Daily Drawing: 333 | Unintentional Badass

[This is part of my 365 project where I draw my outfits every day!  Check out my first post of the year for details]

It's so funny when an outfit turns out looking differently in a drawing than it does on myself.  This ensamble looks really badass here, but I assure you, it was only put together because these pieces all happened to be clean and not too wrinkly haha!  

Black Friday - Cyber Monday Sale at The Pink Samurai

Happy Holidays!  Head over to my shop and take 20% off of your whole order, with the coupon code HOLIDAY20, now through Monday!  There's nothing like some cozy scarves to give as gifts (or keep for yourself!).

Daily Drawing: 332 | Happy Thanksgiving!

[This is part of my 365 project where I draw my outfits every day!  Check out my first post of the year for details]

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone is stuffed with Turkey, casseroles and pies!  We visited my Aunt and spent the day with her husband and my cousin.  The house was full of three cats and two dogs.  The yard was full of deer.  And by the end of the day, our bellies were full of yummy food.  The kitten in this drawing is sweet Java Bean...she loves sitting on shoulders for hours.  So sweet!  I'm feeling extra thankful for being about to have a relaxing holiday with family.

Wishing you lots of love during this holiday season!

Daily Drawing: 331 | Bakesgiving

[This is part of my 365 project where I draw my outfits every day!  Check out my first post of the year for details]

I busted out my first batch of holiday cookies today!  And did tons of shopping for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow!  I cannot express to you how into the season I am right now.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Wizard World Austin

Last weekend, for Andy's birthday, we went to the Wizard World Comic Con in Austin!  We're both con veterans and were stoked to find out that Wizard would be in town on his birthday.  After figuring out that parking in downtown Austin is just as bad downtown DC (if not more...where are the garages down there?!) we finally found a spot and trucked it over to the convention center.  It's always easy to find your way to a comic con...you just follow Batman.

Warning: I'm about to do some hard-core geeking out on you right now!

The line was as brutal as always.  Even if you pre-pay, you have to stand in line to get a wrist band.  With thousands of folks coming in from out of town, it was definitely crowded.  My favorite thing while in line was watching the two Batmans (Batmen?) having to pass each other multiple times haha!

Once in, we saw C3-PO and R2 right away!  I've seen a lot of Star Wars cosplay, but never a C3-PO.  So stoked!  The crowd around them was absolutely insane.  We also just casually happened upon Master Chief, Voltron and The Shredder.

Mini figs!  We love Legos here in Helms Deep and it was fun to point out all of the figures we already had.  Namely, most of these.

I'm really excited for the next con we go to, because we're both working on some Star Wars costumes to wear!  Andy's about done with his and I told him that I'm going to feel compelled to take my photo with him whenever he wears it haha!

I love cosplay troops.  These clubs build screen-accurate models and costumes and it's awesome.  Check out all of the props these real-life Ghostbusters made!  Ash is also interested.

So while we were putzing around and looking at everything, we saw Chewy and another Wookiee (he's from the pretend movies we don't talk about in this household).  We added ourselves to the crowd around them and were waiting for our turn to pounce for a photo op, when we heard a beeping behind us.  R2-D2 came tootling by offering friendly beeps of "excuse me" to the crowds.  I was snuck up on R2!  There's nothing better than turning around and seeing a life-size R2 acknowledging you ^_^

I finally got in there for a photo with Chewie! And check out Greedo being a lazy jerk.  The lower left is a creeper photo of Scott Bakula.  We also saw Jewel Staite and Norman Reedus.  Norman's line has gotten exponentially longer since The Walking Dead.  He's been coming to cons for Boondock Saints for yeeeears!  There were a bunch of other people we didn't see...there were lots of VIP exclusive meet and greets and such.  Would've been nice to see Shatner ^_^  But seeing Snake Eyes sneaking around the black divider (bottom right) was pretty great, too.

Master Chief!  I used to play Halo like a crazy person.  Arby and the Chief is my favorite Halo-related thing ever.

R2!!!  We actually saw these guys at a Maker Faire this summer and totally geeked out at how amazingly accurate their models are.  See the mouse droid in the foreground?  Both astromechs are remote controlled and awesome.  And I love the casual Rebels.  Just hanging out, shootin' the breeze.  The Stormtrooper, however...always on duty.  The last photo is this crazy G.I. Joe set up with pretty much every toy...ever.  It was fun seeing all the ones that Andy used to have as a little boy.

A TARDIS! A TARDIS! A TARDIS!  We actually saw this through the doors as we were in line and I had my eagle eyes out for it.  There was a standee of 11 and Amy Pond next to it...so they were cropped out :P  I was so stoked to finally get a photo with a TARDIS!  My outfit is a loose interpretation of Rose Tyler at Bad Wolf Bay and I've always got my sonic screwdriver pen with me...so this photo was just the culmination of my nerd-dom.

There's nothing more romantic than a photo with your husband on his birthday in Cobra Commander's helmet ^_^

We had such a great time people watching and taking photos.  Years ago, comic conventions were a place to find things you couldn't find anywhere else.  I used to go so I could find rare back issues of things and lots of toys and imports that my local shop didn't have.  I think a lot of the discovery is gone since the internet is so huge and you can really find anything on there now.  But now, cons for me are more about the people.  Marveling at their creative costumes and seeing how happy and into everything they are.  I just love being around folks who are super into what they love.  There's no better place for that than a comic convention.

Daily Drawing: 330 | Flat Tire

[This is part of my 365 project where I draw my outfits every day!  Check out my first post of the year for details]

Today was challenging.  You know those days when there's lots of little things that go wrong and then they culminate in a flat tire?  It was one of those days.  I was leaving our little apartment community and got a flat about half way out.  It was cold, and there was nothing to do but change the dang thing.  And I have to say, that most of our neighbors must not be native Texans, because not a single person asked if I needed help.  I mean, I didn't need help, but the offer would've been nice.  Not even the guy who works at the apartments, who walked to his car one spot away from me, and then just sat in his car the whole time I change my tire, asked.  Oh well.  There's something satisfyingly triumphant to me about changing a tire by myself.  Hooray for self-sufficiency!   ^_^

Thanksgiving Embroidery Patterns

Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away (!!!) and I've got another set of embroidery patterns perfect for a host/guest gift or just a fun activity during the day.  Add a name and date for a fun little keepsake!

Feel free to download the pattern here or use the image below.  As always, this pattern is for personal use only and cannot be sold or changed in any way.  Have fun!  And Happy Thanksgiving!

Daily Drawing: 329 | The Moment

[This is part of my 365 project where I draw my outfits every day!  Check out my first post of the year for details]

We finally saw The Day of the Doctor!  Andy found out from a friend that it would playing in theaters the Monday after it's TV release and we decided to give it a go.  We got to the theater an hour early and it was already packed!  As we settled in, there was Doctor Who trivia on the screen and then a cute bumper for the 3D that 10 and 11 stared in.  And then it was time for the show!!  I was so stoked to see David Tennant again (I'm not a fan of the 11th Doctor...like at all) and I do wish that Christopher Eccleston had been in it, too, because 9 was incredible!  But despite my picky fangirling, I loved it.  Plus, it was so cool seeing how many awesome nerdy people lived close to us, too!

Like River says, no spoilers.  But if you've seen it...we must talk!

Polka Dots and Tall Socks

So, I was absolutely freezing when these were taken!  It was super windy and I'm a total wuss when it comes to cold, but I was so stoked on these socks I had to run out for a couple of shots ^_^   The socks were super exciting because whenever I try to get over-the-knee socks, they end up just being regular knee socks.  Concerns of a tall girl.

Now that's finally really chilly in Central Texas, I've been getting really anxious for the holidays.  Thanksgiving is this week!!!  Lots of baking and crafting and hot chocolate are to be had.


Dress • ModCloth
Cardigan • YesStyle
Socks • Urban Outfitters
Shoes • Seychelles

Daily Drawing: 328 | Pattern Mixing

[This is part of my 365 project where I draw my outfits every day!  Check out my first post of the year for details]

Today was for polka dots, hearts, over the knee socks (I had to get thigh highs because of my Amazonian legs) and LOTS of crochet.  I'm finished up a secret project and powered through more granny squares that I thought was physically possible.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Last Week, on Instagram...

• Turks...being the Anti-Helper.
• I finally got a starter set for Project Life!  I'm so excited to start building our album.
• Twinkie Chan did an outfit post with one of my scarves! And Zambie Candy drew a picture of it!  I died a lil...it's all so awesome.
• I got to hang out the ladies of Remixologie last Wednesday.  They are seriously cool chicks.
• And I popped over to Blue Velvet for the first time and they had just put out the most impressive display of ugly Christmas sweaters.
• Turks...being Turks ^_^
• A select from my piece about Remixologie.  I just want everything they have for sale.  Is that wrong?  No.  No, it's not.
• I found out that Jo's has the most delicious hot chocolate.
• A TARDIS!!!!  I might need to build one of my own, just so I can take photos beside it all day.

Follow along at @thepinksamurai for more vintage, cat photos, crafty stuff and general geekery.

Daily Drawing: 327 | The Day of the Doctor

[This is part of my 365 project where I draw my outfits every day!  Check out my first post of the year for details]

Today was my wonderful husband's birthday!  We went to the Wizard World Comic Con to celebrate.  Today was also the premier of The Day of the Doctor, which I'd been wiggin about for months, so I dressed up as Rose Tyler from the Bad Wolf Bay scene at the con.  I carried my sonic screwdriver and totally freaked out to take a photo with a TARDIS ^_^  We're going to see the special in the theaters on Monday, so no spoilers, please! (Like River would say haha!)

We had a wonderful day celebrating at the con and spending all day together.  You've got to take advantage of birthdays that fall on weekends!  I'm so glad we get to spend all of our birthdays together.

Fun Stuff • 11.23.13

Stuff to Read

• My talented friend Mallory just released an e-book!  It's all about how to make money at craft shows.  I got to peek at it a bit before it was released and it's just chock full of wonderfully detailed advice from a maker who's been in the business a long time.  Go get it!
• Check out Frances MacLeod's beautiful work.  Her Thirty Days of Thankfulness is such a sweet peek into her life told by gorgeous typography and illustrations.  Thanks for the tip, Shauna!
• Today is the big day!  The Day of the Doctor!  Andy and I are at Wizard World Comic Con in Austin right now, and will be watching the special on Monday in a theater ^_^ But believe me when I say I've spent an excessive amount of time on the BBC site getting pumped for this celebration of 50 years of the Doctor!

Stuff to Make

• Bottle brush trees are staples in classic retro Christmas decorating.  I'd love to try making my own colors...I see many shades of pink in my future...  
• How to cover lamp shades with fabric.  How cool would it be to have seasonal lamp shades that would totally change your decor when you swap them out?
• I love macrame and this DIY is super customizable to your color tastes.  Again...lots of pink.
• This tree shaped shelf is just so simple and perfect!  With these instructions, you could build almost any shape you want.

Stuff to Wear

• Eep!  Check out how amazingly cute Twinkie Chan looks in my Pepelu scarf!
• I need this T-Rex sweater in my life RIGHT NOW!
• Ask Me About My Cat.  This is kind of a no-brainer.

Stuff to Eat

• I have first hand experience with Kristen's bacon.  It's no joke, you guys.  Her Candied Bacon recipe looks insane.
• Grasshopper Cake!  Because mint and chocolate were a match made in heaven.
• Mint Chocolate Cheesecake Popsicles.  See?  Heaven.
• And here's some Mint Brownie Sandwich Cookies for good measure.

Stuff from TPS this Week

• I drew some dresses that are super cute in my Illustrated Wardrobe.
• Here are some super quick and easy Perler Bead Hair Clips + extra patterns.
• Remixologie gave us plenty of Mid-Century Modern eye candy to drool over! 
• DIY Cat Lady Tote with my favorite new fabric marker.  Because cats.
• I've started offering sponsors on my blog!  Take a look at this post if you think you'd be interested in working together!

Daily Drawing: 326 | Cold Snap

[This is part of my 365 project where I draw my outfits every day!  Check out my first post of the year for details]

The thing with Texas weather is that Fall doesn't slowly creep into winter.  It's 70° and breezy one day and then 40° suddenly punches you in the face.  I'm all for cold weather during the holidays...but give me a little time to adjust!  If you need me, I'll be hiding under approximately 10,000 blankets.  Hopefully with some kittens...my little mobile personal heaters!

Let's Work Together! Promoting Your Shop or Blog on The Pink Samurai

This little space on the internet has been steadily growing and I'd love to help promote your shop or blog here on my blog.  Take a peek over on my Advertising page for some more info on stats and options for ads.

I've got lots of fun stuff planned for December, with tons of holiday DIYs, projects for gifts, and lots of vintage fun.  I think it's going to be a great month and I'd love for you to be a part of it!

This is my first time offering sponsorships, so I welcome any and all feedback!  And if you need any help with making an ad, please let me know.  I'm happy to help!  Email becky@thepinksamurai.com with an questions, concerns or cat photos.

Thanks much!!

DIY Cat Lady Tote Bag

I've got another super quick and easy DIY today!  I had so much fun with the ridiculously easy Illustrated tote, that I wanted to make another.  And considering I'm crazy cat lady, there was no question what the next design would be.

The supplies are the same as this post.  Instead of freehand drawing, however, this time I traced this pattern on the bag with pencil (you could also use carbon paper or disappearing ink to transfer the pattern).

Then, I just went over the pattern with my FabricMate marker and followed the directions on the pen for dry time.  Easy peasy...punkin pie!

Feel free to use the pattern here, or download it from this link.  Have fun!


*This pattern is for personal use only and may not be sold or changed in any way!

Daily Drawing: 325 | Stitching

[This is part of my 365 project where I draw my outfits every day!  Check out my first post of the year for details]

Today was for marathoning The Office and lots of embroidery.  The kittens spent most of their time on a pile of clean laundry.  It was a good day ^_^

Thrifty Thursday: Remixologie

Remixologie

website | facebook | twitter | instagram | pinterest

address : 5701 Burnet Road, Austin, TX 78756

hours :  Sunday: 12pm - 5pm | Tuesday - Saturday: 11pm - 6pm | Closed Mondays

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Andy and I stopped by Remixologie when we first moved to Austin and pretty much just drooled all over everything in the store.  So when I got the chance to meet Dini and Amy, the owners of the shop, I jumped at the chance to pick their brains and take photos of their gorgeous space.  Remixologie specializes in Mid-Century Modern furniture and home decor.  They do their own refurbishing (Amy was actually in the back working on a piece when I walked in the other day!), and the reupholstery is either done in-house or by a local reupholsterer (reupholsterist?).  Their inventory is heavily curated and the condition is just immaculate.  

Photo time!!!

Aside from vintage, Remixologie also carries some new inventory from local artists as well as indie makers across the country.  These planters are Austin made!

The whole space is like walking into a time capsule...or my dream house.  The architecture really sets the mood of the space and really helps to accentuate each piece of furniture.

Check out the most perfect chair ever made.  How gorgeous is this?!  I'm really picky about reupholstered vintage furniture.  People love using fabric that's bright teal and red with giant boomerangs and starbursts, which is just not my bag.  I prefer more simplistic fabric, similar to what would've been used at the time.  Fabric should bring out the personality of the furniture's design.  Remixologie does this so well!   

In the back of the shop, you'll find a small area just for kids stuff.  It's a mixture of new and old, all mid-century themed.  With all the hokey kids furnishing and decor out there, Dini and Amy have chosen some wonderfully modern pieces to incorporate in a little one's space.

How cute is that lil Dracula?!  He's got a storybook to go with him.  So sweet.

Remixologie also carries a gorgeous selection of jewelry by indie artists.  So if a new dining set isn't in your budget right now, there's plenty of other stuff to pick up here!  Their jewelry and art make great gifts and help to promote handmade.

So besides the vintage and indie art and jewelry, Remixologie also carries Modernica.  These lamps are reproduction George Nelson Bubble Lamps and are made with the same process and materials as the originals.  They're the real deal.

With Remixologie's curated and refurbished inventory, the prices are little higher than some furniture shops in town.  But this means all the furniture you buy here is in like new condition and ready to be displayed in your home.  I'm always so used to finding a perfect piece, but there's big ding the side or some coffee stains on top, and being disappointed that I don't have the time or skills to fix it up.  No worries here!  Dini and Amy take care of all of that for you ^_^

Amy and Dini!  These ladies have amazing eye for beautiful Mid-Century pieces.  They have an incredible talent for refurbishing their furniture.  And they're also a couple of the nicest and funniest people I've met in my vintage travels around town!  I kind of just want to go back to hang out with them ^_^

Remixologie is total Mid-Century eye candy and shop that you should pop in often to check out the ever changing, and absolutely gorgeous, selection!

Daily Drawing: 324 | A Mid-Century Afternoon

[This is part of my 365 project where I draw my outfits every day!  Check out my first post of the year for details]

I went vintage shop hopping this afternoon and can't wait to share the photos I took!  The vintage scene here in Austin never ceases to amaze me.  The shop owners are so friendly and the sheer amount of shops is just staggering.  Which is great, because I'll never run out of material for Thrifty Thursdays :P

DIY Perler Bead Hair Clips

When I was little, I used to love making little coasters for my parents and Grandmother out of Perler beads.  When I first opened my Etsy shop, I actually used to sell Nintendo coasters made from Perlers, too.   Those little plastic beads are just so fun and easy to make tons of stuff with!

I make them a little bit differently than most folks.  You use an iron to melt the pieces together, and some directions tell you to iron them until one side is totally melted together and then leave the other side untouched.  I like to melt each side just a little bit, so both sides are sturdy and the lines are little bit cleaner.

Check out how to use that method to make some super easy hair clips! 

SUPPLIES

• Blank hair clips
• Perler Beads (Starter kits have beads, small trays and parchment paper. I used these larger trays for this project.)
• E-6000 glue
• Tweezers are optional, but totally recommended. I prefer larger ones than I used, actually.

DIRECTIONS

1. Gather your supplies.
2. Start playing around with your designs, or use the provided designs below.  Use your clips for reference to make sure the designs are big enough to completely cover the clip.
3. Cover the beads with parchment paper and gently iron.  I only iron enough to melt the edges together.  (Please put your tray on an ironing board to ensure no furniture is damaged!) 
4. Flip the beads over and iron the other side just like the first side. This is an example of what it will look like through the paper for reference.
5. See how cute?!  The circles are pretty uniform and the colors look clean.
6. While they're still a little warm, shape them to the clip and glue on with the E-6000.  (Always follow the glue's directions for proper ventilation and drying instructions.)

Here are the patterns I used, plus a couple more to play with if you want!

*These patterns are for personal use only and may not be sold or changed in any way.  Thanks!