IK team meets Simone Legno of Tokidoki!

WARNING! Somewhat long story ahead, but some pics! Just scroll to look at the pics xD

I finally got a chance to meet Simone Legno!!! The creator of Tokidoki :] Taken place at South Coast Plaza at Costa Mesa ^__^ It's good to be in Cali!

I missed Simone Legno, creator of Tokidoki, at the Melrose Tokidoki store opening because it was pretty cold and I didn't want to cause my boyfriend to drive a kazillion miles just to get an autograph. Luckily last month I found out that he was coming to Costa Mesa. I just had to meet him! It was going to be at a place I was most familiar with (sorta) and who knows when he'd be back to visit :[ So my boyfriend and I planned our trip ^___^

We came in our Tokidoki clothing, of course :]

We made it safely to the big mall ^_^ The line wasn't too long. Once Sephora opened, the crew gave us all wrist bands with numbers so that we can go ahead and roam around the mall (it was barely 10am and Simone is to arrive at 1pm) and come back to our spots. We were number #22 and 23 ^__^ I've made some purchases in order to get a free frenzy ($25 purchase). It's so weird I didn't intend to buy anything, but this week I lost my L'oreal mascara :[ So, I decided that it'd be cool to get the Tokidoki Mascara! Haha. But it wasn't enuff to get the freebie, so I purchased some Cactus pups finger nail buffers xD They're so cute! As for the freebie, we got Bastardino ^.^ I let my boyfriend have it because he loves the doggy :]

After shopping in Sephora and oogling at the cuteness of the stuff, well, me oogling at it and squeeling with excitement, we decided to walk around the mall ^_^

When we got back, there was A LOT of people, more than before. There was a photo session going on with SANDy ^_^

Not even 1pm yet, and Simone Legno appears O_O He waved to everyone and went into the store to sit in his booth. He had so many markers that he brought by himself in his own Tokidoki bag ^_^ We're lucky to be in the first group to go in, even before 1pm he already started drawing for everyone! Everyone was to go one on one with him =^.^= I was so uberly nervous and excited and happy! So many thoughts went through my mind. I've also brought my first Mini Munny that I made around 2007 or 08 and was inspired by him. I wanted to let him have it for being such a sport of making his fans so happy and also taking the time to draw everyone their fave Tokidoki charrie.

My heart was beating so fast as we came closer to getting to his booth. Wubzies (boyfriend's official nickname since we dated) was trying to calm me down and one of the crew lady was cheering me on that it's our turn soon =^__^= Then...it was our turn. I gulped and blushed and went up to Simone. He greeted with a simple hello and a warm smile. I was so shy and spoke really timidly. He then got my name which was written on the post-it. He...he got my name RIGHT on the first try when he said it. I was in shock! Not a lot of people get my name right =/ but he did! I was like OH MY GOSH. Every person gets to have one sketch and one signature anywhere. I chose the unicorn cause I don't have anything with the unicorn on it, and I asked the signature to be on my Mozzarella vinyl figureenie ^_^ He grabbed his sharpie and went ZOOM ZAP CHEWY! He was drawing really fast! It wasn't the type like he wanted to get done fast, but like he was used to drawing all of them xD It was so impressive!

Then...I took out of my bag the mini munny I made, Riko, and said all shyly,"I...made this for you." A smile came across his face and he looked at it for a long while and said thank you =^_^= Then picture time!

Eep! I didn't know how happy I really was during this event! My dimples are showing in this photo above and throughout the whole way going home X__X My boyfriend was very lucky on his sketch :P We're only suppose to get ONE charrie, and he got two because he could not make up his mind. He requested to Simone for Adios to walk Bastardino xD! Wubzies was very happy too :]

After he got his sketchbook back and got his picture taken, Simone said bye to us, and then...he looked to me and said,"Thank you for the present ________(my name, haha, I like it anonymous on here)". I felt like dropping on the floor since he remembered my name. But instead I was like hyperventilating until we got to the parking lot...well not even, cause it continued on the rest of the way home xD Me and Wubzies were in so much wow! It really, really, felt like a dream! We finally met Simone Legno of Tokidoki! The creator of all the stuff we wear and adore! I still feel like omg. The day ended with some In n Out for linner :]

I'm so very very happy to have gone to this event! I'm glad Wubzies made sure we went :D haha. That day was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! Meeting Simone, getting a really good quality mascara!, being with my boyfriend, In & Out, seeing my boyfriend be really happy!, encounter an ol' buddy at Frank & Sons, another ol' buddy at Wubzies' house, finishing up my vocab, coming home without mommy going snappy, and now, bloggy this day and remembering it! It still feels too good to be true that we met him. I really owe it to my honey-bunchies! He just wanted me to be really happy, and glad it's the whole day with nothing gone wrong ^_^

This is the best day of the year yet! I'll never forget this =']

Featured Seller: Miss Mercy

I haven't been doing much with my shop, but did run an awesome spectacular contest! I've been busy with school and trying to get a job. I want to become a lady. Anywho, that fact is important because, I somehow got some sales and had some monies ^_^ I was looking to see if a friend of mine said when she'd be going to Germany. I went to her shop and was like OMG NOOO!!! It was sooner than I thought! I vowed to myself to buy at least one thing in each of my closest Etsy buddies' shop! This was a good chance to buy before she would go. But, what captivate me most was this bunny ring as I'm wearing =^_^= perfect for Easter and I do adore the fluffyness :] I just had to have it! Even if I am always on budget, but it's good to treat myself to something besides sweets ^_^ Also she was departing from USA :[ but for a happy ending of course ^_^ heehee. I'm honored to introduce to all my readers (if any, har har) Miss Mercy! My shopping experience with her is amazing! When my bunny arrived through the mail, I was so happy! It was carefully packaged and inside was like a party favor ^_^ I even got a lollipop, her cutesy business card (omg, you have got to see her Etsy banner!), and plastic bows for my hair :] Everything so cute and simple! I simply love her style. Her items are always very unique! I've known a lot of fellow kawaii kitschy sellers who take cute stuff and put them together, but wowwie, her stuff is amazing! It's so full of detail and life. I window shop a lot at her shop xD Blah, I can go on forever about her shop! Let's take a look at our interview with her ^__^!

1. Introduce yourself:
hello :) my names is meghan rose perrings am currently 29 years of age and a proud army wife! i guess you can technically say that i am a little gothic lolita girl at heart in appearance and personal style - but i love creating and crafting all sorts of fun items for many lovely subcultures in fashion. i am still a little girl at heart and love the simpler things in life- small things make me happy :D

2. What do you sell in your shop(s)?
in my shop on etsy i sell a variety of items (mainly jewelry- but i do throw in a few handbags, shoes, purses and home decor from every now and then) that reflects my small view and love for the fashion world! i love lots of style of fashion subclututres and admire all the different aspects of each. my shop mainly focuses on cute whimsical girly kawaii japanese inspired lolita items and well as vintage kitsch and pinup and retro horror and gothic steampunk from time to time. being a gemini i have ALOT of various interests that take me all over the map in my style and i love the eclectic nature of it all. you never know what you might find! or that i might create!



3. Where do you get your ideas and inspirations from?
i try to get my ideas and inspiration from my life in itself. i am still a little kid at heart and love shopping and lifes simpler pleasures. i try to be fun and whimical when creating and enjoy the process as much as the finished items themselves. i focus alot on my childhood and all the happy memories it contains for me as i still try to see things thru the eyes of a child now and then. i try to create pieces that i would want to wear myself and that others hopefully will enjoy as well. i focus on the fun side of life and try my best in making interesting and different pieces.

4. Besides crafting, what else do you enjoy doing?
i have so many varied interests! i love traveling and history as well as historic inspired costuming! i am a huge medieval nerd and spend weeks on end every summer at renassiance festivals all over dressing up and particapting in the festivies! i love the forest and reading. as well as shopping of course and flea markets! i also am very into vitnage old scholl horror films and classics. i love vitnage and retro items and the histry they can tell us. i have been a various archaeological digs that i enjoyed immensly. and last but not least spending time with my wonderful soldier husband!



5. Is there any advice you can give to newbies who are selling handmade stuff online?
my best advise would be dont give up! if you have a passion for something and you love to do it- dont quit. selling esp when you first start out can be slow- but do all you can to get your name out there. as long as you love what you are doing you will always have a smile on your face!

6. In your opinion, is it competitive selling kawaii kitschy accessories?
i am sure techincally it is considered competitive- but i really do not see it that way. i am so so honoured to be amoung such amazing and wonderful crafters on etsy! lots of these sellers totally blow my mind with what they can come up with! its insane! granted alot of the supplies can over lap but i think there is a respect amongust us all that we care cretive enough in our own right to make wonderfully amazing items differnetly out of the same stock.



7. How do you promote yourself?
i try to network as much as i can online :) i also try to trade with other sellers every now and then if i can :) i have a myspace page and a twitter as well as a flickr account
www.myspace.com/licoriceandlollipops
www.twitter.com/licoricejewelry
www.flickr.com/photos/licoricejewelry

8. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
oh gosh- by then i will almost be 40! :D still happily married with a child or 2 :) and hopefully still crafting :)



9. What cartoon character do you like and why?
gosh thats hard! there are so many!! obviously i LOVE hello kitty and all sanrio characters. i grew up with them and i love them to death. i adore my melody and the sugarbunnies too :) i also am a huge san-x fan and have a HUGE collection of san-x. i love the not so normal charactures that they create- i love kogepan and nyankos as well as cheese family too! i also have to through these two charcters from watching these movies many many times when i was little that i still love to death - unico the unicorn from the adventure of unico and nicodemus the rat from bluth's cartoon the secret of nihm. and lastly- i love tokidokis too and have too many! but i cant help it - the charactures as so cute! <3 xoxox


And there you have it ^__^ Miss Mercy *applauds* Her shop is so prettiful! You'll spend quite some time on there browsing and oohing and awwing :] I know I have! Heehee.

Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/missmercy

yay for 1 years!!!

It's been 1 year now since I've kept this little hobby of mine up, polymer clay sculpting and decoden. Even though I don't keep the stuff, it still makes me pretty happy to get request from others to see what I can do with their idea. What makes me even more happier is that their face lights up when they received the finished creature or thing ^__^ I've never gotten a frowny face yet! Heehee. I must admit, I'm still an amateur polymer clay charm maker, it's not as cute or really nice looking as all the polymer clay charm makers out there that I love and follow, but that doesn't stop customers coming to me :]

Imperfect Kawaii, is meant to be a secretive small shop, not to grow bigger. I have no intention in making the shop well known, maybe some day when I'm older (because nursing school is my first priority in a few years). Without having promoting the shop so much except in casual tweets, DA submissions, and a few chats, 242 items have been sold alone! My co-worker was impressed by the numbers since we don't promote our shop so much. We couldn't have done it or even keep going without our sweet customers! Thank you all very muchy ^_^ You are all a sugar cube to my cup of tea, making it extra sweet and delicious. In this matter, making this shop keep going ^.^ Hope you all stay tuned for more stuff!

Alwayz,
Shorty Hoshino