Murasaki.me T-shirt Winner!!!

The winner of this adorable shirt

(shhhh, we're not gonna tell Momo about it)

is....

Alyssa!!

Alyssa, I've sent you a message via facebook. :)

New Neemo Sweaters at poisonbleu

I am a huge fan of Amubleu and her little knit sweaters...

and she's just put a new collection of sweaters up in her shop!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/poisonbleu 

©amubleu

They are available in the following sizes:

• Pure Neemo 

• SD13

• SD17

• MSD

• YoSD

I own several of these sweaters now, and they're all adorable!

©amubleu

As an added bonus, each sweater comes with a knit teddy as well!

©amubleu

Go check out her collection today!!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/poisonbleu 

©amubleu

©amubleu

©amubleu

©amubleu

https://www.etsy.com/shop/poisonbleu

Azone Friday Update

  Time for Friday's Azone Update!

 

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New Pure Neemo Girls were released in stores only,

and a new 1/3 scale gal

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☆ · . . · ° ° ·. . · °★ ° ·. . · ° ° ·. . ·☆

 

Pure Neemo (1/6 scale)

 

☆ · . . · ° ° ·. . · °★ ° ·. . · ° ° ·. . ·☆

These gals actually came out in time for an Azone Update last week, but I forgot about them since they were "in store" only. *foreheadsmack*

They sure do like to get mileage from the Majokko Chiika...

Majokko ☆ Chiika / little witch of the heart ver1.1 /
Spring Fair 2014 (direct store Azone limited ver.)

©Azone

Came out on March 14th, in stores only.

Price: ¥ 11,000 (roughly $110 USD)

MAYA / Nostalgic Story Collection normal sales ver /
2014 Spring Fair. (Azone direct store limited ver.)

©Azone

Came out on March 14th, in stores only.

Price: ¥ 11,000 (roughly $110 USD)

 

 

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1/3 scal

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IS <Infinite Stratos> / Cecilia Alcott (normal sales ver.)

©Azone

  Preorder Date: March 26, 2014

Price: ¥ 53,000 (roughly $530 USD)

 

IS <Infinite Stratos> Cecilia Alcott TBSishop bespoke version

 

©Azone

 

  Preorder Date: March 26, 2014

Price: ¥ 56,000 (roughly $560 USD)

 

Littlest Sweet Shop now at The Tiny Frock Shop!

Are you familiar with the Littlest Sweet Shop?

If you're not, you should check them out!

(We'll be seeing more of them on this blog in the months to come, as Nadia will be one of our Interviewees! :) )

Here is a link to their blog:

http://littlestsweetshop.blogspot.co.uk/

and their facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/LittlestSweetShop

Nadia (the creative mind behind the shop) has just joined forces with The Tiny Frock Shop

to sell some sets of her goods in the US!

Every set available at The Tiny Frock Shop is limited edition...

so get them before they're gone!

Let's take a look at what they've got available!

Teatime 10pc set:

http://tinyfrockshop.com/collections/littlest-sweet-shop/products/barbie-tea-time-10-pc-set-by-littlest-sweet-shop-for-tfs

Includes: Strawberry shortcake, 2 palmiers with sugar, 2 cream horns with sugar, vanilla cupcake with chocolate and M&M's, vanilla cupcake with white frosting and flower, cinnamon roll, heart shaped fruit topped cheesecake.

©TheTinyFrockShop

Sweet Shop Selection 9pc set:

http://tinyfrockshop.com/collections/littlest-sweet-shop/products/barbie-sweet-shop-9-pc-set-by-littlest-sweet-shop-for-tfs

Includes: White chocolate bar with paper wrapping, dark chocolate bar with nuts and paper wrapping, 4 chocolate teddys, twisted lollipop, heart lollipop, heart/arrow cookie pop, 4 carmels, assorted jellybeans and heart hard candies, pick'n mix bag in sealed clear plastic bag.

©TheTinyFrockShop

Summer Treats 7pc Set:

http://tinyfrockshop.com/collections/littlest-sweet-shop/products/barbie-summer-treats-7-pc-set-by-littlest-sweet-shop-for-tfs

Includes: Mr Softee ice cream cone with stand, waffle bowl ice cream with cookie, ice cream sandwich, twisted lollipop, folded Japanese crepe, chocolate cookie with white chocolate chips, M&M cookie.

©TheTinyFrockShop

The French Selection 11pc Set:

http://tinyfrockshop.com/collections/littlest-sweet-shop/products/barbie-french-selection-11-pc-set-by-littlest-sweet-shop-for-tfs

Includes: Pattisiere box, long baguette, pain d' epi, pain au chocolate, croissant, 4 pastel macarons, chocolate eclair, vanilla eclair with sprinkles.

©TheTinyFrockShop

Carnival Treats 9pc Set:

http://tinyfrockshop.com/collections/littlest-sweet-shop/products/barbie-carnival-treats-9-pc-set-by-littlest-sweet-shop-for-tfs

Includes: Cotton candy, candy apple, two scoop ice cream cone with stand, twisted lollipop, 2 churros, candy stick, popcorn container filled with loose popcorn kernels, assortment of candies.

©TheTinyFrockShop

American Bakery 8pc Set:

http://tinyfrockshop.com/collections/littlest-sweet-shop/products/barbie-american-bakery-8-pc-set-by-littlest-sweet-shop-for-tfs

Includes: Pie, pie slice with whipped cream, sprinkle doughnut, butterfly doughnut, chocolate and M&M dipped pretzel, twisted lollipop,brownie and brownie with nuts.

©TheTinyFrockShop

Go check them out now!

And if you've not checked out The Tiny Frock Shop before this, give them a look!

http://tinyfrockshop.com/

Their store is filled with tons of fun finds!

Mid-Month Tutorial #3: blackfrangipani's chest of drawers

Sahra: Hi everyone! Yuzuha took a little break this month, I hope you don't mind me covering for her!

Tutorial #3 is blackfrangipani's chest of drawers tutorial!

http://blackfrangipani.com/2012/12/17/diy-beautiful-miniature-chest-of-drawers-made-from-matchboxes-tutorial/

This one is a bit more complicated than the last two XD

The list of supplies on blackfrangipani's page is much longer than mine...

I opted for her simpler instructions when it came to things like attaching the drawer handles...

so I will be including my list of supplies. To see blackfrangipani's list,

please click the links above. :)

Supplies:

1. Scissors

2. exacto knife

3. scrapbooking paper

4. paper glue (I used Elmers)

5. strong hold glue (I used gorilla glue)

6. beads

7. thin balsa wood

8. foam core

9. ink pad

10. sharpie marker

11. rubber band

12. matchboxes

13. pencil

Optional:

14. paintbrush

15. paint that matches inkpad

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Let's begin!

Step 1:

Remove the matches from the match boxes!

In blackfrangipani's tutorial, she used 10 matchboxes...

but I figured for my first try, I would make something more like a jewelry box,

and only use three.

Step 2:

Using Elmer's glue, I covered one side of the matchbox.

Step 3:

Repeat this step until all of your boxes are glued together.

(If you had boxes being lined up side by side, you would glue their sides together as well)

Step 4:

When you have all your shelves glued together,

wrap a rubber band around them (make sure they're all lined up straight!)

and let the glue dry completely.

Step 5:

While we wait for the body of the chest of drawers to dry,

we can start working on the drawers.

To begin, you will need the stamp pad and a marker of matching color.

Step 6:

Coat the front, back, sides and bottom of the drawers in your ink color of choice,

then allow to dry.

Helpful Hints:

1. Ink is messy, put a piece of paper under your work station.

2. Dabbing ink took FOREVER! Sliding the drawers in a back and forth motion over the ink pad was much quicker.

Step 7:

Sit back and eat some cookies...

now is when you have to wait for everything to dry.

Step 8:

Now you'll need a pencil, the foam core and an exacto knife.

I also recommend having a spare matchbox around, for measuring.

On the foam core, trace the bottom of your chest of drawers.

blackfrangipani says she likes to add a layer of foam core to the bottom of the chest of drawers 

because it gives it more weight, and makes it feel more realistic. I am inclined to agree.

Use the exacto to cut the foam core out.

If you have shaky or unsteady hands, I recommend using a ruler when you cut,

but I just did it freehand.

Step 9:

Glue the foam core to the bottom of chest of drawers.

Before I attach the foam core, I use the marker (the one that matches the ink color) to color in the edges of the foam core.

Wrap a rubberband around the chest of drawers and let dry.

(You might be saying, "DUDE! You *just* said you colored the foam core... and now I see it, it's totally white!... this is the back side you're looking at... when the chest of drawers is comepleted, the back and sides will be covered, so no need to color them in :) )

When this is dry, though, it is a good time to color in all the edges of the cardboard with the marker that matches your inkpad.

Step 10:

Trace the sides and back of the chest of drawers (including the foam core) onto the wood

Cut the wood using your exacto knife.

(again, if you have an unsteady hand, use a ruler to help guide your cut!)

Step 11:

Glue the wood paneling to the sides.

I did the sides first, and then the back later, after the sides had dried.

Apply weight to help keep the wood panels flat as they dry.

Step 12:

Now let's work on the shelves some more!

Trace the bottom of one of the drawers (I used the extra matchbox for this)

onto the back of the scrapbooking paper that you want to line the drawers.

Cut the rectangles you've traced out, and press them into the bottoms of the drawers.

There is no need to glue them. :)

Step 13:

Once the body of the chest of drawers is all put together, and before applying the scrapbooking paper,

color in all the edges of your piece with the marker that matches your inkpad.

Now... mine didn't line up as nicely as blackfrangipani's did... so I also went in with some paint and a paintbrush and filled it in a bit.

Step 14:

I apologize... but evidently I got over excited and forgot to take pics of the next few scrapbook paper cutout steps. I glued all of these pieces on with Elmer's Glue.

Anyways, trace the sides and back of the chest of drawers onto the back of the scrapbooking paper you want to cover it with, then cut those out. 

Next, trace the top of the chest of drawers, but make it a little bit longer than the top, so you can overlap it onto the back. (You can kind of see the line where the paper from the top of the chest of drawers is covered by the paper on the back.

In gluing application, put the top piece of paper on first, then cover it with the back piece.

Trace the fronts of the drawers onto the back of the scrapbooking paper you want on your drawer fronts, then cut those out and apply with Elmer's glue.

Step 15:

Next, we will break out the heavy duty glue.

I used Gorilla Glue... which was scary... that stuff is serious gluing business...

but dang does it work!

Anyways, I opted for blackfrangipani's simpler drawer pulls.

You can go check out her post for directions on more elaborate ones.

Put a little dab of glue where you want the pulls (and legs, if you opt to add legs to your chest of drawers) to go, then attach and let dry (for as long as the glue bottle recommends)

FINISHED!!

The end!

You have a little chest of drawers!

You can see where I needed to take more care in not scuffing up my paper edges. *sigh*

Sahra: I love these little drawers!

Problems:

The only *real* problem I had with this tutorial was blackfrangipani's suggestion of using ink.

I've no idea if my ink was too cheap, or what... but it DID NOT DRY... and continued to get all over my fingers, and thus all over my paper, and I was constantly afraid of getting it inadvertently all over my dolls as well.

I would not use ink again.

Or, at least, not THAT ink.

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Conclusion:

 I really love this tutorial!

Overall, once you have the basic stuff you need to make it,

it's a pretty cheap tutorial with pretty awesome results!!!

Thank you, blackfrangipani!

I think for a first try, this turned out pretty cute, if not a bit... er... wonky.

As my father-in-law would say, "Not a right angle in the thing!"

... but admittedly, I wasn't *as* careful as I could have been when letting things dry and set,

so with practice, I think I could do better... and I would not blame the tutorial for the wonkiness of my chest of drawers.