Recipe: Raspberry Cream Cake

Wineberries

One of my favorite parts of summer: berry picking.  Right now it's wineberry season in my neck of the woods; a semi-wild variety of raspberries that originated in Asia.

The little jewel like berries pop up along the roadsides a creek beds, just waiting to be enjoyed.

 Here is one of my favorite summer berry recipes: Raspberry Cream Cake!

The recipe started out as a traditional Swedish cake, made with cloudberries and cloudberry jam, which are not easy to find around here, so I substituted raspberries and raspberry jam.  You can use any berries and jam that are available and seem tasty!

Daily Outfits: Early Summer

Coord post!  Get ready for quite a few photos, I've been trying to get used to using my tripod for taking shots of outfits.

Another outfit with my "curtain" jumperskirt.  It's alsmost astonishing how versatile this dress is!  I think I need to make a few more fairly simple flower pattern and solid color pieces.  

It's just so hard to keep things simple and not add too many details!

This may be one of my favorite coordinates (so far)!  the layering just seemed to really come out well!  Something about the length and fullness of the skirt really reminds me of Tenniel's Alice illustrations.

This outfit on lookbook

I am wearing the teal cardigan and gold tone sweater guard I posted about a few days ago.

Hmm, a somewhat awkward expression, but I just am so delighted with twirling photos recently!

I made some brown tatted flower shoe clips a week or so ago.  I really like the addition to these rather plain brown shoes I bought when I was a Bridesmaid at my friend Thera's wedding.  

I used the brooch pattern I posted a while ago.  I just made the top two layers rather then the whole thing.

And finally, I just had to make this little amusing gif when I looked through all the photos I took.

Please enjoy watching my head move around as my parent's chickens walk by!

Spring 2011 thrift store finds

For those who know me; know that I love thrift stores!  At least one third of my wardrobe must be second hand, and several of my favorite dresses were made out of reclaimed sheets.

I live in a University town, and the best time to rummage through the racks is when all the college students leave!  Of course you often find somewhat shocking stringy tops, no doubt worn to a local bar; but there are other surprising treasures if you make an effort.

I always enjoy seeing what other people find, I hope you enjoy my "haul".

First off are some somewhat plain but rather versatile tops.  What I like about them is the little details that make them stand out.  

The plain white one has cute little scallops at the neck and sleeves: perfect for layering with a jumperskirt for a casual lolita look.   I haven't figured out what to do with the dark red one, but those puffed sleeves were too good to pass on.

The white one with the blue flowers is my favorite!.  I had been hoping to pair it with my Sweet Matyroshka jumperskirt, but it ends up too busy!  I really like it for adding a bit of color to mori looks.

Ah sweaters,  I wear sweaters year round; layered over a turtleneck in the winter or worn with a light dress in the summer.  

I'm planning on wearing the cream long one with a long skirt, and brown belt.  I wasn't sure about the teal one, but it's quickly become my new favorite piece of clothing.  Brown is a staple of my wardrobe so the 3rd one should work out one way or the other.

I also picked up a plain white braided leather belt, a simple piece.

I couldn't pass up this tapestry purse, even though the colors (other then brown) matched nothing in my wardrobe.  Then I realized that the striped heavy cotton I had picked up to make a fall/winter dress was the exact same colors. 

And finally the brooch I worn in my hair with my "fairy formal" dress.  I actually have acquired quite a vintage pin collection.  I was all hep on the idea of collecting vintage hats (I have a few), but recently realized that I already have a vintage collection!  I might have to see if I can get them all together at some point and post it here!

Did I say finally?  Well I actually found this at an antiques store, not a thrift store.  It's a sweater guard, and I bought it on impulse because I had just recently found out about them.  

And I wear it all the time!  It's so great!  It's usually either being worn, or kept in my purse.   It's so classy and elegant, and makes all of those cardigans that like to slip off of my shoulders when I work stay put!

So look forward to some coords with these pieces soon!

Have any of you found anything great at your local thrift store lately?

Daily Outfit: Fairy Formal Dress

About two weeks ago I mentioned working on a pink chiffon dress to wear to the school's "formal".   Well don't worry, I didn't forget about the photos!

Like I said in the previous post; I am a bit disappointed in how the chiffon hung.   I was hoping for a bit more of a undulating flowy-ness.  The very drape-y effect is quite pretty though, and I'm satisfied in the dress itself.   I'm just being a bit persnickety I think!

It is very enjoyable to dance in!  I just have to be careful spinning because of the circle skirts.  It can get very exciting very quickly!

This outfit on lookbook.

I coordinated it with gold jewelry and my favorite caramel colored heels.  I'm very happy with my experiment of wearing a brooch in my hair.

As a long time lolita an outfit just doesn't feel right without something on my head!  Bows are a little too juvenile for this look, and I wanted something other then flowers.  I find that most hair clips/pins are either boring or too glitzy for my taste, so this worked out nicely.  I just have to figure out how to hid the bobby pins better.

By the by, let me introduce you to my histrionically misplaced twin!

This is a photo of a 1950's debutante; and no she's not related to me at all (that I know of).  It was taken at The Wharton Sinkler Estate, where my Parents were married!  That's all I know about her, but it is quite extraordinary!

Seeing as I was wearing a floofy formal dress I had to try to reenact the photo of course!

Hmm I got the direction her head is turned wrong.  I'll just have to try again sometime!

Lines: Neptune's Domain

The Sweet Matryoshka line and Sweet Acorn Jewlery line are now officially retired.

Which means I really need to get to work on my next line: Neptune's Domain!

The art for the line is completed, I just need to digitize it and make up the samples.

Here's a cobbled together sneak preview:

I will be embroidering these with my machine onto the skirts, one "motif" to either side of the front of the skirt.

The first release will be a skirt and/or vest done in a solid color in a very similar style to the Admiral Pirate set.

The embroidery and trimmings will be done in white or off white.  I've already picked navy, black, and brown as color choices.  What other colors seem right for the design?

A reminder

Tomorrow is the last day for the Sweet Matryoshka line and Sweet Acorn Jewelry line!

I want to thank everyone who has ordered so far; making this so successful!

Sewing: Fairy Formal Dress

The design sketch

 This past week or so I've had a bit of breathing room in between completing orders and waiting for fabric to come in for the next ones.  So I of course have decided to sew something!

Not anything practical mind you, not even a lolita sun dress, or mori skirt.  Rather I decided to make a chiffon fairy princess dress.

I find it rather amusing that when I'm not wearing some combination of mori/ lolita/ ect, or historical costume; I apparently want to dress like an extra from Midsummer's Nights Dream.

It's inspired partly by a vintage 70's dress that I saw while blog surfing, and a Moite jumperskirt.

Here is a mock up of the bodice with some icky blue fabric that was donated to the school.

It was surprisingly easy for how complicated the Moite jumperskirt looked.  Just 4 peices of fabric for the "braid".

I ended up using pink.  I would have prefered a mauve-y purple or seafoam color, but pink was what I could get on sale; which was important because of how much fabric I needed.

The skirt consists of a cotton circle skirt with 3 rectangular chiffon skirts layered over it.  The thing is huge!!  Here it is laid out on a table with my glasses and layering "cheat sheet" .  I wanted to do 4 chiffon skirts, but I just ran out of fabric.

Looking back I wish I had used organza instead of chiffon, as the layers just don't have the undulating body the 70's dress does.  Organza seemed like it would be too stiff though, I've never tried to work with it draped like this.  Maybe I needed something between a chiffon or organza?

I think it turned out nice anyway though!

I have to admit that the criss-cross detail and cotton candy pink color made me feel like I was making a dress for a grown up "Lady Lovely Locks"!  I guess thats not a bad thing; she does seem to have style.

I'm planning on wearing it tomorrow to the school's formal dance.  I want to coordinate it with some simple gold tone jewelry to try to make the color more elegant and refined. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.

Daily Outfits: Daily Mori

Although I have a great affection for lolita, I usually wear mori or natural-kei as my daily wear.  It's somewhat ironic that lolita just isn't a clothing style that is easy to sew lolita clothing in.

I do very much enjoy wearing the foresty styles too!  Here are some of my favorites from this past month; before it got so  humid and hot!

I've been trying to chronicle this outfit for over a year.  The layers and thinness of some of the fabrics makes it wearable for only a short amount of time in the spring or fall.

This coord on lookbook with clothing list

Detail of my necklace and hair comb.  No thats not Innocent World, but rather a very similar necklace I found at a costume jewelry shop and glued to the comb.

A more ethereal take on the Maid Marion type coord I wore before.  Same scarf too, worn in a different way.  Modeling my new (to me) purse.  

This coord on lookbook with clothing list

My poor frameless glasses are dieing, so I've been wearing these which are transitions.  They don't make for the best photos though!

A more Otome take.  The scrunched socks with the boots and lace leggings makes me feel like an old school bishōjo manga.    The dress was actually the first lolita jumperskirt I ever made (from thrift store curtains), which still is amazingly wearable even though it's unlined with unfinished seams! 

This coord on lookbook with clothing list

The knit collar was made for me as a present from my good friend Molly.  The cuckoo clock pin I inherited fairly recently from my Grandmother.  

Looking at these photos makes me think I really need to come up with new poses!

I wonder how many Lolita's also wear mori/natural-kei as their more day to day clothing?

Tutorial: Straw Bonnet

The winners of the EGL Hair Accessory contest have been announced!  Congratulations to the winners.  

So here is my entry, broken up into 3 images.  Click on them to full veiw.

For a first attempt I am pretty happy with it.  I do want to make another if I can find another hat to take apart; and maybe play with the brim shape and how the crown sits on my head.  

Tutorial: Chiffon Underskirt & Sash

Please excuse the bit of radio silence there, I've been a bit busy with Sweet Matryoshka orders and working on my next line.

Here is the promised tutorial for a Chiffon Underskirt and Sash:

Sneaking a better photo of this coord in!