I can't believe I did it!

A long time ago, I used to do metal jewelry. Then I stopped, for various reasons :( But now I think it's time to get back to it, because it was always something I truly enjoyed. So today, I spent a little over $1000 on various supplies for my home studio. I still cannot believe that I did it! I kept staring at the screen before hitting the "submit order" button for maybe 3 hours, and that not counting for items being in my basked for past 3 days!

I'm a little bit of shock not because I didn't expect all the stuff to be this expensive, but because I never ever got to spend THAT much money on myself. Even my kimono never cost that much! :P

Looks like I will have to get off my lazy behind and make some jewelry! My goal is to participate in Christmas Markets on base at the end of the year, because they seriously lack some artistic jewelry there! I guess I was spoiled by festivals like Great Gulf Coast Art Festival, where artistic jewelry is all over the place so I was very disappointed when I didn't see any metal jewelry. All they had were beaded pieces, and although they were beautiful, there are only so many ways one can string beads. I was hoping for something from metal and/or with stones. I didn't see anything other than cheaper mass produced versions. :( :(

So wish me luck and keep asking for those jewelry pieces! They are coming! :)

Kimono Pin-Ups

After almost 3 month of kimono hiatus I was finally able to wear kimono again! Originally I was supposed to do a Red Sonja photo shoot today, but that fell through so I was quick to suggest to my photographer a kimono photo shoot instead. She agreed and after initial brainstorming, we came up with the idea of kimono pin-ups. Actually it was more along the lines of me coming up with the idea and her just agreeing to it haha :)

I made one thing very clear, and that was that I will NOT do any kind of 'pretend geisha' stuff to add sexiness to the shoot. Instead our challenge was to make kimono look sexy and playful without revealing any skin! After all, this is what kimono is all about: understated sexuality, completely covered up modesty and generally being very proper.

At first I wore zori with my kimono, but after looking in the mirror I decided to wear pumps instead because it just seemed more fitting. I'm very happy with the result because western pumps add additional 'flare' to the kimono already combined with western accessories.

All the photos below are unedited versions given to me by photographer. She will give me a few of edited ones and as soon as I have them, I'll post them :)

Photographer: Charolotte Murray http://www.modelmayhem.com/789225

I was trying to do the classic pin-up pout, and by the end of the day I got quite good at it! But I still need practice of course! :)











I think I can safely say that this photo is my favorite from the whole bunch :)

2009 - a year in pictures

2009 was both a good and a bad year for me. Good - because I got married to the love of my life :) I also found some great and true friends, and finally was able to get a cat! Actually TWO cats - Mittens and Echo :) They keep me company when my husband is away :) :) :) And finally, I got MUCH better in wearing kimono! haha :)

Bad - because I had to move away from family and friends to the country that I don't particularly care about. I had to leave my good job for a crappy job, and traded REAL school for an online school, which I hate.

Getting married was one of the greatest things that happened to me! :)





I attended Mobile Japanese New Year with my friends :) I also dressed up my Japanese friend in furisode because she was missing her Coming of Age ceremony while in US.



And then Pensacola Kimono Club attended Pensacola Japanese New Year! We had a much larger party this time because some of our friends were volontold to wear a kimono haha :)



So far I think this is my favorite kimono :)



I got to be a Japanese pirate at the local Renaissance Fair :)



We had our photos taken professionally :)





Pensacola Kimono Club was asked to do a kimono show. My friend and I were the only ones who wore kimono (without changing), and on the way back we had to protect our kimono because it started raining.



My friend organized me a great farewell party. I miss my friends a lot :( :(





Wearing kimono for the first time in UK.



Finally learning to wear kimono by myself! :)





The best picture ever!



Going to Cambridge in kimono.



Japan Matsuri in London.



And the last time I wore kimono in 2009.