Watercolor Blues and Lush Textures

So now that my Falling into Autumn Dress is finally done, I'm starting to think about the sort of aesthetic I want to tackle in regards to a solid Christmas/Winter dress. I think I also really have to get better about stockpiling accessories and the things that make a lolita dress "complete". I've always somehow managed to be a seamstress that just focuses on the garment, accessories be damned!

Anyway, I've started a board on Pinterest for the dress so please feel free to follow it!

When I told an acquaintance that I wanted to do a blue/white color scheme the response I got was "That's very Jewish."-- and I get it- the colors are very Hanukkah. But that's not the blue I want to go with! I'm thinking something more like dark, deep blue, and like water color blue. If I could hand dye the fabric and make it look like sea salt and blue water color, it'd make me happy. Granted, I doubt I'll be able to do that for such a project and have it turn out well, the mental image is perfect.

There's really no snow in San Francisco... but I think cold, deep winter is the image I am striving for. And texture. Lots of texture. Gauze? Tea dyed eyelet lace? I don't want to go as so far as making it look too "period" or steampunk. But crisp white would be too "perfect". I want weathered and cold-- yet beautiful and delicate. This would also make the makeup fun to apply: a purple and blue toned ruby lip, like blood in snow. Silver grey eyes and a cold-kissed cheek with a pale touch.

Either way, I think I've decided on using Moi-meme-Moitie's general design from the Iron Gate OP. I'm not sure if I want full sleeves, but at the very least half sleeves. The more I think of it, the more the prospect of an off white, chiffon sleeved dress, with grey blue trim and ribbons sounds amazing. Blue lace tights and satin dark blue shoes and accessories.

Exciting!

Reintroduction to Lolita + LOL LJ.

For those of you lurking, and following my posts for years, I'm coming forward and saying: I'm bringing it back! ...my LiveJournal I mean! And not because I want to become a regular blogger there again. Far from it, actually. I just would like to comment on communities now and again for shits and giggles (and to be honest, to drive traffic here as a by-product!)

What does this actually encompass? And why would I do such a thing?

Well, the first encompasses going back through 10 YEARS (holy crap!) of entries and marking them all as Friends Only. I never had an issue with people reading what I used to post, but in all honesty, I just want people to pay attention here, rather than there, which is why I'm closing off those old entries. I still want to keep everything at the old journal, though, for nostalgia, justice, and the LOLs. I still have a lot of housekeeping to do on that old account so no posts until I do. I know in reality it doesn't particularly matter what that old journal looks like, but to me, it makes all the difference.

I even went out of my way to give this blog a header image and a decent background so when its linked, it looks like someone LIVES here!

So again, why would I do such a thing?

I'm getting back into (classic) lolita.

:X

(I don't often use emoticons on this blog, but I felt this warranted it)

At the encouragement by several people I know both here in San Francisco as well as old friends back in San Diego, I'm doing it. That old 10 year love kind of came over me again with the quickness and I'm ok with it. I can kind of look at it with different eyes than when I did when I was younger and appreciate different aspects of it. Plus a huge sewing-kick is giving me a big head and convincing me that I can TOTALLY make some of those dresses with enough determination and patience. 

Anyway, LiveJournal comes into play with how I'd like to comment in communities every once in a while and I would like to do it without ads... Yup. Also, 15$ to rename an account? Honestly?

520 entries in and I've barely hit the 5-Year Anniversary post for my account. I had that thing since like 2003. Eep.

I thought it was a crack, but it's not, so it's cool.

While waiting in the lobby of a hair salon, I curiously browsed through a recent (but tattered) artist magazine (Juxtapoz) which immediately made me lament missing out on an exhibit featured here in the City during the time I've lived here. Makes me want to keep up with artist magazines around here! 

I was introduced to The Old Boy's Club and the awesomeness that is la destitution de la Jeune Fille.

I don't think I'm particularly eloquent enough to be able to talk about this piece in the way that was intended. I do, however, want to express my admiration at the uniqueness of each "monster" and the graphic aspect of each one. I love the bold colors, the simple shapes, and how they're all unique. And all done in gauche! Makes me want to reexamine my relationship with that medium...

Either way, I can't help but draw some sort of comparison between this piece's amazing details (see the Old Boy's Club website for more detailed views of the entire work) and the details in Hieronymus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights.

 

Granted, Bosch's piece is considerably more gluttonous and explicit, the insanity of the characters and immense amount of detail in both is downright amazing. Both have address different subjects (Jeune fille with an analogy of a girl vs society spinning out of control, Delights with gluttony and hell), they both employ an amazing level of skill and imagination for being plentiful, not boring and I absolutely love that.

Green work means beautiful origami to me.

Lack of posts definitely doesn't equal lack of creative action, I'm glad to report. I've actually been busy every single day working on projects. I've been inspired by browsing Craftgawker during my breaks at work and combining some of those projects with things I can all ready do. I can't wait to take on more mini projects.

The items that took the longest have been my book paper wreaths. I was inspired by seeing a tutorial at Living with Lindsay and figured I could make one for my room which while cluttered, doesn't have much decoration. 

I received a company book a couple weeks back and really had no intention of reading it. I thought I should re-purpose it into something cool.

This step was actually the most annoying. I all ready dislike styrofoam-- cutting it is even worse! Not only is it messy, but pushing anything through it sounds like nails on a chalkboard. Glad I put up with it, though-- a regular styrofoam wreath form costs nearly 6USD; I purchased this flat circle for 1USD.

This step was the most time consuming. I was able to watch the entirety of Gone with the Wind during the rolling and gluing process. And by the entirety, I mean the entire four hours and then some.

I'm actually extremely happy and proud with how these came out! They look amazing on my wall and definitely make the room look lighter. I used the center circle I cut out to make a matching little star wreath; I didn't feel like making waste was a good idea. Plus sixty pages left in the book needed a home.


Also inspired by Living with Lindsay, I made a holder for yarn balls as I knit. I have tons of little tins from the tea I drink and have been struggling to come up with ideas to re-purpose them-- a yarn holder, especially with my current knitting project, was perfect. I used Lindsay's rosette tutorial to create a rosette out of ribbon to decorate my tin.

 

The top of the tin looks a little wacked out but there's really nothing I can do about that... I'm just happy it has a hole in the top that my yarn doesn't get caught to! I have to thank Kyle for being able to drive a nail through it because my weak wrists wouldn't be able to handle it!

Lastly, I went out to the local Goodwill the other day to donate things and also pick up a couple frames. In a continuing effort to decorate my room I figured an inspiration board should probably go up at my desk. I brought the frames home, sanded them down to make them look a bit more vintage, and then proceeded to print out images I love.

Love it! Waiting for Kyle to get home so he can put a nail into the wall for me to hang it. I'd also like to buy some dry erase markers so I can write on the glass. I'm actually very surprised I didn't think of frames before for inspiration boards-- I can take the images out and put new ones in without having to throw out poster board over and over again.

Thai iced tea and digital collages-- how fulfilling.

This past week I (re)joined the Polyvore community which has proved as interesting as I thought it would be. I all ready knew what the website was all about-- user generated graphics, layouts, and collages of fashion items posted all over the internet. If its been photographed, it's more than likely available on the site. From the occasional browsing of Woman's Wear Daily (WWD), I gathered that Polyvore was finally being taken seriously-- and by finally I mean, probably for the past couple years- where have I been??

Anyway, I heard about there being contests with collages so I figured it was worth a shot to join once again. Glad that the interface and I aren't the best of friends or else I could get totally hooked! I still prefer Photoshop for all my graphic needs, of course.

Test #1 by aquavert featuring a fascinator hat

Test #2 by aquavert featuring print dresses

Test #3 by aquavert featuring vintage handbags

The last collage with Dita is obviously my favorite-- I was finally starting to understand the different features of the graphic interface by the time I made it-- knew more of what I was doing. I could probably spend hours browsing and commenting on other people's "sets" but I'm limiting myself to the occasional weekly visit; I have more important things to concentrate on-- and I mean that in the most positive way imaginable.