Maslenitsa - Hello, Spring!

Well, since I was hooked up with studies for the previous months, I didnt have much time to work on new stuff. But I still have something interesting for today's "show & tell"!

In Russia this week was rather celebratory - not an official holiday per se, but a national tradition. Maslenitsa is the week before the beginning of the Great Lent and also the week we say goodbye to winter. The traditional food is blini or pancakes - but unlike the western "pancakes" blini (plural of "blin") are thinner and often serve as a wrapping for various fillings, such as cottage cheese, mushrooms, mashed potatoes, but also they can simply be dipped in sour cream or jam. They are both a tasty treat before a long fasting and a pagan symbol of the sun, that brings spring.

Traditionally relatives and friend would visit each other during the week - different days meant different visits. Also mass festivities take place and end on Forgiving Sunday (if you'd like to ask forgivnes from someone for anything - no day is better) with the burning of the Maslenitsa - a hay and rag doll that's meant to symbolize the winter. Of course most traditions aren't as common as when people lived in villages, but even in cities on Sunday there are organized events in parks and squares - snow fights, bonfires, contests, dances, sleigh rides! Perhaps it's the biggest celebrated holiday that isn't strictly religious and keeps national traditions, which means a lot since most of the populace is rather out of touch with them (except for seniors).

I didn't have the chance to take photos of the blini that I baked (they where too yummy to survive that long), but if anyone would like to try them, the recipe is quite simple! You'll need:

• 300 ml of milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 5 tablespoons (heaped) of flour (I use wheat or a mix with oat)
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• a pinch of salt

Mix the egg, milk, sugar and salt, add flour and then the oil. They are baked on a very hot frying pan (I'd recommend slightly (!) oiling it before the first pancake and in-between if necessary) by pouring some of the dough in a thin layer and, when baked, flipping it over with a spatula. Took me some practice, but the result was totally worth it! My fave is eating them hot while dipping in cold sour cream or condensed milk - it's out of this world!

For those on the vegeterian side - here is a recipe I also tried that doesn't include eggs. But it still contains milk... I guess you could use water, but I don't think that'll still clasify as blini and not some form of plain bread.

• 2 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 l of milk
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of bakers powder
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

 The instructions are the same - give it a good mix, bake and feast! These turn out a bit thicker than the firt ones,  but still about only 2mm.

Oh, the Suspense!

Oh, I'm so nervous! This Monday I had my first exam for getting a scholarship for my masters degree and yesterday was the second one. Funny thing, I forgot my portfolio for the second exam and had to rush home to get it. And there's a thing I'll now remember:

 constantly make new stuff, so your portfolio remains fresh and up to date with your current level

 keep your works in one folder so you don't scavenger hunt them all over your hard drive

and finish stuff you begin! I had a ton more new pencil sketches, that I initially was planning to complete in color, than I had good recent works to show. Of course not all would be finished or good for the portfolio, but still.

Overall the exam went well -  the final results, I hope, will be in today, I simply can't wait any longer!

This will determine, whether I'll be working with graphic design (and I really want to get more things going on for me in this field), or I'll be working trice as much as I do now to afford costume design lessons that'll allow me to try out for a masters degree in a few years. And, seriously - this year they had only 6 people applying for scholarship, when graphic design had 42. Or, maybe I'll focus more on freelance illustration and jewelry designs, we'll see.

A Busy Spring and Surprise Pack Thoughts.

My life was so busy for the last 2 months, that it severely cut into my free time and blogging. I've held a luckypack sale, got a new camera, visited Prague, finished my seamstress 2-year long course and a lot of stuff in between. Unfortunately, making new designs wasn't one of them - though I got really inspired along the way and have some pretty awesome ideas in the works, I've yet to make them. But all in due time, and since a post about my trip would be too big for me to come up with at 1 a.m., I'll collect some thoughts on the Surprise Pack sale I had prior to that trip.

A lil something from Prague to lighten up the mood.

 The sale turned out with a quite larger demand, than I expected, so, unfortunately, major delays in shipping were had. And, communication - I really gotta work on that. But this is obvious, so I'll cut to the part that concerned me after several buyers received their items.

What did I consider to be a "large pack" - a pack with more expensive designs. I opted for this versus the common "bigger pack - more stuff" tactic, since I don't really have that much various cheap designs in the gothic and classic category - most of them are earrings, and not so many would be happy to get a pack with only earrings and rings in it. Though i though it'd be a good idea, so the partakers can get more expensive items and a variety (even matching sets), not everyone was pleased with the number of items. Well, it was a SP, no matter how I tried to carter to requests of items and colors, it's logical that not everyone would be happy.

So, right now, planning a potential Surprise Pack sale, what should I consider? The same tactic of "value>amount" (and state it even clearer in the sales info) or come up with simpler and cheaper designs for a good fill-up? Since I actually make-to-order these packs, as I do all my stuff, so the buyer has a lot more options and won't get stuck with some after-con leftovers - what would work better?

I have a quite busy summer schedule, so the next SP sale probably won't be up till autumn (or at least late August), so I'll have quite some time to figure things out, but I'd be really grateful if my readers would share their opinion on how they like their luckypacks to be.

On the First Day of Spring

Today I received quite an interesting and sudden offer - one of my friends asked if I and my BF could make a cake for her wedding! Truly, this is the most unexpected commission I've ever received. After a short talk with my BF, we decided to accept the challenge - after all, this is a rare opportunity and an awesome answer of a wedding gift! Lucky for us, we have 1,5 months beforehand to decide on the taste and decor (the bride wants it to be a surprise!) and for me to practice working with icing - I've been waiting for quite a while to try out making sugar flowers.

I also offered to work on the wedding jewelry and as soon as I get to see the dress sketches, I'll get going. This is such an exiting experience, I think I'll spend at least a week browsing for cake decor ideas!

New Year, New Goals and Hopes.

Happy New Year, everybody! Hope you had a wonderful time celebrating and resting, had some fun and something yummy! The last days of December were very tiresome for me, not only because there was some unfinished shopping, - in Russia we give presents not for Christmas, but on New Year, - but also because I was very anxious  to start new projects, that would make my room a battlefield of clay, textiles and other craft stuff. And I couldn't afford such a mess, since I really didn't want to spend the last days of the year cleaning it all up and having unfinished projects lying around. So, a new year and a new crisp clean start for new ideas!

Since I haven't started anything yet, it'll be just right to make some resolutions to line up all the toughts and plans for the upcoming year:

make a print. At least one finished garment. I have the ideas, time, skills and funds, so there really isn't an excuse.

sew more. For myself, make textile accessories and garments for my indie brand.

learn new polymer clay techniques and expand styles I can work in. Wanted to start making wedding jewelry for quite a while.

set up a personal web site. Etsy is fine and dandy, but doesn't always cut it.

draw more and try out watercolors. Got several sketch books as presents, better put them to good use.

be more physically active - go to a gym or pick up dancing.

try to get back into collage for either a major degree or pick up fashion design from the begining.

stop procrastinating!

renovate my room. Repaint the walls, the furniture, get some new book shelves, curtains and decor. A lot more stuff to do, but possible step by step.

be a better person - less jealousy and gossiping, more focusing on being productive myself and forgiving toward others.

be happy and get the most out of every day!

Well, that's quite a list! I'm pretty sure that I've forgot something and that there will be more resolutions thoughout the year, but for today I'm done, so I'll finish off with the cutest teapot and jar set my BF got me this New Year.

I think Pinky Pie found herself a new hat and home, hehe! The jars will be so great as jewelry boxes.

Happy Holidays!

Just dropping by to wish everyone a merry Christmas or any other festive celebration you have this season! Since it's most likely the last post of 2011 (as far as I know how I updated recently X) ), I'd also like to wish all my readers a fruitful and happy New Year - filled with fun, friendship, granted wishes and truely magical moments!

Halloweekend

Hope you all had a nice spooky celebration this year - I sure have! Attended a small Halloween-themed fest where I finally had a chance to use a la Catrina get up. Nothing too fancy, but really cool and fun!

Me and my friend - can you say "thrilled to be here"? XD

I've wanted to make some skull jewelry for quite a while and here I finally got an excuse, hence the necklace. I'm quite pleased with the results, so there most likely will be new additions to my gothic jewelry line, mostly some neat OOAK stuff.

Out Of Season Blossoms

Hi all! Just wanted to give you all a sneak peek of my current project - I'm thinking of expanding my jewelry target audience and I'm thinking big.

I'm also currently busy planning my e-book on polymer clay - some tips, tricks and tutorials for beginners. Not sure if it'll go through, if I'll gather enough interesting material... Well, time will tell. I don't know how many people would actually be interested, but it's worth a shot)).

Rain-WOW!

I was planning to write about my birthday that was last week, but what happened a few minutes ago is far more interesting to share at the moment. It started to heavily rain and since the sunset sun was visible, I figured I'd see a sweet rainbow. What I didn't expect is that I would see the END of the rainbow.. Growing right out of my house.

All I need now is to see a real live unicorn.

Day 3 – 10 things you hate in lolita.

Things are a lil slow, so let's continue with this...

1. Peeking petticoats. I hate when it doesn't sit as it's supposed and part of the lace peeks from under the skirt.

2. The fact that whenever I pass near a table in I have to hold that puffy mofo not to knock anything of the edge.

3. Man-made leather shoes and lack of arch support. As much as I love the designs of most lolita shoes, it kills me a little that almost all of them are from man-made leather and aren't all that cheap as you'd think they could be. And not a single pair that I got didn't become a pain after a few hours at best.

My favorite pair of shoes - and one of the biggest pains ever.

4. How scalping second-hand prices can get. Why don't brands make a bigger quantity of print items or make an extra batch every now and then if the print sold out fast and the demand is high? It's not like they gain anything from the high prices in resale.

5. Lolitaz supposed to be nice! Yeeeeah...no. At least, not more than any decent human being should.

6. Little variety in models of clothes. As much as big is the variety of themes and prints in LF is, as little is the actual choice in cuts of the items actually is. From time to time there are some unusual takes on that, but most brands stick to 4-5 basic forms and only varies the decorations more or less.

7. Most "handmade" jewelry. Sorry, I may me a little biased, but a key charm on a earring hook or chain, or a plastic Hello Kitty charm glued to a barrette does not equal indie design. Anything that takes a minute to assemble from factory-made parts doesn't.

8. Solid black with white lace. It gives a vibe of maid outfits. At least when I try to pull it off.

9. Polyester. No way I'm paying hundreds for polyester.

10. Runny prints. Come on, the least you can expect of a $300 cotton dress is for the colors to live through a gentle wash without bleeding.

A Little Color on a Gray Morning

The weather is getting soggy and gray around here, so let me show off my latest colorful purchases - I was feeling a bit down after the con last month, so I made a mini shopping spree to Ebay.

A Care Bears coin purse and earphones and 2 vintage Polly Pockets that I simply love! One you may recognize from my nostalgia post - of course it's not the same thing I had, but still, - and a yellow heart locket. I'll need to clean it up a bit and replace the cord and it'll be a supper neat accessory for my fairy-kei mania.

Day 2 – 10 things you love in lolita.

So, this wasn't as easy as it seemed, but here's a list of my fave things about lolita.

1. Details. What fascinates me in this fashion is great attention to details, both in cut designs and prints.

2. Elegance. I've always been a rather serious person with a taste for retro, so the elegance of classic lolita is very appealing to me.

3. Cuteness. I was a tomboy as far as I remember, but lolita caught my eye in my late teens, when I began to  get into more girly stuff. And the cuteness still cheers me up!

4. The fact that it's a very unusual style. I love expressing myself in different ways and lolita became a way to express some of my also unusual tastes.

  

5. How much inspiration it gives. I love pretty stuff and lolita is very inspiring, with it's details, contrasts and various motifs.

6. Target audience. I don't know, does the fashion affect what I make, or I make it because of the audience, but I'm not so good with mainstream fashion or abstract jewelry, as I am with subcultural stuff.

7. Themes. I just get thrilled over the art that's used in lolita clothes - mainstream clothes start looking boring.

8. Variety. It can be dark, cute, sweet, elegant, punk - that's some choice within one subculture.

9. Aesthetics. I guess this sums all of the above, but I'm running out of ideas.

10. Cake! (I said I'm running out of ideas).