Pirate Cat: custom iPhone case & laptop sleeve from Caseable! Designer cell phone cases, Scottish Fold in bow tie.
Ok, this is a ridiculously cute post featuring my Scottish Fold kitten in a bow tie…
Yes, I’m a cat-lady. I take a zillion photos of Basil Farrow, and his round head graces the logo of my TV / coolhunting company, La Carmina & The Pirates.
My iPhone’s on/off button stopped working, so I recently upgraded to an iPhone 5. When Caseable invited me to design my own cellphone case, I took this opportunity to hoist my ship’s flag, designed by First Mate Naomi.
I also custom-designed a laptop sleeve, with Joanna’s winning design from my La Carmina Goth Travel contest.
It was fun and easy to make custom designs using Caseable’s website. I selected the iPhone 5 template, then uploaded the high-res images and moved them around until I was satisfied with the layout. There are also options to change the background color and add text.
You could save and share the designs before placing your order. If you’re not feeling creative, you can choose a pre-made design by a modern artist (see examples above).
And then the goods are delivered to your door. As you can see, the printing job was spot-on, with no color mismatches or blurriness. Everything’s hand-crafted in Brooklyn, from recycled materials. The materials and stitching are solid; I can tell they’ll last through my journeys.
Ah, the joys of having a one-of-a-kind mobile phone case! Thanks Caseable for providing this treat; they’re on Facebook and Twitter too.
I haven’t been doing many DIY or home decor projects recently, since I’m always on the road. Luckily, Basil Farrow’s grandma is picking up the slack — and made him this special bow tie for his birthday.
Aren’t the colors and style a perfect fit for this gentleman?
Basil doesn’t mind wearing costumes or hats, or even cat wigs.
The bow-tie had to be extra, extra large to accommodate his fat neck… I think it suits his personality perfectly.
As for home decoration, do you remember the pop printmaking lesson I had in Arizona? Artist David Manje sent me a few of the prints we made together. You can spot angry Basil in the mix.
I also arranged the stencils into a pattern, and pasted them on these boards. To see how we achieve these colors, watch my pochoir print-making video tutorial.
For daily photos of my dapper, folded-eared cat, follow me on Twitter and Instagram (@lacarmina).
Have you done any crafts or sewing lately? How do you decorate your home and cell phone?
PS: I updated my press page with the latest clips, magazine covers and interviews. View it here.
PPS: Off to the Maldives and Middle East! Be sure to follow my Instagram for plentiful updates.
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Ladies of Steampunk magazine cover! Modeling in Japan: two horns hairstyle, leather octopus corset.
I’ve adored Steampunk for years, and have exciting news to share. Today, the latest issue of Ladies of Steampunk Magazine is out, with devil-haired Carmina on the cover!
The magazine does a wonderful job of capturing this unique subculture and its fashion. In a six-page feature, they interviewed me about the colorful Japan Steampunk scene, including the groundbreaking party Steam Garden. You can get a digital or print copy here, and see more on their Facebook.
Can you tell I had fun shooting these photos in Nakano? I worked with the same team that did my Adone Magazine shots: photograher Said Karlsson and hairstylist Kukukachoo.
Octopus corset: gifted by Dracula Clothing (remember when I visited their steampunk-Victorian showroom in Prague?)
Skull and crossbones necklace: gifted by Ghostlove
Long lace skirt: gifted by Corset Chick
We enjoyed putting a Japan-anime twist on traditional Steampunk style. Do you like my two-horned hair?
My blue and purple hair extensions are the masterwork of Lulu Kukukachoo, Tokyo-based stylist. She used an ingenious method to create the cone shapes, then twisted and pinned these acrylic hues into place. She’s available for everything from avantgarde styling to basic haircuts, via Hair by Kukukachoo.
It was fun to look for Victorian-esque backdrops around Nakano. This curving gate was a great find.
As was the wooden front of a Japanese restaurant.
Brown, beige and black graffiti. I like how my hair flips up at the ends.
Photographer Said is wonderful to work with; he’s easygoing and has a great feel for shots and lighting. He also runs Tokyo Faces, a street fashion photo-blog with daily photos.
In my Q&A, I talk about the emerging scene in Japan, led by my friends Kenny Creation and Luke Chaos, who organized the party Steam Garden. Soon, I’ll post photos from their most recent event, which shows the spectrum of steam-punk fashion in Japan (including Lolita versions).
Want to see and learn more? Pick up a copy of the magazine. Thanks to Ladies of Steampunk for the grand honor.
Do you like how I added inspiration from Harajuku style tribes into this outfit? How do you like Steampunk culture and clothing?
LA CARMINA
