Hello my little dolls!
I've spoken previously of trying to find little lolita things that would be more affordable and accessible to the average, or at least nonrich, girl.  And now I bring you good news!
Today I was on the Putumayo website (http://www.putumayo-home.com) , just browsing due to my combination of a lack of money and their refusal to ship overseas. I was looking at the garments on the front page and noticed one particular skirt. I felt like I'd seen it before, in Hot Topic, so I went to the Hot Topic website (http://www.hottopic.com) to do some investigating. I made my way over to the Apparel>Bottoms>Skirts section and sure enough! There's a skirt there that is very similar. Sure there are some differences, the Hot Topic skirt (it doesn't say the brand) only comes in one colour (turquoise/blue) and it's in gingham plaid while the Putumayo skirt comes in four different colours (white/black, red, pink, and purple) in all different styles of plaid. However the general design is basically the same, save a couple different embellishments.  Of course the overall quality of the Putumayo skirt will be better since it's a bigger, more high-end brand, but remember: this is a money saving compromise!! Also, I think the Hot Topic skirt is shorter, but not by a tremendous amount.  The biggest difference is definitely the price: the Putumayo skirt is 10,290 yen ($107.83-4 according to xe.com) while the Hot Topic skirt is only $34. Yum!

Putumayo skirt:

10,290 yen ($107.83-4 according to xe.com) at http://www.putumayo-home.com/ap-sk/t387.html

The Hot Topic skirt:

$34 at http://www.hottopic.com/hottopic/Apparel/Bottoms/Skirts/Turquoise-And-Black-Plaid-Tulle-Skirt-282168.jsp

I hope this was of some help to you!!

Much love,
Kat <3

Tags: putumayo hot topic lolita money saver
Current Mood: content
Current Music: Islands On The Coast - Band of Horses

I know, I know I'm terrible! I'm lazy! I'm the worst! But I've finally got it. The macaron review I promised from so long ago.
Now, believe me. I don't mean to make excuses, but I do have a reason for my absence. School is just ending where I am and we're being attacked from all sides with final exams and final projects. In fact, I should be studying for my chemistry regents right now, but I never really study sooooooo review instead! Anyway, a week and half ago, give or take, at about 12:30 at night I decided "That's it! I'm making the macarons!" I decided I'd use my big brother and his friend who were fiercely battle Pikmin behind me as my taste testers. However, by the time I finished said macarons at 4am, my brother was asleep and his friend had left. Oh, that's something to remember. The recipe says to let the finished macarons sit for a day to let the flavours meld. REMEMBER THAT! It's totally worth it. That means also remember that you shouldn't start making these just a few hours before an event.
This is the recipe that I used: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2005/10/french_chocolat.html
What I have to say about it:
First of all, it says to beat the egg whites and sugar until they become firm. DO THIS IN A SMALL BOWL! I...did not. I used a rather large bowl and it took me over 15 minutes to accomplish this task (yes with an electric mixer) According to my mother (the next day) it would've only taken a few minutes if I'd used the smaller bowl... -head/desk- Well, I'm still learning, I'm still learning :)

Also, the recipe recommends flattening the not-yet-baked macarons with a piece of parchment paper. Ummmmm I'm not sure if there's a certain technique to this, but if there is....I guess I don't know it! I can't say I expected this macarons that I made to turn out very good (especially aesthetically) because it was my first time making them.  But this really messed up their appearance hahaha. It dragged out the shells, made them too thin is some spots which made them more prone to burn (like my finger! D: ), and only one or two shells got that little foot.

Sooo that was the first batch.  I didn't think I'd have enough batter left for a second batch and I basically didn't, but I did have juuust enough batter left to make about five extra macarons (ten shells). With these I decided to experiment. Just in case I'd misunderstood about the parchment paper, I figured I'd see what happened a) if I left the parchment paper on during the baking process b) if the parchment paper never touched their little heads. WELL! A couple minutes before their timer was up, I checked in on the little fellows. I couldn't see the ones I'd covered (...duh) HOWEVER! The one's I'd never covered, well, I couldn't believe my eyes! I literally exclaimed "Holy crap!" They were on fire! 
Hahahaha juuuuussstt kiiiiiddiiiiiinnnnggg! They were not on fire. They were, on the other hand, pretty much perfect. They each had that perfect little dome, not one was burnt, and (most excitingly of all) they each had that beloved little foot.
So what do I suggest? For beginners at LEAST, don't flatten the macarons. And for heavens sake, do NOT leave the parchment paper on. The tops of the shells were ripped clean off!

And what about taste? That is pretty important after all. Well, I don't know how good a judge I could be because I've never had a real macaron before, but as pastries go, even the mangled ones were pretty damn delicious. And like I said before, DO let them sit for a day. It really makes a difference.
I tried to take close up pictures of the macarons that came out the best buuuuut my horrible photography skills betrayed me once again. I do, however, have pictures of the whole batch:


You can see one of the better ones here ^

And you can see the two good ones from the top here ^




So what should I do next? I'm thinking either a strawberry smoothie/milkshake or the rose petal tea recipe from last year's Gothic & Lolita Bible flower issue because there are so many blooming roses around my house right now.  I don't want to make this an exclusively food related blog so I'll try to find some other things as well....but recipes are so much easier for me! haha -lazy lazy-


Love <3
Kat

Tags: macaron recipe lolita blog cute paris st
Current Mood: calm
Current Music: I Must Be Dreaming - The Maine

So even so I now have the ingredients for the macarons, I didn't have the time to make them yesterday nor will I have time today (I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!!!!)
Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers by the way!!

Anyway! Even though I don't have any macarons for you I've got something else.
There's a model, perhaps you've heard of her, named Jacquelyne Marie (http://www.myspace.com/jacquelyneselle) She's got an Etsy shop called PinkAntoinette (pinkantoinette.etsy.com) that has QUITE the adorable little accessories!! Most of them feature sweet little charms resembling cakes, roses, whipped cream, and even macarons! She has hairbows, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, you name it. And her prices range from around $10 to around $30 and reasonably so, so not only will you not be breaking the bank, but you won't feel ripped off. Or at least I don't think so.

These are a few of my favourites:
Citron Macaron Bracelet: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24844731

Strawberry delight cake ring: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24317638

The signature Pink Antoinette necklace: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24604334

So please check them out, you'll be glad you did! :D

Tags: lolita jacquelyne marie cute accessories
Current Mood: calm
Current Music: Super Mario Sunshine Soundtrack

So here I am. At home sick, minding my own business, just thought I'd meander over to the Baby website and WOAH! What am I slapped in the face with? None other but their new swimsuit. (Has it been out for awhile? I feel horrible for not knowing, but sometimes I miss things on the front page) My. Jaw. Dropped. Haha that sounded extra corny, but le woah that suit is CUTE! Like, I liked the one last year but I loooove the one this year. But oh oh oh what is that price?! I swear it went up $100 from the year before. ..Or at least it feels like it! It costs more than my Baby jumperskirt, which I was saving for for MONTHS, mind you!! But still..oh goodness, how can I deny myself that beauty?
Anyone know how to make a quick $200?

So also, as I was here at home, eyes watering, mouth coughing, throat burning (not very elegant, I regret to say!) my little eye caught some amazing strawberry jam in the corner of my kitchen...........
As I was munching away on one of the most mouth watering bread, butter, and jam creations I've had in a VERY long time (kudos to Bonne Maman's Strawberry Preserves) I was thinking how I'd really love a pastrie. A strawberry pastrie, mind you. Of course, big surprise, I don't tend to keep amazing french pastries in my fridge on a regular basis. So I decided to create my own. I opened up my mother's giant "Joy of Cooking" but what to make, what to make?
Then one of my adorable little Hello Kitty cell straps caught my eye (I'm a sucker for Hello Kitty, just to let you know). The purple, sparkley macaron charm, to be exact. Now you see, ever since I discovered them (probably on someone ELSES lolita blog, or maybe an Angelic Pretty design) I've craved macarons. Have I ever had one? ...Sadly, no. I saw some in the window of a patisserie in San Fransisco, but I was also in a moving car. Where I'm from the frenchest pastrie you're gonna find is an eclair at the Pastrie Garden. Well, this is excluding the unfathomable Mrs. London's in Saratoga. Good god, you have not lived, you have not LOVED, until you've eaten anything from that patisserie. And the decor is to die for. (What's with all this rhyming?) Plus, it takes me about an hour to get there, so I've only been once.
...Okay now I've side tracked. My point is I really want a freakin' macaron and if I can't buy one, I'll make one!!! Sadly, the Joy Of Cooking had a recipe not. To the internet! Finding several recipes was no trouble at all and the obvious end to this story is that I've now made and eaten several and who knew there was heaven on earth until now--yea, turns out I don't have the ingredients and my parents are away until Saturday afternoon which means no shopping for me. -sad face-

Well, here's the recipe I planned on using:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2005/10/french_chocolat.html
If anyone decides to make this recipe (if anyone's even reading this blog!!!) please oh PLEASE tell me how it is!! I'd really love to know
Oh, and as soon as I get the rest of the ingredients, I'll be making it aswell, hopefully tomorrow night.
Well, I'm off to watch Scrubs, eat Amy's "No Chicken Noodle Soup" and drink ginger tea (yum yum!) and maybe I'll feel better and be back on my "throne" (haha.)

EDIT: Check out the new Baby, The Stars Shine Bright swimsuit here: http://www.babyssb.co.jp/info/yoyaku133831.html

Tags: lolita bored in new york macaron baby sw
Current Mood: sick

So here's the deal, mon sweet, I've thought about it again and again, over and over and I've finally come to the conclusion that YES! I am going to make a blog. Have I made posts in the past, yes I have, but this one's going to actually have purpose, direction, blah blah blah, adult talk, blah.
And what will my main focus be? Well I have many different interests, drawing, pastries, lolita, music--Wait! Go back!!
So yes, lolita it is. What's the main reason? Well I have the unfortunate struggle of being a lolita who lives in a boring, quiet town in upstate New York where the only "lolita" they've ever heard of is child porn ..;; So if I so much as mention the word lolita I get so many mixed laughs and glares that I don't even get the chance to explain myself!
For a project that I'm currently working on in my Media Arts class I had to change my focus from Lolita to Harajuku, which I'm basically okay with but it's a MUCH larger subject than Lolita itself, because my teacher thought that "Lolita" would be too risque.
So here I thought I'd share my struggle. Not that I'm so special, I know I'm not the only lolita stuck in a close minded dead-end town (and with no money to shop with!!) I figured I'd show you all how I cope, as well. Y'know, finding local pastry shops, making my own clothes when I can't buy any brands, decorating my room so I feel like the little gothic princess I dream to be. Considering the boring situation I'm left with, I still feel that I'm handling it fairly well and if you want help...I'd love to be the one to give it! Or if you have any of your own stories about how it's like for that lonely-lolita you, please share, I'm excited to hear about it X3

Tags: gothic sweet classic lolita bored in new
Current Mood: sick