Wednesday, 28 December 2016

So Much Has Happened Since Then

Hello, konnichiwa!

How was your Christmas holiday season?

As you can probably already tell, I'm fairly excited. I don't believe in bragging, so I'm not going to list every present I got (after all, it's not a contest with anyone) but I will say, my husband Rob knows I love dogs and am saddened that it's against the by-laws to have one in this condo. So he went to a greeting card store that sells novelty items, and got this very realistic looking 'breathing' sleeping puppy. Before the haters protest, I checked the Perfect Petzzz website and the fur on these little cuties is 100% synthetic. No real animals were harmed.


Look at his side-middle, toward his back leg, and you'll see it gently rises & falls, as if this sweet puppy is really in soft, fluffy dreamland. Maybe he is riding a rainbow with Sanrio's Little Twin Stars Kiki and Lala?

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And you might have noticed that there has not been a post at all since Christmas Day (on which there was no Kawaii365 project). There's a reason I've been away, and it's pretty exciting - are you ready for this?

Maybe you should make sure you're sitting down... it has something to do with my husband's mum, and a Christmas gift she's giving to the family...

I've been busy for a few days, brushing up on my Spanish and packing bags, because

We're going to Mexico!!

We leave in early January and stay for a week! That will mean there will be even more time that I won't be actively posting to this blog. I will be thinking of you guys and how I can give you smiles, so each day that we're in Mexico, I'll still do a #Kawaii365 project with what I have to work with there, and when we're back, I'll share each one with you (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧

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And I admit that yes, I have fallen behind slightly with the daily creation and posting of the kawaii cuties I like to make for you. It has been quite a busy time with spending the holidays with my awesome in-laws (seriously awesome!) and working on Boxing Day, and then beginning the pack lists and focusing my free time on learning more Spanish. Such a beautiful language.

Wanna see something awesome that my mother-in-law gave me for Christmas?


Is it an ordinary mug? No. On the surface, maybe. But it has very deep meaning to me. You may remember back in early October when Red Deer was part of the events of Alberta Culture Days, and I was one of only 7 artists chosen to draw a chalk mural on the sidewalks downtown. Well, Rob's mum Teresa snuck a photo of my artwork and, being that Rob works part-time in photo electronics, they worked together to make this fantastic coffee mug that I'll cherish forever!!

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So I haven't really been online enough to have shared any #Kawaii365 cuties since Christmas Eve, when I shared a cookie-licious picture for you.

And on Christmas Day, there was to be no post, since that's a day with family. I did however leave you a beautiful card that I found on 123greetings. It had me at 'cat in the window'.

Then, on Boxing Day, I began embroidering a smiling kawaii Christmas tree, but since I was making that around a busy work shift and then working at home on packing lists and learning Spanish, I did the Boxing Day cutie over a two-day Span, which means he counts for the 26th AND 27th of December ;)

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So then, what about Today's (December 28's) #Kawaii365 project? Well, I'm glad you asked. Because, I have another special surprise...

So you know for over a year now, I have been making tee decals for Etsy, where they're designed to be used as a template to be printed onto iron-on transfer paper...

And you know that I very much love graphic tees and have been making my own since I was 9 years old... well, I have been very blessed this Christmas season, because I came across a website that supports artists who want to make their stuff wearable by the rest of the world, and the website is called DesignedByHumans (DBH for short). I created my own shop on there called KawaiiAndMore, and thinking of today's #Kawaii365 project, I uploaded this cutie on there for you to enjoy wearing.

Rainbow Girl Tshirt, printable decal for iron-on, Kawaii tee shirt
In addition, she is also available on coffee mugs, phone cases and even as a sticker!

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Tonight was supposed to be a Review Wednesday night, and I absolutely LOVE doing those dun videos for you - it's just that right now is a very busy time. So instead, I will be reviewing my (unknown) love of plaid!

Plaid, it's the design most widely used on the skirts of cute school girls, and so it fits in well with 'kawaii culture'.


And though I never outwardly expressed an active interest in it, being that I'm half Scottish on my dad's side, I must have a subconscious interest. And that's why today's December 28 Review Wednesday will be about the plaid things around this house ^_^


First up, is this super-comfy gingham style (or, if you're Canadian, lumberjack-style) plaid shirt I got from Old Navy. It's technically a 'pyjama top' but I just wear it like a long-sleeved tee.


Our Christmas décor is mostly cute, and I didn't notice until recently that some of my favorite pieces contain plaid accents. I suppose the red & green theme is festive :)


One of my favorite pairs of slippers (from Walmart) not only has plaid bows on the kawaii bears' ears, but also the lining inside (which is soft & comfy).


I personally don't 'get' why Rob likes black licorice, but this festive holiday tin filled with one of his favorite treats, sports a very Scottish-looking lid. In fact, when those horrid candies are out of it, I'll likely reuse this as a cookie jar.


Thanks to a company called Thirty One Bags, I got these super cute and very practical storage caddies for our bathroom counter (I seriously hoard beauty products!). I picked this plaid pattern on purpose with hopes it would match our red & black theme overall.


And last but not least, it dawned on me that 'plaid' doesn't always mean it has accents of red throughout it. Sometimes it's simply one or 2 colors dispersed in a variety of thick & thin lines.


Whew! Who knew Rob & I collected so dang much plaid stuff? Hahaha :D

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And before I go for the day, I want to thank everyone who is so very supportive, whether on or off my Patreon page. To be supportive of an artist doesn't just mean handing over your hard-earned cash. No, to be truly supportive means, sharing when you are impressed by what I can do

 "I never knew what I was capable of." - Elsa

When I see you wear one of my creations, or on an adult coloring group when you color in and share your work on one of the sheets I drew for you, it feels really good. You make me feel like a proud mama. When I make a gift for you and you rave about it to your family & friends, that feels really good. And when you give a small amount of money to help out, every bit is appreciated and every effort you make to help me as an artist is truly amazing! For everyone who has given rave reviews on Etsy and Fiverr about me, you basically make my life! (✿ ♥‿♥)

And before I go for the day, if you happen to be considering a trip to Tokyo, Japan soon (in true kawaii fashion!) please consider checking out one (or all three!) of these destinations:




Domo Arigatou my lovely friends!









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