Brand-spanking-new handmade headpiece! Sparrow Skulls! Finds!

The weather has been absolutely horrible here in Toronto. Hot, cold, hot, cold, rain…and I hear there’s going to be snow on Monday. Seriously, it’s mid-late April and we are getting SNOW?! 

I don’t get it. My program has been all about global warming and how weather patterns / phenomenon such as El Nino and El Nina dictate these shifts yet I still am unable to believe just how directly it effects everyone.  This also means a late growing season for farmers and it’ll effect so many things. I can’t grow my edible flowers yet because I’m too afraid to let them grow outside and starting them inside with such dreary weather doesn’t get my hopes up, either.

That aside, I’ve been out of town and away from my studio due to a slight emergency. But, as always I’ve dragged most of my immediate portable materials with me and I whipped up a headpiece two nights ago (along with a few necklaces but I didn’t take pictures). Currently, I am working hard at expanding my collection for the meeting I have with a local boutique owner this coming Friday. I hope she likes my stuff and buys/carries it at her store!

It’s so beautiful. I can’t bear to part with it unless offered a small fortune. :) It’s very Dolly-Kei and I can’t wait to coordinate it. I really love the warm copper charms I imported which add to the overall warmth and richness of red accents and the red wool bow. 

I begin with a brief laying out of what I prospectively want the headpiece to look like.

I don’t sleep for a whole night working on things like this and at 7-8 AM the sun shines.

I bless my items with the first rays of sunshine. Haha. Then photographing commences. 

On another note, I also got my custom order of plastic casted sparrow skulls from an across the border taxidermist after literally almost 2 months of waiting. It was a long and somewhat tedious wait but well worth what I got. I really wish I had gotten most of the skulls drilled because they look really awesome as necklaces. What do you guys think? 

Also, made a nice find at Dollarama recently. I’ve been desperately looking for millenary branches with buds - I tried Queen West, Fabricland…but was then recommend Michael’s. I found exactly what I was looking for at Dollarama instead - with at least 5 colortones in a huge branch for a mere $1. Score! I left with pale green and cream buds.

Loving this.

So, finally got around to picture whoring my boots and newly bought XXI Chantilly lace skirt. This was totally worth the $130 + tax. While, they still do need some breaking into to get rid of stiffness, wearing them makes me feel so sleek and the fact the tops can fold down is a BONUS. Two looks in one. I am now tempted to get the dusky grey-brown ones because of this all. But, I recently visited Aldo (partially due to their Winter Sale on Boots) and noticed a pair of classic looking Western leather boots for $140 in tan brown that looked like prospective future buys.

I also attended a Lolita Meet-Up recently and this is what I wore. The Baby the Stars Shine Bright Circus Tutu skirt is from one of my bestfriend’s, Aya, who bought it for me for $190 USD as a present. Thanks, doll. I love it SOOOO much!

Recent forays into Fabricland yielded some interesting finds in their Spring fabric selection. The flower print was part of their new Spring selection. A fine, almost see-through sateen-like finished cotton voile. Beautiful, and with my membership $9/meter. Will get some once I get through more of my fabric stash. They for some reason remind me to Otome brand fabrics - I can see them used in a classical manner with a modern touch.

Speaking of otome fashions. I made a recent attempt a few days ago to make a dress that reminded me of Emily Temple Cute style dresses. That pink two, tiered embroidered hem dress is my creation. The pattern however, needs some excessive tweaking:

1. Lengthen bodice.

2. The pattern does not accommodate for lining - thus, I made a lot of mistakes. I need to re-think of how I do the lining (as it was my first time fully lining a dress).

3. The bodice may need more ruffling room - so increase width of bodice.

4. Don’t make a zipper for the dress anymore since I used elastic for the backing.

5. Attempt full-elastic waist (the 3rd dress after).

Then, Claire’s has also started selling their franchised line of Alice in Wonderland items. These are absolutely lovely! Teapot, saucer, and teacup necklaces. Key necklaces… Drink Me bottle necklaces. PURE LOVE. I would buy them if my Visa bill wasn’t edging on the border of real debt. Of this new collection. I bought the socks. They are actually AP-replicas (see above for pictures of the socks). For $9.75/ pair they are pretty good compared to brand socks. The only thing is that they are on the thin side.