Sewing, Herons, Cats, and Bloodletting

Hello Asian inspired friends! ^.^ I hope you all are doing well. It has been a bit stressful for me with so many finals, but I am keeping in good spirits and hope that you are all doing your best to do the same. =) *hugs*!

So a lot has happened this week. Firstly, I want to start out with a really silly and amusing story about some of my sewing adventures this week. I am currently working on a Serah Farron cosplay from Final Fantasy XIII-2.

Serah Farron in Final Fantasy XIII-2

And I've been noticing that while I'm sewing I tend to listen to the most hilariously epic music. If you click the youtube link here to the FFXIII-2 song "Heart of Chaos," and then look at the picture of my work space, you will hopefully be able to see why I found this so utterly hilarious.The most intense, choral music for bloodletting is playing while I am trying to sew black strips onto my gloves, with a little CAT staring at me with the cutest wide open nya~ mouth EVER. The best part is? I secretly felt so hardcore. And so Asian. xD

 

 My Sewing Space with "Heart of Chaos" Playing in the Background

I suppose that I should also mention that I beat Final Fantasy XIII-2 this week-- twice actually. ^_^;; I am going to be gathering all 160 fragments, so I've still got a long while before I am done with the game as a whole, though! Plus...I really love the FFXIII series so...meow. <3  

My other event of this week is that I had an opportunity to capture two really great pictures of a heron. =) He was standing on a small dam at a park and I managed to snag some shots of him in all his glory.

 

 

The water was rippling so magnificently that day. It was still enough for you to see reflections in, but moving in a way that alluded to the life hidden beneath the surface. It was a lovely day for a walk and this made it even more worth it. I am so thankful to have had a camera with me! I find this heron to be quite handsome, especially with the surroundings. <3 

To complement the decent weather we've been having lately, I wore a very nice outfit inspired by Korean fashion specifically.

~Outfit #8!~

I rarely wear shorts, but I found these really nice ones at Body Central. They are fingertip length, which I am very appreciative of. I don't like to rock booty shorts. >.< These actually remind me of some shorts I have seen female K-pop stars wear in videos, and some I've seen in online shops, only these are less 70s inspired. I like them because they hug the top of me snugly, but not too tightly, either.  

In addition to the outfit being worn due to the nice weather, this whole outfit was really based on the fact that I really wanted to wear those earrings. *-* I love them so much, but I only wear them occasionally since they are so bold.

 

The Breakdown:

Shorts: Body Central, about $20.00

Shirt: Forever 21

Shoes: Payless

Earrings: I don't remember =(

Pearl bracelets: Forever 21

Glasses: Vogue brand, bought at Lenscrafters

Well I hope the rest of your April and the rest of your semesters go as well as possible! Always remember that inspiration is everywhere-- you just need to go out and find it. =) 

If you would like to see additional photos, please visit my Flickr page.

<3 Alyssa

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Happy month of April, everyone! ^-^ I hope the beginning of this month has treated you well. It's been a bit stressful for me, getting to the end of the semester and trying to manage school work, fun, and my HappyGifts4U shop on Etsy. This month has been really good considering all the stress, though. I've been trying to keep myself happy by chilling with friends as well as finding comfort in some alone time. =)

Well, the weather was nice and warm again today, so I sported another spring look! I'm really excited about this outfit. I must have thrown a hundred different combinations together before I was completely satisfied with the overall feel and look of the outfit today. (Okay, so maybe just four or five combos ;P) Here is the result of my efforts!

~Outfit #7!~

 

Showing off my yukata-esque sleeves <3

I am soooo happy I finally found an outfit to wear the sheer, yukata/kimono-esque shawl with. It is such a beautiful and elegant garment, in it there is also a fun, girlish charm, which makes it great for multiple moods and looks. The orange dress is sleeveless, and the yukata shawl also functions as a way for me to be just a little more modest and show a different side of my personality, as well. The belt came with the dress, and its color fit in nicely with everything else. The pearls helped to add just the right amount of jewelry, fun, and classiness to the outfit.

I was a little iffy about the tights at first, but I wasn't really comfortable wearing such a short dress without them-- but I'm SO glad I tried them on because they work GREAT with this outfit. They definitely add some Asian flair to the outfit that would otherwise be missing. The little bows on them are just sooo Asian to me. I'm very happy that I bought them on a whim, because I've really come to love them.

The Breakdown:

Dress: Body Central, $21.00

Belt: Came with the dress

Yukata/Kimono Shawl: Forever 21, Japanese inspired

Tights: Random accessory store, $8.00

Shoes: Payless, on sale for $15.00

Pearls: Forever 21

Glasses: Vogue brand, bought at Lenscrafters
Overall Inspiration: East Asia in the springtime <3

This outfit made me feel really cute, beautiful, fun, and confident in who I am. I definitely tailored each piece to fit me, and I would always encourage you to do the same. Don't be afraid of throwing mismatched things together, because that could be your new best outfit in the making! That's totally what happened with this outfit, and I love it so much.

If you would like to see additional photos, please visit my Flickr page.

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Before I sign off, I would like to bring attention to some wonderful opportunities for American K-pop fans! On April 20th, tickets go on sale for Jay Park's American tour!! =DD He will be performing in Washington D.C., New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Check out the link below, and be sure to stalk the tickets at midnight, because they usually go really fast-- sometimes within minutes!  http://verizonapahmtour.com/

Also! On May 20th there is a concert featuring Super Junior, TVXQ (DBSK), BoA, Girl's Generation, Kangta, and Exo 4. *-* I've heard that f(x) and SHINee might be involved, as well.  The concert is in California and tickets are between $50-$300. I want to go sooo badly!!!!! T___T I hope I can find someway to find the funds to do so. I've never been to a K-pop concert, but I would absolutely LOVE it. I hope some of you are able to go, as well! Let me know if you are able to go or not in the comments box! ^_^ 

http://www.songkick.com/concerts/12402928-smtown-live-at-honda-center

Well everyone, I can't give you any bigger news than that, so for now I am off. Have a great rest of your night/day. Also wishing you a good rest of the semester!

<3 Alyssa