Let's Join the Lolita Blog Carnival! (Episode 3- DIY Gift ideas!)

Dear Kitten Cotton Candy Bubble Gum Kids, (<3)

Another post for the wonderful Lolita Blog Carnival!

I really don't have many ideas for this particular topic because I am not currently the greatest at DIY projects (I wanted this topic to win, because I wanted to hear everyone else's ideas to help me!). I need to buy materials and that is just not possible for me right now. I do sit around watching a LOT of videos on how to make things some days though and that may be just enough to help you all with your gift making needs. It can be easier if all the links are put in one place!

With Christmas right around the corner you may be feeling the stresses of what you should get everyone you love. I know I am! With only 50 dollars to spend on everyone for Christmas, I'm going home for Christmas so I can't get a job until I get back. If your on a budget like me you may be wondering what you can do to see that smile on all your loved ones faces and if you thoughtfully make them something from your heart the smile is sure to grow even bigger!

I separated some different links to DIY tutorials into different levels of difficulty so it will be quicker and easier for you to find something at your skill level. I will also offer my own personal advice on each tutorial. Now, welcome to my secret world of cute tutorials!

EASY (Cheap, Little to no sewing)

 ♥Glass Bottle Charms! 
   ★Fairy in a Bottle- More delicate wings could be easily made with tulle and wire! You could also glue on some sparkling shapes like hearts and stars onto your fairy wings. The body could be substituted with a bead or two, but the wire wings likely won't go on as well. A different shape could be made with the Polymer clay for a different kind of fairy look. This tutorial compares to this expensive charm on Etsy. If you would like to copy the look of this charm suspend your fairy in clear soap. Put half of the clear soap in your bottle then carefully place your fairy in and cover the rest with soap. If you want your fairy to be more secure you can combine the fishing line technique in the tutorial with the soap method (It just might get a little complicated I'd imagine, but I believe in you!). This fairy from etsy looks like it could have been made with tulle and wire wings and a fake pink pearl body. The charm could be replicated if that look is one you would rather have for your charm. If you use a clay fairy and want it's body to be sturdy you can bake it! Polymer clay is pretty easy to bake (or) and I've been wanting to try my hand at making polymer clay charms myself. 
   ★Standard Easy Bottle Charm- This is very very easy, but still so cute! Your friends will love them, wouldn't you? Bottle charms will work for anyone! Just make sure the colors and bottle filling fit their own unique style and personality! So many ideas!
   ★Special Meaningful Bottle Charms- This is by far my favorite of the bottle charms. I remember having a fairy dust necklace when I was younger and I wore it all the time then cried when it broke. Something about the idea of magic touched my heart even if it was just glitter(which it wasn't!). Your friend will appreciate the fact that you were thinking of them when you made this adorable gift! The different ideas for a meaningful bottle charm are fairy dust, love potion, nightlock berries(The Hunger Games, or), fairy glow(just put it in a bottle and maybe add some glitter), some of your blood (lol not really :P), message in a bottle, dragon tears, Alice in Wonderland "Drink Me", Harry Potter potions and other magicalness (unicorn blood, Drink of Despair,Gillyweed,Polyjuice Potion, there are many many more possibilities and she has several on her channel here), the possibilities are endless! Just use your imagination and glue on some labels if you want!
♥ Polymer Clay Charms! 
   ★Polymer clay can do anything! You can make something for everyone! Remember those bottle charms from earlier? You could use white glue or soap and white paint to make a bottle of "milk" and you could use polymer clay to make a chocolate chip cookie and just put them both on a key chain. Also, you could take your Alice in Wonderland "Drink Me" bottle and you could pair it with an "Eat Me" cookie for a complete set! Here I will share a few tutorials that may help you create different polymer clay charms. I'm putting them in neat and easy categories based on Lolita sub-styles, but you know your friends best and what would fit them the most. I will only provide a few examples of what you can make so you can have the joy of making your own charm or finding a tutorial that best works for you. 
    ♥Sweet Lolita
Cute Scented Cookie Charms, Rainbow Macaroon Cake Charm, Bow Ring (Could also make a cupcake ring or whatever you want~) 
    ♥Classic Lolita
Rose, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ7rS1QmdoMFrench Pastry Charms, Elegant Pendant
    ♥Gothic Lolita
Scented Halloween Cookie Charms(works well with Dark Fairy-kei too! Creepy-cute), Black Love Charm, Cross Charm, Black Cat Earrings

It would be fun for all of the above to make polymer clay friendship charms!    

You can buy little cork bottles at Micheal's, Hobby Lobby, or online.(It may be good for key chains and jewelry charms if you can find a plastic version instead of glass so it is harder to break) 

You can buy Polymer clay at the same places generally, here is a place to buy it online.

MEDIUM (Not too hard, may require some sewing)
♥Bows
  ★BOW TUTORIAL LINK ATTACK GO! Bow(Sweet) Bow Bow Earings Ribbon Bow Clips Bow No Sew Bow Headband Alice Bow
♥Doll Clothes
   ★ Is your friend a doll person? I know this Christmas I'm hoping to be able to get some cute dolls and accessories(I want a Blybe and Tangkou England)! I would be very happy if my friends made me clothes just for the occasion! Before you do this make sure you know your friend has or is getting a doll and make sure you make clothes for the correct type! Sewing patterns, doll dress tutorial  
♥Other Accessories
Headdress or, Half Bonnet 

ADVANCED (Use a rather high skill level and/or cost more to make)
♥Actual Lolita Clothes!
    ★ If you have the time and ability I'm sure your friends will be shocked and delighted to find out that this Christmas they are getting Lolita clothes handmade with love by you! Here are some helpful tutorials for this project here here here here For a lot of tutorials from one girl go to this channel she has many many tutorials. 
♥Metal Jewelry
   ★ I know it can be done, but I can't do it! It could be a great gift if you know how to do this. I tried to find some tutorials to help also! here I'm not sure what to recommend, but I wish you the best of luck! here 

Maybe you could write a meaningful card! Cards can go with your gift or even be the gift themselves. (If you can draw, or even if you think you can't, the card may be prettier with lots of special drawings!)

Other super blogs who also joined in on the fun!

Sweet and Simple

Sparkling Girl

Pop Princess

Sidhe Ban Shee

Spider Sugar

Monochrome Sparkle

Make Lovely

Dollhouse Diaries

Lemon Tree

tbc...

This took a lot longer than I expected! It was just a bunch of links after all. I'm very tired and my computer actually died half way through this and I had to rewrite some of it. I hope you enjoy all the thousands of links and ideas that I suggested and have a wonderful time making cute gifts!! If you make any gifts for your loved ones pleased show me I would love to see links!~ <3

Y-Y-Yours, 

Skiteanna La~Sweet

Let's Join the Lolita Blog Carnival! (Episode 2- 5 Super Fun Themed Meet-up Ideas!)

Dear Gummy Bear Stars,

Another Lolita Blog Carnival post! I was very happy this topic won, this is something I have previously thought a lot about and would love to hear the ideas of others also! This should be fun so let's dive right in!

(Typos are possible when I wrote this the keyboard was REALLY glitching!! If you catch any please tell me~!)

1. Murder Mystery Meet-up! 

 

Support the artist  http://www.flickr.com/photos/waltstoneburner/6879677636/

To start off, this is my oldest and also my favorite idea that I remember having for a themed meet-up. The scene starts off at a tea party, good friends are together again talking about the latest brand pieces. When suddenly a scream is heard from the other room, everyone rushes to investigate! The scream came from the party host who had moments earlier left the tea party to visit the powder room. She was looking in horror at her favorite teddy bear ripped to pieces on the ground. Everyone looked around at one another. Who could have done this? So then it begins.

Of course any number of plots could be developed, this is just my example. Before this meet-up could take place a lot of  planning would need to happen. I think a good way to host a meet-up like this would be to give each guest an invitation with critical game information. It could include a silly fake name for them to use and character traits, alibis, et cetera. The most important thing is to include whether they themselves are 'innocent' or 'guilty' of this crime. If your invitation says innocent your job is to look for clues and find the culprit. If your invitation says guilty your job is to not look suspicious and even find out more about others to set them up to take the fall. If the wrong person is accused by several people or if no one has discovered the culprit by the end of the party the guilty person wins. If someone does accuse the right person, that innocent person is the victor. The party may include a few NPCs that aren't there playing but to guide the party, such as the host who knows who the culprit really is because she/he passed out the invitations. If the host wishes to play she could think of some way she could both set the party up and not know the culprit. (If anyone has any suggestions for that leave then in the comments, I don't know if drawing from a hat would work because clues have to be left to lead to a specific person.) Even if they don't play it can be very fun for a host to host this kind of a party and if they wish to play next time they can ask a friend to play host next time. 

In the event the game is over early it would help for the host to have a second game plot ready to start or plans in the event the game was over early. A rousing game of clue would fit right into the theme. 

Guests can be given their silly name and personality early to help them get in character and decide what to wear. Guests could even be shown the names and personalities on your local Lolita group early enough for participants to pick for themselves (without knowing who is guilty). The character cards can be a fun way to get comfortable around the others because you know everyone will be acting silly. When the game is over have around 30 minutes prepared for everyone to talk as themselves and exchange information.

Example of a character card

Lady Frilly Bottom the Third

Refined and poised she never lets the business of others affect her. She does things at her own pace and always does everything with an element of grace. She is afraid of needles and rodents. She doesn't like to get dirty. She loves books and tea sets.

Innocent/Guilty (Keeping mystery in case anyone wants to use this character.)

The key is to make the character easy for the player to interpret and to make the character easy to leave clues about. Signs of her being guilty would be, left out books, signs that someone tried to clean up their mess, or signs of tea. Things that would make you think it wasn't her might be a big mess, mouse holes, or needles around the scene. 

Things the host needs

- Somekind of way to send invitations

- A place big enough to host the party

- A thought about plot

- To lay out clues

- Guests

Things guests need

- Their manners

- To be in character

- To follow the rules

Rules

- Don't get out of character or not follow your card, it may throw off the game

- Be polite

- Don't be a sore loser (Or winner for that matter) 

- Don't tell anyone if your innocent or guilty, everyone will likely 'pretend' to be innocent to appear not guilty and that's fine, but don't show anyone your card!

Can be done any time of the year, but might be extra fun near Halloween.

I think that is about it! This one will have the longest explanation because it is the most complicated, but fun, of my ideas!

2. Masquerade Ball!

Support the artist! http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I00000lqwOogoiIw/s/750/750/20090710-CarnivalMask-0059.jpg

I have a mask already from when my school was going to have one, then they cancelled it. This could be a lot of fun!! Just secure an area, get music, dress fancy, decorate, and everyone will wear masks! Masks can be bought or made, try to make sure your mask is very much you and goes with your outfit for the night. This could be a very fun meet-up, but this is really all the structure I have for it. If anyone else has any ideas that could make the ball more fun leave them in the comments! I'm thinking making it a bit like Cinderella would be fun, maybe staging a little flash mob kind of play right in the middle of the party! Can you imagine how magical it would be to suddenly see Cinderella come to life right before your eyes! Magic!~

 

 http://www.collegefashion.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Cinderella-Blue-Dress.jpg

Bippity Boppity Boo!

 

3. Renaissance Faire Themed!

 http://www.faenation.com/2007/04/15/renaissancefairefairies/

I've always wanted to go to one, but I've never had the opportunity. For anyone else who wants the experience, why not make our own? Everyone could be welcome to bring something for their own little 'booth' and dress up in their most enchanted coord. I am not an expert om these fairs, but I think they could go two different ways. Historically accurate or more fantasy themed. Real being queens, princesses and knights. Fantasy being evil witches, fairies, and dragons! A mix of the two would also be quite fun. Everyone could make up their own characters and have fun! A spin off of this idea would be a meet that was more exclusively fantasy such as mermaids and fairy outfits with little stories behind them.Everyone in the group can use the idea and put their own spins on it to make it as fun as possible! 

4. Style swap meet-up!/ What else do you wear besides Lolita?

 

http://tokyofashion.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2010-03-14-Harajuku-Fairy-Kei-Girls-001-P6207.jpg

This idea has two different possibilities.

First being swapping styles with a friend! Find a friend with a similar size as you and wardrobe swap for the night!  If you can't find someone to swap with then try your best to dress in a different lolita style than you usually do with things you have in your own closet.

Second being, show people another alternate style you like to wear besides Lolita, say you also like Fairy-kei like I do. You could dress in Fairy-kei or anything and help expand your fellow Lolitas knowledge of other styles they may enjoy! You could bring a few print outs about the style if you want for anyone that wants to know more. 

A mix of the two would be to try and put together an alt fashion outfit that isn't Lolita, but is also one you haven't tried before. This could be done similar to how the first way is done. You could ask a friend to swap with you or you could try to put something together with what you have

 Bonus meet-up idea, you could affectionately call your meet 'My Ita Days' or if you find that offensive you could call it 'Not Everyone is Great at Lolita the First time'. This isn't supposed to be an insulting idea, it's meant to be a fun lighthearted look om how we all started in Lolita. Dress in the way you did when you first started Lolita! Just for one night throw the rules out the window. Remember the magical day you first put on your first Lolita dress for the first time (That was a magical moment for me, even if I did have it on backwards.)! Look back at your old embarrassing pictures you have hidden very far under a rock. Exaggerate it even more for added fun by imitating common mistakes made by beginners. Insults or bad attitudes not tolerated it's all for fun and nostalgia. Compliment your friend's attention to detail and have a good laugh in memory of what used to be! This meet-up would be easy for anyone to do even people who are still in their beginner stages and should be very beginner friendly for anyone new to Lolita who may be a little scared to get into their Lolita community. 

5. Zombie Walk Lolita Style! 

 

 http://www.xelyna.com/ketai/zomwalk102.jpg

Best. Picture. Ever. 

You'll notice some of these are things I've always wanted to do! This is another one of those things! Ever want to try Guro Lolita, but never had the chance? This could be a perfect opportunity! Chose the role of a zombie or a hunter and dress for the role! Have fun and be creative, but also be respectful. You can get into these roles without touching anyone else and possibly dirtying their pretty dress! It wouldn't be any fun if someone decided to touch you without permission and got fake blood on you! While decked out in zombie themed frills we could walk around town and maybe go shopping at the mall! Can you imagine? 

Another possibility is  a game of Zombie Larping! An area could be secured and decorated with plenty of hiding spots. Depending on how many players there were would determine how many were zombies and how many were hunters. Anyone who owns nerf guns could bring them to share or we could think of another way of 'killing' the zombies that wouldn't really hurt the players, such as using paper wads as ammo. To keep it safe if you are tagged by a zombie twice you are bit! You could play off not being infected right away and then turning moments later for realism. Try not to hit people on your own team. If a hunter is shot by another hunter then they are out. If a zombie bites a hunter then they are on the zombie team. Whichever team is left standing in the end wins! You could play more games until the meet was over or you could play one or two games then continue to do something else. 

 Tips 'guroing up' your outfit! (Without ruining your dress!)

 - Cheap aprons are you best friend! Find one at a thrift store or just anywhere selling them cheap! (Make one if you know how.) Then add fake blood to it, make sure it's dry and only add it to one side. When added to your dress it makes it look much more gruesome instantly! 

 - Props such as an eye patch or arm sling are good to wear in Guro Lolita.

- Add blood to a bow or a cute thrift store bear and even your face and possibly some cheap socks! If you have a balance of fake blood no one will notice your dress is clean.   

- If you do get blood on your dress, tide open gets it out well! I've had a friend get zombie blood on my dress one Halloween. (I went as a doll or a Princess I forget, she went as a zombie)

- You could also tear the apron. Speaking of tears, you might get good use out of your old ripped tights for this look!  

Now for some zombie meet specific tips!  

- Look up zombie makeup tutorials and possibly even buy contacts to make your eyes more intense!  

- If your a zombie hunter you would still be covered in blood and may carry a fake weapon, but nothing you couldn't go into the mall with! Try to look more human as to not be mistaken for a zombie! 

- Get into character! 

- Don't get into character so much that people start shooting at you! If people seem afraid explain the meet-up!  

This can be a good meet-up idea for Halloween or for any Walking Dead fans it could be a fun thing to do before watching the season finale! (Or any episode) It could be fun for any zombie fans on any day and would really surprise onlookers if it was on the middle of July instead of on Halloween! Curl up after a night of fun and have a zombie marathon sleep over! 

Those are my main ideas stay tuned for a few extra bonus ideas! 

-  Disney Princess (Or general Disney movie themed) Make a coord to represent your favorite princess or character then to piggy back off of idea 5, you could have a disney movie marathon sleep over! 

- Similar to the last idea how about a general fairy tale themed meet-up! I think I would chose Hansel and Gretal! 

- My Little Pony theme! Coordinate a Lolita outfit after a friendship is magic character or any ponies from other generations! Feel magical as if you are that pony turned human! 

- I got this idea reading this blog post. A pokemon themed meet! In a world where all the Pokemon trainers and Gym leaders were Lolitas!~ Swap cute trainer cards, have fun and try to collect them all! (You could also do a human Pokemon coord! I have once done one as Jigglypuff!

- Bring your doll to your meet-up day! If you like dolls like I do then this meet would be fun! You might also have fun trying to twin with your doll and meeting some people with even more in common with you than Lolita! 

 That's all for today! I hope you had a super Thanksgiving! Please add your own ideas in the comments that might make any of my ideas better! Feel free to use any of my ideas for your own meet-ups! What meet-up ideas do you have? Goodbye for now dolls! 

Other super blogs who also joined in on the fun! 

Palace Of Frills

Beyond Kawaii

Darkly Darling

Hello Batty

Sweet Lolita Doll

Sidhe Ban shee

Päivänvarjon alla

Lolita Corderosa

Geisha Baby

Sweet and Simple

Hungry and Yours, (Going to stuff myself tomorrow! I wrote this early so tomorrow is Thanksgiving! I'm magical and writing from the past into the future!)

Skiteanna La~Sweet