Tutorial: Mummy Shirt

This tutorial was submitted to my Live Journal community Sew Underground a few years back. It's an oldie but a goodie. It's very easy to do and makes a really cute shirt. Enjoy!


By "Razorhappy" on LJ

What you need:
-Five (5) panels of Mummy fabric for the torso.
~Three (3) narrow panels for the front.
~Two (2) wide panels for the back
-Two (2) smaller panels of Mummy fabric for the sleeves.
-Bias Hem Tape for the neckline.
-Black ribbon, or in a matching color for the back tie.
-Long rectangular piece of T-shirt material in a matching color for the waistband.

Pointers:
~Throughout this project I tried on the shirt to make sure it looked just right.

Step 1: Make torso figure 1
~Sew together the 3 narrow pieces together to form the front of the shirt.
~Sew together the 2 wide pieces together to form the back of the shirt.
~Sew the front and back together to form a tube top.

Step 2: Add sleeves Try on the tube top to find the right places to add the sleeves!!
~Sew the 2 smaller panels on the tube top for sleeves
~Sew in dart at the top of the sleeve, (where it poofs off your shoulder)
~Cut off excess from the dart to arm pit.

Step 3: Adjust neckline figure 2: the red is where to cut
~Cut out V-shape from one sleeve to the center to the other sleeve.
~Repeat to the back of the shirt.

Step 4: Add details figure 3
~Add hem to neckline. (See figure 4: the red is where to sew! To make the point at the neckline: unfold the bias tape, then fold the tape in half, vertically. It should now be completely inside out. Sew an angle where the point goes towards the rest of the tape, away from the fold. When you fold it back to right side out, it should have a point now sewn in!)
-Then add ribbons to the hem tape on the back!!!
~Add waistband.
~Hem everything else!!

Costumes!

Instead of putting together looks for this issue I decided to post pictures of some really cool handmade costumes. Maybe these will inspire you to make your own if you haven't already. If you have then post them in the comments section!

Mayor McCheese needs no introduction:

Courtesy of Smarmy Clothes.

Two superbly made costumes. Maya makes it look easy!:

Courtesy of Static White Stitchery.

Probably the best mermaid costume I've ever seen:

Courtesy of Nicolette Le Faye.

I want it. Enough said:

Courtesy of Sew-Oeno.

And here are a few favorites I made from years past:

Fairies!




I wish I had not decided to sell this...


And the ever popular Alice:

Courtesy of Me!

What are you going to be for Halloween? Post your pics!

Indie Designer Crush: Hilde Heyvaert

Full Steam (Punk) Ahead!
By Lux

Lux: I want to start by saying that ever since you started posting in Sew Underground I have admired your sewing ability. The construction of your garments is so perfect. Where did you learn to sew?

HH: Thanks, I really appreciate that compliment a lot, especially coming from someone as talented as you :)

I never had any proper formal training, my mum studied fashion in high school so she taught me the basics and I took it from there myself. Initially she didn't want me to use her antique Bernina machine because she was afraid I'd wreck it, but then she quickly realized I'd nag her to sew for me all the time so she caved and taught me. She also taught me to do heaps of things by hand sewing.



Lux: Aww thanks! I never had proper training either. Isn’t it interesting how so many of us never took classes of any kind? How much hand sewing do you do? I try to avoid it myself. Do you still use the antique Bernina?

HH: I think a lot of people are self-trained because it's not always equally easy to get formal training.

If you go to let's say, fashion college, that's often really expensive, and that is if you get in at all.

Sewing classes are often few and far between as well, and not all are actually appropriate for people that want to learn how to design their own clothes. Over here in Belgium most sewing classes are evening classes, which isn't always terribly practical to start with, and they focus on teaching you to make garments from existing patterns and to adjust them to _your_ body. That's all fine and dandy if you occasionally want to sew something from a pattern by one of the big companies for yourself, but it doesn't actually teach you anything about draping, adjusting patterns for others than yourself, converting patterns or heaven forbid: drafting your own pattern. I'm not saying there's no good classes outside fashion college, I'm sure there are, but odds are that they're at night several hours away from where someone lives.

I generally only hand sew when I'm doing bits that are requesting more manual dexterity than what you get with the machine. Sometimes things just look better hand sewn you know.

But no, I don't use the antique Bernina anymore, it's still at my parent's house. I don't think my mother would ever be able to part with that :) I got a cheap Toyota after using that antique Bernina for a couple of months, which was probably one of the most horrid machines on the market. Seriously, I am NEVER getting a Toyota again. After a year of heavy use the engine pretty much gave up completely. So we replaced it with a Bernina 1008, which I love. A couple of years ago Bert (my boyfriend) bought me a Husqvarna Viking serger (a Huskylock 905) which is brilliant. So I use those two machines now. I think that if I were to get a new machine, it would probably be Bernina or Husqvarna. Although that won't be in the near future as the ones I have now are still in perfect working order.



Lux: That’s true there is only so much you can learn from a community sewing class. Not that I ever took one but I looked into it a number of years before and found that I was way beyond what they were teaching already. Ha!

I had no idea Toyota made machines. I guess there’s a reason for that… I hear lots of good things about Viking machines though. I want to get one of their embroidery machines one day.

So you’re located in Belgium right? Are you from there? What’s the local fashion scene like? Do you see a lot interesting things or is it the same old, same old?

HH: I heard Toyota makes sergers as well, and I've heard nothing good about those either. I think it's best to just buy a machine that gets at least a very high percentage of "love it" type comments, like Bernina, Viking, Pfaff etc.

My advice to anyone getting a machine would be to go to a store that lets you try the machines and where they are willing to explain the entire working. I get all my machines at a small family owned place that does most repairs too. It might not be the cheapest place, but it does have the best customer service and in the end of the day, that's priceless.

I'm in Belgium yeah, born and raised here. We actually have a pretty renown fashion scene what with the Antwerp 6 and all that. And we have two fashion colleges of some international fame (the Antwerp academy and La Cambre in Brussels). The local fashion scene, well I'm inclined to say it's divided in two major parts. There's the academy style, which is basically more art than fashion (in my opinion) and the generally crazy "I'm fashion student so I dress outrageous" kinda style. And to counter that there's the same old, same old. There _are_ people around that have their own unique style, but you get those everywhere. I do see some seriously cool outfits occasionally so there is hope :)
Of course you see more individual styles in the cities, which are traditionally more open minded than small towns. I guess that's the same everywhere.



Lux: That’s so true. I just moved to a really small town and I get some odd looks even if I‘m fairly casually dressed. But if I go San Francisco for the day no one bats an eye. Do you always wear your clothes or do you save them for special occasions?

HH: Yes exactly! It's amazing that in this day and age there is still such a mentally difference between cities and towns. It never seizes to amaze me.
I mostly wear clothes I've made myself, but the main reason is that I've made most of my wardrobe :)

But I do have stuff I've got at other places, I love getting things from etsy and basic stuff from H&M. Some things, like my Halloween wardrobe, I save for October (and my Lost LARP character haha), and there are clothes that are also part of costume for something or other (mostly LARP characters) so they don't get much wear and I suppose they pretty much only come out for special occasions.

I guess it depends on which garment it is and what I want to wear that day :)



Lux: What is LARP?

HH: Live action roleplay. You can find all about the group I'm in on camarillabelgium.be ;)



Lux: Cool. J So you’re mostly into Steampunk fashion right? How did you get into that? What do you like most about it?

HH: Yes I am, I love steampunk.

I grew up with the books of Jules Verne, my dad read them to me when I was little (he's a big Verne fan too) and I remember that before I could read I was always looking at the pictures of Nautilus and other cool contraptions.
I love the entire mentality and concept behind it: the future past that never happened but could be in this time. I love that idea. And I've always loved the esthetic of Victorian and belle époque fashions. The bustle skirts and pouf sleeves for women and the tailcoats and waistcoats for men. I love wearing stuff like that in a contemporary way. And I love that at the very most the fashion has guidelines but no set rules. On the contrary to pretty much every other fashion style: people are pretty free to do whatever they want with it. There's such a brilliant diversity.

Basically I've always loved it, and at one point decided I was going to look the part :)

Although which part (adventurer, aristocrat, dandy, casual, mad inventor, airship pirate etc) largely depends on my mood that day :)

I honestly think I'm a lot more active in steampunk then in any other style I've ever been part of, I'm on tons of communities and forums and I write fashion articles for Gatehouse Gazette aside from being active as a designer.

I still design other things too mind you, occasionally I still feel the need to do something totally non steamy :)



Lux: Steampunk reminds me of this graphic novel called The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Have you heard of it? I know they made a movie but it does no justice to the comic. There’s some really cool art in there and the clothes on the characters are gorgeous! I’ve considered dressing up as Mina Harker for Halloween but I just don’t have the time to pull off such an elaborate costume. Are you doing anything special for Halloween?

Yes I know that one, I own it :)
I actually quite like the movie, even though it's not following the graphic novel well at all. I still like the feel of it, Nemo's inventions and all the cool costumes. Sure, it's not the best movie out there, but I find it very enjoyable nonetheless :)
I LOVE Mina Harker's scientist outfits!

For Halloween I'm having a party at my house the weekend before Halloween (because my friends are available then) and then on Halloween itself I'll be in Disneyland Paris with my friend Charlotte. I'm going to dress up as a Halloween steampunk pirate, and Charlotte is going to dress up as something, but she keeps on changing her mind about what she wants to be. My costume is all but finished, I just need to put together a shirt and a pair of spats now, I'll definitely be finished in time :)



Lux: The movie was ok. I guess I'm too much of a comic book geek. I have to nit-pick everything! I love the inventions too. I think the movie was more about the scenery and costumes, which is cool for people like us who get inspired by those things. :) Another one I like to watch for inspiration is Bram Stoker's Dracula. Everything in it is so rich looking. Like a visual embodiment of red velvet cake or something. OK I'm weird. HAHA

Damn! You're doing Halloween right. And I thought I went all out. I am having a party too. My first in my new house. There's lots of planning to do so I better get to it. And I better let you go so you can finish your costume. You will post pictures right?

HH: Comic books aren't nearly as huge in Belgium as they are in the US, so I guess people here don't tend to get very annoyed by movie adaptations like they do elsewhere where there is a far larger comic book culture.

I really like that version of Dracula as well, the costumes really are exquisite in that movie.

And please don't worry about taking my time away from sewing, I am not even vaguely short on time :)

Plenty of time left to get everything finished well in time :)

I will definitely post pictures of my costume :)

I'm hoping to get a bunch made before Halloween, so I don't have to worry about getting good pictures while I'm in Disneyland Paris. It's smack in the fall holidays of Belgium and peak season there so I suspect there will be crowds in the way for pics. I'm definitely going to get my picture taking with Jack Skellington and Sally though, come hell or high water. I'm a Disney geek like that haha :)



Lux: Let's hear it for us geeks then! haha Can't wait to see the pics. And thank you so much for letting me interview you. It was great getting to know more about you. I really appreciate it and I'm sure the readers do too.









See even more amazing clothes check out Hilde's website House of Secrets.

Issue #1: Super Cute!

Model: Mariska

Photographer: ?

Dear Readers,

I see there are at least two of you so far. Hopefully more will join us soon. Today I will begin posting Girl Is Poison: The Zine here. I will post at least one item per day until it's all out there for you to see. I have been working on this for about the last two and a half weeks. I would have started sooner but, well, life gets in the way! I did have a ton of fun putting this together. I got to try some new things and dust off my writing skills. There's small amount of content now, but I hope to grow this into something more. My goal is to get more people involved.



The theme of this issue is "Super Cute!" I have an interview with t-shirt designer SoHoKiTtEn, a music review, a tutorial, and more. I even try out a product so you know what you're getting before you buy.



My aim here is to have fun and produce an informative and entertaining zine. If you have any suggestions for things you'd like to see me cover fill out the poll to the right or comment. I'm also very open to submissions! I'd love submissions, so if you'd like to add the the zine please email me: thatgirl a t girlispoison d o t net.



Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy it!



Lux

Where To Find The Cute

Here are some links I've found to add some cute to your day!

Cute Shops:


Adorable handmade accessories


Cute acessories (and bags!) at great prices


Unique, handmade items you wont find anywhere else. T-shirts, totes and more...

Wigglysee!
Perfectly crafted toys for the little ones in your life.

Lauren Smash!
Hand sewn dolls with a touch of creepy cute.

Cute Pix:

Crazy Cute Animals

Super Duper Cute

The Cute Project

Cute Graphics:

MyCuteGraphics.com

123 Greetings

Cute Games:

Dress Up Games

Guinea Pig Lux: Mineral Makeup

I finally took the plunge and decided to try out this mineral makeup I've been hearing so much about. And what a plunge it was. I threw out all my old makeup 'cause it was old and grody anyway. I spent $70.00 on eye shadows, blush, bronzer and foundation from Pink Quartz Minerals. But hey, it's good for your skin, good for the environment and no cute little animals were hurt to produce it. Good all around I'd say.

So my makeup arrives. I wash my face apply my moisturizer and get to work. Included with PQM makeup are these small brushes, which the directions say are the best to use and give the best results. I give up after a few minutes and take out my own tried and true brushes. Nope these little brushes just aren't doing it for me. It appears that my old brushes work just fine and produce better results. I start with "Secret" eye shadow and brush it over my entire lid up to the brow. The color is very subtle on me so I don't look like a drag queen or anything. The shadow goes on very smoothly. I use "Spruce" over the lid. The two colors look great together and they blend very well. Happy so far. Next I use my eyeliner brush to apply "Ecstasy" shadow as liner. I line the entire eye. I move on to foundation. My shade is "Oasis". (NOTE: PQM sends you samples of foundation before sending you the full size. This way you know the shade you're getting is right for you. It's all included in the price.) Here's where it gets tricky. This type of makeup has a tendency to look streaky if you're not careful. It requires a light touch and lots of thin layers. So the application of it is taking longer than the usual liquid does. However, the effect looks airbrushed. I'd say it's worth the extra effort. Next I use my blush brush to apply their "Dusty Peach" blush. (I'm a fan of peachy colors for blush. I believe the perfect shade of peach exists for every skin tone. No matter what your color there is a shade for you. :) ) This too requires a light touch. It's easy to load too much on your brush. I recommend applying it in thin layers as well. I finish with some lip gloss and mascara. Everything looks awesome! The overall effect is airbrushed and the colors are very subtle and pretty.

Pros
Good for your skin
No animal testing
Comes with it’s own built in spf
Looks and feels good on

Cons
Takes longer to apply
Requires more effort
Can look streaky if not applied carefully

Tips
If you have oily skin like me, skip the moisturizer and use a shine control product instead. After a short while I ended up having to blot and touch up. Definitely use an eye makeup base like Clarins Instant Light Eye Perfecting Base. The shadow will crease without it.

Surprises
Later on when I washed it off my skin looked really good! It’s almost like the makeup itself acted as a skin conditioning treatment.

Bottom Line
I would definitely recommend this product to everyone. If you have time to spend putting on your makeup then this is a great way to go. If you are in a hurry though you may want to use liquid foundation, at least until you get the hang of it.

Find some good mineral makeup here.

Photos coming soon.

Waaay Indie Band: Super Cute Voices

Fun in a Box
By Lux

Super Cute Voices consists of Stuart on guitar, vocals & synthesizer and Charlie on drums & vocoder. While Stuart and Charlie appear to be a couple of normal looking guys from the U.K., their music is far from it. But what can you expect from a group that lists Nintendo as one of it’s influences? SCV are what I imagine to be the perfect band for the ADHD generation and they sound just like what you would expect such a band to sound. They deliver danceable songs with catchy hooks, video game beats and sing along choruses that are guaranteed to get you moving if only for a few minutes at a time. Their sound ranges from new wave to punk with a few Japanese lyrics thrown in for good measure. And all this often happens within the same song. In addition to Nintendo, they count Beck, Devo and Kraftwerk among their influences (3 of my personal favorites). While I do enjoy Super Cute Voices’ fun, updated 80’s style music, I couldn’t listen to a whole album. SCV is like a cute kid brother version of the above. They make good party music, however I wouldn’t recommend taking them on long car trips, they may just drive you nuts after a while.


Check out: My Favorite Maths Book & So Desu Ka

Skip: KaTING

Listen here.

Tutorial: Two-Tier Petticoat Mini

Difficulty: 2 out of 5

Materials
1yd cotton weave or other non stretch fabric (more depending on your size and preferred length of skirt)
1 pc 1/2in wide elastic (length should be your exact waist measurement end to end)
Trim (optional)
Thread
Pins
Sewing needle
Sewing machine
Iron
Scissors
Tailors chalk
Straight edge
Measuring tape


1) Wash and dry fabric to preshrink, then iron.
2) Fold fabric in half lengthwise and then fold in half again lengthwise. You’ll end up with four layers. (photo)
3) Measure and mark 6 inches from raw edge of fabric with a straight edge. Cut directly on line. *This will make a S/M variable size skirt. For a larger skirt see alternative waistband construction below.* (photo)
4) With right sides facing each other, sew together short ends 5/8 of an inch from edge. (photo)
5) Fold fabric over with the right side facing out and press. Now you have the beginnings of your waistband. (photo)
6) Sew a straight stitch 5/8 of an inch from pressed edge. Leave about an inch long opening to put your elastic through. This will be your casing. Set aside. (photo)
7) Cut the remaining length of fabric in half width wise. You’ll end up with two long equal sized pieces. (photo)
8) With right sides facing each other, sew the two pieces together 5/8 of an inch from the edges. This will be the lower part of the skirt. (photo)
9) Set your machine to it’s longest stitch length and reduce the tension by half. Sew 2 rows of straight stitches about ¼ inch from one of the edges. These should be about ¼ inch apart. Tie the ends into two knots. (photo)
10) Pull on one of the knots until the lower part of the skirt is gathered to fit the waistband. Even out your gathers. (photo)
11) Restore original stitch length and tension settings on your machine. With right sides facing each other, pin lower skirt to waistband matching seams with sides. (photo) Straight stitch 1 inch from the edge leaving a 1 inch opening parallel to the 1 inch opening in the casing. (photo)
12) Attach a safety pin to each edge of elastic and thread elastic through the openings and all the way through the casing. (photo)
13) Pull elastic ends through, overlap them 1 inch and hand stitch them together. (photo)
14) Tuck elastic back into the casing and finish the casing seam. (photo)
15) Finish the seam attaching the lower skirt to the waistband. (photo)
16) Hem the skirt by folding over the raw edge twice at least ¼ inch, pressing it and straight stitching. (photo)
17) For an extra girly touch add trim. Still not cute enough? Add bows too!

*Alternative waistband construction: Begin by cutting two pieces of fabric 6 in from the edge instead of one. Cut each of those pieces to measure ½ of your total hip measurement plus one inch. Example: if your hip measurement is 46 in each piece should measure 24 in. Sew the two pieces together with right sides facing each other ½ in from each short edge. Fold over so right sides face out and press. Move on to step 6.

If you'd like to see the photos all at once please visit my Flickr page.

If anything isn't clear or you need a more detailed description don't hesitate to ask! This is only my first tutorial so I want to make it as easy to follow as possible.

Not the sewing type? Petticoat is for sale here.

Super Cute 3 Different Ways

Super Cute doesn't have to mean drowning yourself in ruffles and lace! It can be done in different ways, over the top or subtle and sophisticated. Here I have put together three different takes on girlish fashion.

FRUiTsy Cute

The bright shades of pink and blue make this really stand out and the different textures make it interesting. What is Japanese fashion if not interesting? By sticking with the same color combination when choosing the accessories you can turn a wild outfit like this into something a little more wearable. Well as wearable as a TuTu is if you're not a ballerina.

Like the clothes? Buy them here.

Vintage Cute

How I love vintage clothes...from pretty much any era, but I've always had a soft spot for the 50s-60s. The cuts of the dresses were so pretty and they looked good on any body type. Here I paired a royal blue/cream swiss dot dress with candy apple red shoes. Whoever said you're not supposed to put primary colors together was so wrong.



Dress for sale here.

"Sophisti-cute"

This top has very girlish details: a bib front, puffed sleeves and non functional buttons. What saves it from being juvenile are the neutral colors and the edgy texture. Pair it with a hot pink mini for a touch of color interest and opaque black tights. Add a purse with punky details (grommets, studs, etc) and you're good to go.



Skirt available here.
Vintage purse available here.

Indie Designer Crush: Twinkie Chan!

That Girl Who Makes Food Scarves

I first knew of Stephanie a.k.a. Twinkie Chan on Live Journal way back when she blogged under the handle potatoxstamp. We had a mutual friend on LJ who I’ve long since lost touch with. (What was your name…?) I knew as soon as I saw her face in her icon that I wanted her to model my clothes some day. I was recently finally able to make that happen. (Hot!) So who is Twinkie Chan? If you don’t know then you must have snagged yourself some prime real estate under a rock somewhere. (Kidding!) Twinkie Chan is a San Francisco based, dog loving, crochet pattern drafting, scarf making, indie model and up and coming web-celeb. If you don’t know her yet, you will soon.

Twinkie Chan’s super cute food themed scarves go for upwards of $200.00. No lie. And they have inspired a ton of knock-off artists out there on the net and in bricks and mortar boutiques. This very talented designer has been featured in publications such as Giant Robot, Nickelodeon Magazine and Inked Magazine. Her work was recently shown in Chicago’s Sugar Craft art show, proving her to be a true artist as well as a businesswoman. Even though she has accomplished so much in such a short time, she still remains down to earth. She spends her days working as a literary agent, caring for her dogs Bibi and Bunny, and working on various projects such as her new site: ieatyuckystuff.com. Even her alt-model fame hasn’t diminished her totally sweet personality. Oh yeah and did I mention she runs a successful website too? Just spend a few minutes on her fun, wacky site Twinkiechan.com and it’s easy to see why she has attained such a following and become this month’s Indie Designer Crush. If you’re still not head over heels just check out the pictures below!

Feed your wardrobe.

Easiest Cookies Ever

Sugar Cookies

This is a recipe I learned in culinary school with a few small modifications. Sugar cookies are probably one of the easiest things to make and because you can roll the dough out and form it into any shape they lend themselves to any occasion. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
1c butter (2 sticks), softened
1c sugar
2 1/2c all purpose flour
2t vanilla extract

Baking:
1)Combine butter and sugar until smoothe.
2)Add flour and vanilla and knead on a floured surface until the texture is uniform.
3)Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
4)Preheat oven 350 degrees.
5)Knead the dough some more to soften and roll it out to 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface.
6)Use cookie cutters or free hand your shapes.
7)Place your cookies on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and bake for 20-25 minutes.
8)Cool for at least 15 minutes.

Makes approximately a dozen 3 inch cookies.

Decorating:
You can use a lot of different things to decorate. I added food coloring during step 2 and drizzled melted chocolate on top after step 8. You can use icing, sprinkles, colored sugar (add this right before step 7) and more.

Variations:
To change to flavor of your cookies you can substitute the vanilla for another extract such as lemon or almond extract.

If anything is unclear please feel free to ask questions!

Did you try this recipe? Post your pix or variations!

Screenprinter of the Month: SoHoKiTtEn!

One Cool Kitten
By Lux

Lux: Can you believe we've known each other since 2002? That's 6 years. I've barely known irl friends that long. haha Does it feel like you've been doing the diy/business thing that long? I feel like it was just yesterday I got into all this stuff...

SK: 2002?! OMG....haha. Yeah...that seems like forever ago. I'm really glad we've stayed in touch for so long. ^_^ You know, I actually do feel like I've been DIYing for that long. I mean, I still enjoy it and all but I feel like I was born creating stuff. CHEESE. :P

Lux: So do I. I remember always making things as a kid, but unlike most kids I was always trying to sell the things I made! I knew I’d have my own business even then…lol I‘m glad we‘ve stayed in touch too. J You’re one of the few people who have managed to stay cool over the years. I won’t name names but some of my “friends” have gotten way too full of themselves. Have you had that experience?

SK: haha! Lux the Little Entrepreneur! ^_^ Too cute. I know a few people, friends even, who have just let their egos explode. I mean, you have to have a thick skin and confidence (especially when you have your own business) because not everyone is going to like you and you need to get over that, but there's that line that I will just never cross. I am not Paris Hilton. I like myself but if you don't I'm not going to try even harder to make you like me. I think that's when people become fake. Know what I'm sayin'? haha

Lux: Exactly! Some of these chicks swear they’re celebrities. Of course some of them actually are but only on the internet ladies! I can’t be fake. I think I tried it once. Didn’t work for me. That must be why I don’t have 8000 friends on Myspace. (boo hoo) But enough of the silly sheisser, let’s get down to brass tacks: what is a typical day like for you?

SK: A typical day? OMG....haha Well, I begin by waking up to my obnoxious cell phone alarm. Its set to a dazzling tune that my husband likes to make up words for. I drink coffee, talk to my husband for a little bit, wake up my son, take my dog out to pee and get dressed. After I see my husband off and my son is all ready for school, I drop him off and walk to work. I'm a grooming assistant by day and depending on the schedule I can assist with up to 15 dogs.....in 5-6 hours. O_O I leave work with aches and pains - I refer to those aches and pains as "dog arm" or "dog elbow". Sometimes, especially if there’s a Newfoundland in that day, I leave with "dog body". Its like the flu.....with hair. T_T When I get home, I shower, check my email and eat a snack. I then walk to school to get my son and return home, help him do his homework and chillax until 6 - 7PM when my husband gets home. I then eat dinner and we all go for a walk with my bastard dog. He has sharp teeth. We usually all end up in bed by about 8:30 - 9. We are boring. Busy and boring. I try to sneak in crafting time everyday but its pretty tough with "dog body". I doodle while I wait for internet pages to load though! Does that count?? (OH, BTW, do you have a facebook??? I have to find you on there if you do *stalk*)



Lux: Dog elbow! You love it! You could be describing my day only without the dog or the “real“ job lol. We’re pretty boring/normal here too. I kind of like it that way though you know? I couldn’t go out and party every night like some people do. I’d rather be home reading or knitting or something lame like that. What about you? If you had the chance to go out and tear up the whole party/fashion scene ala coked up models, horny photographers and guys in all black smoking cloves who no one really knows what the hell they do would you? Tell the truth now!
(Oh by the way I don’t have a face book. At one point I had signed up for all the networking sites but just couldn’t keep track of them all. It’s just more trouble than it’s worth to me. I stick to a few LJ, blogspot, squidoo…)

SK: It really depends on my mood! I'm pretty spontaneous and if I have the chance to go out and let loose with my friends I definitely will....if I don't have "dog body", that is. But 9 times out of 10 you'll catch me at home, in bed with my husband watching reruns of "The Family Guy" on DVD, eating Qdoba or Baja Fresh. We love our burrito and we love to be anti-social while eating said burritos!



Lux: You know I’m not a big burrito fan. I think I may be the only Mexican in the world who hates beans. Ha! If I get the chance to go out I do too, it just doesn’t happen that often. Finding babysitters and getting a group together is a rare occurrence these days. You know how it is for us old folks. But when I do go out I do it up right. You’ll always find me in some crazy outfit I made! Do you often wear your own designs?

SK: I like wearing my designs during the week, just hanging out. I get a lot of compliments, mainly from parents at my son's school and of course, kids! They usually notice my bright pink hair first though! You have no idea how many times I've heard the exclamation, "MOMMY! That girl has pink hair!" haha Gotta love kids for pointing out the obvious. My favorite thing to wear that I have made has to be my Yummy Bunny tank top or my Captain Scallywags the Pirate Bunny necklace. I should be renamed SoHoBuNnY. Lol



Lux: I like wearing your designs too. But I usually get weird looks from the other moms at my daughter’s school. I live in an area where 80% of the moms have fake boobs and drive Acuras. Oh well f*ck ‘em! SoHoBuNnY’s cute! It could be like your couture line. :P So what are you working on right now? Any new plans for the business?

SK: haha! fake boobs and Acuras....HOT. I am currently working on a project for DiYScene. Two other members and I are collaborating and I don't want to give too many details but there will be a photo shoot involved. CRYPTIC. :P I am doing a new twist on an established character....or I'm giving that character a similar friend.....hmmmm....which one is it? lol My business plans aren't very well thought out. I'm hoping (fingers crossed) to print a few more tops next week but we'll see how that goes. I'm always up for a custom order! ^_~

Lux: That sounds like fun. You Diy Scene girls always have something going on. Since your business plans are not that well thought out would it be futile to ask where you see SoHoKiTtEn in 5 years?



SK: I envision SoHoKiTtEn to still be going strong 5 years from now. If not on Etsy, in some other form. I will never stop drawing or painting or having silly, creative ideas. And as those ideas have evolved from 5 years ago, they will continue to in 5 years from now. SoHoKiTtEn is go! Haha

Lux: Yay! I’m glad to hear it, but let’s rewind a bit and how did you get into it? How did you decide to do screen printing? I remember way back in the day you were doing all kinds of stuff like hand painting shoes…

SK: Hmmm....I remember my husband (who was my boyfriend at the time lol) used to always look on Ebay for unique DIY clothing. This is probably back in 2001 or 2002. I then had the idea to start my own seller account and after selling a few clothing items and establishing good feedback I started modifying all the clothes I sold. I LIVED at the thrift stores and fabric stores. haha My room was all sewing machine and fabric. After I moved, I didn't really have the time or space to sew as much but that’s when I really started doing hand-painted designs of t-shirts, mini tote bags and those shoes! My husband has worked in the screen-printing business for years so I started having him print me a couple things on the side every once in a while. And thus, SoHoKiTtEn's Etsy shop was born. I am focusing mainly on painting, screen prints and hand-drawn plastic necklace charms.....do you still have those shoes?! LOL I had a pink sparkly leopard print pair forever and just recently had to let them go cause they were all gross from me wearing them non-stop. haha Those were a pretty popular seller. ^_^




Lux: I LOVED those shoes. I wore them all the time so sadly, no I don’t still have them. They started getting grody. That’s good luck that you already had a screen-printing connection. I’ve thought about doing that too. The closest I came was designing a couple shirts on Café Press. It never really went anywhere. But anyway I have one last question for you: Are you going to vote? If so who for and why? I ask everyone this, but if it’s too personal you don’t have to answer I understand!

SK: Voting is a weird subject for me. I know that right now I am scared to death of Palin. She's pretty good at hiding behind that hockey mom persona....and at having babies....and praying. Yeah....I think I'll stop myself before I go too far. :P xoxo SoHoKiTtEn >^..^<>

Lux: Understood. :)

Get your own cute here.

Debate: How Old Is Too Old?

Here is the first debate for Girl Is Poison: The Zine. How old is too old for lolita-ish clothing?

Never Too Old!
By Lux
I know one day I’ll hang up my maryjanes. Let’s face it as we get older pretty shoes give way to orthopedic comfort. Buttons and bows are replaced with Velcro and sweatshirts proclaiming one the “World’s Greatest Grandma”. At the age of 26 this seems a long way off now, but the thought of retiring my Alice headbands, petticoats, vintage dolly dresses and, yes, maryjanes for good leaves me with a certain amount of wistfulness. I didn’t exactly give them up in adulthood did I?

I was told once that I am a young soul. I not only believe this, I live it day to day. And thank goodness I have the opportunity to express it how and when I choose. (God bless America!) I’ll admit my skirts are less full these days, I haven’t worn peter pan collars in ages and I’ve taken to picking out more solid colors rather than the wacky colorful prints I was once known for. But every now and again I feel like having a little fun. What is life without fun? I believe we are only here for a short time. If donning a ruffled party dress makes a 65 year old woman (or man for that matter) feel good then let ‘em! They’ve sure as hell earned it. The truth is anyone who has the cojones to go against the norm and endure the inevitable stares, comments and sometimes laughter has earned it twice over.

You’re never to old to live each day to the fullest. You’re never too old to have spirit and appreciate life…right down to your maryjanes. As silly as it may seem to some, clothing is a huge part of life to people like me. Clothes will always equal art no matter how old we get. Just ask all the people who crowd New York venues during Fashion Week. Or ask the seamstress who spends weeks constructing a single couture garment. To fashion junkies like us, clothes are part of who we are. A coat does not just keep us warm, it says something about us. Those of us who will leave the house in babydoll dresses and knee socks are saying that we are truly young at heart and don’t care who knows it.

You might ask: “But Lux, who really wants to see a 65 year old woman in a jumper?”. My answer to you is the 65 year old. And I counter with: “Would you rather see her in a micro mini and fishnets?”. The fact is Lolita fashion represents more than just youth, it represents a time when people had a little more modesty. Clothing was more conservative and people dressed with just a bit more care. Appearance was more about the fine details. The beading, the lace! It’s high time the pendulum swings back! If you see that 65 year old on the street just know that she understands this and a lot more. Before judging her as an old lady with a couple screws loose, take note that you are witnessing someone who is truly free. Do I read too much into it? Perhaps, but I personally prefer cute, sweet and fun to messy, slutty or boring any day. It’s for damn sure 100% better than that “World’s Greatest Grandma” sweatshirt.




Is there an age limit to wearing Lolita?
By Emily Buresh
The Lolita style is a very beautiful fashion that originates from Japanese subculture to look like Victorian dolls. This trend has several subcategories: Gothic Lolita, Punk Lolita, Classic Lolita, Sweet Lolita, Wa/Qi Lolita, Ouji/kodona/dandy Lolita, Manga/Anime Lolita, and other more do-it-yourself Lolita styles. The Japanese tend to wear more conservative ensembles while Americans have taken their spin on things to show off some skin. The style first emerged in the 1970’s, but has gained popularity in the 1990’s and is now a widely known fashion that is sold in many stores worldwide.

The general effect of the Lolita style is to appear youthful and almost fragile, yet alluring. The colors and fabrics vary widely from traditional Japanese kimono silks to plaids and lace. Some feel that this look is ageless and can be worn by anyone, but the truth is that this isn’t so. As we mature, our over all look changes dramatically. Many use products or surgery to get back this appearance. Others hold onto the age of innocence with garments. I’m not implying one should stop wearing this style at say 40 or 50. However, if your look requires diabetic stockings and orthopedic shoes, then it’s time to retire the look.

Over time our skin wrinkles because it loses elasticity, our hair grays, and our overall figure loses to gravity. Some start earlier in life than others, but to see a woman with a cute school girl’s uniform, platform shoes, a parasol, and have a face that time has not forgotten isn’t attractive and defeats the purpose of the whole ensemble. One might also run the risk of having total strangers ask why you are wearing your granddaughter’s dress.

Lolita takes a lot of time to prepare just the right look. One needs to apply their make-up giving it a light appearance, yet draw out the lips, cheeks, and eyes just so depending on what direction of Lolita is chosen. Next is to coif the hair to give a youthful appearance. Some do their hair in ringlets while others pin up their hair with elaborate clips. A corset or bustier can give the waist a young girl’s curvature. Adding stockings or socks elongate the legs. The shirt can be simple or one can add a few layers with a vest or jacket. Bustles accentuate a small tush, then petticoats and generally a knee length skirt. Of course like any other fashion style the look can be simplified or be more elaborated.

I have talked to several maturing women and they have said that they enjoy as few steps as possible when getting ready in the morning. To them the thought of anything more than brushing their hair and putting on pants is way too much. All that bother isn’t really worth it and they find their time is better spent doing other things that are needed to get done or sleep in.
By no means am I saying not to go for it and buy that cute anime style dress, but realize societal norms and how you will be stared at. As time passes there will be less and less of your peers who wear similar fashions. This is a major part of the look to have others who look similar and be able to mix and match with your friends. If all this doesn’t bother you, go for it!

I look forward to growing old gracefully and enjoy wearing such lovely Lolita garments. However, I know that there will be a time in my life when I need put away or give away certain clothes. I say everyone should rock each year to the fullest, wear that purple shirt, be comfortable in your own skin, but please know when to hang up your kitty hoodie.
Best wishes and blessings to you in this journey called life.


What are your thoughts? Should there be an age limit? At what point (if any) should people stop expressing themselves in this way?