Apologies for the lack of posting ^-^;

I really do apologies for my insane lack of posting. The truth is, I just have had nothing to really blog about.

I am aiming to clean this blog up and actually make use of it, so stand by ^^

Gamescom 2013: Day 1 - The Arrival

Due to some recent personal technical issues, it's been a while since I last blogged but I'm back now and I'll try to be as interesting as I possibly can!

A few weeks ago I went to Cologne in Germany for the biggest open gaming convention in the world, Gamescom!

Being press, I got to play a ton of games and meet a lot of dev and management teams for games like Guild Wars 2, GunZ 2, Everquest Next, Planetside 2, The Witcher 3 as well as peripheral companies like Razer.

We flew out at 8pm I think.
The drive from Stafford to Essex was about 3 hours long and we got 20 minutes from Essex before we realised we'd forgot the passports...


To cut a long story short, we lost every shit we could've possibly lost. I called my Mum because she is the single most reliable person to us on the planet. Well, she got a courier to get our passports and drive to her house were we could pick them up (her house is about an hour away from where we were suppose to be, to better to do 2 hours driving though than 6 and not make it to our flight)
We drove through a little village near Enfield, which was full of amazing houses and shops that sold kittens, puppies, bunnies and reptiles. It was almost like England was begging us to stay, showing us shops that sell happiness and sunshine.
NOPE.
We got our passports, got to the airport with about 15 minutes to spare and we were on our way to...Cologne.

When we landed we had issues with train tickets, kind of like I did the last time I went to Germany.
Do you buy a ticket from a machine that clearly explains how to buy a ticket? OH NO. That would be too easy!
Basically the system of this whole thing was:
> Attempt to buy a ticket with the machines they provide.
> Oh you can't find where you need to go? SORRY. no one speaky die Englisch hier!
> After you miss the train you're suppose to get on, you get on the right one to find out from a bunch of fellow Brits that you need your ticket stamped. Otherwise you get shouted at, and fined like 20€.
> GREAT WHAT NEXT.
> Hope no one asks you for directions, because there's no possible way to say "What's that in English?" politely.

Turns out the only people on a train at 11pm are Snooki look-a-likes and those guys you can't tell if they're drunk or dead.

We got to the hotel (which was really nice actually), turned on the TV, realised the only English channel was Sky news in repeat, turned the TV off and went to sleep.

To Be Continued...

Top 5 "Living Doll" Hairstyles

The whole "living doll" and doll style/culture trend is reasonably big now among certain fashion communities.
During the preparation to a recent hair cut, I tried searching for dolly hairstyles (specifically for short hair) but found literally nothing.
So, I decided to compile my own list of moderately dolly styles. In no particular order of course as they're all as good as each other.

I got most of the inspiration for this list from current idols of the fashion, anime and just the current cute/stylish trends!

Things you should know if you're aiming for a specific "dolly" look with your next haircut:

1. Full yet soft bangs/fringe are ALWAYS a good choice. While there is a style to suit everyone, this one is by far the most popular.
2. Bobs and short cuts are better for those with short hair looking to grow it out. Pixie cuts and short "boyish" styles don't fall into the living doll category unless it's extremely well done.
3. Anime is a good reference for hair, teamed with Ball-Jointed Doll looks this will give you a good idea of what to have done.
4. No bangs is good for those with an extreme side parting of a middle parting. However bare in mind that no bangs compliments a small forehead. 

1. Pin-Straight & Semi-Blunt Bangs

I can't think of anyone else who pulls this cut off as good as Kotakoti.
Whenever I personally think of a doll hair, this texture and cut definitely comes to mind first.

2. Classic Bob

Probably the best and safest option for someone with short hair is a classic bob style.
There are next to no popular "dolls" with this kind of cut, but that doesn't mean it can't be dolly!

3. Water Waves

This style is extremely popular among wig wearers, made popular by Gothic Lolita Wigs' line of "Rhapsody" wigs which feature a very boho-esque style of tight waves in a variety of subtle gradients and pastel gradients.
However the style is becoming moderately popular among non-wig wearers too.

4. Barbie Style

This style is simply as it states, Barbie style!
It typically features a middle parting and no fringe/bangs, and is normally waist length or longer.
It's a moderately easy style to achieve for those who've never really cut their hair.

5. Cute Curls

Made moderately popular by Anzhelika Kenova. Long and curly is more of a default style than a unique style.

It's actually a style that can be worn by any length of hair so this is a good one for short and long haired girls alike!

REVIEW: Lisbeth Dahl 4 Flounce Parasol/Umbrella in Cream

In the UK, you should probably prepare yourself for a bit of abuse for carrying around an umbrella or parasol if it's not raining. Heaven forfend you don't want to burn or boil in the sun or get a tan.

Getting a parasol in England is relatively simple, if you don't want to use eBay or Amazon then visit your local bridal shop as Lisabeth Dahl is usually in stock there.

Lisbeth Dahl is a Danish designer of home goods and other accessories. The brand mostly stocks bridal shops in the UK, or at least that's only where I've seen them.

PROS

• Large enough to cover a good amount of your body from rain or sun.
• The colour is extremely versatile with any co-ord and also reflects the sun much better than a darker colour keeping you cooler.
• Automatic opening with a sturdy metal frame. Decent in windy environments.

CONS

• While blocking out the sun reasonably well I feel it would be better if the material was a bit thicker.
• Questionable craftsmanship, dark almost burnt area was uncovered once the ribbon had detached. It's nothing glue can't fix but this is something to look for.

While bigger than the normal parasol (probably because it's an umbrella...) it still only fits one person under it. 

The size itself is very useful and this looks far nicer than the average umbrella you see, if you even see one at all in the summer.

It's a decently made umbrella and cheap for what it really is. The only issues I had was the burn marks on the protective plastic on the handle. Being a relatively cheap item and having a minor issue that's easily fixed, I'm happy with what I got and I'm enjoying not looking like a lobster!

The fine details are what kind of makes it for me, like the LD logo on the clasp.

And the cute label it came with.

Overall I'm giving this a solid
8/10

Because I thoroughly enjoy using it and it's more than served it's purpose while looking amazing.
Roll on rainy season!

Angelic Pretty Finally Has A UK Stockist!

It was announced today on EGL that the UK has officially got a stockist for Angelic Pretty.

At 1.10pm today, Dreamy Bows announced they will be the one and only stockist of AP and will be shipping all of our EU orders!

This is the first Lolita brand to have officially set up in the UK, marking a massive milestone for Lolita's all around the UK.

It's believed the e-shop for Dreamy Bows will be opening later in August, however this has not yet been confirmed. As of yet, there is no official store.

However, there will be a pretty impressive amount of stock at this weekend's Hyper Japan.

The announcement is available to read HERE.

Rabbitry Update: New July Pictures!

I had a picture day a few days ago with the bunnies, but I also took a load of pictures today, so I'll do this in a two parter :)

Autumn's babies. Both girls, one is a bit bigger built than the other and they have quite different personalities. I love them both but I know I can't keep them :(

This is the chubby one :)

Then Mittens' litter.