Hyper Japan 2014

My sweet co-ordination

 My dad took my sister and I to the Hyper Japan Christmas Market in London this week, which was absolutely amazing! The only bad thing was that we had to get up at half four in the morning to catch the train (meaning I had to get ready on the train, and forgot my headbow), and that I unfortunately agree with Lord Emsworth about London; it's far too busy. However, we only had to join a very short, fast moving queue, so that was good.

I had fun Christmas shopping for my friends and family, buying my own Christmas presents (even an adorable Angelic Pretty handbag from the Dreamy Bows stall, a lolita sewing book, and the Black Butler art book!), people watching, drinking Japanese soda, seeing all the interesting fashion trends and looking at cute girls.

I saw quite a few other lolitas, and some of them even complimented me and asked where I got my dress from! Another kind lolita girl was asking me if I go to any meetups, and telling my dad how to sign me up to a local community in Lancashire. Plus, some other ladies who weren't lolita told me they liked my outfit, which made me very happy!

For my two school friends, Wendy and Sarah, I purchased two small plushies; a rainbow alpaca for Wendy, seeing as she's in love with rainbows, and a red-eyed bunny for Sarah. There were so many other adorable things I wanted to get people for presents, but by that time my money had run out...

There were lots of stalls for everyone, really; stationary, cakes, Japanese food, Lolita accessories, clothes that somebody like Yolandi Visser would wear (I can't remember the style name, but it was cute), kimonos, books, manga, plushes, Lolita clothes/bring-and-buy, nintendo games, and even a weapons stall! It was all very interesting. I got to see a martial arts demonstration and a beautiful Sailor Moon art exhibition, which got me interested in beginning the series - especially seeing as there looks like there is some shoujo-ai involved with Sailor Uranus and her girlfriend!

I wore:

Blouse: Baby, the Stars Shine Bright

JSK: Shirring Princess - Baby, the Stars Shine Bright

Headbow: Baby, the Stars Shine Bright

Socks: Baby, the Stars Shine Bright

Necklace: Miniature doughnut pendant

Shoes: Lonna Mary Janes - Hush Puppies

Handbag: Universal Studios.

Gorgeous cupcakes!

  When we were done at Hyper Japan we got the tube to Piccadilly Circus and saw the sights. Then we went to Liberty to buy some fudge for my mother, and then to Hamleys to get a present for my younger brother. Sadly, they couldn't come with us, as Luke was feeling ill with a high temperature, and it would have made him much worse to drag him around London for 16 hours. Also, we went to see all the poppies at the Tower of  London, which was a unique experience.

Traditional food stalls

Japanese sodas - I had the watermelon flavour.

Mannequin

Out of my birthday money I bought myself a mannequin, both for dress-making and displaying my lolita clothes! It's actually a really good way to add decoration to a room!

Elizabeth Rose Design

I've just been sooo busy at school and had no time to draw recently! This picture is a fashion design I made for Textiles at school, where the theme is "Japanese Street Style". Naturally I chose lolita!

These clothes and accessories are part of my "Elizabeth Rose" series, which contains a hard Victorian bonnet, a small velveteen cape, and a skirt.

Inspiration is placed around the Queen of England, as research tells me that British things are a source of inspiration for Lolita designers in Japan.

My colour scheme is grey and white, monotone colours, to create more of a mature, sophisticated side to a fun and alternative, upbeat fashion. Also, it represents the colours of diamonds bathed in light, seeing as the Diamond Jubilee was not so long ago. The decoration is mainly sparse, for elegance and simplicity.

I've already made the bonnet and am going to make the skirt for my GCSEs. I went easy on the frills, because, well, school... 

The rose fabric I manipulated onto the skirt belongs to IKEA, as I did not draw it. And the croquis base is by Azute Thank you!

Pictures Drawn for Me Part 7

Here are some drawings done by friends either on Deviant Art, or in real life! These pictures mean so much to me, I just love them! Some are my OCs and some are birthday presents and art trades with friends in real life. I'll upload them in the order I got them. <3

Both of these are from my lovely friend, Wendy; she also did a couple of sketches for me, which were beautiful, too! I really love these pictures, they're so cute! The characters are Len, Rin and Miku from Vocaloid, seeing as she is a big fan of the Vocaloids!

My Birthday!

On Saturday we went out to Manchester for my birthday celebration, so I dressed up for our "high tea" in Lolita and my new 1920s-style cloche hat, plus some leather gloves as it was cold. It added a slightly more sophisticated element to an otherwise cutesy outfit, I think (and also, it was raining so I didn't want to wear my Baby headbow, whereas my new hat is more weather appropriate).

Blouse: Dorothy Perkins

JSK: Lovely Sweet Room - Baby the Stars Shine Bright

Socks: Secret Shop

Mary Janes: H! by Henry Holland

Cloche (not pictured): John Lewis

Leather Gloves (not pictured): Marks and Spencers (borrowed from my grandmother)

The restaurant we went to was called Tea42, and was situated rather closely to the Arndale centre, which was convenient from a window-shopping point of view. Tea42 specialises in gluten-free high tea, but also serves food for non-celiacs, which was good seeing as I'm the only gluten-free person in my family. The whole restaurant was very glamorous and girly, but also very quiet seeing as there are only a few tables at a time (we had to make a reservation). Also, the food was very high quality!

I had the gluten-free afternoon tea stand with the "99 tea" which was a lovely black tea with vanilla flavour. There were so many teas on the menu that I had difficulty choosing just one! The tea stand consisted of  plate of sandwiches - a salmon bagel, egg and cheese on bread cut to the shape of a star, and ham with cheddar and pickled lettuce, warm scones with the most delicious strawberry jam I've ever tasted (plus cream), and a plate with little cakes on - pink sponge with jam and cream, a chocolate mousse with a biscuit base, raspberry meringue, and a creamy desert with a raspberry on top. It was all so lovely, and I expected myself to come away still rather hungry, but I was absolutely full before I could even finish! My favourite was the scones with currents! I'd love to go again someday. 

After lunch my sister, mother and I visited the theater to see Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat, which was amazing needless to say; so dazzling and fun!

My Doll Collection So Far!

I've finished setting up my display cabinet for my Pullip dolls. There are a few empty spaces, but Christmas and my future birthdays shall soon sort that out... *nudge nudge, wink wink* I apologise for the terrible photos, it's just that it's very difficult to take photos of something so tall and narrow when the photographer is short and clumsy. *laughs*

Aika (Pullip Tiphona)

Celeste (Pullip Nella) and Johan (Isul Johan)

Beverly (Pullip Merl)

Garnet (Tangkou Vampire) and Narcissa (Tangkou England)

Pullip Doll Nella

For my 16th birthday I received Pullip Nella from my parents! She's so beautiful, and seeing as she has a slightly darker colour scheme in her clothes, I'm calling her Celeste, like stars in the night sky.

 Pullip Nella has golden blonde hair in an intricate braided style. Her hair is long, soft and beautiful, but due to the style there's no chance it will become tangled. She has dark hazel-green eyes, similar to Johan's in style, but a completely different colour. She is my first doll with pale pink lips, and they're just adorable! Nella's outfit is made by Alice and the Pirates, a gothic lolita brand, and comes with a matching headdress. My favourite part of her outfit is her harlequin-styled tights and tiny shoes!

I've decided long ago that she'll be Johan's older sister, aged 15, and lives in Cologne with him in the 1930s. She goes to an all-girls school, but really wishes she could be with her brother instead, as she's not a big fan of her school. Her hobbies are singing, playing the piano - especially practicing études - dancing, and watching the stars.

The collection so far.

My collection is getting rather big so I recently got a glass display cabinet from IKEA to put them all in. So far it hasn't been assembled yet, but I'm really looking forward to it.