June 2014 Favorites!

Hello everyone!

I'm so excited to write this post, because today, I'm going to show you my favorite products for the month of June!!!

I love watching monthly favorite videos on YouTube and reading monthly favorite posts on blogs, so I thought I might start doing my own!  Not only will I be featuring fashion and beauty products, but music, anime, and food products as well, or anything else I just can't get enough of.  I like to cover a wide range. x3

Let's go!

Fashion/Beauty:

Galaxy Print

From NerdyLittleSecrets

From TopCloset

I've been totally enraptured by anything and everything galaxy print this month!  I've always been interested in outer space, and it's starting to leak into my fashion choices!  The above two items are things I've been eyeing on Etsy, and I may purchase them soon.  If you follow me on Instagram, then you'll have seen my galaxy nails in pink and purple that I've done this month.  I even changed my Tumblr theme to a galaxy print for a while.

Maybelline Line Stiletto

So I was looking for a liquid liner in a brown color, and the Covergirl liner I tried really wasn't working for me, so I bought this product on a whim when I went grocery shopping.  I wasn't expecting to be so wowed by this product, but I've been using it a lot since I bought it.  I got it in the color brownish black, and it's nice for a softer look.  The applicator has a felt tip which is great because it gives you a lot more control than a brush tip does, and it applies on very smoothly.  You have to wait a minute for it to dry, but once it's dry, it's dry!  I've had no creasing problems with this product, even after wearing it for a dance concert and leaving it on for the Saturday of a Comicon!  It has incredible staying power and doesn't flake off, but it comes off easily with your make up remover of choice. 

Lip Smackers Starburst Lip Balm

I am SUCH a lip balm junkie.  I always have three or four at a time, one in my purse, one in my backpack, one in my bathroom...I just like lip balm a lot.  I've tried so many different brands of lip balm I can't remember them all, but none of them work as well as Lip Smackers.  I've been using them since childhood, and they've never failed me!  I tried to get into the organic beeswax lip balms like Burt's Bees, but they never felt right and I kept having to reapply constantly.  With Lip Smackers I never have that problem. The newest one I tried this month is the Cherry Kiwi Starburst flavor.  My mom gave it to me since she received it in a goodie bag but didn't want flavored lip balm.  Since I received it, this is the ONLY lip balm I've been using this month.  It's that good.  It goes on so smooth, and it smells amazing.  Super fruity and sweet.  It also leaves a great shine and just the slightest hint of a reddish pink color on your lips.  If you like sweet lip balm, definitely give it a try!

L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara

Before I left for Germany last month, I threw away the mascara I had been using since December, which was NYX's Pin Up Tease.  It's a great mascara, but I only wanted to take a travel size to Germany, and you're only supposed to keep mascara for like three months so...yeah.  Once I got back to Texas, I had to buy a new one.  There was a lot of hype surrounding this product, and the name was just too cute to resist, so I bought it.  I was seriously floored by this mascara when I first put it on!  I had lost my eyelash curler when I started to unpack, so I had to do without it, but with this mascara you don't even need it for an everyday look.  This stuff makes your lashes look super fluffy and full.  I've been using it every day that I've worn make up, and during performances as well, and it's been working wonderfully.  The only downside to this product is that it isn't waterproof.  I couldn't find a waterproof formula when I bought it, but I've seen different variations on it now, so the next time I run out of mascara, I'll see if they have a waterproof version because this stuff is fantastic.  Apply multiple coats for super dramatic lashes!

Clio Gelpresso Waterproof Pencil Gel Liner

One of my favorite YouTubers, meejmuse, has been raving about these Clio Gelpresso eyeliner pencils for a long time, and since I love highlighting my inner corner and lower lash line, I decided to give this a try.  The main reasons I bought it were because it's a gel formula, and it's a twist up pencil so I don't have to worry about sharpening it. XD  I'm used to using a white cream pencil (usually NYX's Milk or Cottage Cheese) to highlight my eyes, but I wanted to try a more beige or champagne color for everyday wear so it's not quite so striking.  I bought this in the color beige shine, and it's the pencil in the middle of the photo above, with the nude/beige ring around the bottom.  Since this is a product from South Korea, I had to buy it on eBay, but I found it for a good price with free shipping, and it didn't take long to arrive at all!  The seller even included a few sample products for me to try!  I'm very pleased with this product as it's super creamy, long lasting, and easy to apply.  It's the most gorgeous champagne gold color, with lots of shimmer.

Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder

This is another South Korean product that I heard about on YouTube, and it's perfect for Summer!  I love my NYC translucent powder, but since the weather has been getting hotter, it hasn't been controlling the shine on my face as well as it did in the Winter and Spring months.  Since I was already purchasing the Clio pencil on eBay anyway, I thought I would buy this and try it out.  Innisfree advertises this product as a powder to control sebum (oil) on your face throughout the day, and to give your make up a flawless finish.  I was a bit skeptical at first since most oil controlling powders look super cakey on my face, but because of all of the positive reviews I watched or read, I took the leap and bought it.  

Out of all the beauty products on my favorites list, this one impressed me the most.  I mean WOW.  This is the product on this list that I've had for the shortest amount of time, but from the first time I used it, it has worked wonders!  My foundation looked flawless after I applied this, and it helped me achieve a wonderful matte look.  I wore it the first time for about eight hours or longer, and besides some slight eye shadow creasing (I didn't put on primer that day), my make up looked just as amazing as it did when I first applied it.  I have no idea how they do it, but this product is definitely something I will continue to use.  The tub of powder you get is actually quite small, but a little bit goes a long way.  It's a loose powder that comes with a powder puff inside to apply it with, but you can also apply it with a brush if you prefer to do that.  I definitely, definitely recommend this product.  You can purchase it here!

Music:

Seven Lions

I started diving into the EDM genre of music this month, and the album that I've been listening to over and over again is Worlds Apart by Seven Lions, featuring artists like Kerli and Ellie Goulding.  It's an amazing EP that sounds like it was made on another planet, and it takes you out of your head as you listen to it.  It has that electronic sound you would expect from an EDM artist, but the songwriting present is truly something special, especially on the tracks where Kerli is involved.  You can read my full review of this EP here.

Milk Tea

Since my departure from the Kpop fandom, I've been looking for some Independent artists from South Korea to listen to.  Not many people know about the South Korean music industry outside of Kpop, myself included, so I did some digging and found the most adorable band!  This group is called Milk Tea, and they're a duo signed with the Independent record label Juice Media.  They have a sweet, mellow pop sound that I like a lot, and I bought their second album, Love Traveller, off of iTunes.  I'm planning on doing a full post on this group, so stay tuned for that!  For now, enjoy the insanely adorable music video for their most popular song, "Ramen King."

Anime:

Princess Jellyfish

My friends had been telling me about Princess Jellyfish, or Kuragehime, for a few years now, but other anime seemed to push it back every time I thought about watching it.  One day this month, I stayed over at a friend's apartment, and she was shocked that I hadn't seen it, so all of us who were over marathoned the whole series in one night.  Y'all.  This series is SO GOOD.  I was constantly laughing, and I found the cast of characters so colorful and weird, yet relatable at the same time.  Check out the plot summary from Anime News Network:

"Amamizukan is an apartment complex where no boys are allowed. Tsukimi, a girl who adores jellyfish, lives there happily with her friends who all have nerdy obsessions of their own. Their peaceful lives gradually start to change when a beautiful woman helps Tsukimi out of a pinch. She stays overnight at the apartments—but it turns out 'she' is really a 'he.'"

As an introvert and a super nerd myself, I had a great time laughing at the situations these characters got into, and discussing with my friends how they reminded us of ourselves.  Even if you aren't a nerd, I think you'll enjoy this lovable cast of characters and all of the silliness that goes on in their lives.  You can watch this on on Netflix dubbed in English!

Snacks:

Watermelon

I don't know about y'all, but for me, it isn't Summer until I've had some watermelon!  This is the fruit I eat the most of during the Summer, most others being forgotten because the only time I can eat good watermelon is during the hotter months!  I eat it plain, with breakfast, or I'll make it into a refreshing drink!  Any way you prepare it, watermelon is delicious!

Haribo Gummi Peaches

So in Germany, Haribo was EVERYWHERE.  Seriously.  I know that's where the company is based out of, but it was super cool to see it everywhere.  I'm a gummy addict, so I tried a lot of different flavors, one of my favorite being peach.  Peach flavored candy or soda is one of my biggest weaknesses, so eating these definitely makes me a happy camper.  Chewy, sweet, peachy, and covered in sugar.  Yup, heaven.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my June Favorites, and I hope you can try them out for yourself!  Have you already tried some of them?  Do you like them?

What are your favorites this month?  Leave me a comment below!

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you in my next post,

xoxo

Martha

June Fashion!

Hello all you lovely people!

It's been a while since I've done a proper outfit post on here, but I have been keeping up with my favorite outfits this month!  So, I've decided to do a post on my favorite fashion in June.  This includes the colorful fashion I usually wear, and some new things I decided to try.

Let's go!

I wore the above outfit to an album release party at Spider House.  Pojo the Idealist (who I went to high school with and acted in plays with) released his second album, Love, this month, and it's great!  I'm so glad I was able to go and support his newest release.  Anyway, my theme for the above outfit was Space Babe! XD  Nothing says space babe like a galaxy unicorn top, right?  Here's the rundown:

Top:  Wal Mart

Ring:  A gift--from a local artisan in Austin I believe

Ribbon:  Holley Tea Time

Eye Jewels:  JoAnn's

I liked playing with the make up for this look.  I went for sharp, dark eyebrows, thick black eyeliner, and of course the jewels!  I also tried something new with my hair.  I took the shorter layers, twisted them, and pinned them to the side.  That alone gave me the poof I wanted on top, but it looked unfinished, so I braided it and added a ribbon.  I thought it was fun and whimsical, so I kept it!  I also like how the pink in my hair goes with the purple and blue of the galaxy print.

Side note, I don't shop at Wal Mart anymore because I don't support the way they treat their employees.  It's awful. T__T

This next outfit was just for a day running errands...but I wanted to look cute anyway.  XD  Here's the details:

Top:  Target

Shorts:  Macy's

Shoes:  Dr. Martens via Zappos

Bunny Ring:  Kira Kira Entertainment Shop

Bracelets:  Dollar Store

I like the combination of black and pink, so that's what I went for in this look.  I'm so incredibly excited about those Dr. Martens sneakers, they're so in-your-face and fashionable, but still super comfortable.  I also like that this top has a bit of a high-low effect so I can show off just a bit of tummy without it being a full crop top.  For make up, I played with the pink and black theme by putting pink eye shadow on the outer half of my eyes, and a grey shimmer on the inner half, blending well.  I then put my thick black liner on top of it, and did the dark arched brows as well.  This time, instead of leaving the lips neutral, I put on a magenta color using my Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Lovesick.  

 

This next outfit is one I wore at Texas Comicon once our Kira Kira Maids concert was over on Saturday!  We went back to the hotel room quickly to change, then worked our booth and took turns wandering around.  I didn't want to wear a cosplay because it was HOT, but I wanted to be wacky, cute, and have some character swag at the same time.  So, here's the rundown!

Domo-kun Crop Top:  H&M

Shorts:  Target

Ribbon:  Pinkly Ever After

Kitty Pin:  Sweet Spirits

Bangle:  Dear by Amanda Bynes

Sailor Moon Earrings:  Hobbit Town Jewelry

Glasses:  Rue21

While I was packing for this trip, I thought domo-kun would be perfect to bring along, and because it was so hot that weekend, the fact that it was a crop top was a plus!  I'm still trying to figure out how to pose in crop tops because they're not something I'm used to wearing quite yet.  Ah well, practice makes perfect!  Anyway, the top is super comfy and soft, as well as super cute!  Looking at the photos now, I'm not sure the shorts go too well with the pink on domo-kun, but there are worse things that could happen.  Anyway, I was happy to make use of my Sweet Spirits Suzy Cat brooch again, and wear it with my Sailor Moon Earrings that I got at the convention!  I'll be doing a review of Hobbit Town Jewelry in another post, so stay tuned for details!

My make up here is the make up I had on for the show:  Black eyeliner, super fluffy lashes, and BRIGHT WHITE highlight under the eyes, as well as purple eye jewels.  I could've gone without the glasses, but I put on so much highlight that at a close range I was afraid it would scare people, so the glasses balanced it out a bit. XD  And they're just super cute, right?  As far as hair goes, it had flattened out considerably after the show because of all of the dancing, so I threw it into a side ponytail and put on my Pinkly Ever After Princess Crystal Ribbon!  Perfect! Those ribbons served me well that weekend, since I wore one every day of the convention!

I apologize for the lighting in the close up pictures being so orange!  I'm still figuring out how to take good photos in hotel bathrooms...

 

This last outfit is by far the simplest, but sometimes you need to have those simple days.  Here's the details:

Dress:  Forever 21

Necklace and Earrings:  Thrifted

That's it! XD  Besides the sneakers which you can't see.  I'll be working on taking good full body photos soon so these fashion posts can improve!  Anyway, I wore this to see Silence the Musical, presented by Doctuh Mistuh productions at the Salvage Vanguard Theatre here in Austin.  I wanted to go with something comfortable and classy for the theatre.  This dress from Forever 21 has been one of my standbys for the past few years since it's comfortable, cute, and can be dressed up or down for any occasion.  

I also went for simpler make up here, using a brownish black eyeliner and a gold/beige shimmery highlight under the eyes (which will be featured in my June Favorites post)!  I did a gradient lip using my Covergirl Hot Passion lipstick on the inside of my lips.  

As you can see in the last two outfits, I added purple to my hair!  I wanted to try something a little different, and I've always loved the combination of lavender and pink!  I think I'll keep this color combination for a while since I like it a lot.  For the purple I used N Rage's Purple Plum and diluted it with a whole lot of conditioner!  It's more of a blue based purple than a red based purple, but it works for me!

Whew!  I hope y'all enjoyed my fashion rundown for June, and are looking forward to more fashion posts in July!  I still have my June Favorites to post, a review on Hobbit Town Jewelry like I mentioned above, and a a haul with a discussion on sizes at one of my favorite stores. ;)

Thanks so much for reading, and I'll see you in my next post!

xoxo

Martha

Music: Seven Lions "Worlds Apart" EP

Good Afternoon folks!

Today I'd like to talk about an artist I just got into recently, and his newest EP!

I was scrolling through Facebook one day, and while scrolling one of my favorite artists, Kerli, had made a post.  She talked about collaborating with another musician.  I was excited for new music from her, so I decided to look into it, and that's how I found out about Seven Lions.  The project she was talking about was the title track of his new EP, Worlds Apart.

Now I'm still very new to the Electronic Dance Music scene, as Kerli has been the only artist of the genre that I closely followed, just listening to a track or two here and there from other artists.  I had been wary of looking into the genre because of a lot of the music majors at my University.  Some of them at least, have a stuck up attitude and are convinced that electronic music isn't real music.  After listening to this EP over and over again, I can say without a doubt that they are so wrong!

This EP as a whole has an ethereal feel to it, and it transports you to another world inside of your head.  To me, when I listen to it I feel like I'm floating.

Before I go into more detail track by track, here's a little background information on Seven Lions:

The man behind Seven Lions is Jeff Montalvo, a producer, remixer, composer, and DJ from Santa Barbara.  He found the name Seven Lions from a character in the fantasy novel Latro in the Mist by Gene Wolf.  Seven Lions released his debut EP, Polarize, in 2012 and caught the attention of Skrillex.  He signed with Skrillex's record label, OWLSA (owned by Warner) in 2013.  He then released his next EP, Days to Come, on that label.  He released one other single with OWLSA before signing with Casablanca Records (also owned by Warner).  Worlds Apart is his first EP with Casablanca Records.

Now, let's get to the music, shall we?

This is the EP in its entirety from Seven Lions's official YouTube channel, so you can listen as you read.

The first track is called "Don't Leave" featuring pop singer Ellie Goulding.  I do have a few tracks by her already, so it was nice to have a familiar voice to start of the EP with.  The track starts off with something sounding like white noise which escalates into a steady pitch.  Next, you hear a melodic beat that sounds like something I'd imagine you'd hear at a space station.  The music then drops to provide ambiance for Ellie's vocals, then builds into its own melodic line under her.  I think this track has a very interesting give and take with the vocalist, since the EDM tracks I've heard usually go one of two ways:  they either give way to the vocalist, or the vocalist provides the ambiance and fades in and out.  In my experience, it usually goes with the latter of the two, but this track has a good balance of vocals and back track with intertwining melodic lines.

The second track on the EP is the title track, "Worlds Apart" featuring Kerli.  Before I even heard the song I knew I would like it just because it had Kerli on it.  That may be my bias showing, but I love her vocals and her songwriting is superb.  This track has a similar slow build up that "Don't Leave" had, but when Kerli joined in the music there wasn't a huge stop as if to say "here's the vocalist!"  Throughout the entire track, it sounds and feels as if the vocals and back track are one entity moving along with itself.  There is a great sense of movement with this track, almost as if you could see muscles moving with smooth choreography, or like water flowing in a river.  I think this smooth sense of oneness and movement is what makes this track stand out from the rest on the EP.  Truly an amazing track.

The third track, "Nepenthe" is the only track on this EP where Seven Lions is by himself.  This track is the hardcore dance floor track where you can lose yourself in the music and go nuts!  I do like listening to this by myself, but I'd love to hear it in a live setting where it's at its full potential to get people moving.  I can just see all the glow sticks and brightly colored outfits in my head!  Although this is a dance floor track, there is a certain restraint in it.  It still fits in with the rest of the EP in that it has that otherworldly, floating feel, and while you can dance to it, it's not the kind of track that would blow out your speakers, and I can definitely appreciate that.

The fourth track is "Strangers" featuring Myon and Shade 54 & Tove Lo.  Now I've never heard of the featuring artists before, so I'll have to look them up in the future.  This track is the shortest on the EP at three minutes and twenty four seconds, so I have a hunch that this is meant to be a pop single in a way.  Unlike the other tracks, the vocals hit you immediately and continue throughout the track without any long breaks.  I believe this track is meant to highlight the vocals, and the vocalist does have a very strong voice that's pleasant to listen to.  I can definitely imagine myself dancing like crazy to this one, and this is arguably the most upbeat track on the EP.  If you don't know too much about EDM but are a pop music junkie like myself, I think you'll like this track.

The fifth and final track is "Keep it Close" also featuring Kerli.  The way this track starts, it sounds like an electronic music box of some sort with a repeated melody, then it melts into an ethereal vocal with a pulsing line behind it.  Montalvo said that this was his favorite track on the EP since it was less about getting people to dance and more about the songwriting itself.  This song is written in 3/4 time and you can definitely feel that, since it's much different than the other tracks and feels almost like a waltz.  There is use of piano in this track, and it's refreshing to hear a midst all of the electronic sounds.  Kerli's vocals here are more differentiated from the back track than they are on "Worlds Apart," though there is some sort of effect added to them that blurs them a bit, and it sounds like she's melting into something, or sinking down slowly.  Her vocals are in a floaty soprano although because of that melting effect, it feels grounding to listen to.  The song closes with the slow piano and the music box sound again, like it's winding down.  I think it was a brilliant idea to end the EP with this track, as it shows off Seven Lion's experimentation with a new sound, and because it's different than what he's done in the past, it gives the listener a taste of possibly what's to come.

This EP has quickly become one of my favorite albums for the Summer, and the more I listen to it, the more different things I hear each time.  If you're skeptical about getting into the EDM genre, I think this would be a good starting point, and for you seasoned EDM fans, this is a taste of something new within the genre that I think you'll enjoy.  

Do you like Seven Lions?  What do you think of his newest work?

Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading, and see you in my next post!

xoxo

Martha

Kira Kira Transformation at Texas Comicon

So this past weekend, the Kira Kira Maids and I went down to San Antonio for Texas Comicon, and the most amazing thing happened! 

There was a lot of negative energy going around on Friday, and a lot of venting going on behind each other's backs, and it made for a tense day.  When the pattern continued on Saturday and impacted our performance somewhat, I desperately wanted to leave.  I just wanted to go to bed, do the show the next day, and drive home in peace.

Though when we all got back to the hotel that night we all sat down in a circle in the little living area of our room, and we all started to talk.  The conversation started out as some silly things, then we all just started to air our grievances with each other.  That conversation then turned into something different when we started talking about the company as a family.

Many entertainment companies like to market their idol groups as this one large family, and it's a fantastic marketing tactic.  Unfortunately, a lot of the times, that's where it ends--as a marketing tactic.  As I was talking, I started to tear up, because Kira Kira Entertainment (and the Kira Kira Maids) are really a family.  I don't really hold auditions for the company, and all of my members came to me of their own volition.  I wanted to keep that family feeling genuine, not only for the benefit of our audiences, but for our own benefit as well.  

I started to tell my members about my disappointments with the company, as well as my hopes and dreams for the future, all through tears and snot and jumbled words.  Miraculously, the other members started to cry too.  We were all finally on the same page.  We went around the circle and each member told me why they initially joined the group, and then why they decided to stay even after other members chose to leave.  Hearing each of their stories brought even more tears to my eyes, and touched my heart so deeply that I felt that we had something truly amazing going on.

Many of my members told me that Kira Kira is their home, their family of choice, and the one place they feel that they can be themselves.  Through being in Kira Kira, the members found their confidence, their drive, their dreams, and their passions...what started out as something so small has turned into a safe haven for so many people.  Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my own ambitions for the company that I forget that my members love it just as much as I do.  Being open with them that night helped me connect with them on an even deeper level, and I'm so proud of each and every one of them.

After that part of our talk, each member then said the thing they love most about me.  Strangely enough, my eyes were dry through the whole thing.  I had run out of tears to cry, and I felt so warm hearing their words, and knowing that my members--my sisters (and brothers)--look up to me so much made me feel that all of my efforts weren't in vain, and that all of my mistakes weren't as bad as I thought they were.  I then told each member what I thought was wonderful about them, and my first impressions as well, and how amazing it felt to have each of them with me on this journey.

That night, my members told me that they wanted to show me that they would live up to my expectations.  And that night, I realized that by working together, we could all make a bright future for our company and for ourselves.  I feel so lucky that I have such an amazing team that supports me and all of my huge dreams.

Sunday's performance went over better than the previous one.  We had so much positive energy to give out to our audience, and I think they loved it!  We had a lot of children in the audience, so I think our positivity attracted the most positive people in the world!

The maids are preparing for our next big convention, Delta H Con, in August, and they are being so proactive!  Schedules are being made, panels are being planned, a concert set list is up with two original choreography pieces, and love is being shared!  There are still some who are sore on the issue of certain Kpop companies, but they have all decided to respect my decision and not use music from those companies while working within Kira Kira Entertainment.  We are all working to cultivate an environment where we can all express our opinions and create art in a healthy, respectful, and ethical environment.

It's a beautiful thing.

It's definitely a process getting used to all of this change, but after this past weekend, there is no doubt in my mind that my members and I can handle it.

Anime Review: Is the Order a Rabbit? (Update)

Hello everyone!

Back in April, I did a review for an anime called ご注文はうさぎですか? (Gochūmon wa Usagi Desu ka?) or "Is the Order a Rabbit?"  You can read that post here.

 I went over the general plot and talked a little bit about each of the characters, though I wasn't able to review the character Syaro because she hadn't appeared in the series yet.

Now that she's been on the show for a while, I'd like to talk about her and how the series is continuing.

Syaro lives next door to Chiya and the two are long time friends.  She goes to the same school as Rize but is younger than her, so she calls her 'senpai.'  She really looks up to Rize and always wants to impress her, which leads to some pretty hilarious scenarios.  Syaro works at a cafe that specializes in different types of tea, and the cafe uniform is a bunny maid outfit.  There's this ongoing gag that the other characters think that Syaro comes from a wealthy family because of how cold she can be sometimes, and she desperately tries to keep up the act, even though in reality money is tight for her.  Another funny thing about Syaro is that she gets flustered easily.  Once the cold image is broken, she's a little awkward and goofy, and it's so cute.  It took me a few episodes to warm up to Syaro, but I do like her character and she fits in well with the group.

As the series continues, there are always more cute things and silly scenarios as one would expect from a slice of life anime, but there are a few more fun characters added as well.  The new character who is most interesting to me is an author who follows the girls around.  She seems to take inspiration from them and just so happens to be where they are a lot of the time.  She's a little bit out there and air headed, but is always kind to the girls.  Apparently she has some sort of past with Chino's grandfather...and she has the most hilarious name:

Aoyama Blue Mountain

When she introduced herself to Cocoa I couldn't help but bust out laughing!  Seriously, who comes up with these names?!  I was definitely not expecting that.  Anyway, she's a very enjoyable character and I'd love to see more of her.

I believe I stopped at episode eight, and there is a total of twelve episodes.  I'm so excited to watch them but I don't want the series to end!  I'm wondering if they'll leave it open for a second season...we'll see!  

I won't be doing a review of the ending of the anime because I don't want to spoil it for you!  I'm hoping my anime reviews will give you a taste to get you interested enough to watch the series, but not spoil anything for those who are currently watching.

For those of you who are currently watching this anime, who are your favorite characters?  Which cafe would you work in if you got a chance to?

Discuss down in the comments!

Thank you so much for reading, and I'll see you in my next post,

xoxo

Martha

My Exhaustion with Idols and a New Creative Start

I don't even know how I feel about idols anymore y'all.

I feel like the more I look into idols, whether Kpop or Jpop, I just find more problems.

Not only the unethical working conditions, but things like shadeism, racism, misogyny, sexism...the list goes on.

I just feel like recently liking idols has made me mentally exhausted.  I can't ignore the issues going on anymore, and when I try to just enjoy the music, there's still this heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach that I can't shake.  

I know there are also Western artists with the issues mentioned above.  I don't support them.  I don't buy their music.  I don't look into them.  I'm beginning to think that's what I should do with idols now.  I may stop in every now and again to look at a new song or two, see what's going on with the fandom...but it's time for me to step back.  I think being a casual listener is the best option for me at this point.

This doesn't mean I'll stop listening to music from other countries, it just means I'll be on the lookout for music that isn't idol music.  More artists and bands instead of idols.  There will still be music reviews on this blog, but if you're looking for idols, I suggest you look somewhere else.

It's tough for me, because idols have been a huge part of my life for about six years now.  There's a part of me that feels like a piece of my identity is gone, because I completely immersed myself into idol culture.  I'm trying to keep a positive attitude about it, and it leaves space to fill with something new, something that's more suited to the current Martha.

As far as Kira Kira Entertainment goes, I'll have to brainstorm some new ideas.  Of course I can still use songs from popular anime series (including idol anime like Idolm@ster and Love Live, because those are characters and not real people), and other Jpop and Kpop music, but the other maids are still so immersed in idol culture that I can't take them out of it alone.  There will probably still be maid performances from KKE that involve idol songs, I just won't be dancing or singing in them personally after the Summer is over.

I'm trying to find the best creative mix for myself and for my Entertainment group, and that may involve me losing a few members...I already lost one this month.  It sucks, but different people have different creative outlets, and I'm not going to keep someone against their will.  I'm hoping I can continue to find new people who share my creative ideas and beliefs.

There's going to be a lot of change over the next few months for me and for Kira Kira Entertainment, and hopefully this new found freedom from my idol obsession will lead me to some great new adventures.

See you in my next post

xoxo

Martha

Review: Bodyline Purple Seifuku

Hey people!

Today I'm back with another review, and it's SEIFUKU TIME!

For those of you who don't know what a Seifuku is, a Seifuku is an abbreviation for "Seira Fuku" or "Sailor Uniform" in Japanese.  Seifukus are what Japanese girls wear to school as their uniforms.  In the past few years, Seifukus have taken off not only as required wear for school, but as a fashion trend!  They not only come in the tradition patterns and colors, but they can come in bright colors with tons of different accessories.

I already have a pink Seifuku, but I decided to get another since I love them so much.  This time, it's purple!  I ordered my Seifuku from Bodyline, and it cost me $22.  There was a free shipping thing going on around the time I bought it, and it's always best to buy from Bodyline when those things happen, or else you'll be paying $10-$20 for shipping, at least to the US where I'm from.

Onto the pictures!

It came in one of those plastic mailing sleeves, and this is how it looked when I unfolded it.  It was on a hanger and in a plastic garment bag.  The hanger was broken, but there was no damage to the garment itself.

Here we have a close up of the ribbon--tag still attached--no loose threads or anything.  It's in good shape!  Its length is adjustable to however you'd like to wear it.

And the skirt!  It's wrinkled from being folded up in its parcel, but the pleats are very well intact and held together neatly by the white thread at the bottom.  When you receive your Seifuku, you have to gently pull out the thread with a pair of scissors, and then your skirt will be properly flippy!

I got my pink Seifuku around three years ago I think, so they've added a few updates to them, one being these hanger loops on the skirt!  Convenient for when you don't have one of those skirt hangers with clips, you can just hang it on a normal hanger!

Another update is the design of the white stripes on the back of the top.  The lines on my pink Seifuku are just normal and straight, while these have a little loop at the corner.  Not a huge difference, but I think it's a cute little touch.

I've posted photos of myself in full Seifuku, but let me show you an example of how I coordinated it with something else!

Seifuku Top:  Bodyline

Shorts:  Target

Kandi Bracelet:  From a friendly raver :D

Here I used the top of the Seifuku as a crop top, then put on my favorite pair of pink shorts with it, and just a simple kandi bracelet for a little jewelry.  I think the outfit in itself makes a statement enough, so it doesn't need too many accessories.

Seifukus are very versatile in that you can mix and match the top or bottom with multiple different pieces to make a super cute outfit!  Not many people notice that the individual piece came from a school uniform design anyway, especially if your Seifuku is in a bright color like this one!

This product is well made, has great color, and has some nice little updates from its previous version, so I'll give the Seifuku a 5/5 stars!

I was a little disappointed with the broken hanger in the packaging, but since the garment itself had no damage, and I have plenty of hangers, I decided not to take any points off.  

Do you like Seifuku fashion?  Do you have a Seifuku?  Where do you like to purchase yours?  Let me know in the comments!

I hope you enjoyed the review, and I'll see y'all in my next post!

xoxo

Martha