LBC: Goals for 2015!

It's nearly 2015, and right on schedule, it's time to share my goals for the new year! I have three main ones and one super-secret one (which I will keep really vague until I'm ready to make an official announcement) that I'll talk about today. Feel free to share your resolutions as well--and I hope that we can keep each other on track!

LBC: A Lolita Coordinate Based on a Constellation.

This week's Lolita Blog Carnival topic was one I was super excited to do--a coordinate based on a constellation! I wanted to make sure I used a dress I own (in this case, I have ordered and am just waiting on), so I did some digging for constellations visible to the naked eye that tend to come out around this time of year and settled on Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia is a gorgeous constellation that is supposed to represent the mythological Greek figure sitting on her throne, or some of the points on her crown.

Cassiopeia Coordinate by avinastar featuring tights

LBC: The non-lolita style I have fallen in love with.

It has been a long time since I participated in a Lolita Blog Carnival, so I thought I'd enter once again! =) For those of you who do not know what LBC is, it's a group of blogs that try to post about the same topic on the same day, once a week! It's open to anyone who blogs about lolita relatively often, so feel free to join if you are interested! Check out our Facebook group!

This week's topic is "the non-lolita style I have fallen in love with." Truth be told, I pretty much dip my fingers in as many Japanese fashions as I can just because I'm fickle and scatterbrained, so it was pretty hard to pick just one style I could really spotlight.

Facebook + my shelves are filling.

I feel bad that lately all of my posts have been related to the Lolita Blog Carnival. I need to some more writing of my own and update more often! So here comes two posts in one week! I feel like I never do this. @3@

Just a quick maintenance topic before we proceed:

Lately, since joining the Blog Carnival and going around more meet-ups, I've had a lot of sweet girls and guys adding me as a friend on my Facebook. Although I am very much flattered that they think I'm someone they can add to their account, I want to make a quick disclaimer that although from time to time, I do add people I don't know through school or work, my Facebook is pretty much dedicated to those contacts. I like to have my own personal space on the web, and I already have a very public blog, Tumblr, Twitter, etc.

I even made a Facebook like page for this reason, where you can go ahead and keep track of me through there. I pretty much post a lot of the same things on the two pages, and really you won't be missing out on much. But lately I think people have been finding it pretentious that I redirect them to my page vs. adding them as a friend, to which I say: I'm sorry, but I dictate what I do on my accounts, and if you really want to know more about me, it's really not that hard. You can look at any of the social networking sites I'm on and be able to speak directly to me. I just want to reserve my Facebook account for those I'm very close to and meet often. Basically, I want a distinct separation between my life on the Internet and my real life as a prospective law student.

So, for those of you who I was able to message through Facebook and notify that I don't really add people I haven't met often to my Facebook, thank you for your understanding. For those I couldn't message, hopefully you'll see this and know to follow me on some of my other websites, and I will gladly speak to you!

Now that that is over with, onto the main topic of this post~

Extra Life + Bob Ross

This past weekend was Extra Life, the annual video game marathon I have been participating in for the past three years to help raise money for Miami Children's Hospital. This year has been amazing though, I made well over my goal amount of money, $182! I couldn't have done it without all of the lovely support from those who donated.

I wasn't able to make my giveaway goal amount though, which was $200, so sadly I won't be hosting the giveaway, but I would love to send small thank you notes to those who have donated to me, so if you are interested and have donated to the cause, let me know on my Facebook or Tumblr and I can send you a little care package in thanks. =) You're welcome to leave a comment here as well and I will leave it screened if it has your personal information.

I ended up helping my friend do his speed run of Tales of Symphonia 2, and then afterwards we played Trauma Team and seriously got waaay too into it. We ended up sounding like actual surgeons screaming; "scalpel!" "suture!" at each other, haha~ I can't wait until next year's already! Hopefully I'll be able to continue to beat my fundraising record.

Today is also Bob Ross' birthday, he's been a great inspiration to me since I was a child. I ended up looking up a bunch of my favourite quotes from him, and titled the look I posted today after one of them.

Here are some of my favourite quotes from him:

• "People might look at you a bit funny, but it's okay. Artists are allowed to be a bit different."
• "The secret to doing anything is believing that you can do it. Anything that you believe you can do strong enough, you can do. Anything. As long as you believe."
• "There's nothing wrong with having a tree as a friend."
• "We don't make mistakes, we just have happy accidents."

Photography and Harassment + Pokémon Inspiration

Today, my post is going to be much more serious-faced. As a prospective law student I do have interest in the scope of the law in the U.S., as well as using it to both educate myself and those around me. Don't worry, there's going to be a bit of fashion sprinkled in as well. =D Check out the look I wore a couple of days ago (and it's on topic as well, since this was the outfit I was wearing during the incident).

Generally, as someone who dresses in alternative fashions about two-three times a week, I'm usually used to the attention--negative or otherwise--that comes along with it. Being called names or teased is one thing, but one issue I have particular trouble with is being photographed without permission or knowledge that it is happening. I've been wearing alternative fashions since I was in high school, but the past 5 years have probably been the busiest for me in terms of gaining experience.

I thought I'd give some advice on how to deal with it, and also speak about my most recent horror story.

Mahou-kei Photoshoot

Mahou-kei Photoshoot by avinastar featuring long necklaces

I want to do a really nice, high-quality photoshoot in my apartment soon featuring vintage toys and my new vanity for my good friend Candy over at Starlight Deco Dream and Mahou-kei! I have loved her products for such a long time, and her wigs are amazing to boot! Can't wait to work on this project~

マツオヒロミ。+ Interior Inspiration!

マツオヒロミのアートが好きです〜

For the past three months, I have been trying to come up with ways to decorate my new place. I've already settled on a Shabby Chic interior for my bedroom, complete with a vintage vanity my mum and I picked up from a Habitat for Humanity "Restore." It felt great purchasing the vanity from there because every cent is going back to building a home for the community. =) I highly recommend visiting a Habitat for Humanity store in your city (I think it is an American thing, but I'm sure there are versions of it in different countries) next time you are looking for some furniture. Not to mention everything is well-priced!

紀伊國屋書店。

This look is on LookBook! Please Hype if you like~

I really love the Japanese bookstore "Kinokuniya" (or "Kinokuniya Shoten"). When I traveled to California recently, I visited the Kinokuniyas in San Jose and San Francisco relatively frequently and was so excited about my purchases! I also knew I absolutely had to take an outfit shot among the bookshelves in the San Francisco branch. =)

Cawaii Wishlist + Two Photos from London!

Thanks to Zeruda, I am now completely hooked on the mori-girl look of Rakuten-based store Cawaii! The look and feel of the clothes is just so comfortable and really reminds me of the kinds of clothes Momoko Tokyo sold. Here are some photos of the store front and the inside that I took while I was there this past March in London~

It was an absolutely gorgeous store filled to the brim with soft colours.

ぜんぜんしないのつまらないでしょ？

What if everyone skipped at that intersection,
And we held hands and looked up at the sky in the center of that city?

Please Hype on Lookbook if you like what you see!