Tornados

Thoughts and prayers to those effected by the storms yesterday.

Pretty of the Week: Aristo Kitty's Invitation

I love kittens. I also love dresses that are sweet but have the ability to be other things as well. I saw this dress when a friend of mine wore it and have lusted over it just a tiny bit ever since. The chocolate version is my favorite, though I also adore the black. Which is the one I got in the mail just this morning. I was lucky enough to stumble over it on fururun.com and actually got it. While it isn't my favorite color way, I have a weakness for black and pink. Needless to say I'm super excited about my first brand dress. I plan to wear it for the late Easter/early Mother's day dinner this weekend.

Life: not an excuse, but an update

So I've mentioned a few times that I've gotten a bit of a hectic schedule as of late. Being that I've missed a few posts now, I feel it's only fair to give a brief explanation. Not as an excuse, but to assure everyone that I'm not simply forgetting and that in time I will return to more frequent updates.

The craziness started at work, when the whole office was shifted to a new system and I turned from part time to full time overnight and with little to no warning. While it took a bit of adjusting, it wasn't what completely eradicated my free time.

Shortly after the changes at work I was informed by my con-partner that we were getting a table at an upcoming convention, surprise! This was a little stressful, but in a good, productive sort of way. And really, that was only because I'd not been restocking all my art as planned because trying new things was more fun.

Then last week we got news that has made any con panic I had seem incredibly small in comparison: my husband and I are moving to south Florida in June. The weekend after said con, in fact. So now I'm crafting like mad (I wouldn't feel right leaving my friend hanging) packing when I'm not crafting or working and then flopping down on the couch to watch Dr Who in a semi-comatose state when I can no longer do either of those things. I also have to make time to see the friends and family which will soon be a fourteen hour drive away, which is near impossible given the full work week and small number of weekends before the move. And I'm trying to do math in an attempt to some how have a wardrobe which won't reduce me to a puddle once I reach Florida.

So I feel as if my plate is a bit full at the moment. I've stolen a couple hours here and there for reading, but it's not the sort of time that's productive for reviews. I also snuck out to spend a handful of hours to visit the con last weekend with the excuse that the dealer's room would provide needed birthday gifts and I really wanted to go to the tea party - even if it was more of a sip-and-run than anything else.

I've managed to build a very small back log of shorter posts for the next week or so. I won't be going on hiatus if I can avoid it. I even have plans for a contest around July, though the one I had planned to celebrate the Thor movie will not be happening at this point. I beg you to bear with me and to forgive any late or missed posts. Everything should be back to normal in a couple months.

On a brighter note, a girl at the con had an amazing Batman dress.

I want this.

Books for Lolitas: Keturah and Lord Death

Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt

Stories about stories are one of my favorite kind of stories.

I'm not sure exactly how to classify this particular book. It isn't quite fairy tale, though it has some of the elements to it that could make it so. It isn't quite myth, though it has elements from Persephone  in it. And it certainly isn't a happy sort of tale, but it isn't a sad story either. Have I ever mentioned how much I love bittersweet endings?

The story begins with a peasant girl named Keturah getting lost in the woods after following the hart she has so often told stories of around the village fire. It is then that she meets Lord Death and learns her fate. Heartbroken for the love that she has yet to find, she tempts Lord Death into letting her live for the chance of it - and for the chance to save her home from the plague she now knows is coming. What follows is a match making quest with her dearest friends, lemon pies, magic charms and a love story that even Keturah does not see coming.

The writing is beautiful and dramatic, the characters are deep and even the daily life of the village is interesting to read about. It's a story about story telling and about what truly loving something is. If I had to make a list of the top ten books people should read, this would certainly be on it.

Books for Lolitas: Into the Land of the Unicorns

 Into the Land of the Unicorns

I'd be very surprised if this book is new to many. I remember this being one of my favorite stories to read as a child. Though I consider myself very lucky that I was wise enough not to take the same approach to this book as I did to the Narnia stories. Climbing into anything that seems wardrobe like seems much safer than jumping off buildings.

Cara Hunter leaps from a church's bell tower - taking her grandmother's word that it's the safest thing to do at the time. She falls not onto the streets below, but into another world she knows nothing about. All she has is her grandmother's amulet and the instructions to deliver it to the unicorn queen. She's helped along the way by the young unicorn Lightfoot and a small group of other interesting creatures.

It's not a work of literary genius. The plot is, at times, quite random and has little set up for any of the events that happen. Perhaps this is because the Cara is swept up in events she has no understanding of, but the result is a book that doesn't cross the line from 'early reader' to 'young adult' literature. This isn't a failing, but simply a fact. I have fond memories of this story, but I will admit that it is one that for me is best kept in the warm glow of nostalgia rather than being re-examined with more mature eyes. Those that haven't seen the book before, use your own judgment. Less picky readers will likely find a lot to enjoy in the story and the characters. If you have a problem with writing mechanics not quite being up to your level, perhaps this is a book you might enjoy sharing with younger readers.

Books for Lolitas: Princess Academy

I owe everyone an apology for the late update this week. There were issues with what I had planned to review, and with being busy in general. I'm in the middle of unexpected con prep at the moment, and between that and work I've not had much energy for reading - or at least not for reading with a mind to review the book. (I promise that the werewolf book will get a review at some point but right now it would consist mostly of squee.)

So it was with some dismay that yesterday I realized the book I'd checked out from the library to review this week had yet to be opened. I held off on the review with the hope that I could get it read over night - as it was a short book. But I after getting about a fifth of the way in I had to put it away in disgust. You guys, I don't mind it when a book surprises me. In fact I really like that. I'm not a fan of false advertising, though. If the name 'retelling of ___' is in the title and even I can't see the connection then there just might be a problem with the marketing. The sad part is that the writing was decent, if a little jumpy in places, and it was probably a very good book. Chances are I would have picked it up and enjoyed it if the title and description had been honest. But it outright lied to me, so I'll never know.

The important part is that this means the review I had wanted to write isn't going to happen. It doesn't mean there isn't a review. Gosh, I don't read only things I want to review. But the book in the list I most want to review is by an author I've already covered in another post. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I suppose.  I had just hoped I could point out something NEW. But alas. It's still a fabulous book.

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Princess Academy is the story of Miri, a girl living in a mountain village where everyone makes a living in the rock quarry. Only, Miri isn't allowed to work, since she is so small. Her life changes, however, when the girls of the village are taken to the princess academy. One of them will wed the prince and get a happily ever after. It sounds like a very typical story - one that's just a little overused - but it has several very interesting twists. Miri is not the average poor girl turned princess, and she has dreams that lead readers down an unexpected turn.

This is a short read and the premise is a little on the silly side, but the characters and story telling really make it worth while. Miri is certainly an interesting take on the possible princess. Of course she is sucked into the pretty things, but she remains selfless and unique throughout the tale. I'd really recommend this as a book for days when you need a little boost of optimism, courage and maybe a smidgen of excitement.

Please forgive any posts I make in the next month that are abnormally short or slightly late. I'll do my best to keep the blog active and I do have a list of previously read books I can go through. Expect to see a few older, more familiar (possibly) titles in the next few weeks.

Craft Project: Casual Batman Loli

So a while ago I mentioned that before the end of the year I would make myself a Batman coordinate. The other day I stumbled across some really fun fabric. It wasn't enough to make a jsk, or even a matching hair bow, but I did end up with a fun skirt for when I want a casual outfit. Forgive the lack of shoes or makeup, we just did a few random shots to show off the skirt.

Batman x Wonder Woman = OTP

Pretty of the Week: Little Red Riding Hood Applique

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This week I've been thoroughly enjoying my newest book - one I'm sure will review eventually. It's put me on a very un-loli werewolf kick. Which made me wonder if it was in fact un-loli. So many fairy tales involve wolves, after all. Immediately this dress came to mind. It's always been one I've liked. It has such charm, and I'm a huge fan of both fairy tale themes and embroidery.

I know if I was a werewolf I would certainly wear this dress as much as possible.

Books for Lolitas: Toads and Diamonds

Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson

A very different sort of fairy tale fills the pages of this week's book. Gone are the forests filled with dear, the little fairies, glass slippers and princesses. This is a story about two sisters who live in poverty until they are visited by a goddess. One sister is blessed to speak flowers and jewels, the other cursed to speak toads and snakes. The two are separated by this twist of fate and set off on very different paths while they search for a reason behind the gifts and to figure out what is a blessing and what is a curse.

This book is a very fast read, and the author has a gift for description that makes it a true delight. The two sisters are both excellent characters and I was glad to see a version of this tale where there was no bad sister and where the two had a strong bond. The book questions blessings and curses - making a point of the fact that they are often not as they seem at first and sometimes may even be the same thing.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for anyone who likes books about far off exotic places and tales of curses/blessings. It really does have a lot going on and a bit of something for nearly everyone. I will say, however, that it does deal with religious themes in a way that is very hard to ignore. While I know many people would not be bothered by this, I do feel as if I should point out that this is there for those that do, as it came upon me rather unexpectedly.

Love

Today I have a chance to buy my first brand dress, and while I may decide to wait and buy a second dress in a month's time, I have a kind of light headed feeling. Not necessarily because it's brand but because there are two dresses I've been having daydreams about lately. And I may be able to have them outside of dreams now. I felt it before, when I first put in my order for the infanta dress. It's made me pause to consider how very lucky lolitas are. Because I don't imagine there are many that can feel this way about the clothes they put on.

I had expected that over time the feeling would quietly slip away, but I found that it's only grown. Every time I slip on one of my jumperskirts a bit of joy flutters inside. I remember when I hated get ready in the mornings, but I don't anymore. There's a ritual to it now, a specialness. Even on the days when I'm dressing down, a homemade skirt and t-shirt still make me feel beautiful and confident in a way ordinary clothes never could. And putting on a favorite dress - my green dress or the nightingale dress or my embroidered key dress - makes me feel like I'm full of so much happiness there's no way it's not leaking out onto everyone around me. The thought of new dresses, ones I've wanted for ages now, makes me feel my heart is performing a Disney musical with all the sad parts cut out. The thought of wearing those dresses... I don't even know.

I hope this love of the fashion doesn't fade over time. It's a truly wonderful feeling to love something as simple as the way you dress. I'm still not sure exactly what I'll do about ordering the dress(es) but just having the option is such a wonderful feeling.

The possible second dress. Nearly invisible rabbits!