Categorised Present Ideas

I love reading gift idea lists around Christmas. The following list is divided into three parts, one for general ideas, one for Lolita and one for Mori. Of course this doesn’t mean any restrictions, I just like my ideas a little bit organised. ^^
All ideas can be afforded with a maximum 10€ or less if you’ve got some or all of the material already (except maybe the headphone idea from the Lolita category).

General Presents

1. Grain pillows are incredibly useful. I have one in my bed every night during the chillier time of the year. The definite advantage of grain pillows over hot water bottles is that they can’t spill and don’t get as cold in the morning. They can be used as cooling packs, too, just put them in the fridge instead of the microwave or oven. AND they are easily self-made, all you need is a small bag of grain, some more heat-resistant fabric and the usual sewing supplies. You can also sew an extra cover, as the pillow itself isn’t washable. Just don’t use metal colour or buttons if you want to heat it in the microwave, and nothing that could be too sensible to heat if meant for the oven.
2. Calendars can be a very personal gift. I’m talking self-made, of course. You could use photos, draw something or even make a collage with pictures you think the person the calendar’s for would appreciate. I’m making one for my father this year with watercolour paintings of some sights of my wonderful town and one for his sister with photographs of Hollis, as she likes teddy bears.
3. Syrup is one of these things you can never have enough of. You can find wonderful recipes online for about every flavour you can think of. You could make your own labels like I did last summer for the Rosemary and Thyme lemonade syrup or decorate pretty bottles with ribbons and tags listing the ingredients.

Lolitaesque Presents

1. Dolly Pin Cushions consist of a doll’s head and arms and a body (torso and a wide, stuffed “hoop skirt”) made of fabric. The head-and-arms sets some DIY supply shops sell are originally meant for tea cozies (as far as I know), but I think a pin cushion would also be nice. If you want you can also craft it in a way to leave a little storing space under the doll’s wide skirt. I think I’m going to make one for myself this year…
2. Headphones can be wonderful accessoires, and they can also make you more confident (you won’t hear any negative comments but only the soundtrack of your own marvellous live). Accessorize sells rather pretty and funny ones (I love the ones with the Union Jack design), but you can also mod them yourself. Just add some paint, deco rhinestones, lace or other little trinkets according to the presentee’s taste and style. I think I’ll do this myself in the new year, be sure to get a new Hedgefairy tutorial (a little late for this Christmas, anyhow)!
3. Dress-shaped biscuits. I remember reading about this in some blog, but I couldn’t find it anymore, sorry. The idea was to print out stock pictures of your favourite brand pieces, use them as stencils for the dough and decorate the baked biscuits with sugar drawings of the original piece’s features. For packing you could make a flat box, line it with tissue paper and decorate the top matching to the respective brand you used for the stencils. Or just design your own dresses and make it a made-up brand!

Mori Girl Presents

1. Calorimetries and/ or headbands are something that I’ve been told about they weren’t too hard to knit, but with my grandiose non-existent knitting skills I highly doubt that. Anyway, I think they make a pretty winter Mori accessoire! I especially like this (albeit in another colour) and this one from Ravelry, but tutorials can be found all over the aethernet.
2. Soft curlers are a great project for fabric scraps and a pretty and healthier-for-the-hair alternative to normal curlers or even curling irons. You can find one of many tutorials here.
3. Felt brooches could also qualify as a “for everyone” gift as they are easy to make and can take any form you can dream of. Robins and other small birds would be great motifs for Mori girls, but any other woodland creature or flower or plant would be pretty, too. I’d recommend sewing them together (glue can be so ugly if something goes wrong, and hand-stitched seams looks so much better, anyway!) and stuffing them a little bit for more texture and fluffed-up bird goodness.

Festival Preparation

As we’re at the middle of July again I think it’s time to write something about one of my personal highlights of the summer during the last four years: Festivals.

I’ve started going to festivals at the age of sixteen what was quite sensible when I look back on it. I don’t think very highly of dragging people to festivals when they aren’t even allowed to stay out after midnight if you follow the law strictly.

This year I’m going to visit Veldenstein Castle for my summer entertainment, mostly for the sake of the ever-genius Coppelius. The other bands are either good enough to dance to or ignorable – one needs a little rest from time to time, even if it’s only a one-day festival. Although I like whole-weekend festivals a lot, one-days are incomparably less stressful. You can take your time to arrive on friday without the schedule of the first concert chasing you and your companions, set up camp with more care when it comes to choosing the place on the campground, enjoy the concerts on saturday and sleep as long as you want until you decide to drive home on sunday.

The most important things to plan for festivals are these:

• Packing space: As for us, we’re going by Bambi’s car which is pretty small (and canary yellow ^^). “Us” refers to Bambi, Jules, the Scoundrel and obviously me. The equation goes as follows: 1 very small car : 4 people x 4 days = Tetris. One of the most sensible things is to open up the sleeping bags and camping mats, place them on the back seat and let the ones who sit in the back settle on a way more luxurious seat. Another one is to place the smallest person on the co-drivers seat. In our case, that’s me. When I’m putting my feet on the seat during the ride the leg room can be stuffed with luggage.
• Food and drink: Well, the first and foremost is something else than ravioli or at least not only ravioli. Don’t get me wrong, I love ravioli, but living on them for three days for breakfast, lunch and dinner is simply too much. Things like cereals and UHT milk, some fruit and other canned things than ravioli can add a little luxury to the trip. Bonus points if you really get to cook something not entirely made of tinned food!
• Outfits and clothes: There is a way to look good, handsome, cute, pretty and entirely awesome on a festival without taking your whole wardrobe with you or ruining your best pieces. I’ll devote a whole post on this next week introducing my own festival outfits for this year. Just keep in mind that thing should be practical, pockets might be a good idea, you’ll most probably need a smaller bag than a giant backpack to carry with you on the festival ground and you will also most probably dance, so leave your high heels and ballerina slippers (they fall off!) at home.

These are my personal basics for a good festival. Of course the music to be played on the car ride is important, too, but as you’re going to the same music festival it’s mostly expected for you to like the same kind of music, isn’t it? And don’t forget to settle who’s sleeping in which tent and who’s to bring which things.

And don’t forget the bottle opener.

Treasure Hunt Outfit – Jules

Yes, again a post about the weekend Jules spent here.

But the outfits and the photos we took of them were too great to keep them back from you. I’ll do one for Jules and one for me each for the sake of clarity.

Jules wore a dandy outfit featuring self-made trousers with suspenders, a military-safari-inspired shirt, an old fashioned cravat, a lace jabot and glittery flower-print trainers. Oh, and loads of decor.

Doesn't he look dashing? ^^

The following pictures were taken during the picnic and the following Canne de Combat training (you remember that we took Jules along? He liked it enough to continue after lunch).

... I'm responsible for this haircut... :)

Jules and the Scoundrel... just imagine they're taking a walk in the park of a huge country house.

As if he just jumped out of a Jane Austen novel...

Treasure Chest

I promised to show you Jules’ present today and so I will do.

I had pondered over it a while and finally came up with an idea suiting a treasure hunt: a chest! And as Jules is complaining about the lack of good male hand bags most of the time I decided to sew one, and this is the result:

An old key works as the fastener

I love the rocailles that I used for the raspberry embroidery, the colour is called "scarab"

I think Sir Ludwig likes the treasure chest, too (and the colours match, anyway ^^).

We also found this really big (about the length of my hand in diameter!) and beautiful flower in the garden while taking the photos and didn’t quite know what it was. I’m going to ask my grandmother when I go and visit her at the weekend, but maybe you can help me, too?

The crafting details are as follows:

• Making time: About 5-7 hours, I guess, including shopping for material, sewing, embroidery and tantrums ^^
• Material: Very thick crafting felt, embroidery floss in six colours (ochre, dark pink, raspberry pink, light pink, very light green, light green), rocailles in scarab (but only the red toned ones) and gold, glitter thread, velvet ribbon, crochet lace, an old key, white crochet cotton
• Success: Perfect, Jules was absolutely stunned. :)

Final Close-Up

Treasure Hunt at Weekends

Yesterday evening I walked Jules to the station after a really great (but a little bit exhausting as I feel quite ill since Saturday) weekend. He arrived at Friday afternoon and we took him to Early’s, a small-but-nice bistro near the Institute for Physical Exercise. We continued the evening with watching Elisabeth (the musical) while I took the last stitches on his final birthday present.

Saturday began with Canne de Combat free training. First, Jules was not to eager to participate but grew to like it quite much when our trainer made him take part. After the showers we went to an optician as Bambi’s glasses were broken (and I still need a new pair of them – but I think I spotted some really nice frames there). After that Bambi disappeared and I started to give a birthday present to Jules – a small card, burnt edges, writing on one, a small drawing on the other side.

The first card led him to the old graveyard where he found a pair of spools of silk thread.

The second one showed a hint to head a fountain where he found a moon of his own, just like the princess in the fairy tale. ^^

Station 3 was settled at the market place and had a little unicorn as a gift as Jules adores Charlie the Unicorn, for what reason ever.

It’s a small soft plastic toy, pierced with a hot needle on a thread that was spun by me from embroidery floss and sparkling metallic thread, both in raspberry pink.
I’m sorry that I don’t have a picture of the next present to show but all the photographs turned out to be blurry… Well, it was a mint-and-chocolate scented soap from Italy that matched Jules’ love for After Eight perfectly. I think I can say that his eyes were gleaming when he smelled it… ^^

As a little break and to compensate the really, really sunny, warm weather we had some ice cream, double chocolate and nougat for me and After Eight, strawberry and marzipan for Jules. After that I successfully lured him to the Religious Studies building where on the archway the next gift waited for him: A small bottle of gold.

Then we headed for the castle, for the garden, to be exact where Bambi waited for us with a strawberry tart and Lewis Carroll’s poem of the matter, wearing a silly hat that quite suited him.

After all, we went down to the Botanical Garden again where the Scoundrel waited for us with a picnic and where Jules got his final present, but I think I’d rather tell you about that tomorrow.

Intermezzo: Achievement Book

I admit it. I’m terribly good at procrastinating. My Lolita WIP on Natron & Soda, my Celtic Studies paper, thank-you letters after Christmas, signing up for workshops or sports, even vacuum-cleaning my room (albeit I really like cleaning my room!).

To avoid that, I used to write to-do lists. I still do that, sometimes. But I found that it was a better stimulus to see what I had done during the day than what I had not. That was when I started my Achievement Book. I began to list everything that I had settled and realised that it was a real inducement that I wanted to see as much things as possible on a list a day.

Sure, I’m still having lazy days (too much lately…), but I have bettered. It might be even more of a treat if the book is a nice one to the eyes, too (mine is quite classically bound in carta fiorentina).

Beating Loneliness

Picture from weheartit.com.

There are moments in life when you feel completely left alone and worthless to others. This especially happens when you are sad or angry or, all in all, not in a good mood and doing badly. These are the moments in which you feel mistreated because the only person to comfort you wouldn’t even leave their momentarily doing-what-ever if they heard you crying and sniffing two open doors away. Or when in a discussion with people you normally consider your friends won’t accept your opinion and instead hit you on the back of your head just out of the blue just for having your own mind!

Every time when it seems to you that no one loves you, nobody cares for your feelings and thoughts, remember that you are indeed a precious person. Just be good to yourself. I’d…

• Have a tea. Nothing too exquisite or expensive, a simple herbal or fruit tea will do. Warming from the inside is really helpful in situations that feel like a lump of ice in your stomach.
• Take a bath. It’s the same thing, but from the outside. In such moments I prefer oils and salts instead of bubbles which can be quite cold when you touch them accidentally.
• Read something that makes you feel comfortable. Like Eloise or Brambly Hedge or your favourite Flower Fairy or even a Shakespeare sonnet, something small that makes you smile.
• Watch a feel-good movie. Tinkerbell for instance is about accepting oneself even if others do not so.
• Cuddle up. Take a nice big blanket (I’ve got a patchwork one from IKEA that’s huge) and your favourite teddy bear and just feel that you’re save and warm.
• Talk. I just had a telephone conversation with my mother who is quite objective when I’ve got quarrels but knows me and my quirks very well. Call your parents, your best friend or your sister, someone you know to always love you, and get everything off your chest.

My mother always says “Care for yourself and be your own best friend”.

She’s right.

Princess Weekend

It’s early in the morning right now and outside the streets are covered with snow again after the old one had been washed away a fortnight ago. It started to snow on Sunday when I escorted Jules on his way to the railway station for his train home.

He arrived Friday afternoon before we went up the hill and after I had made the cake for Simon’s housewarming party. Well, the party itself was quite funny even though I wished I could have danced more… Anyway. :)

On Saturday we slept until 11 AM as we came home at about three and stayed awake until five together with Bambi (the Satyr being engaged elsewhere). I roused Jules with one of his favourite songs at the moment, Defying Gravity from Wicked, sung by Chris Colfer alias Kurt Hummel from Glee, and he was delighted (By the way, I really need a new ringtone for the alarm clock of my mobile phone, something I’ like to rise with. I think I’ll dedicate a whole post to this some other day.).
In the afternoon – which isn’t to far away from a 11 AM – I showed Jules Marburg as he had just seen it by night yet when he slept over at our’s after the last Coppelius concert in december.

First we went to our local department store that has a really nice array of fabrics, wool and buttons. Yes, I bought some fabric, again, a totally cute cotton in a greyish blue with little white ducks printed on it, I think it will make a great summers dress. ^^

He looks like a university student himself...

After taking those outfit photos we found ourselves lost in the toy store in the upper town where Jules coaxed me to get myself a glittery wand – a fairy godmother does need one, he’s right at that point. :) I also bought a small music box with the tune of Singin’ in the Rain, which is lovely. Well, that was quite a shopping trip for me. ^^

A time traveller, taking pictures.

On Sunday morning we had the most lovely breakfast with salmon toasts and Earl Grey while Hollis had a sandwich of his own (Ludwig couldn’t come as he caught cold and has to stay in bed at the moment).

Our breakfast in the morning light...

... including Hollis and another sandwich.

You see, the weekend was really great, but now I’ve got to go to university, New Irish is calling.

Bye, then!

Sevenfold A Sew Along

Don’t mind the title, I just liked the rhythm of the rotating letters. It’s a linguists thing, I think.

The snow is slowly washed away by the rain and again I am sitting in Bambi’s room, this time for the simple reason that he is playing Fallout 3 at the moment and the soundtrack are some pretty good 40s tunes.

*sing*

I don’t want to set the world on fire
I just want to start a flame in your heart
In my heart I have but one desire
And that one is you no other will do

Some days ago, Jules and I decided to do a sew-along. We both are never out of sewing projects but rarely handle some of them if not forced to. So we looked for seven pieces to sew and here they are:

1. Coat. Mine will be a black velveteen one with a high collar, nearly a dress with a small waist and a nice lining with a floral pattern. This will be the most expensive of the projects, but I’ve wanted a black velveteen coat for so long. This will be worth it.
   
2. Trousers. A 70s look-a-like bootcut-bellbottom mix of greyish blue corduroy. I’ve already got the fabric and pattern in store, only the zipper is left needed, but I think my grandmother will be able to help me out with a matching one.
   
3. Spats. They are not only quite sensible but also decorative and steampunky and I still have this wonderful herringbone patter wool. I’ll need some brass buttons, but I think this shouldn’t be a problem.
   
4. Bag. I still need one for university when I don’t want to use my red-and-black chessboard one that’s somewhat uncomfortable sometimes and often too small or my large army survival rucksack. I recently discovered a tutorial for thicker plastic tarpaulin out of plastic bags, a nice recycling project and the bags of my favourite book store will make a perfect cover for a linguist’s bag with their letter print.I think it will be a messenger bag spacious enough for all my required stuff and an extra case for the laptop.
   
5. Waistcoat. No special ideas here yet, sadly. Suggestions, anyone?
   
6. Headgear. I really want a bonnet, so I’ll keep my eyes open for a pattern and some decent fabric.
   
7. Shirt of Blouse. Well, I’ve got the pattern, the buttons and the fabric for a special pussy bow blouse (Is quite hard to find the English version of the German word Schluppenbluse, for those who don’t know, it’s a blouse with a large scarf attached to the collar that can be bound into a huge bow). I’m really fond of my idea and will surely show you the progress!

So this is our sew-along. I’m really looking forward to sewing again, and as I finally got my ironing board to Marburg, I’ll be able to start right now! So, if you excuse me…

Good-bye until next time!

He’s making a list…

…and checking it twice! Some little christmas (or maybe for other occasions, too?) gift and not so many wrapping ideas for Lolita friends or beloved ones, as one can never have enough inspiration for those little things that make others smile. ^^

1. Some spools of thread or embroidery floss for a sewing friend, wrapped in a nice blank linen, tied up with a velvet ribbon.
2. Fine marmalade or jam. If you don’t want to cook it yourself, try your local (or favourite) tea shop for some nice and extraordinary flavours. They might also sell unusual honey (such as mimosa or rose petal) or rock sugar in rum! A piece of nice fabric clutched over the lid will make it more personal.
3. A poem, written in your best handwriting. Deck the paper with an Art Nouveau ornament or something related to the piece of poetry and put it in a nice frame (you can find those at several home decoration stores or IKEA). I’d recommend something like a Shakespearean sonnet, some Lewis Carroll or lyrics of a song that this friend likes.
4. Tea. There are the most delicious sorts in the stores at christmas time! Apple and Cinnamon, Citrus flavours, Gentleman’s Toffee, Irish Coffee or just a fine Earl Grey will surely be a welcome gift that can be delivered in a pretty cup with a ribbon at the handle. ^^
5. A cylinder music box. You can often find these in toy shops featuring a pretty array of melodies.
6. Unusual soap or bath ingredients. Try Lush, The Body Shop or your local eco supermarket or store for aromas like chocolate, rose petals, star fruit, sheep’s milk or green tea. You could wrap it up in a washing cloth of some sorts or a nice handkerchief…
7. Home-made winter biscuits! Sweet shortcrust pastry biscuits, speculaas, macaroons, chocolate chip cookies with an extra pinch of cinnamon, the list is endless!
8. A pot of rather unusual ink. There are colours like silver and gold or very vivid yellows, blues or even greens and pinks, but also white (good for Gothic Lolitas who use black stationary), pearl-like shimmer or sympathetic ink.
9. Polymer clay pendants. Easy and fun to make and perfectly personal. Nice motives could be gingerbread, sweets, bunnies, cats or Christmas stockings.
10. Nothing for the boys (or maybe it is… hm.), but a nicely designed eye shadow or lipstick. Sometimes you can find pretty designs in the seasonal collections of favourable-priced, small brands in your local chemist’s shop.
11. Syrup in nice bottles. I still keep some of the rose hip syrup I made a month ago, you get pretty much out of two pounds of them (the rose hips). And it is healthy and tastes grand!
12. A charm for a charm bracelet. Not very innovative, but you could a) make it yourself or b) reference to something that makes your relationship special.
13. Chocolate! The most obvious! You can get seasonal cinnamon-and-gingerbread flavoured bars in December as well as pralines. Plus: It’s fun to rummage in chocolateries or old-fashioned sweet shops for nice gifts, dressed up in Lolita!
14. A pretty hairbrush and/ or pocket mirror, small enough to fit into a handbag, tied up with a pretty ribbon and a card or gift tag showing a vintage style hairdo tutorial.
15. Some seeds, a seedling or a single flower and a nice tea-cup full o’ earth. You could also look for some nice little garden pottery, but I think a cup would be perfect. There are ways to get holes into the bottom of the cup for the water to drain off, so you could watch out for a matching saucer, too. Nice plants could be a rose, lavender, violets, nasturtium or even a couple of pumpkin seeds as a base for a Cinderella carriage.
16. Fabric book wrappers. Best if you and the one you are making it for share the same favourite book so you will know the size in which to make it. It could be very personal with a name, coat of arms or specific symbols or related to the book it is meant for.
17. An old-fashioned fabric tea bag, embroidered with rosebuds, tea leaves, Asian ornaments or terms associated with tea.
18. A case mod USB stick, e.g. in a stuffed toy, started up with cogs and some brass paint, with motives of Gothic architecture or polymer clay and silicone cupcakes and cream.
19. A nice bottle of bubbles. If there aren’t any nice designs, just fill a nice glass with the liquid, give it a tag saying Fairies’ Tears and add some glitter. Don’t forget to decorate the blower with a ribbon!
20. Something you found outside: An interesting pebble, a pretty feather, dried leaves or flowers, nuts or a snail-shell.