Sparkle Stitches and is Technologically Challenged~Basic Skills - Cording

I have been trying to put together a video tutorial because I think it is easier to follow, but I am pretty horrible at it so here is a photo tutorial instead

This is just a basic skill, but it is useful! Making cords this way can be used for spaghetti straps, button loops, or as a ribbon, which is what I made mine for! And if you don't want to use ribbon for the ribbon bustle skirt tutorial I am working on, this cord is a perfect substitute. I like to use cords because you can make it out of matching fabric, and it is not as slippery as ribbon.

First, cut your fabric into strips four times wider than your finished cord. I wanted 1/4" wide cords, so I cut 1" wide strips. Fold in half and stitch at your cord width (1/4" for me)

I used white thread so you can see easily. Obviously you want to use matching thread!

Make a snip from the FOLDED edge to, but not through, your stitching line


Put a bobby pin in the little loop you just made


Thread the bobby pin into the body of the cord. Start feeding the bobby pin through and the cord will fold in on itself. Don't try to turn too much at once or it will just bunch up! Start small. Once you have a good few inches turned, it becomes much easier! I find that if the end gets a little bit bunchy, especially in the beginning, twisting and rolling it between your fingers helps.

I showed the twisting portion in the video I recorded but I can't seem to make a good video edit
If you need more explanation, please let me know!

Quick, Say Something!

My apologies for lack of updates for a long time! I have been having some personal life issues. I was planning on getting a sewing tutorial up, but have been unable to complete it so far, sorry! It should be up relatively soon. I am making a ribbon bustle skirt with adjustable bustles, but decided to do some experimenting which went wrong ^^; Don't worry, it is still wearable and I fixed it so it looks perfect on the outside, but is ugly on the inside, and I HATE that! Originally it was going to go for sale on ArtFire, but now I don't want to because I feel like it is not my best work... The fabric is gorgeous, though ♥

Let's talk about something much happier! Do you know what is happening next Saturday, on December 4th? It is International LoliDay! I love that International Lolita Day happens twice a year because one can show both a lovely summer outfit and a fancy, layered winter outfit. LoliDay is the best time to experiment with new coordinates, new color combos, and accessorize to your heart's content! Normally I opt for comfort and practicality over looking perfect, but I hope to be able to put some finishing touches on a new dress to wear by LoliDay and go shopping for matching accessories.

Being in Taiwan, however, winter feels.... not really like winter to me... In Minnesota, Winter LoliDay meant my handmade pink, wool coat, layred tights, socks, and knee-high boots, long sleeves under a JSK and maybe a cardigan,and a cute bunny hat and lamb scarf! Also matching pink gloves to keep my fingerstips from going numb in the bitter cold. Now, I can get away with wearing just a light cardigan. Not nearly as many layering options! This year I will focus on accessories and details like hair, make, and nail to make up for the lack of layers

Activity-wise, there are no meetups planned, so I am going to make it a day of shopping! There are some shopping districts I would like to browse (though I haven't got much money, so it will mostly be looking only) and a 24-hour bookstore to peruse. I am thinking of treating myself to a Starbucks seasonal drink.

This may sound silly, being that Starbucks is HUGE in America, but I honestly have hardly ever tried any of their drinks, and didn't know about the seasonal ones ^^; I always went for Caribou Coffee! Simply because I liked the decor and logo better. Of course, later I also learned about how they used Free Trade coffee and they re-branded recently and started using REAL chocolate chips instead of powder, and basically, are a more decadent version of Starbucks. Not knocking Starbucks though, as I have tried a couple drinks so far and like it :) Gourmet coffee is a real treat to me, though I know many people see it as a daily routine :P And holidays are a time for indulgence, so indulge I shall!

Other ideas for LoliDay include:

*Photoshoots ~ Alone with a self-timer, with some good friends, or as a group professionally, document your LoliDay coordinate!

*Go on an Adventure! ~ Rekindle the childhood spirit of adventure and go somewhere new! One Person Party or take a crew?

*Take a Day Off ~ Stay home and relax, or hang out with a friend at home. Read a good book, watch movies, and eat yummy snacks!

*Bake a Treat ~ Unleash your inner kitchen witch and whip up some munchies in the kitchen! Perhaps try your hand at a GLB recipe?

*Take a Treat ~ Not in the mood to create? How about visiting a local bakery or cafe to treat yourself to a lovely drink and pasty. Most pastries or cakes are cute and lend themselves to being good subjects for food photography. I love food photography *u*


What are your plans for LoliDay?
Has your local group got a meet-up planned? Are you doing something alone or just with a friend? Share your ideas in the comments! I am interested to hear what you are going to do!

Tiana's Kitchen~Heart Print Pancakes

Now for something new! My very first video!

I actually filmed this a few weeks ago but couldn't figure out how to upload it onto YouTube I am a little bit technologically challenged...

Without further ado, I present a very simple way to make your breakfast (or lunch, or dessert, or whenever you feel like having pancakes) cute!




I edited the video with Windows Live Movie Maker. It was terribly hard to film and cook at the same time but I hope the video is understandable!

When They Don't Avert Their Eyes

Sorry for the lack of updates recently. I have been feeling a bit discouraged, but decided to blog about it now rather than continue the internet silence.

Let me start by saying I wear Lolita every day I don't have to work. I have been doing so for a couple years. I wear Lolita whether I am sitting at home all day or going out. Never have I ever encountered negative feedback in Minnesota. I went to the Mall of America every week. Outside of the weekly trips, I went grocery shopping, fabric shopping, took walks, got coffee, etc. Sometimes curious strangers would ask if I was from another country, or simply tell me that I dressed very adorably. Most of the time, I am confused at first because I don't feel any different in Lolita or out of it, and my friends and family are so accepting of it that nobody comments or looks at me any differently.

So it came as a shock to me, the different reactions I have gotten in Taiwan


Being that Asia is more fashionable than America in general, I had thought I would stand out far less. I see girls wearing dresses, short skirts, short shorts, layered looks, high boots, and a lot of heels. Very stylish from hair to shoes and everything in between. Unfortunately, everybody mostly dresses in the same style. It is fashionable, yes, but not diverse. Therefore, even my most casual of casual Lolita outfits stands out like crazy!

The other thing is that in Taiwan, people have no qualms about openly staring. Or "whispering" loudly enough for others to hear, even on the noisy MRT. I have encountered my first "ninja snap" where a girl whipped out her cell phone to take a photo of me on my way to a Lolita meetup. As a group, we walked through the MRT station and a girl very openly took photos of us, pointing, shouting, and telling her friends to look Most of us actually thought she was friends with one of the girls in our group because she was being so familiar. When one of the older Lolitas asked her to stop, she flat-out said "No" and carried on treating us like a display.

While traveling alone this past Wednesday, two girls in the same MRT compartment openly discussed whether I was a coser or not. Rather than either just asking me or keeping it to themselves, they held a conversation throughout the journey, making it highly awkward as everybody pretended to not be able to hear them or see me

Now, I am not going to stop wearing Lolita just because of a few obnoxious incidents, of course. I have noticed that people tend to look at me whether I am wearing Lolita or not, most likely because despite being 100% Chinese, I look mixed. So if they are going to stare anyway, I would much rather they look at my pretty clothes than at me.

Sorry for such a long, personal post. It has taken my spirit for the past few days, but I plan on continuing to live with the fiery passion for all things elegant, beautiful, and cute in life! Never shall it die!

And now I can relate much better to the girls who post asking about what to do in negative situations. Keep your chin up, your head high, and smile! You are beautiful Let's face it - you will probably never see those people ever again, anyway. And if you do, you'll still be rockin' life in your own style~

My question to you:
How have you dealt with this type of negativity in your life?

Tiana's Kitchen~Steamed Banana Cake

Asian cakes are often steamed because most homes do not own a large oven like Western homes. It is possible to bake cakes in the toaster oven, but steaming is quicker and fluffier!

There are many methods of steaming, and all work equally well. I usually use an electric steamer, but bamboo steamers are also popular. It is also possible to ghetto-rig a steamer by heating a wok of boiling water, putting a rack in the bottom to keep the cake pan out of the water, and steaming your cake suspended over the water. Make sure your wok cover fits over the pan or bowl you are using!

Bananas are naturally sweet, and the riper they are, the sweeter they get, so adjust your sugar levels accordingly!

This recipe can be made and steamed all in one bowl. It is quick, easy, and has minimal clean-up work. Very good for a quick snack and has only about 115 calories per serving! Calories were calculated using My Fitness Pal's Recipe Calculator


Ingredients:
2/3 cup All-Purpose Flour (I only have spoon measures, so I did 10 Tbs and 1tsp)
1 ripe Banana
1 tsp Baking Soda
3 Tbsp packed Brown Sugar (adjust according to taste)
1 Egg
2 tsp water
1 tsp oil

Directions:
1) Assemble Ingredients and Preheat your steamer by boiling the water in your wok or the base of your steamer

The silver pan I mixed in turned out to be too big because I am a poor judge of volume... a big bowl should suffice

2) Put everything in your bowl and mash it all together with a fork!


3) Try to make your batter smooth with few lumps. My batter turned brown because of the brown sugar. Using refined sugar will keep your cake yellow from the banana, but I prefer brown sugar ;)


4) Place into your hot steamer and steam for 15 minutes. Do NOT open the lid before it is done!


5) Allow to cool in the bowl. The water vapor makes it separate from the bowl easily


6)Loosen the edges and turn out into a plate. My cake had some unmixed lumps of brown sugar because I was in a hurry, making this cake at 10PM ^^; They settled to the bottom and now you can see them when the cake is flipped!


7) Cut into 6 pieces and serve!


I hope you enjoy this simple recipe. Feel free to change up the flavors! Try different fruits or flavors! Chocolate cake?