Something That Was a Gift (52 Lolita Challenge)

Given the events of this last weekend, I felt that this prompt from the 52 Lolita Challenge was especially fitting.

This last weekend, I was at Anime Detour in Minneapolis, Minnesota. While there, I was able to see my darling sheep-prince (affectionately referred to from here on out as "Sheepie")--an adorable Lolita and Ouji, and someone I quite often bother with banter about which prints are cute and my love for pumpkin pants while lamenting the lack of pumpkin pants in my wardrobe, while offering my best idea on how to whiten the lace on pieces that have seen a bit too much love from their former owners.

You can imagine my surprise when I ran into her at Detour, and she handed me a large orange box with an adorable little bat drawn on it. I had done a group order with her for an Alice and the Pirates headbow, so at first, I just assumed she was kidding around with me a bit, and had wrapped my part of the order.

But nope. Sheepie had gotten me a gift. According to her, it was a "Thank you" for helping her start her journey as a Lolita. When I opened the box and moved aside the headbow, I was greeted with this gorgeous piece:

Knowing my love for old school, Sheepie had gone out and found me a headdress on Lacemarket. And what a headdress. Not only did she give me such a thoughtful gift that came completely out of the blue, but it was brand.

Sheepie had bought me a Baby The Stars Shine Bright headdress. As vest we can tell, it's the Veracruz Headdress from 2006. This piece is nearly 10 years old! She had asked me about how to whiten lace in order to restore this little beauty to its former glory. And doesn't it just look wonderful? The lace on this piece is stunning--and, of course, features my namesake roses in it. How perfect! I only own one other black and white headdress besides this one, and I had been meaning to buy another one. It was as if she had read my mind.

This headdress is one of the most thoughtful and genuinely surprising gifts I've ever received. My con room mate was laughing at me when we got back to our room after I received it, because I just sat on the bed cooing at it for a little while. I honestly felt a little teary at Sheepie's generosity--and I was dumbfounded how she thought that I wouldn't like it!

Rest assured, Sheepie--I adore it, and I'm so glad that you would even think to give me something in the first place.

The post above was a response to the Lolita 52 Week Challenge made by the ever so delightful Caro over at FYeahLolita.

How I Discovered Lolita (Lolita 52 Challenge)

Because this is a con preparation week (and I have a bunch of other things going on this week, as well, both in school and in family), I thought that I would cover this short but sweet little story as a result! I've talked about this a few times on my Tumblr, but I thought it might be fun to share a more in-depth answer here.

I was about 14 or so when I first discovered Lolita. At the time, I collected porcelain dolls, and somehow stumbled across In The Starlight and Baby The Stars Shine Bright when looking at doll clothes. This was in 2007, when Old School Lolita still held the throne, but was beginning to transition into the "modern" Lolita (what with printed fabric becoming more popular and the cuts beginning to solidify into types more concretely).

Hawase Doll OP by Baby the Stars Shine Bright (2007), one of the first pieces I ever coveted

I fell in love with these dresses, but the price was way too high for me to afford--and I was horrified at the idea of asking my mother to buy me a $300 dress! I couldn't even fathom that dresses could even be that expensive at the time. It sort of just faded into the background after a while, and as I began to explore other avenues of alternative fashion (Goth and, briefly, Punk), I forgot about it.

I rediscovered it when I was 17 or so when a friend of mine began dressing in Sweet. She turned me onto Gothic, because it fit with the style that I built for myself, and the aesthetic I had always wanted to wear as a teenager. I began researching in earnest, and I can remember the very first Gothic Lolita coordinate I ever saw--this beautiful coordinate using Angelic Pretty of all things below.

A year after she rekindled my love for these frilly, cute dresses, I began to wear Lolita myself! It only took four years since my initial finding, but finally--finally, I had frilly, cute, doll-like dresses to call my own! Though, of course, I was decidedly more creepy than my original expectations would have thought...

So what was your story? I'd love it if you shared it with me in the comment section below!

The post above was a response to the Lolita 52 Week Challenge made by the ever so delightful Caro over at FYeahLolita.

Project Post: Heart Apron pattern from Gothic Lolita Bible 3 (Altered)

Every once in a while, I decide that I will actually finish one of the many Lolita projects I've started sewing. And sometimes, it actually turns out pretty damn good! Last Fall, I snatched up the third volume of the Japanese Gothic Lolita Bible, because I fell in love with one of the patterns in it--a heart shaped apron from Baby the Stars Shine Bright.

The problem is, GLB patterns are most definitely not made for someone my size. No problem, I thought to myself. It's just a matter of extending the waistband a little, and altering how the straps work. I got this.

In the end, it didn't turn out half bad! But I definitely think I'll have some things to change if/when I make a second one... Mainly in the size of the heart bib, which I'll make noticeably larger. Other than that, I really love how it turned out! Check out some detail pictures down below.

So what sewing projects has everyone else done lately? Have you ever altered a pattern from a GLB or other Japanese sewing mook? Have a favorite pattern to share? I'd love to hear your guys' input down in the comments section. Until next time!