Part 2 of Setting Up Your Blogging Space- Decorating

by VioletLeBeaux | Dec 28, 2009 | Advert, Craft, Inspiration, Storage/Utility-Tutorials, Tutorial

I’ve had a lot of questions about the mechanics of blogging lately so I’ve decided to make a series of posts with tips on setting up a your blogging space ^_^

Before I get into today’s post I just want to let you all know that I’ve started a second Twitter account called Violet’s Cuties which will basically be me posting cute things that I’ve found along my internet travels. I’ll be posting pretty much anything I think is adorable from clothes to puppies to Hello Kitty shaped sushi makers. Click here to follow me if you’re interested 🙂

Part 1- Tutorial on making an inspiration board Part 2- Tutorial on decorating a mirror and lamp Part 3- Putting it all together and what else do you need?

So today is

Part 2- Decorating a Mirror and Lamp

Ok so now you’ve got an inspiration board to look at, you are going to need a few other things to reach optimum blogging potential 😛 I’ll show you the rest in the next post but today we’ll focus on 2 very important parts: 1. A cute mirror and 2. a really good, cute light source.

Let’s start with the mirror. You’re probably wondering why you need a mirror, well you want to look good for all the photos you’re going to be posting right? Well having one next in your blogging space is very handy when you’re doing a last minute post or twittering photos. Now you won’t have the problem of taking 109281 photos trying to get your hair right etc. Also useful for taking self portrait photos so you can see if you are in frame and watching tv in the reflection if your desk doesn’t face it!

Materials:

Glue gun
Cheap mirror (mine was $3 from a discount store)
2 kinds of lace
Ribbon is optional

My mirror has a thin plastic frame around it so I’m going to glue to that but if yours doesn’t then just glue straight to the glass. Ok starting with one end of your lace (the rufflier the better in my opinion) put a spot of glue in the middle of the bottom edge of the mirror frame. Don’t start at the corners otherwise you will have one corner that is slightly different from the others… and that would bother me.

Slowly continue gluing the lace until you reach a corner, glue right up to the edge like the picture below.

Now put a little dot of glue on top of the lace right on the corner.

While it’s still wet fold the lace over so it forms a right angle, it should look like below. Please be very careful when you do this, the glue is very hot and if you touch it it will burn you!

Keep going until you’ve done every side!

Now if you want you could leave it like this but I like over the top things so I want more lace! Flat lace works best for the next step. With this part it’s best to start at the corner because the pattern in the lace makes it easy to hide corners. Before deciding to start in the middle/corner check your own lace and see how it looks as some work better than others. You can use ribbon for this step if you prefer or put a strip of ribbon at the bottom etc. What are you waiting for? Be creative and get gluing!

Aaaaaand you’re done!

Time to test it out 😛

Now part 2 of this! Decorating a lamp!

This is what I ended up with:

Lighting is super important plain and simple. If you don’t have good lighting you can ruin your eyes trying to squint and read tiny fonts online. When you look for a lamp (as well as being cute) you should look for something with an easily replaceable bulb, variable brightnesses and the ability to adjust which way it’s facing. Being so adjustable means you can not only use it for reading online but also for different lighting effects in photos. A while ago I was sent this lamp from Buyster which was exactly what I was looking for (being very adjustable etc) but it was quite plain. So It was time to start decorating!

Materials:

Lace
Ribbon bows
Diamantes in various sizes
Fake flowers
Epoxy glue (make sure you check the packet for what temperature the glue is stable until as lamps can get very hot when left on for a long period of time)

Before you start test how hot your lamp gets when left on for a long time, if it get very hot in some places it’s best not to decorate there.

I decided to stick to a flowery theme and not go too over the top because James wanted to use the lamp too XD First roughly lay out what you want to do with your lamp, using epoxy glue means you only get one shot at the final product because once it’s stuck it’s not going anywhere. I decided to put lace around the bottom of the lamp.

After gluing my lace I added some large pink diamantes and pre-made ribbon bows.

Using a match stick with some old blue tack I dipped the back of each in glue and placed them. Be careful to hold them in place for a few minutes otherwise the glue will just run off and you’ll have a bunch of diamantes all over your lace.

I decided to cover where the neck and base meet with flowers. Because this part bends it’s not a good idea to use glue in this area so instead it’s better to thread a needle and sew the flowers in a circle around it.

Taadaa flowers…

As a bit of an after thought I added some diamantes to the top part. This part gets *very* hot if you leave it on for a while so my original idea of turning it into a gigantic hungry face of diamantes went out the window.

And there you have it, finished lamp! If you want to make one exactly like mine you can get this kind of lamp here.

Hope this was kind of helpful and stay tuned next time for Part 3- Putting it all together and what else do you need?

As always let me know if you have any tips for setting up your blogging space!

How to Travel in Style with Violet

by VioletLeBeaux | Nov 4, 2009 | Craft, Decoden, Inspiration, Life, Other-Tutorials, Travel In Style, Tutorial

I’ve done quite a bit of traveling in my time and I love exploring new and interesting places but I always try to travel in style.

I try to make my everyday life as beautiful as possible and traveling is no different. You won’t find me in sweat pants and thongs (or flip flops for my American readers), I want to feel as pretty leaving a 7 hour flight as I do going out to dinner!

So with my recent trip to Singapore I thought it was the perfect time to show you all how I travel in style. This is a compilation of tips I’ve picked up on my travels and my “must have” items for along the way.

First thing’s first…

Take something lucky

I’m not a superstitious person by nature but there’s a story behind this one! The day before we went to Singapore James and I were doing some last minute shopping in the city. I was feeling a little light headed so we stopped at McDonalds for some fries. As I was walking away I checked my change and what should be there but a Singaporean 10 cent piece!!

I was so surprised, normally if I get anything foreign in my change it’s New Zealand currency. This seemed so random and fateful that I kept it in a special compartment in my bag the whole trip!

On the plane:

Take some good headphones (and an ipod if you want to listen to *good* music). I hate airplane headphones, they are usually uncomfortable and don’t block outside sounds. Also they aren’t anywhere near as cute as mine! Headphones are super easy to deco, even if you have little ear bud ones a few diamantes will jazz them up nicely!

Keep hair and make up simple but elegant.

If you want to do make up, take a kit with everything you need for touch ups before landing. Keep in mind that you might need to sleep in what you’re wearing. I love false eye lashes because they are hard to mess up even in your sleep! On flights to and from SG I wore little individual lashes on the corners of my eyes for a little punch with no effort (review on the lashes soon). I did my hair in Kitty Rolls which were comfortable, survived sleeping but still looked cute.

Below are some of my travel essentials. Clear zip pouch with make up and liquids, letter writing kit, wet naps, face washer, mini sewing kit and bag tags for checked in luggage.

A cute travel document holder is an essential.

I would be forever loosing my boarding pass or passport if I didn’t have something this bright to remind me! I deco’d this one myself.

And of course a matching passport holder helps too 😉 These are all made of suede so they feel soft enough to be used as a pillow if it’s an emergency!

A sleeping mask

Something overly cute suits best! I want to be adorable even when I’m asleep so I picked the sugariest thing I could possibly find ^_^

A jacket

Take it on the plane with you, seriously. Even if you’re going to a hot destination the plane is always freezing and those little blankets don’t help. Good protection against the rain too.

Things to keep you entertained.

I take pens, note book, DS and games and well as my little UFO hand massager which is awesome for when you just want to relax. I am a very fidgety person so I take as many little things to play with as possible. With this I can continue my Japanese lessons on the DS then practice kanji or sentence structure in my note book.

Candy!

Candy is good to pop your ears in the plane and also tastes great. And they are a good conversation starter if a cute boy is sitting next to you 😉

<
p style=”text-align: center; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);”>Beating the climate bug

Pick clothes that are appropriate for your situation. Fabrics that don’t wrinkle or require ironing are great for long flights but synthetic fabrics are horrible in hot climates! On the plane to SG I wore a cotton printed cord dress with a lace cardigan over the top.

Fabric choice is important. While in the heat in SG I wore thin stockings, cotton dresses and cardigans. Everyone was sweltering in the heat, even though I was wearing more layers I was cool because I was wearing fabric that could breathe.

Layering is the key to being ready for any weather! Cardigans are awesome, you can dress them up or down, take them off if you’re hot or add a jacket if you’re cold.

Weapons of choice:

A fan

I picked this one up for $0.70 and added bows, diamantes and lace. They are compact and can be invaluable in the heat. They can also be used to hide yawns behind in boring situations, keep your coughs or sneezes to yourself or whisper gossip to a friend 😉 Keep it in your hand bag!

A singlet

Singlets are the ultimate versatile piece of travel clothing. Wear during the day if it’s hot, layer with a cardigan to go out to dinner, use as pajamas or as swimmers if you’re in a pinch. Cute pajamas are surprisingly important, if you have luck like mine you’ll end up outside at 2am for a fire drill chatting to the other hotel patrons so this is probably not the right time to sleep in the nude 😉 Be prepared for anything because holidays are all about going with the flow!

Sun protection eg. a sun hat, sunscreen etc.

The sun is mean and evil, stay away from it! No one likes sun burn, it’s icky. Don’t stop protecting your skin just because you’re on holiday. ‘Nuff said.

Sunglasses

… ok maybe not “‘Nuff said”… These are only half for the sun protection though. The other half is looking damn good! There is nothing classier that popping on some nice sunglasses when you’re not feeling 100%. Hide the bags under your eyes from the 7hr flight and look like a rock star 😉

A handbag sized umbrella.

These fold down so tiny there’s not much of an excuse not to have one. This one has an aluminum frame so it’s super light and is perfect in unpredictable weather or in place of a parasol.

A scarf

I carry a scarf and a face washer with me pretty much all the time. The face washer was a gift from a friend in Japan, the lady’s bathrooms there don’t have hand towels so most girls carry their own but it’s also useful for mopping up spills on nice dresses, fixing make up, using as a small pillow and the list goes on!

The scarf is not only useful but looks damn stylish hanging off a handbag! Did your hair get ruined? Then wear it like a 50’s movie star. Forget the hot rollers? Use it for pin curls. Sudden hay fever attack and not a tissue in sight? Well you get the idea…

Other travel musts:

Gifts for the new friends you meet!

I didn’t get to hand any of these little babies out because we were just so busy but I really wanted to give them to the organizers at Nuffnang. It’s a really great idea to take something from your home country. These little kangaroo and koala toys didn’t cost much but I hand glued a bow and diamante to each to personalize them. That way your friends will have something cute to remember you by 🙂 And you won’t feel awkward if someone gets you something nice because you’ll have something give back!

Slippers

You never know where you’re going to have to walk in your hotel. Whether it’s for that proverbial 2am fire drill or you want to visit a friend down the hall, you never know who’s icky feet have been there before you. Cute little ones like these only cost me $10 and they fold up to practically nothing in your suitcase.

Nail repair kit

I am a big believer in preparing for any situation, James says I should have been a girl scout. That’s why I carry a nail repair kit with spare nails, glue clear polish and anything else you might need.

Bags within bags within bags within bags…

This is important because it keeps everything nice and separate in your suitcase, no searching through the make up bag for a hair band because they have their own bags! Being organized is key to a fantastic wardrobe, if you are well organized you can find all the right accessories at a glance… and there are is always room somewhere in here for more little bits and pieces you buy along the way.

Tiny cute bottles.

These cost $1.50 per pair and they are some of the best things I’ve ever bought. This way you can take all of your usual bathroom liquids with you. You can even get ones with spray lids for things like curl enhancer. Very cleaver.

Business cards:

You never know who you’re going to meet while out and about and if you’ve got a blog or business then it’s a great idea to have a couple of business cards with you. Mine are double layered so there is my blog card on top and by graphic design card on bottom. They stand out because they are fastened with a bow in the top corner ^_^

Foreign currency

Don’t go anywhere without it. Some places don’t accept credit cards etc so make sure you check before you go, it’s always useful to have some foreign currency on hand for taxis etc anyway.

A bag full of cables for your various gadgets.

Definitely important so you can charge your ipod/laptop/phone etc. A power point converter is also a great idea. The most important part of this is the bag, don’t bother going searching through your whole suitcase just grab the bag. On the way home the bag also be used as carry on luggage for all that extra shopping 😉

Luggage:

I hate not being able to find my luggage at the other end. I’m also paranoid because I’ve had luggage stolen before and no matter what compensation you get there are some things which can’t be replaced. So if it can’t be replaced, don’t pack it. I also hate that all luggage pretty much looks the same. Ideally I would have liked one of these babies by Hideo Wakamatsu but as we only discovered how broken our old cases were the day before we left, I didn’t really have time to shop for a new one :(… It’s made my dream list for next time though, in fact I would go as far as to say that this is my dream suitcase! (click the image for the specs)

So in lue of one of those beauties we borrowed plan old suit cases from James’ parents. To make it more memorable I tied some old crappy acrylic lace around it several times. James laughed at me but it worked, we spotted our bags in like 2 seconds at the other end and were out of there!

Super bright bag tags help too if you can’t afford a whole new suitcase.

When you get home…

Unpack everything as quickly as possible otherwise you’ll get lazy and it will never get done! I’ve left a suitcase for weeks before because I was tired when I got home and then got busy at work, don’t fall into the trap! It only took me like half an hour to unpack both of our cases this time.

So hopefully you’ve enjoyed some of my silly tips and they make your next trip even more fun!

Do you have some fun tips to share with me? What are your favorite tips to travel in style?

Hime Gyaru Craft on a Budget

by VioletLeBeaux | Sep 14, 2009 | Hime Gyaru, Inspiration

If you’re interested in them, you probably know how expensive Hime Gyaru styles can be.

Dresses at Jesus Diamante go on average for $700 and then there are shoes, accessories, hair pieces, make up supplies and all the rest that goes into such a detailed look. A lot of being a Princess is in the details and details can be expensive!

But I am a firm believer that people should be in control of their own budgets and if you want something bad enough you’ll make it happen. I know that it can be tempting but I am not the kind of girl who will spend her rent budget on a pretty dress! That’s why when I want something before I’ll buy it, I will toss up whether it’s worth making it. I’m not saying I don’t love brand to death but I love my $2 store as well 😉

So the other week James and I took a trip to Lincraft, our local craft supplies/fabric store for supplies to make some new accessories. James found some 3D glasses that some kid had left behind… stylish no?

He looks like such a ladies man holding all of my craft supplies XD

In the same complex as Lincraft is my faaaavorite burger place “Big Chief Burgers”. Oh they are the most delicious thing you would ever wrap your mouth around.

James once told me that if he could he’d marry that burger XD They make a cute couple! I’d be ok with that as long as I could get free burgers!

In case you were ever wondering what Hime Gyaru’s eat, the answer is gigantic burgers which are pretty much as big as their hair… and a side of chips with secret country sauce. I bet you thought we only eat delicate cakes with tea… ok I admit it, I had a cup of tea just out of shot of this photo 😛

And for desert? The best cheese cake in the universe: cookies and cream! Man I’m getting so hungry just thinking about this again!

So after all of that delicious food I got down to doing some crafting. I’m quite a messy crafter, this is what my table looks like…

And in case you’re interested here are some of the things that made it out of the mess of pearls:

A ring with blue paper flowers, pearls and purple beads. The flowers have little dew drops on it.

Pink paper flowers on a barrette clip thingy. Looks super cute with Kitty rolls.

I couldn’t decide whether to put this on a brooch clip or a hair clip. I think I might just make 2 and have both!

I love this little ring. Actually I just love jewelery with dangly things 😀

Double felt hair bow with a string of pearls.

Lace and pearl felt iPhone pouch . I wanted something cute for Ruri to sit in, the little pocket in my bag is too hard to get to.

Red felt iPhone case for Ruri. The heart on this is actually a flap to give it extra security.

Pearl bracelet with dangles!

My favorite of the things I made that day was this pearl watch 😀 I got the watch face at Lincraft ages ago so I just added the pearls and flowers I bought that day with a couple of bows and tadaa! I also made another pearl necklace that day but I was wearing it while I took these photos so I forgot about it!

Not bad for an afternoon though right?

I’m sure you’re all sick of seeing all my silly craft things by now though so I’m going to write a proper guide to Hime on a budget and leave it at that for now ^_^

Have a good afternoon and good luck with your hime gyaru crafting!

Outfit of the Day, dinner and Pink Gundams

by VioletLeBeaux | Jul 20, 2009 | Hime Gyaru, Inspiration, Outfit Of The Day

Ok so you all kind of saw this outfit last week but oh well, I thought I’d post these anyway!

James bought himself some new lights for his photography and wanted to test them out, who better to pose 😉

Oh also sorry for missing ACEO Friday, it will be back next week 🙂

Obviously this was before I dyed my hair again , I have a backlog of photos to post from then!

Outfit consists of white stockings, modified white heels, BtSSB Sleeping Alice jsk, Thrift store Cardigan, AP bow, red Target jacket, Pearl choker and a bunch of other jewelery. There are flowers in my hair too. I just love my flowers. I’ve actually just recieved a shipment from Yuki so I’m going to be doing a couple of tutorials and things with them, look forward to it!

And I wanted to make you all jealous with my awesome pork curry for dinner the other night. I looove pork curry.

Now something which is sure to make all of you into Decoden smile… DECO GUNDAM! You read right, it’s actually a Gundam figure that someone has deco’d. How awesome is this?

I’m not sure where these pictures are from originally so credit to whoever owns them.

I love the little star coming from it’s gun!

If I were going to pilot a Gundam I hope they would have the curtacy to decorate it like this!

Now I have a question to ask you guys… is there anything specific that you would like to see on my blog? Is there a particular design of nail art you want a tutorial on? Hair style? Want to see a shop reviewed? Want to know more about me personally? Have a question you’re dying to ask? Desperate to know what shade of lipstick I wear?

Well now is your chance to ask! Just leave me a comment and I’ll add it to my “To Do” list. Or maybe just more outfit posts 😉

My Hime Gyaru Inspirations…

by VioletLeBeaux | Jul 15, 2009 | About Me, Decoden, Hime Gyaru, Inspiration, Life, Nails

Well I’ve had quite a few questions about what inspires me to do the things I do and clothes I wear. I’ve been asked what blogs I read too so I thought I’d use today’s post to give a bit of a shout out to people I admire and my favorite things! This is going to be a pretty long post because I have a lot of wonderful people to talk about, at the end there are random facts about me you didn’t know so keep reading!

I’m also going to be adding to this over time too.(All photos other than the one above credited to their original owners and found via google images ^_^ Also these are all my opinions, I’m not being paid to endorse anything hahaha!)

Styles that Inspire me:

Hime Gyaru Hime style is what I’m most inspired by at the moment. The philosophy is basically to live like a princess! Big hair, big accessories and big nails, I love it all. Many people refer to this style as “Lolita’s older sister” because many Lolitas graduate to this style. It’s slightly more grown up but not much! I think it’s less restrictive though, I can wear beautiful high heels 😀

Lolita One of my first fashion loves was Lolita and no matter what I do I’ll never shake it completely! While I still love the over the top-ness that is Sweet Style, after almost 5 years or so I’m moving towards Classic styles. Still love my pettis though 😀

1950-60’s and RockabillyI love the music and the dresses. I may not have ben alive when it happened but I sure love that style! I know it’s oversimplifying it but I wish girls still got all dolled up for a night at the Malt Shop ^_^ So classy and classicly beautiful. This cut of dress is flattering on almost anyone.

Shops that I Love: Angelic Pretty- The ultimate Lolita store, enough said. I still love their accessories and a lot of the dresses. http://www.angelicpretty.com/en/ http://www.angelicpretty.com/

Jesus Diamante- Jesus Diamante is to Hime Gyaru what AP is to Lolita. I looove so many of their accessories and dresses. I would kill for some of their shoes… so expensive though ;_; http://www.jesusdiamante.com/

OC Nails- Kathleen over at OC nails is a champion! They sell fantastic Konad supplies and they regularly offer free shipping for orders over $20… even international shipping! I’ve placed orders and the communication is fantastic and the shipping was very promt. Proper review next time I order 🙂 Anyway if you need any Konad nail art supplies check them out! http://www.ocnailart.com/

NailsEtoile.com– This nail shop is run by Mitsue in Adelaide. She seriosly has some of the prettiest and most creative designs I’ve ever seen! She’s super nice too 😀 Currently her shop is under construction but you can still see all her tutorials here:http://www.create-magical-nails.com/ Full Moon Deco- Yuki runs this shop out of Australia, she sells lots of fake nails but also she sells a lot of imported http://fullmoon07xxx.ocnk.net/ Blogs that I Loooove:

In no particular order…

Create Magical Nails This is Mitsue’s blog, she writes the best nail art tutorials. She’s also my Princess Sister from another city ^_^ You might have already clicked the link to her shop in the section above, if not check this out because she makes the best acrylic nails I’ve ever seen! http://miniblog.create-magical-nails.com/mini_nail_blog/ Getcha Nails Did Brooke is the champi on of nail polish. If you are into nails and haven’t been to her blog get there quickly! http://getchanailsdid.blogspot.com/ Jimmy America My wonderful boyfriend James’ blog. I sure do love him. He writes about random things and cameras. http://jimmyamerica.blogspot.com/ Sigmate’s Studio Sigmate writes about comic books and comic book artists. He features a different artist and interviews them every week! http://sigmatestudio.com/ Princessly Living A very well written blog about Lolita fashion. There are great articles and Lady Kristen writes with inteligence and knowledge that can only come with being in the subcultre for a long time. http://princess-living.blogspot.com/ Not sure the title… An adorable blog of a Japanese Lolita girl. I haven’t gotten a chance to read much of it yet but the pictures are enough to keep me coming back! http://utsugixtarte.blog74.fc2.com/ Hey Lola One word: hilarious. http://www.loveheylola.com/ Vestque’s Creations Vestque makes some really fantastic artwork, she’s also a really nice person! My favorite works of hers are the cute anime versions of real people she does, check a couple of posts back to see the ones she did of me, too cute! http://vestque.wordpress.com/ One Thousand Frills An intelectual take on Lolita. Several really well writen essays and thoughts on Lolita fashion. Cassandra is also a really great comic book artist. http://onethousandfrills.blogspot.com/ Super Kawaii Mama A melbourne fashion icon… but mostly just a really nice lady! Candice gives style tips for retro themed looks and regularly blogs about her awesome outfits. http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/ Blue Crane Design My work blog… of course I read it, I write it! Writings about graphic design and all kinds of other junk 😉 http://bluecranedesign.blogspot.com/ Himehood Has quite a few tutorials on how to make hime style things at home. http://himehood.blogspot.com/ Konaddict A relatively new blog which features some of the prettiest Konad designs I’ve ever seen. Tutorials for all of them too! http://konaddict.blogspot.com/ Xiaxue Ok a lot of people hate her but I think she’s pretty damn funny! Outrageous but hilarious. http://xiaxue.blogspot.com/ Koakumachou Adorable little Siru’s blog. She’s a beautiful girl who’s interested in Gyaru fashion and does a fantastic job at it! Lots of cute photos. http://koakumachou.blogspot.com/ Never Too Much Glitter Written by a girl living in Japan with a love for glitter and rhinestones, this blog has super cute nail art. Almost a new nail art pic every day. If you love bling, you’ll love this! http://nevertoomuchglitter.wordpress.com/ Hearty and Hearty Japanese hime blog, makes her own increadible hime deco items. Lots of pink and frills, written by one of the cutest princesses I’ve ever seen 🙂 http://hearty2.blogspot.com Madam Salami Hand made and recycled goods by Madam Salami. Full of cute one of a kind clothing and cute anecdotes. http://handmadebymadamsalami.blogspot.com/ Clockwork Dahlia Lots of nail polish reviews and swatches as well as some other interesting and random things. http://clockworkdahlia.blogspot.com/ Cranky Twin Mom LOVE this blog! Heather has her own etsy shop which I’ve reviewed here before. She talks about her new products and being a mother of twins, very funny! http://crankytwinmom.blogspot.com/ Cherry Pop Lots of Japanese magazine scans and gyaru pictures. Also sometimes includes videos and pictures of fashion shows. http://cherrypop.over-blog.com/ Groups and websites: Ricoche Ricoche is a forum/gallery/meeting place/everything for all types of Gyaru. There aren’t many Hime style girls here but keep an eye out and you’ll spot them ^_^ Has a massive amount of information and photos. http://www.ricoche.net/ Poupee Girl Fantastic time wasting site! Upload your wardrobe and comment, then dress up your virtual doll. So much fun! http://pupe.ameba.jp/ People/celebrities/models I admire: Keiko Mizoe Keiko is the ultimate Hime Gyaru. She is the top shop assistant at Jesus Diamante and models for the magazine Ageha. I’m jealous! Ah can you imagine an unlimited JD wardrobe at your disposal? *sigh* one day. So I admire her because she works hard at what she does, she has style and she does it very well! James McDuff Yep James gets another mention because he’s awesome. I really do admire him, he’s so good to me. He has a great outlook on life and is always positive when I tend to be negative. He’s put up with a lot and we’re still together and going strong! Also I just enjoy posting unflattering photos of him 😀 This was when he was cleaning the bathroom and I ran in and surprised him! To be honest as much as I’m inspired by the looks of some famous people, the people who inspire me most of all are you guys! I love reading your blogs and especially your comments, you all make my day and make me want to keep posting often! Some random things you didn’t know about me: -I looove candy and sweet things but my favorite food is pasta -I don’t like ice cream or people who smoke -I had blue hair for around 6 months -I am fanatical about saving money for a rainy day -I have lived in 23 houses… so far -I cut my finger today while making lunch 🙁 -I have been ill for the last 2 years with a disease no one can figure out, I have seizures and that sucks. -I love playing video games! Especially Super Smash Bros, I am champion at it! For the future: -I’m going to grow my hair out or maybe I’ll get some proper extensions. -I’m going to buckle down and learn more Japanese, at the moment I think I could chat to a kindergardener ^_^ Kanji here I come! -Saving money for a trip to Japan and a house deposit -WORK WORK WORK! Hard work sees results so I am going to work my butt off 😀

Sylvanian Families

by VioletLeBeaux | Jun 6, 2009 | Inspiration, Life

I love Sylvanian Families.

Ok I know this is fairly childish but sometimes I like to play with toys. Oh come on you have to admit that being a kid was pretty fun!

These are some toys I got in Japan, the rabbit (named Ichigo) was from a series called “Sylvanian Families” that I had a lot of when I was a child. I thought they had stopped making them but apparently not! Everything else came our of a vending machine somewhere in Akihabara.

Here they are in their box:

And all set up:

I love the crazy detailing on everything, I mean even the sandwiches have the fillings painted on the side. Man I wish my picnics looked like this!

Mmmm giant strawberry cake.

So do you guys like anything silly and childish like this or am I just a bit silly? Personally I think that sometimes when the rest of life is stressful it’s nice to have something simple.

Don’t get me wrong I’m not playing with these guys every night in my mum’s basement but I do watch Judge Judy after work to unwind! What do you guys do to relax? Do you collect dolls, toys or Sylvanian Families?