Innocent World Socks and Comissioned Wristcuffs

Woo~ I'm back from Bermuda with a nice tan. Upon my arrival my wristcuffs from Crystal, who was really, really helpful and nice about everything. I wanted a pair of wristcuffs because the sleeves on one of my classical OPs were a little too short for my comfort. I looked around at some brands and offbrands, but the trouble was getting nice offwhite wristcuffs that were long enough and not too frilly. She was very understanding and picked out this lovely embroidery lace for me. Needless to say I was thrilled when I got them and saw how pretty they were in person. I would definitely recommend her work to anyone.


Additionally, my friend Hitoshi went to Japan to see his family recently and he usually picks up a small omiyage for me and my sister. This time I asked him to go to the IW store for me and pick up a pair of socks (I reimbursed him for being a casual shopping service for me, haha). These are offwhite OTKs with the softest lace on the top. They are so warm and cute! Next year he might have to bring back something bigger :3

Choux a la Creme

I made my test run of Choux a la Creme today. These delicate puff pastries are well... a bitch. Whereas macarons are consistency devils, these are really about heat management. Luckily I made them small so there wasn't any major collapsing, but they did deflate. I also piped one tray entirely wrong, but at least I can correct my mistakes tomorrow. The cream is simple whipped heavy cream and sugar.

Romantic Rose Reserve (IW)

Brand new reserve up today, a lovely newJSK and skirt launching a new "Romantic Rose" Series.


It features a delicate and incredibly detailed floral print in beige, chocolat, and black. The pink flowers add a jewel like elegance, while the cut is classic with a twist of sweet. It's a halter design which helps it's size versatility and is shirred in the back.

While not really noticeable on the beige, the crosshatch design on the black and chocolat colorways remind me a bit of memorial cake and jewel butterfly. It does make it a little intense on the eyes, which is why I vastly prefer the beige version. The skirt is also very simple, which is great for showing off the intricacy of the chocolat and brown versions.



I think it's interesting how most of the time floral prints are all over, but this is an all over plus border floral print. Also the alternating floral/solid and print/motif designs pattern in releases by most brands. At any rate, this is a lovely summer print for those who like pink, but not necessarily pink colorways.

In a perfect world I would have... the JSK in beige x pink

In other news, incredibly excited about Dream in a midsummer night~ Has anyone put one on reserve?

The dream in a midsummer night skirt (AatP)

The skirt sample is up and I think I'm sold on this print. It is just really too gorgeous to pass up. Especially in ivory. Hopefully I'll be able to snag a reservation.

Midsummer's Night Dream Reserve (AatP)

I can't breathe because this print is so gorgeous.It's a new reserve from Alice and the Pirates, available here From the close up of the print, it is intricately detailed and probably my favorite AatP print to date.

I really don't mind that it is about as inspired by the play as Disney's adaptation of The Little Mermaid (aka very loosely), this print is gorgeous. It has 2 JSK designs and 1 skirt (no sample pictures) and comes in black, navy, and ivory. The windows and the butterflies are absolutely love.

I'm not a huge fan of this JSK design, but that is just my prejudice against bows. The first one luckily only suffers one, and is relatively small. I can see that in ivory being a beautiful classico-gothic affair. Or just gothic, no one ever said it always had to be black. I really wish they had a sample of the skirt up, because I would be severely tempted. If I wasn't going to Otakon and then moving next month... Yeah yeah, cue stereotypical expense woes. But budgeting is a fact of life, and who knows, maybe it will show up on y!j or closet child in a year or so (sob).

The reservation starts on 7/16, I suppose I have till then to contemplate.

In a perfect world I would have the 1 bow JSK in ivory

Shojo Jikakeno Libretto ~Lolitawork Libretto by Kanon Wakeshima

A bit delayed, but I finally got around to listening to Wakeshima's newest album, Lolitawork Libretto. First off, I am a huge fan of Wakeshima for a variety of reasons.
1) She's a cellist - even though I am a violinist now, I started playing cello when I was younger. I deeply regret dropping it now because its a beautiful instrument
2) She has an amazing voice
3) Awesome visual style

I can vouch for all of those, after seeing her live last summer at Otakon 2009. So, on to the new album!

Tracklist:
1.SHAKESPEARE NO WASUREMONO ~Prologue
2.KAJITSUNOKEIKOKU
3.HEROINE SYNDROME
4.TWINKLE STAR!
5.TOUMEI NO KAGI
6.MARMALADE SKY
7.KURONEKO TO PIANIST NO TANGO
8.PRINCESS CHARLESTON
9.TREE OF SORROW
10.CELMISIA
11.OTOMENOMAACHI
12.SHAKESPEARE NO WASUREMONO ~Epilogue
13.LOLITAWORK LIBRETTO STORYTELLING BY SOLITA

Thoughts:
This is a great album, first off. The Prologue and Epilogue, "Forgotten Shakespeare" boast a solid instrumental piece, one of Wakeshima's strengths. "Kajitsu no Keikoku" and "Heroine Syndrome" are good pieces that shows off her impressive vocals and compositional talents. They are songs I may have to attempt a cover for on violin. Possibly the only low point of the album is "Marmalade Sky", personally I just find her voice a little too immature, which clashes with the rest of the tracks.

Creatively, the songs branch out a bit more than Shinsoku Dolce. Particularly in Black cat and Princess Tango and Princess Charleston, there are dance themes, which make the ballroom dance nerd in me go nuts. The Tango has a great rhythm and a piano, just for kicks. And of course, the last track, Lolitawork Libretto is one of the principal tracks, solita lends an ethereal quality to the piece. The PV is incredible too.



Definitely check this album out!

How to train your dragon (cake)

My birthday gift to my lovely friend and fellowblogger, Emma!! Happy 19th birthday to you, dear!

Macaron Marathon

Day three of the baking marathon continues. Since I had 5~ egg whites left from making tim's birthday cake, I thought I'd give macarons another whirl. I had made macaron's before, using David Lebovitz French Chocolate Macaron Recipe. This time I ran three batches, one with the french chocolate and two from Serious Eats. The Raspberry butter cream filling was my own twist.


Needless to say, Macarons are featured quite often in lolita fashion. Prints, jewelry, accessories... there is something charming in these meringue esque almond flour based sandwich cookie treats.

There is also something evil.

Metamorphose's Gardening Teddy Reserve Print

Meta has a new reserve print up for their autumn collection here called Gardening Teddy.

It features an all over print of cute little teddy bears and pink doves flit about very serenely. A subdued sweet piece that could work for classic-sweet. And as usual they have a variety of OP/JSK/Skirt designs and accessories to mix and match (I love this about meta). There is an antique white, pink, and brown colorway. Bears also seem to be a recurring theme with Meta, remember the honey picnic print from earlier this summer? If that's sweet-sweet this is the more grown up sweet-classic. Pity we won't see a classic-gothic bear print (or will we?) Also I've completely run out of unbearable puns to make (or have I?).

The brown OP is actually quite lovely, if only the three vertical lines down the middle didn't break it up so much. I like the more defined waist style OPs rather than the high waist (seen here in pink)





I'm actually quite fond of this print, maybe not ready to jump the reserve wagon quite yet, but if I see it pop up second hand I'll be severely tempted. I love classic and sweet-classic hybrids. Here's an interesting accessory they are putting out, a bandana headdress.

Reminiscent of the kerchiefs women would wear, it has a quaint appeal. I think it looks cute in brown, but it might be a little off putting in the other colors. But good on meta for not just making the same headbow over and over (not that there's anything wrong with headbows). For this print, this 'fundiform' headdress matches quite well.
In a perfect world I would have...
The antique white or brown pinafore JSK!

Tenshi Cake

It was Tim's 19th birthday today, so I made a two layer yellow cake with chocolate butter cream frosting and a powdered sugar stencil rendition of "Tenshi" better known as Kanade from the show Angel Beats. (She is his favorite character, btw this was not a super random whim like usual). By far the most ambition stencil, I misjudged the size and so it was not as epic as it could have been. Still, he seemed really happy so all was well :D

"Don't be Jealous" Coffee Cake

Since I have 2 birthdays to celebrate this week, Tim and Emma's, that means I'll be making 2 special cakes for special people :D And I didn't want my mom to feel left out by any means so I made this simple sour cream coffee cake which was quite delicious. Also very nostalgic, because I remember my mom making this coffee cake in a bundt pan when I was growing up in Rhode Island. The tastes of nostalgia!
If I make another cake in a tube pan, I'll have to think of a way to do a cool stencil. Maybe a wreath design (Kill me) or just little stars.. or snow flakes? An idea for the winter.

Leatitia・Raseine jumper skirt and others (BTSSB)

Let's talk about Baby, baby. A couple days ago a new jumperskirt went up as the new item on Baby's website, the Leatitia・Raseine jumper skirt There's a milk tea beige, mint, and pink colorway.

I do like the delicacy of the print, featuring roses and rose lace trim. It has a three tier skirt, a corseted back, and a faux halter strap (in that there are shoulder straps as well). Baby seems to be taking a little different direction, this subdued sweet is actually growing on me.





Another new JSK line is the Cyndrina Rossa, featuring the same fabric used in a new moite dress. It has the same straps and halter combo, but a shirred front for more size flexibility. This line has an ivory, pink and black colorway. If the Leatitia is a classic inspired sweet, I would say the Cyndrina is gothic inspired sweet, if only because the fabric is shared by the Moitie brand of EGL fame.

A good match for the Cyndrina Rossa would be these Papion ribbon head bow, a new OTT esque headbow design from Baby. It has lots of extra lace and that pointed satin trimming. I'm actually curious to see what it would look like on an actual person.
In a perfect world, I would have... the Cyndrina Rossa JSK in black

Happy Independence Day, to Americans

Strawberry Key Lime Pie

This is a traditional key lime pie recipe mixed with pureed strawberries. Next time I might do a minor food coloring addition just so the filling isn't so... fleshy colored. But I can make up for that with a whipped cream and fruit garnish >_> Also, ugly crust is ugly
With the left over strawberry puree I blended it with milk and ice to make... a strawberry milky ice, haha. Next time I'll have ice cream or yogurt on hand to make a shake/smoothie. Next time it will be mango key lime, but I need a break from breaking my hands over juicing key limes.

Innocent World Antique Book Series (Reserve)

Innocent World has a new reservation print series, Antique Book. Ohmygosh, my first dream dress is the violin print from IW and this is now my second (following my two big loves- violin and books). Cliched, I know. For Antique book there is a bordeaux and a blue version, essentially the color of the trims.
While I'm really in love with the cut and the color, the buttons are kind of... awkward? I like the long blue dress, but the skirt is also adorable. I love the bow in the back. In the natural light it looks like cream, but with the stock photos it looks like the design is almost green.





















But the real winner of this new print has got to be the book bag. Wow, what I would give for this! I would have preferred it was oriented sideways, like most book shaped bags are, but that makes it unique. Gosh, I am just so in love with this IW line. Well, one more item for the dream list.
In a perfect world I would have... the antique book skirt and bag (ﾉ>w<）ﾉ ┻━┻

Oh Lately It's So Quiet

Welcome to July! June flew right by, but I got to end it with a bang, namely my trip to Montreal + the Lady Gaga Concert, which was incredible. And now it's back to the same old, at least until Otakon rolls around at the end of the month.

My month is spruced up by my nifty Innocent World Calendar page I got when I bought my bag from them (more on that later). It is really cute! I wish I had the rest of the year, but alas.

I have 2 birthdays to prepare for, so we are going to see a lot of cakes on here. And Key lime pies, because I still have 12 key limes left and I didn't get to take a picture of the last key lime pie I made. The limey pie was also inspired by Dexter, which I finished watching on the train up to Canada. Good stuff.