Saturday, April 30, 2016

Art Update: Pyrex Pretties & some magic.

Recently I got the always exciting email from Redbubble that a design of mine got featured on their frontpage again! This is my 3rd 'Found' feature and it's always great because it helps immensely with getting some more exposure for my little shop. Anyway, I've added some new designs since my last update and I thought I'd share them with you!
This is the work that got featured. I've been super inspired by Pyrex and other vintage homeware and decor lately. Cups, tables, chairs.. you name it! I've been pinning like crazy on Pinterest.





My boyfriend and I have been rewatching Harry Potter again and it inspired my to make some potterhead artwork. They're available on a bunch of products, but I think they're the cutest on cups :)

I love Bobby Pins. They keep my hair in place AND make for a great pattern! This was just a quick design a threw together when I just bought a bunch of them after loosing yet again half of what I owned.

I love puns and using them in my work and always looking for new ones to work with. When I thought of this one I knew right away it needed to happen! I bring you your new staple piece: the tea shirt!
And last but not least... Panda Snacks! This is kind of like stuff I used to make a few years ago. Lots of kawaii and cuteness. Sometimes it's nice to go back to that. I love pandas, I love food.. I made this more for myself than other people. I think the sushi panda's are my favourite!


In the next few weeks I have some freelance work coming up that I unfortunately probably won't be able to share, but either way I'm happy that I get to work together with other people and work on fun projects with them :) Sometimes I need projects like this to motivate me again and really focus on something and get inspired by other people's ideas and inspiration. 

Monday, April 18, 2016

Collectif Clothing Review: Winter Florals in Spring!

A little while ago I finally got my big order in from Collectif Clothing that my brother kindly brought with him while visiting. After winning the Collectif Shoe Design Competition they gave me store credit to spend and since they had a huge sale going on I immediately placed an order and got a bunch of new dresses. I'm going to review maybe one or two of them a month, so be ready for lots more retro fashion posts! Even though some of these styles won't be available anymore (I know BIG fashion blogger fail) by the time I post these reviews,  they are usually still available in other colours and prints which I will link to!
The moment I saw the print I was in love. Florals with red, purple and pink!? Yes please! I love how the pink is very subtle, but stands out more with my perfectly matching hair. There were various styles of this dress. The mini dolores (which is this one), a pencil skirt and a wiggle dress. Only the mini dolores was left in my size so the decision had been made for me already.
I got this dress in a uk size 8 and it fits perfectly! I was scared it would be too small since I like wearing their original dolores top in a uk size 10, but I'm so glad I sized down. The fabric has some good stretch to it so it's not restricting whatsoever. Really keep in mind that Collectif is measured in UK sizes. Their sizing chart is pretty accurate. I'm usually a size 6 US or small, but with Collectif I'm between an 8 (x-small) or 10 (small) depending on the amount of stretch the garment has. Collectif did advice to size down for fitted pinup fit and they were definitely right.

Since it's called 'mini dolores' I was scared it was going to be too short. I'm not a fan of the high street lengths that are around these days where I'm constantly worried if my butt is showing. I'm a tall lady (5"7 ish) and lots of clothes are always too short on me. But the length is perfect! It hits just above the knee which is my favourite length.The fabric is also heavy enough so the wind is hardly a problem.
A problem I have with the original Dolores top is that sometimes the elastic in the sleeves irritates my arms, but somehow I don't have that problem with this dress! You can wear the sleeves on the shoulder for a more conservative look, or off the shoulder for a flirtier and more playful look.
I am getting a petticoat I want to wear with this dress and some others I'll be reviewing soon, but it's really not necessary. The skirt is already quite full by itself and doesn't look limp when there's nothing underneath in my opinion. Another HUGE plus to me is the zip in the back. It goes very far down so you can step into it, which is amazing because you don't have to worry about messing up your hair or smearing your lipstick.
This style of dress is so versatile and flattering for every bodytype and I'm definitely keeping an eye out for other prints! You can dress it up or down, wear it during summer or winter and wear it with or without petticoat. There's still a small amount of these dresses left in Feral print for only £10.00 which is a steal!
For accesories I picked this hairflower I got from Collectif a little while back and these pretty sparkly earrings. I absolutely love Collectif's accessories and can't wait to add more to my collection. I paired it with my pink flats that are admittedly a little beat up, but I couldn't get over how well they matched!
I'm still learning when it comes to these outfit posts. I'm definitely going to have to invest in a tripod and possibly a camera remote so bear with me! It's definitely helping me with self confidence though. I don't mind taking pictures of my face, but full body shots? Still a little scary. Hopefully regularly doing posts like this will help me get over that. :)
A gratuitous cat picture because Zorro is a momma's boy and just wouldn't leave me alone.

Dress - Winter Floral Mini Dolores Dress (still available in Feral print here)
Hairflower: Collectif Clothing
Shoes - H&M (a few years ago)

Friday, March 11, 2016

Spring Wishlist: Collectif, Lindy Bop & More!

It feels like spring has decided to show up early this year in Toronto! Honestly, this has definitely been the mildest winter I've experienced here so far (this is my 3rd one already! What!?). I'm not much of a winter shopper. I hate spending a fortune on a good winter coat (I'm still walking around in an old, unflattering one) and I don't see the point in spending money on thick clothes I will only be wearing for a few months that also take up way too much room. I make do with the few winter garments I have and then when spring rolls around... BAM! Shopping Time! I already have some new clothes coming in next week that I can't wait to share with you, but here is a peek at some of ther other items on my wishlist...

Collectif Clothing
1 2 3 4 5

Admittedly I'm not as excited about Collectif's spring/summer collection as I was last year, but there are definitely still some pieces that caught my eye! The hibiscus print is probably my favourite. Also two of my big hair flowers have mysteriously disappeared so I need those giant lily's to make up for it..

Unique Vintage
I'm in desperate need of a new swimsuit. I don't necessarily swim a lot or go to the beach all the time, but when I do it's nice to know I have a pretty vintage style swimsuit waiting for me and not my old bikini that's starting to look kinda gross. Unique Vintage is one of my favourite places to browse for swimsuits. I'm planning to invest in a good one for once and these are on the top of my list!

Lindy Bop

That pink rose print skirt if definitely my favourite!! I recently ordered my first petticoat and am waiting for it to come in, but I already know I'm going to want to own one in every colour. How great would this fuchsia one look with that skirt!?

Other Shops

I'm normally not huge on rompers, but how cute is this one from Sourpuss?? I absolutely adore it and it's on the top of my list. I've also been seeing this record print skirt from Banned Clothing everywhere and it's so cute! It's almost sold out everywhere though and my funds are tight so it'll probably be gone by the time I'd be able to get it. I also adored the Heart of Haute Beverly dress ever since I saw it on Amanda from Welcome to Flipsville. Oh and the coral cat dress is called Sarah, so it literally has my name written all over it! All the pretties!!

Are there any items from my list that made it to your wishlist as well? What's on the top of your spring/summer shopping list?


This post was in no way sponsored by the companies mentioned. 
Everything in this post are really things I hope to one day have hanging in my closet!

Monday, March 7, 2016

The Little Things: Book Rainbows & Starburst Candles

I really have to start writing these down again. I've been really slacking in the gratitude department lately and it makes it hard to come up with these posts sometimes. I got a cute little notebook in the last Kawaii Box so maybe I should start using that! Posts like these are a reminder to myself and others that there is always something to be thankful for, no matter how small it might seem :) here is my list of awesome little things:

Randomly looking at houses in california and florida with my babe and daydreaming about our future home Finally getting my hands on ' your beauty mark' and reading it on snowy days Dita's perfume erotique chocolates with strawberry cream filling putting together a treasure hunt for valentine's day (with the best stuffed panda as a price at the end) doing my first succesful pincurl set and brushout! Getting a new desk! Reorganizing all of our books and decorating the desk 


Browsing books on Kijiji Play breaks with the cat As Above So Below, this movie was so incredibly scary and it's been a while since I've been so terrified while watching a movie. Last time was probably when I watched the Blair Witch Project by myself at 2 in the morning. First person/found footage style horrors with 'unknown evil' scare me the most. I almost had to turn it off! Spinning records more often! Dancing to JD McPherson in the kitchen with the bf while peeling potatoes  Starburst scented candles 



Chicken Souvlaki Pita's from Greek Brothers. Omg french fries on your pita? Spicy Tzatziki? Heaven. Painting all day The first pictures of the Miss Peregrine's Movie The game Neko Atsume Cat Collector. It's so pointless but so addicting! ♥ Receiving a cute postcard from my family back home Re-watching 'Meet the Barkers'. The boyfriend and I have been on a MTV celebrity reality show kick lately. It's so bad but so good Grilled Cheese with ketchup 

Friday, March 4, 2016

Vintage Hair: My first venture into hair setting and brush outs!

I've never been good at hair. My hair had been a uncontrollable frizz ball for as long as I can remember. But since about a year ago I had finally gotten the hang of taming it with a straightener, serums and a comb. But obviously straight hair isn't very vintage (unless maybe you're rocking betty bangs!). I decided that now that I've mastered the art of straightening my hair it was time to continue to the next step:

Vintage hair styles!

The one thing that really pushed me to start practising is the Facebook group Vintage Updos for Modern Girls. If you're looking into trying vintage hairstyles for yourself i can't recommend this group enough! We all share our successes, failures, tips, tricks and hilarious mid-brush out poodle heads. It's super helpful and there's always someone around to answer your questions. Plus constantly seeing their posts on your feed really inspires you to keep going!

My hair is naturally very thick and dry. Because of this I only wash my hair once a week (or two weeks if I'm particularly busy/lazy). It's a pain in the booty, but my hair is a labour of love. I wash it, towel dry it, put in a hair mask with a few drops of Stargazer magenta dye, rinse with cold water, let it air dry and then it's ready for styling! I ALWAYS have to straighten it. There's no way around it. It ensures me I have a blank canvas with minimum frizz and maximum shine!

There's two techniques I've tried so far: Heat Set pin curls & Wet Set pin curls.


Heat Set Pin Curls
Heat set pin curls means you curl a section of your hair with a curling iron, gently release the curl and then roll and secure as a pin curl. You do this over your entire head and let the curls cool before you take out the pins. I love the result of this as it leaves me with smooth, shiny, polished curls and waves. However I quickly felt that the end of my hair were getting very dry and brittle because of the heat.. Definitely something you don't want to do too often (especially if you also straighten your hair beforehand!) For either technique I don't use a lot of product, just water, heat protector if needed and some anti frizz serum or natural oil to tame any fly aways. There is stuff like setting lotion out there, but my hair holds curl so well I don't feel like I need it. To me it's the less products the better!


I like to keep my pin curls in for as long as possible. I cover them with a scarf and either run my errands or keep them in overnight. Then once you take them out it's brush brush brush brush against you hand to shape your hair

With scarf - pre-brush out - final result

This was my hair the day I was going to meet Dita. I decided to not brush out the curls since I'd be outside for a long time and I knew I'd loose some curl.

By the way.. please don't mind the fact I'm wearing the same hair flower in all the pictures. I lost all three of my other big flowers all within the same week! Ugh! But yeah heat set curls are definitely my favourite. I like how they form loose, sculpted waves when brushed out and my hair is a lot less frizzy and more shiny. But again, definitely not something I can do on a regular basis.

Wet Set Pin Curls
Wet set pin curls are pin curls that are rolled when the hair is still damp. What I like to do is grab my clips and a cup of water and wet and roll my hair while watching tv with the boyfriend in the evening since I usually tend to sleep in these. The whole process takes me about an hour and just staring at yourself in the bathroom mirror for an hour is kind of boring.. For some reason I like to do standing pin curls when I do this technique.

The big pro of this technique is that it involves no heat! It does give me more frizz, tighter curls and thus longer brush out time. It also lasts a lot longer than heat set curls (which usually are gone by day 3). I also feel like the final result is a lot more vintage than heat set curls.


Don't do this on fresh out of the shower wet hair because you want to be sure your pin curls are 100% dry when you take them out. That's why I only dampen each section a little bit with some water. I'll be sure my curls will be dry and it still gives great results!

To preserve the curls I usually just wrap everything up in a scarf and secure it with some bobby pins. If I don't do this I risk waking up with lots of frizz and awkward curls. It's a lot of work, but also super fun! Every hair type is different though so what works for me might not work for you. It's all about experimentation! Next I'm very interested in trying hot rollers and hot sticks, which is what Dita von Teese uses the most (and her hair is always to die for!). Still heat styling, but a little less intense than a scorching hot curling iron. I will definitely make a new post when I get a chance to try some other techniques.

Have you ever set or curled your hair? What's your favourite technique/product?


Friday, February 26, 2016

A Very Dita Post: Your Beauty Mark + Perfume + Meeting Dita!

I MET DITA!! February was definitely Dita von Teese month for me. I don't even know where to begin... Obviously the best thing was getting to meet her. I finally got my hands on her book (which is now signed!) AND my lovely boyfriend randomly surprised me with a bottle of her amazing perfume. This post is basically going to be me raving about anything Dita related, so you have been warned!


I think it was back in December that I found out Dita was coming to Toronto. I couldn't believe it! I'm usually not the kind of person to freak out over celebrities, but Dita isn't just any kind of celebrity in my opinion. She has definitely helped me to get in touch with my feminine side, be more confident in my own skin and she introduced me to the wonderful world of pinup and burlesque. I got my ticket for the book signing shortly after and the countdown began..

The Perfume: Erotique

My boyfriend surprised me with Dita's perfume Erotique a few weeks ago as an early Valentines gift. I had been eyeing it for weeks, but never took the plunge because I just wasn't ready to buy something I hadn't even smelled yet! Apparently the boyfriend randomly saw it at a shop (not knowing I had been looking at it) and figured I'd like it since I had been without perfume for over a year and am crazy about Dita.

I asbolutely love this perfume! It features rose, incense, leather, pepper, coriander, musk, sandalwood, cedar and guaiac wood. The first time I sniffed it, it was unlike any perfume I had ever smelled. Very masculine and woody.. Needless to say I was a little scared! But then I put it on and after a little while it started to remind me of expensive leather. Sophisticated purses, bags, gloves. Later on the roses and musk came forward and the scent got more soft and rounded and all in all more feminine. But not like sweet, candy, girly feminine like so many perfumes out there, but a sophisticated adult woman. This puts all my previous super sweet perfumes to shame. I feel so strong, elegant and womanly when I wear this perfume. 

The only downside is that it doesn't last very long, and I've noticed I'm not the only one with this problem. It does tend to linger in my hair which is nice! Unfortunately I think this perfume isn't going to be around much longer, so I'm going to have to be quite sparing with it. I know there are some other Dita perfumes out there though, so I'm sure once I run out of this one I'll be able to find one of her other scents.


The Book: Your Beauty Mark


Her book... oh my I don't even know where to begin. It's like my bible now. There are so many helpful tips and tricks on anything you can imagine. From in depth information of perfume making to shaving your armpits. Whenever I read it I feel like I'm in class, and I like to keep a sheet of paper and a pen with me to take notes of anything I feel I need to remember.


I have heard mixed reviews on it though. People either hate it or love it. Some complain about her comments on body hair or the fact that some things like hair and make up tutorials aren't very detailed or in debt. Personally I do think there could've been a bit more pictures and maybe diagrams
for hair setting patterns but overall it's pretty decent.


People also complain that's it too much of an add for MAC cosmetics, but I don't really see that. Dita mentions several brands and usually for good reason. Whether it's because it's something she uses regularly herself, she's friends with the creators or has some kind of history with the brand. I personally don't feel like anything is being pushed on you in terms of products or brands.


The main thing the book has done for me so far is to stop myself from feeling weird about the fact that I like to dress and doll up 90% of the time. I do love the spend time on how I look, and it's for nobody else but me (although it's nice to know the boyfriend appreciates it too!) I believe every day should be a special occasion. Plus I simply don't get stuff done in pj's and a bare mug..


If you're a fan of Dita or simply want to bring some more glamour into your everyday life I would definitely recommend this book. I would also recommend it if you're looking for a book on body positivity and self care. If you're purely looking for a book with in debt hair and make up tutorials you might be better off with youtube tutorials or other books.



The Meet & Greet

I got up super early this day not only because I could hardly sleep anyway, but also because I still had to set my hair and do my make up (I can't stand sleeping in pin curls). Luckily the weather was absolutely amazing.. it was like spring! So I could wear flats and my nice coat without freezing to death and also not worry about my eyes watering or my hair getting rained/snowed on.

Once we got to Rosie the Rebel (my favourite retro clothing store in Toronto!) there was a pretty big line of girls all dolled up. It always makes me so happy! The closer we got to the door the more nervous I got. Eventually I got in and last minute my boyfriend got to score a ticket from the guy behind us as well so he could come in with me :) A lady wrote your name down on a sticky note and you had to put this inside the book (which I btw thought was a very clever idea! No name confusions or misspelling). Then after waiting for a bit in line, I got to meet her and take a picture with her!


Not the most flattering picture.. I'm super self conscious about my teeth, but I guess for some reason I thought it would be a great idea to smile with my mouth open! Ugh!


She's honestly just as flawless in real life as she is in her pictures. She was also very soft spoken and came across very humble and timid. And she is so petite! She looks so tall in her pictures but in reality she's a petite little doll. There's so much I wanted to say to her, but all I could stammer was 'It's so nice to meet you' and 'Thank you so much!'. Unfortunately we couldn't make it to her burlesque show that same night, but she just said that she might just bring her show 'Strip strip Hooray!' to Canada in the near future so I'll just wait for that.

Sometimes you meet 'famous' people in person, or even just regular people you've seen online or whatever and it can be a bit disenchanting. Even the boyfriend said that once I'd meet Dita I'd realize she's just a regular person. But somehow I don't feel that way at all! Of course I know she's just human, but I honestly think she's an extraordinary person. She's not putting on a show all the time or a persona. She is the way she is. She lives and breathes everything she does. It's very inspiring.


And this brings me to the end of my Dita post! Needless to say February has been great to me concerning all my Dita wishes :) I hope you enjoyed this post and share your Dita experience with me in the comments!






Monday, February 8, 2016

Art Update: Book Love and Retro Pretties

I made a new banner for my blog! I really like how it came out and I think it'll stay like this for a while. My previous one was a little too unpersonal for my taste and I feel like this one fits me a lot better! I figured with a new blog banner I might as well share some of my other latest artsy creations with you all. I feel like I`m starting to get better and better at incorporating things I love and that inspire me into my work.



The flamingo pattern is my personal favourite! It instantly puts me in a summery mood and makes me dream of sipping a strawberry milkshake in a polka dot bikini by the pool. Ever since the new year started I`ve felt a surge of new creative energy! Every day I look at blogs from other talented ladies and it just pushes me a bit more every day. Happy Monday!!

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Book Review: Secondhand Souls by Christopher Moore

Even though I strongly believe you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, I kind of literally do that exact thing when I'm picking my next book to read. I really appreciate it when a book has a nicely designed cover, or the paper feels very nice or the fonts and typography look pretty. Secondhand Souls instantly caught my eye when I saw it on a stand in the bookstore a few months ago. It's bright pink and the cover illustration is a perfect combination of creepy and cute! And to make it even more amazing, I only just found out that it glows in the dark!

But enough about the aesthetics.. did the amazing outside actually match the contents? The simple answer to that is: YES. so what is this book about?


It seems like only yesterday that Charlie Asher took on a very dirty job—collecting souls and keeping the Forces of Darkness at bay. The new gig came with the Big Book of the Dead and a host of other oddities: creatures under the streets, an evil trinity of ravenlike Celtic death goddesses, and one very bad Underworld dude attempting to conquer humanity. Along with a cohort of other oddballs, Charlie faced off against these denizens of darkness—and met his own end. But thanks to Audrey, his Buddhist-nun boo, his soul is still alive . . . inside a fourteen-inch-high body made from lunchmeat and spare animal parts. Waiting for Audrey to find him a suitable new body to play host, Charlie has squirreled himself away from everyone, including his adorable seven-year-old daughter, Sophie, who enjoys dressing up like a princess, playing with her glitter ponies, and—being the Luminatus—spouting off about her power over the Underworld and her dominion over Death.
Just when Charlie and company thought the world was safe, some really freaky stuff hits San Francisco. People are dying, but their souls are not being collected. Someone—or something—is stealing them and no one knows where they are going, or why, but it has something to do with that big orange bridge. Then there's the Taser-wielding banshee keening about doom who's suddenly appeared while Sophie's guardian hellhounds, Alvin and Mohammed, have mysteriously vanished.
Charlie is just as flummoxed as everyone else. To get to the bottom of this abomination, he and a motley crew of heroes will band together: the seven-foot-tall, two-hundred-and-seventy-five-pounds-of-lean-heartache Death Merchant Minty Fresh; the retired policeman-turned-bookseller Alphonse Rivera; the lunatic Emperor of San Francisco and his dogs, Bummer and Lazarus; Mike Sullivan, a bridge painter in love with a ghost; a gentle French-speaking janitor named Jean-Pierre Baptiste; and former Goth girl Lily Darquewillow Elventhing Severo, now a part-time suicide hotline counselor.
With little Sophie babbling about the coming battle for the very soul of humankind, time is definitely not on their side. . . .
I only later found out this book is actually a sequel to 'A Dirty Job'. The books was mentioned on the cover, but there was no mention anywhere that it was the prequel to Secondhand Souls. I was a little bummed about finding out about this too late because I would've preferred reading the other book first. I also kind of felt the end was a little rushed and that there easily could've been another 200 pages. I would've liked to read more about other ghost's stories. The last bit of criticism I have is the fact that Sophie, the character pictured on the cover, really wasn't as big of a character as I think she should've been.


But all this aside, I think the story was wonderfully written and I had a hard time putting it down. I loved how in the story, our bodies were truly more considered as vessels. How in the end, all that truly matters is the soul. I also loved the mix of fantasy and reality and there were plenty of laugh out loud moments. Moore has a very modern and fresh way of writing. i really enjoyed this book and can't wait to get my hands on A Dirty Job, which I heard a lot of people liked better than this book.

I give this book an 8 out of 10!