Surviving Winter

As I type, there is snow on the ground outside. It is only a few inches deep, but it feels like the entire country goes in to panic as soon as the first snowflake falls. I know a lot of people in the UK have been working from home, transport has been utter chaos and there has been the same old panic buying at the supermarket. At times like this, I find it very hard to wear lolita. All I want to do is stay in bed and firmly wrap myself up in the duvet. In fact, I don't really feel like doing anything at all. I am hoping this is just a seasonal slump, but I have been thinking of ways to make this time of year more bearable.

Invest in some warm and Winter-proof lolita clothes- I know there are a lot of lolitas out there who don't even own a lolita coat. I suppose it is quite a luxury item. It is probably going to be one of the most expensive items you would buy and some lolitas prefer to make do with a regular coat. I brought my first and only lolita coat a few Winters ago from Bodyline and I don't regret it one bit. As far as keeping me warm from the typical UK winter goes, it does its job. It is nice to have a practical coat, which is also very cute. Something I do need to work on though, is some sensible lolita boots that keep my feet dry. A lot of my lolita shoes are not really suited to the wet and cold weather. There are also so many brand and off-brand accessories that you can pick up for cheap such as scarves and gloves that would compliment lolita. My point is, that if you know you are prepared for the weather, then going outside wont feel as daunting. If you think you are going to get cold or wet then you are probably not going to be as enthusiastic.

Treat yourself to a nice, hot drink at a cafe- I always have some hot chocolate in the house but I never have any cream or mini marshmallows about to make it a bit special. So to tempt me out of the house, I like going to cafes and treating myself to the most luxurious hot chocolate ever. Cream, a dusting of cocoa, flavoured syrup... I want it all! It is probably something I can't do at home without buying in all those extras. Also, it is quite nice to sit in a cafe, have some quiet time and get somebody else to do all the work for you. A lot of cafes bring in special drinks during the festive season. My current favourite is Black Forest hot chocolate but the cafe I usually get it from took it away after Christmas! (PLEASE bring it back!!!) So it looks like I may have to find myself a new favourite for the moment. But with options like salted caramel lattes, gingerbread hot chocolate and very boozy eggnog, I think I have a lot more options to explore.

Always make sure you are able to get home safely- I try not to travel too far when it is snowing because as I said, the entire country seems to shut down. Transport is usually one of the first things to go awry. So I think going out a bit closer to home is a much better option. A lot of this does depend on how brilliant your local area is. My town is not that good, but I try to make the most of the available facilities.

Go out and build a snowman- We don't get snow that often here, so just go out and enjoy it while you can. My Facebook feed is currently bombarded with snowmen that my friends have made! It's just a bit of harmless fun. We don't always have the chance to do these things, so make the most of it.

See snow as your perfect photo opportunity- I really love seeing photos of lolitas in the snow! It looks so pretty and I think it makes a really lovely backdrop. It is a bit different. Just like my last point, we should try to make the most of the snow while we have it. Put together a winter themed outfit and really show it off against the stunning, white snow.

Or failing this, just hide yourself away until Spring and then vow to squeeze in as much lolita as possible to make up for your quiet period. Spring is (hopefully) just around the corner!

Christmas haul and festive holly nails

Christmas has come and gone and we are about to enter 2012. My Christmas was awesome and I hope all of you had a good time too! Despite being in a post-Christmas daze, I should be back to normal posting next week. In the mean time, I thought I would update you all on all things Luna!

Well, I did say I was going to do some festive nails! I was going to do something very simple but then I had a sudden brainstorm and these are the resulting nails. In the end, I did a holly design with 3D berries. This photo was taken about a day after I did them so they don't look as nice here! Anyway, the nails came about because ages ago, when I was still using clay to make nail pieces, I decided I would make some cherry nails to match a skirt I had. However, I sold the skirt on and I was left with these red balls. So I used them for holly berries instead! I did the leaves and black background with nail pens and it took FOREVER to do. The berries were quite small so they didn't really get in the way like other 3D nails do. The berries were coated with clear polish to give it a more realistic berry look.

And now on to the lolita presents I got. I didn't get much lolita stuff this time because a lot of people gave me money to help pay off my Starry Night Theater dress (and I am now all paid up!) and usually only my husband is brave enough to buy me lolita! But I did get some very nice stuff...

My husband got me these Bodyline shoes. I didn't have any white coloured shoes so these should be very useful. I already own this style of shoe in red, so I knew straight away that I would like them. Even my mother-in-law recognised the design! Out of all my Bodyline shoes, this design is my favourite. They are simple, but with a cute bow. I find them very easy to wear. So I was very happy indeed!

The other thing I was given were these cute Bodyline socks. They have macarons on them! They are so pretty and socks are always a welcome addition to my wardrobe. They are pink and white.

I also got given some basic items such as some new black tights (always useful), make-up and nail polish. I am very grateful for all of the wonderful presents I received. I especially love how my friend Jo got me the best children's book ever-

It is the book we found when a group of us went to London in November! Now I can treasure this story forever.

But I think the stand out present has to be this one from my husband-

I got given a copy of my favourite painting by Edgar Degas! I got to see the real thing earlier this year, which was a huge deal for me because I have been a fan of Degas since I was little. Now I have a copy! I am absolutely ecstatic! It is so beautiful. Now I get to see it every single day.

I have not had many chances to dress in lolita recently because of Christmas (apart from the outfits which are viewable on my Lookbook) and also, because we finally got around to getting a wardrobe! It is from Ikea and it is so huge that we had to put it in the living room. It is the only place it would fit. So I have been busy sorting out my wardrobe and using the space as best I can. A few people have asked me to do a wardrobe post and there should be a post coming soon!

So I wish you all a Happy New Year for Sunday! Stay safe and have fun!

Merry Christmas and a Happy 2012!

I just want to wish all my wonderful readers and followers a very Merry Christmas! And so, I present my very dodgy looking Christmas card! I have never been that good with technology!

I will be taking a mini break during the festive season to spend time with friends and family. I don't know yet if I will be doing any posts next week but we will see how things go. Things will be back to normal in January. So, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Here is hoping for a brilliant 2012!

Fantasy Christmas Gifts

As much as I love to daydream, I am not made of money. But sometimes I do like to imagine of all the things I could do if I was rich and I will browse loads of websites to admire their pretty items. So let's just say I was able to buy whatever I wanted and decided to treat some of my friends this Christmas... what would I buy them? So today I am going to show what I would buy some of my local group and best loli friends if I didn't have to worry about money, sizing, availability and nasty customs fees. I should point out that this post is purely for fun and I am going on what these people already own, their wishlists and what I think they will like.

Sammi

1. Dreamy Dollhouse salopette by AP 2. Sugar Hearts wristcuffs by AP 3. Hummingbird Bakery cupcakes 4. Sugar hearts bracelet by AP 5. AP Milky Chan scarf 6. Milky chan bangle 7. AP cape from their 2011 collection

Sammi got her dream print Milky Chan earlier this year, so I included some matching items for her. I also know she ordered the Sugar Hearts skirt so I included matching items for the same reason. I put the Dreamy Dollhouse salopette on there because when I first saw Sammi wearing a salopette I remember thinking that she looked amazing in them! Not many people can pull off salopettes, but they really suit Sammi. The AP cape is there because I remember us both saying how cute it was on Facebook. And finally, I would want to give Sammi a massive box of Hummingbird Bakery cupcakes because we enjoyed getting cakes from there back in June. I have the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook but I failed miserably at making some of the more complicated items, so I would definitely buy these in to avoid disappointment. Plus, I can't compete with the Queen of Desserts- Beau's Mum!

Michelle

1. AP Sugary Carnival 2. Some skull gloves 3. AP Jewelry Heart Ribbon bag 4. Sugar Hearts JSK by AP 5. Juicy Couture charm 6. Eyeball hairclips 7. Wonder Party JSK

Another AP fan! Michelle's picks are based on conversations I have been a part of, or witnessed on Facebook. I totally agree with Michelle about the heart ribbon bag. It is very cute! I know Michelle has been rating Juicy Couture charms. I have no idea why I chose the banana split charm for this post. I was browsing some charms and this one stood out. I like how Michelle's style is a mix of cute and creepy. That is why I included the eyeball clips (I blame Kyary!) and the skull gloves. The skull gloves actually have 3D bones so they may be a little difficult to wear, and I have completely forgotten the store I saw them in! The gloves are a reference to the infamous skull sock debacle. Let's just say that the company in question are total idiots! I would be hoping and praying that Michelle would at least like these gloves.

Jenni

1. IW Gretel boots 2. AatP's St mephisto 3. blue rose hair clip 4. black veil 5. IW book bag 6. Rose Basket JSK by IW 7. Lady Rose dress by AP

I know Jenni likes Innocent World, so her item choices were heavily influenced by their website. I have seen her mention the book bag and Rose Basket before (I would love to own Rose Basket too. I promise I am not just getting things I like!). The Gretel Boots were a random choice I decided on myself. I would just go for them and hope Jenni likes them. We have discussed the upcoming St Mephisto replica before so I know she would like to own this. Jenni is the Moitie queen of our group but the hair clips are in fact from Taobao. Despite this, I have gone for Moitie inspired pieces. I also know Jenni has mentioned Lady Rose before, and I think the mint colour is very pretty. I know Jenni is not completely against AP, so I thought I would slip some in!

Raine

1. Meta Vintage Cherry dress 2. Zombie movie encylopedia 3. Tartan JSK 4. Record shaped bag 5. Bodyline strawberry bag 6. Vintage Record dress by Meta 7. Tartan headbow

Raine is my fellow Meta fan and I have tried to appeal to the retro look that Raine likes. I had to include Vintage Record by Meta and I thought a matching record shaped bag was needed. Raine is "gay for polka dots" (her words, not mine) so I think she would like the red strawberry bag by Bodyline. Just as long as I can still be the strawberry princess of the Ox lolis! I know Raine would like a tartan JSK and I think the one in the picture would appeal to Raine's usual style and there is a matching bow to compliment. To finish, there is the Zombie Movie Encyclopedia by Peter Dendle because Raine likes a good horror movie. I bet she will have watched most of the movies inside already, but maybe it will give her ideas of further movies to watch.

I am sorry for not making more of these for more people. I can assure you that a lot of you were included in my thoughts when I was fantasy shopping. I have really missed a lot of people recently because I have not been to any meets the last 2 months. That is mainly down to bad timing. I am hoping to see you all a lot more next year. I have really missed you all...

Christmas Lolita

Christmas is very fast approaching and hopefully everybody is getting in to the festive spirit. I have already put my tree up (well, actually my husband did whilst I snoozed in front of the TV), Christmas cards are coming through the door and people are competing for the best Christmas lights display. So I have been thinking about how I can wear lolita over Christmas and make it suitable for this time of year.

Alice and the Pirates recently released their Drosselmeyer print (top left), which wouldn't look out of place on a tin of festive biscuits. It is very traditional looking and the more obvious Christmas colours such as red and green are available. Of course, you don't have to stick to traditional colours. I think Rose Candle by Baby (top right) looks beautiful in pink. My top choice for festive prints is Bunny Milk and Snow Strawberry by Baby (bottom left). I think the bunnies in the print are adorable and it is a bit unusual for a Christmas print to include strawberries. Of course, if I ever got this print, I would be avoiding the design with the little pom pom trim (a personal pet hate of mine!) but the pom poms do remind me of little snow balls, so it would be cute for a festive outfit. Christmas also reminds me of thick and heavier fabrics, such as velveteen. AP's Christmas Ornament (bottom right) comes to mind because chances are, this dress would be far too hot to wear in the warmer months.

This is my only concern about season-specific prints. Would you wear them the whole year around? Or would they gather dust in the back of your closet? Easter prints generally are not that difficult to wear at other times of the year but with Christmas prints it is a little difficult. You are expected to take down your Christmas tree by the 12th day of Christmas and generally, people get sick to death of Christmas by January. There is just something a bit odd about wearing a Christmas themed print at any other time! Maybe it would be better to buy something which hints at a Christmas theme instead of an actual Christmas print. I have already mentioned green and red, and perhaps a solid coloured dress in a deep green or red would look lovely. A simple tartan dress would be another option. Or instead, you could just wear festive accessories, which could work out cheaper.

I like the idea of using holly and ivy in my hair. It is very traditional and reminds me of those Christmas wreaths you can make. What I especially love about the hair band in the top left is that the berries have been frosted, making it all the more suitable for a Winter theme. The great thing is, it doesn't have to cost a lot and you could even use real holly instead of fake, if you desired. I always start craving ear muffs when it gets to this time of year. I have been tempted by styles like the Baby ear muffs (bottom left) which would definitely match the coat with fake fur trim that I have from Bodyline. Fake fur is always fun to wear and good for keeping warm. Ear muffs come in lots of different shapes and designs now, so there is lots of variety. I also think that around Christmas time, you can get away with a lot more. A cheesy Santa hat or a decoration you would stick on a gift are not normally things I would team with lolita but at this time of year, I just think "Go for it!". If I wanted something a bit quick and easy, I could tie a ribbon in to my hair. Ribbons are readily available. I even save the ribbons off the presents I get.

An easy way to nod at the Christmas theme is with jewellery. As soon as I saw the AP Country of Sweets re-release I thought the Gingerbread jewellery would be perfect for Christmas, and it is cute too! I also love wearing stars at Christmas and statement pieces with lots of pretty jewels. For the classic lolita, something like this deer ring would look perfect.

Of course, I would love to try some festive nail art this year. It is easy enough to remove when needed and helps to brighten up an outfit. My absolute favourite is the candy cane nails at the bottom! I will be searching "Christmas nails" on Youtube. Nail art has been very popular lately and there are channels and websites dedicated to nail art tutorials.

I have only really scratched at the surface of possible Christmas lolita ideas. I am sure my readers will be able to think of lots of other wonderful ideas to add to outfits. The most important thing is to have a bit of fun!

Toffee Apples!

I really enjoy Halloween so I thought it would be fun to share a toffee apple recipe. Around this time of year, I really crave toffee apples because they remind me of my childhood. When I went to fairs around this time of year, I had a hard time choosing between toffee apples and cotton candy!

This recipe was originally published in Good Food Magazine (2009)

Ingredients

8 Granny Smith apples

400g golden caster sugar

1 tsp vinegar

4 tbsp Golden Syrup

Method

1. Place the apples in a large bowl, then cover with boiling water (you may have to do this in 2 batches). This will remove the waxy coating and help the caramel to stick. Dry thoroughly and twist off any stalks. Push a wooden skewer or lolly stick into the stalk end of each apple.
2. Lay out a sheet of baking parchment and place the apples on this, close to your stovetop. Tip the sugar into a pan along with 100ml water and set over a medium heat. Cook for 5 mins until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the vinegar and syrup. Set a sugar thermometer in the pan and boil to 140C or 'hard crack' stage. If you don't have a thermometer you can test the toffee by pouring a little into a bowl of cold water. It should harden instantly and, when removed, be brittle and easy to break. If you can still squish the toffee, continue to boil it.
3. Working quickly and carefully, dip and twist each apple in the hot toffee until covered, let any excess drip away, then place on the baking parchment to harden. You may have to heat the toffee a little if the temperature drops and it starts to feel thick and viscous. Leave the toffee to cool before eating. Can be made up to 2 days in advance, stored in a dry place.

If you give this recipe a go, do let me know how you get on. Be careful not to burn yourself on all that boiling toffee!

Trying to make the most of Spring

After a harsh winter which seemed to drag on for ages, I am really happy to see signs that Spring is on the way. The temperature is slowly creeping back up, flowers are starting to bloom and little baby animals are starting to emerge. I even saw a really tiny baby squirrel in my garden a few days ago! Generally, I usually find spring an easier season when it comes to wearing Lolita fashion. Despite buying multiple layers to wear I still struggled a bit this winter. It made me think about how I could use the spring season to my advantage, just so I can get the best of it.

Apparently this photo was taken close to where I live. Snowdrops are my favourite flower!

Here in England, we are a little strange. We have this thing called Daylight Saving Time. Basically, the clocks go forward an hour in spring and backwards an hour in fall. I know that not every country does this. The reason we do it is so that we can make better use of the lighter hours during the sunnier months. It takes a bit of getting used to, especially in spring because we lose an hour, but it can be useful. As the evenings get lighter I find it easier to take more photos. Although I take photos of myself, a lot of my photographs are taken by my husband James who works long hours. Right now James is getting home in time to catch the sunset. I like taking advantage of the changing light. Also, I usually find that meets held in the spring and summer end later.

Another good point about spring is all the flowers that are starting to open and the trees are covered with blossom. Suddenly places which seemed dull during the winter are now bursting with colour. I love discovering fields full of flowers or old trees which I may have previously overlooked. Forest and woodland areas are especially pretty during the spring. Flowers make an interesting feature point in photos. You could even try to match the flower colours to those on your outfits. Also, flowers which are in season tend to be cheaper in the shops because they can be sourced more locally. So if you wanted a pretty bunch of flowers to liven up a room or for a gift, then there will hopefully be a bit more variety.

As far as shopping goes, the new season usually brings in lots more colour, especially pastels. I think a lot of people around this time of year have a desire to brighten things up a little bit. It doesn’t seem to matter what is in fashion, pastels are usually everywhere. This is great news if you are a fan of sweet Lolita or even classic Lolita. I have already found a lot of loli-able items appearing in stores all over the place. I am currently keeping my eyes on floral items and pastel coloured jackets.

And then there is Easter! This also influences what appears in the shops. I have seen a lot of bunny and chick items on sale. You don’t just have to look in the usual fashion shops. Budget and value stores usually stock Easter themed items too. A good example is an Easter bonnet. In some countries children take a straw hat and then decorate them with an Easter theme. I spotted a cheap Easter bonnet in a 99p store and with a bit of customising it could look very pretty. This is great for those on a limited budget. Plus you can get some very cute goodies in bakeries. I am not a religious person so apart from swapping Easter eggs with James, I don’t do a lot. This year I am thinking about suggesting an Easter egg hunt as one of the activities for a loli meet!

There are lots of other reasons why I love this time of year. I am sure this Spring will be a lot of fun. I shall make the most of it before the stifling sweaty Summer heat kicks in!