniseries, so one day I set out to find the novel and see which was closer to the author’s original intentions. The version that I purchased contained notes about the author, and the one that I always remembered was a sentence mentioning that Gaston Leroux had also written The Mystery of the Yellow Room, considered to be one of the best locked-room mysteries of all time.

Normally, I do not tend towards mysteries, but I enjoyed Leroux’s writing so much that I always intended to find a copy of The Mystery of the Yellow Room. When searching through my local library’s catalog, I typed in the title and was very excited to see that they had it!

This was truly the kind of book best described as “can’t put it down.” It was very suspenseful!

A locked-room mystery is one in which a crime occurs under seemingly impossible circumstances–such as a location where no perpetrator could have entered or exited (like a locked room). The Mystery of the Yellow Room was one of the first, featuring Leroux’s young but incredibly talented reporter-turned-investigator, Joseph Rouletabille. He is prominently featured in several of Leroux’s later novels. (The sequel to this novel is The Perfume of the Lady in Black, which I am very interested in!)

This book was originally released as a serial, and new selections included diagrams and maps to assist the reader in trying to unravel the crime. I was happy to see that my edition included these same notes~ (Although I was very much unable to discover the criminal! The ending really surprised me~)

The story centers around an isolated forest estate where a young lady has been brutally attacked–despite the room having been locked from the inside, with a door that opened only to the laboratory her father was still performing research after she had gone to sleep. A young journalist, who has come seeking the full story, gradually unravels the truth. I don’t want to spoil any of the story, so I will just say that Leroux’s writing style is fast-paced–providing full explanations while still moving forward. I found it very enjoyable!

I think that if more mysteries were this intriguing and detailed, I would read them more often~

Sweet Treats: Wintery Teas

January 2, 2011May 19, 2015 by alice ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

In preparation for my holiday gingerbread party, I bought more tea. I love drinking tea, but more than simply drinking tea I like to drink the right tea.

What is the right tea?

It’s a tea that seems perfect for the occasion at hand! Tea that compliments the flavor of any food being served alongside it, tea that appeals to the palette of those partaking of it, and tea that provides a nice aroma and atmosphere. In the wintertime, I particularly like spicy dark teas that smell like the holidays. When I went to my favourite tea shop, Tea Gschwendner, and I picked out a few teas that I hoped would satisfy my hopes of “winter” coziness.

A warm cup of tea is even better when the weather is chilly and wintry–or at least, I think so!

No. 908 Gwendalina’s Baked Apple Tea
Apple Flavoured Black and Green Tea

This is a truly fantastic fall and winter tea. I buy this in fairly large quantities as soon as the weather starts to cool. This is like having apple pie in a cup, but is most certainly a tea and not a cider.

The use of both black and green teas in the blend creates a rich tea that has somewhat sharper notes (from the green tea) and a full body. Pieces of dried apple add a distinct apple flavour. You can smell the apple very strongly when the tea is brewing or sitting in the cup, and the apple hint is very distinguishable as an aftertaste with each sip. Almonds add a pleasant nuttiness, and cinnamon accents the apples superbly. This tea is good served black, but becomes even more dessert-like when served with sugar and cream.

White tea is much less dense and less heavy than black or green tea, so the same weight of white tea fills a much larger package!

No. 998 White Christmas
Vanilla-Almond Flavoured White Tea

This white tea has a fresh hint of lemon, paired with vanilla and almond. The package states that it is reminiscent of sugar cookies, and I agree. As this is a white tea, the much less intense flavours of lemon, vanilla, and almond can really stand out. The tea itself lends a pleasant backdrop to the other flavours. It’s a very nice tea for when you want something that isn’t very heavy~

I originally wanted to brew each of the teas, to show them in the cup, but that’s a much more time-consuming project~

No. 1320 Winter Magic
Cinnamon and Cardamom Flavoured Rooibos

This tea has an intense blend of spices that seems to be amplified by the rooibos. Although rooibos is not technically a tea, I still very much enjoy it. It has a rich, earthy flavor that is already fragrant and aromatic. I always think of this red “tea” as spicy. When cinnamon, cardamom, and sandalwood are added, it becomes a blend that is filled with spices without having any of the “heat” traditionally associated with spicy things. I think it feels very warming~ The sandalwood is one of the more interesting tastes in the tea, because it’s very woodsy and smooth.

No. 1588 Banana Chocolate Crêpe
Choco-Banana Flavoured Black and Green Tea

This tea isn’t really holiday-ish, but it’s pretty amazing–so I wanted to mention it anyway. I bought this tea because it sounded like a neat concept; I do very much like the banana and chocolate flavour combination. The tea contains dried banana–not “banana flavouring”–and bits of actual cocoa, so the smell is heavenly. It doesn’t have any of those odd smells that tend to accompany artificial flavourings. (I think that most of the time those don’t taste anything like the real thing, anyway.) The blend of black and green teas is a very enjoyable one–not so strong as to overwhelm the banana, but strong enough to support the cocoa.

With a little bit of sugar added, this becomes even more amazing. Everyone who tried it at the party was very surprised to find that it did really taste as good as it sounded like it would taste. I consider that a success!

When loose leaf tea isn’t practical, for whatever reason, there are a few inexpensive bagged teas that I’ve really been enjoying–those sold by Trader Joe’s. I normally drink their Duchess Earl Grey, a lemon-accented Earl Grey, as my bagged tea of choice, so I was interested in trying their new winter teas when I spotted them in the store. At an incredibly affordable price–roughly $2 per box–I’m not heartbroken if they don’t meet my expectations.

I think these have some of the cutest box designs that I’ve ever seen. I particularly adore the polar bear~ ♥

Vanilla and Cinnamon Black Tea
This is a warm, spicy black tea with a hint of sweetness. The “sweetness” is actually vanilla, and thus it isn’t truly sweet, but it adds a nice high note to the tea. The black tea is laced very heavily with cinnamon; it leaves a “warming” sensation with each sip, but the tea itself is strong enough to avoid being overwhelmed by the spice. The combination of flavours is exactly the sort of thing I hope for in a winter tea.

Candy Cane Green Tea
When I first went to the store to pick up new teas, I passed up this one. The flavour combination seemed strange and perhaps unpalatable. The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized I wanted to try it. Green tea, when brewed correctly at a lower temperature than boiling point, has a very refreshing taste that sometimes seems to have notes that remind me of freshly-cut grass. Peppermint is also refreshing. Thus the two would have that in common. Additionally, green tea doesn’t have the same tendency towards astringency that black teas can have, so there would be less chance for a sourness to compete with the peppermint.

I went back and bought a box, and I’m very glad that I did. This a very cooling, soothing tea. It’s the sort of thing I want to drink when I have a headache or an upset stomach. The peppermint is strong, but not too much so. It blends nicely with the leafiness of the green tea.

I do so love tea! ♥

On the Needles: Thermal Mittens and a Cowl

January 1, 2011May 19, 2015 by alice ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I’ve decided to add a knitting-related category~ (I contemplated starting a different blog, but that seems both excessive and something I’m unlikely to keep up with.) I’m so excited to have found a craft that I’m passably decent at. Plus, it’s so simple to bring my projects with me. (I suppose I would feel differently if I were knitting giant sweaters or blankets, but the projects I’ve been choosing are quite portable.) I carry my knitting in a totebag and knit when I’m commuting, waiting in line, or any time that I have a few minutes with nothing else to do.

For this year’s Christmas I knit several gifts–wrist warmers for my two sisters-in-law, a scarf for my mother-in-law, a scarf for my mother, a scarf for my Nana, wrist warmers for my stepmother, and mittens for my stepsister. That looks like a lot of scarves, but each one used very different yarns and patterns, so it wasn’t boring in the least. The mittens were a major challenge for me, and I’m quite proud of how they turned out~ ♥ I had never knit using a circular needle before. (And honestly, my only previous experience knitting in the round was for a bonnet that I didn’t really follow a pattern for. I plan on sharing pictures and notes about the bonnet–it felt like a very “lolita fashion-ish” project!)

Cabled mittens, knit for my stepsister in beautiful “tart” Tosh Vintage from Madelinetosh.

A lot of time and heartache went into these mittens. I must have unraveled and restarted them at least five times; I kept making small mistakes that I didn’t notice at first but that would have been unbearably obvious on the finished item. The bought the yarn on a whim, because the colour was pretty. (I tried asking my stepsister for her favourite colour. She sent me a list that included virtually every colour in existence, so I just picked one.)

I am ~so~ happy that I decided to try this yarn. It is possibly my favourite yarn ever. The colours are gorgeous, the yarn is soooooooooo soft, the stitch definition is very clean, and it was a dream to knit with. Even though I kept pulling it out and restarting, the yarn survived and wasn’t much worse for the wear. The twist started to look a bit odd, but when it was knit again there was no difference. I could wax poetic about this yarn. It’s taking a lot of self-control to not spend the little Christmas money I have on yarn.

I didn’t trust the amount of yarn needled that was written on the mitten pattern (a free pattern inspired by mittens worn in the movie Twilight), so I bought much more yarn that I would up using. I’ve decided to use the rest to make my stepsister a matching cowl with the honey cowl pattern.

One of my Christmas presents from my father was a trip to the local bookstore and any book that I wanted. I decided that I wanted a book of knitting patterns. Free patterns are very nice, and there are so many available online, but there are some really lovely patterns that need to be purchased, and I don’t mind paying people for their time and effort. After all, I don’t think I have what it takes to be a designer~ A few days later my mother and I went to the craft store, and she bought me some yarn (taking advantage of the after-Christmas sale). I chose some yarn in unusual hues to try out one of the new patterns.

Thermal-patterned mittens, destined for some mysterious recipient, knit in “gold” Wool-Ease by Lion Brand Yarn.

This kind of mustard yellow isn’t a colour I normally like, but I thought it was interesting enough to try out. I’ve seen some really nice examples of other people’s knitting in this kind of hue. Even though it seems very “retro” to me, I’m sure there must be someone I know who likes this colour~ I also have a soft spot for Wool-Ease, mostly because it’s easy to find, not terribly expensive, and comes in many colours.

These mittens are a great “take everywhere” project. It’s very easy to tuck everything into a bag, and the pattern doesn’t need a lot of consulting. (This means I don’t have to try to read patterns on the bus.) I was actually able to count the rows by counting the “bumps,” because they formed every two rows.

I like that knitting enables me to make things I wouldn’t normally wear but might find interesting, at least in some passing degree, because I can give the finished object to someone else who will appreciate it. I do plan to make a few things for me, but it’s so much fun to knit for others~ ♥

Is anyone else working on anything interesting~? I hope this type of post isn’t too boring!

On Being Lolita: Sweet Resolutions 2011

December 31, 2010May 19, 2015 by alice ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I wanted to start a tradition of setting new year’s resolutions for myself. I enjoyed doing so during this year–I think there is a lot of value in giving some serious thought to what I might like to do to encourage personal growth. I’ve mainly been setting goals related to my interest in lolita fashion, but I think I might jot down a few unrelated goals, too, and see how that works out this year! Those types of goals are usually the ones that I change my mind about or entirely avoid, but I want to continue to try to be a better me. ♥

★ Organize a tea party at one of the hotels downtown!

I love meetups of all types, because I love spending time with other lolita~ Most of the girls I’ve met through the fashion have become cherished close friends of mine, and I’m always hoping for the potential for more! Although I did host a few meetups during 2010, they were all fairly casual events. That’s my preferred type of meetup, but I miss the opulence and elegance of the formal events I’ve attended in the past.

That’s why I want to arrange an afternoon tea meetup at one of the hotels. It can be pricey, but the atmosphere is so luxurious and dazzling~ Plus, it’s such a wonderful setting for pictures! I want to do this while the weather is still chilly, but thankfully this city is good at being cold and snowy–I should have plenty of time~

★ Knit the Chocola-chan scarf!

The Chocola-chan scarf, a pattern featured in the Gothic & Lolita Bible, is one of my knitting-related ☆holy grails☆ because I own the “Going Out with Chocola-chan” coat. I avoided this project in the past because it was something I thought was “too hard.” I’ve been doing a lot of knitting, and I’ve already tried most, if not all, of the few techniques used for the scarf. I think that I should be well set to try my hand at making one. After all, nothing terrible will happen if I fail–I’ll just have to try again~

I’m starting off 2011 by going “cold sheep,” however, so I’ll have to work on this scarf as a reward. I’ve gathered up quite a bit of yarn over the holidays–I’m planning to get some headway into using up that which I’ve accumulated before any new yarn comes home with me. (This will be very, very hard. I am determined to use my stubborn streak to my advantage!)

★ Strategic wardrobe enhancement!

After wearing lolita fashion for a few years, my closet isn’t really what could be considered “small.” Although I rarely buy, I even more rarely ever sell, so the quantity of garments in my possession has continued to increase. Despite this, I tend to purchase things that I consider to be “good deals” instead of things I’ve been wanting for various coordinations. I own very few cutsews, most of which are very specific, when I know I could get much more use out of a white cutsew with no design. I own no boleros. There are also a few hair accessories that I’m sadly lacking.

I want to carefully plan my purchases for the new year. I don’t want to thing, “Oh fluffbunnies, if only I owned item x–it would be so perfect for this,” and then buy another one-piece. I get so much enjoyment from wearing lolita fashion–I want to be able to wear it more frequently and arranged in new outfits!

★ Take better pictures at meetups!

When it comes to meetups, I never seem to remember that I have a camera with me! Afterward, as I reminisce about how much fun I’ve had and eagerly sort through ideas for meetups to come, it dawns on me that I should have taken pictures. Usually I’ll have only one or two quick snaps saved on my camera–pictures that are out of focus, blurry, streaky, and taken in bad lighting. The subjects are typically unprepared, resulting in a picture that is overall unflattering and just plain bad.

I want to work harder on taking good pictures of meetups. Pictures of attendees, pictures of activities, and pictures of interesting things. I want to have something I can share with others or just look at on my own. I’ve always thought it would be fun to scrapbook, but it’s hard to do that without pictures. A lolita-themed photo album would provide an easy way for me to review at all the memories that I treasure~

BONUS: ★ Make a video post!

This isn’t something I want to run myself ragged trying to do, but I’ve thought it would be a lot of fun to add at least one video post~ I just don’t know what would be something best talked about, rather than written about.

Has anyone else set resolutions for 2011~? Are you excited about the beginning of a new year?

Happy New Year, to absolutely everyone! ♥ I hope this coming year is more marvelous than the last~

On Being Lolita: Year-End Wrap Up

December 30, 2010May 19, 2015 by alice ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

At the end of the year I decided to set a few resolutions for 2010. Looking back on what I wanted to do, I think I can consider 3 of 4 to be accomplished~

2010’s Goals in Review

★ Host more meetups! Check!
Although I haven’t hosted a million meetups, I’ve done my best to host meetups whenever I could come up with a decent-enough idea. It’s been lots of fun; I love any excuse to see my friends.)

★ Work harder on loli_bookclub! Fail.
I just haven’t kept up. I feel pretty guilty about this one…

★ Hold still for more pictures! Check!
If I did anything in 2010, it was record more outfits! I like being able to look back and have proof of my frilliness. My husband has gotten much better at taking pictures, too~ ♥

★ Post entries more often! Check!
I wrote entries fairly regularly for most of 2010. I slacked off quite a bit in December, but sometimes other things get in the way. Overall, I’m satisfied with the frequency of new content.

Now I just need to decide what to do for 2011! It’s almost upon us!

Pink ♥ Milk ♥ Tea

May I interest you in one lump or two?