Nail Art and General Updates|ネイルアートと一般的なアップデート

I have successfully moved into my apartment, but I have failed to update this blog. I will be making new cosplays soon for AnimeIcon, so please wait for new photos! Today is my first day back at university...it's already boring. When I start work, I hope to become more busy so I can avoid laziness.
首尾よくアパートに引っ越したのに、このブログを更新して失敗しました。アニメアイコンのコスを作るから、写真のために待ってください！今日は大学の初日ですが。。。もう、つまらない。バイトを始める頃、怠惰と避けるために もっと忙しくなりたいと思います。

I still have an interest in nail art! Now I have to develop my own collection of polishes (>m<)
まだネイルアートの興味 があります！自分のエナメルのコレクションを伸ばすはすです。

This update was really pointless, wasn't it? I will try harder next time...
このアップデートは超詰まらなかったでしょう？次回頑張ります。。。

J-pop Summit 2013, Modeling, and KPP's Concert

You know how I said I was going to J-pop Summit and cosplaying as Kyary for her concert? Well, that ended up happening...just not as expected.

Before I left for Santa Barbara, a friend of mine shared an article on FB for a fashion show that she couldn't model for BECAUSE SHE'S TOO TALL. That really stood out to me, and on a whim, I sent in photos to be considered as a model for the HARAJUKU KAWAii!! show, held on the first day of J-pop Summit. I had high hopes, and I was already in a good mood while I was in SB, so when I received an email saying that I'd been chosen, I went straight to my phone and messaged my mom all of my feelings XD

The show was a complete success! Personally, I don't think I should have been forced into twintails (at least without bangs) and major contouring. My parents and my boyfriend said it made me look gaunt and a tad sick. However, I still got to wear NADIA and be a part of the only not-cutesy group in the show~ This show attracted a lot of people because it featured four models from ASOBISYSTEM: EVA, Seto Ayumi, Yura, and Saki Seto. Did I mention that I was often in the same room as Sebastian Masuda? I WAS. Are we total buddies now? These things take time.

Continue reading for photos~

Upcoming Cosplays (now with progress photos!)

I've been home for quite some time, but I've tried to limit my cosplay list to 7 new costumes in order to focus on craftsmanship and ensure that I get plenty of photos. This season's theme is...decided on in 5 minutes (and generally by someone else), poofy silhouettes, and unconventional headgear. But what characters does that inquire? In some sort of order:

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu from Glico's Pucchin Purin CM, to be worn at the J-Pop Summit festival in San Francisco on July 27-28th. Not sure when I'll be attending, but KPP will be performing that Sunday, and it's one of my sick dreams to meet a celebrity dressed as them.
EDIT: Not sure if I'll have Kyary completed now, because I was given an amazing opportunity! Harajuku Kawaii!! is having a fashion show on the 27th, and I will be modeling for them~ Never thought I'd be given a chance at modeling just because I'm short OTL

 

Oshino Shinobu from Bakemonogatari, aiming to debut at AnimeIcon in October. I have all of my materials, save for the goggles! Planning on making imitation Mister Donut, but my friends will have to toughen up and eat my attempts >:D

 

Another version of Ciel from Kuroshitsuji~ After re-wearing him at Fanime, I couldn't help but make some more ruffled monsters! I have a decent amount of black velvet in my fabric stash, as well as my red contacts, so there wasn't much of an option for me to avoid this...

Maccha Latte from Sakizo's Afternoon Tea, my first lolita-inspired project~ I've been searching for luxury fabrics online, but I don't plan on debuting this until Fanime, due to my schedule.

Hatsune Miku from Unhappy Refrain, boyfriend's fault. Have the wig picked out, finally get to work with vinyls *not sure whether to be excited to terrified*.

Hakudoushi from InuYasha, what a nostalgic costume! Might have a group for this, I'm just excited to finally play a villian...and have a giant stabby-stick orz

Have some progress pictures, I've been forcing myself to get some major work done lately, especially with my trip coming up on Friday >w<

Thankfully, a lot of wigs I own can be recycled for this season's cosplays. With some extra styling (and the help of a helmet), my Panty wig is perfect for Shinobu! Can't decide between using my EOS Adult lenses in brown or red..in the photos, I'm wearing the brown version, which are a nice gold color on light eyes.

 

I bought a long white wig for Hakudoushi, but it looked really flat. Luckily, I found my Soul wig amongst my wig boxes, and now I only have to trim the base wig and dye both to a pale lavender color.

 

Trying to crank out the rest of Kyary's Pucchin Purin outfit very quickly...I only have the shorts, boots, and gloves left. The ruffles are all ready for the shorts, and I just need to get motivated and dye my gloves, but I'm worried about the boots because of the chance of chipping paint.

Told myself I wouldn't work on anything other than Kyary and Shinobu until wintertime, but Michaels was having a sale on everything I used to make this headpiece for Ciel OTL Just need to fix one of the butterflies, and find a way to attach this to my wig.

I'm really excited for this lineup to come together! Considering that I'll be in Japan next year, I don't think that I'll be able to make any new costumes. Hoping to make it to AX next summer and attend more events in general, just to make up for my absence from the cosplay community in 2014-15. What are your plans for the upcoming season?

Summertime and General Updates

Although I said in my last post that I haven't been too busy, that doesn't mean I have been a total lazy blob! I had applied for work after Fanime (even though I should have sent out apps before I moved back home...) and unfortunately, I had never heard anything from either business. So instead of having a solid schedule, I am spending my summer going on solo-trips, trying new hobbies, and learning to drive (late, I know, but I actually need the knowledge this year).

Here's evidence of what I've been doing~

This was technically taken before I even finished the semester, but 2013 is definitely year of the idols! The week before I moved back home, my boyfriend and I went to San Francisco to see B.A.P. They are very talented, but I felt a bit robbed because the stage limited some of their intense choreography. Regardless, I'm glad that I have started to take more chances after graduating high school and have allowed myself to experience so many things.

As soon as I moved back home, my little sister went to her Junior Prom~ She looked amazing with Madi (an amateur model and complete nut), while I awkwardly took pictures of baby giants in pretty dresses.

My sister developed a summer bucket list because, according to her, she didn't do anything last summer other than Skype me almost every day while I was in Japan. We went on a sister bonding day to the zoo, and felt a little out of place because I guess 17 and 19-year-olds don't go to these places unless they're toting a toddler around with them. Oops

Shortly after, one of our dogs had gone missing for a week! As we put up posters, we found this kitten in a bush on a fence. We sent out letters asking if someone had lost their cat, but we never heard back from anyone, so we ended up with RYE, the very small ball of energy that wreaks havoc in our house.

Went to a karaoke party in SF the day before the NorCal picnic, but to kill time beforehand, the boyfriend and I ate a bunch of mochi donuts and went around Golden Gate Park~

In my last post, I mentioned forcing myself into some new hobbies. And because I have a terrible history with nail polish (I do so much with my hands that it never lasts), I came to the conclusion that I needed to love my fingers more and decorate them on a regular basis. I started out with a set of false nails, which I think I'll save for crazier patterns, and I've had good luck so far! I'm currently sporting the dripping nails.

To continue the theme of "Idol-viewing 2013", I jumped on the chance to see TVXQ in LA for their US-portion of their global tour "Catch Me". I took Megabus for the first time on the 4th of July to Los Angeles, and stayed two nights with a friend from university~ Changmin and Yunho put on a flawless performance, I was surprised that I only teared up a little bit.

GUESS WHO WALKED INTO THE AUDIENCE...TWICE

 

Tumblr was angry that some fans got a bit grabby with them, but I think it's a given reaction to seeing someone famous, and there wasn't very much security to prevent these things from happening. Regardless of your take on the situation, I was in the middle of my row, so I just had to bear with my seat and snag some creepy shots. These men are perfect, can't handle it. After the show, my friend and I were taking some celebratory post-concert photos with my TVXQ towel, and a small group of people had asked us how we knew about the group, concert, etc. Somehow, this conversation turned into a small Japanese interview and ended with a short photo-session.

I will be in Santa Barbara next week (hopefully keeping myself untanned), and then off to SF for Jpop Summit! I'll be sure to take lots of pictures so I have a reason to blog more. I will be posting my upcoming cosplay list soon, too. What have you all been up to?