Valentine's Day 2013 - Luffy (One Piece)

Here's the second half of today's V-tine's Day double recipe! ^^ Today, we'll be focusing on the Mr. Fantastic of the high seas, Luffy, who, like the previous recipe, is from 'One Piece.'

Here's a picture of him pre-timeskip. ^^

Here's another picture of him, but in post-timeskip! ^^

Here's what you need for this:

• A red shirt (tank top or vest for pre-TS, long-sleeved for post-TS)
• Blue pants or capris
• A yellow scarf *post-TS*
• White faux fur (Optional)
• Any dark flip-flops
• A straw hat
• Red ribbon (for the hat)
• Gold buttons (Optional)
• A black fabric marker (Optional)
• Safety pins

How to make it:

1. Get dressed. If you have a common closed tank top, just add some gold buttons by safety-pinning them to it. Draw a straight line next to them to appear like it's closed.
2. Now for the pants! Roll them up and safety-pin them to hold them up. For the real Luffy pants, simply take some white faux fur and some pins and start pinning the fur around the pant cuffs. If you're doing the post-timeskip look, just tie a yellow scarf around your waist.
3. For the hat, just take any straw hat, take some red ribbon and sew the ends together.
4. Now put on any flip-flops you have, put on the hat and you're done! ^^

Tune in next month for my recipes for St. Patrick's Day and White Day, which I'll explain about too. Hope you enjoyed and...
Have a Happy Valentine's Day... <3

Valentine's Day 2013 - Nami (One Piece)

Hey, everybody! ^^ Bri here. Sorry for no posts for Chinese New Year and Foundation Day (the Independence Day of Japan), but I was really sick, I had to make pictures for my friends and my internet was acting wonky. So I decided to cancel them to save time...

Anyway, today is the day of romance and chocolate~ Valentine's Day, or V-tine's Day as I call it, here in America is crammed with boys and girls, men and women, giving each other gifts to express their love. The presents range from roses and chocolate to cards with messages mushier than baby food and applesauce tossed in a blender. In celebration of this very sweet holiday, I have two recipes for one of the more popular couples in the anime world, Nami and Luffy of 'One Piece!'

Since V-tine's Day in Japan is a 'Sadie Hawkins'-style affair, I'll post Nami first and then Luffy afterwards. Anyway, onto the recipe!

Here's her pre-timeskip (pre-TS). ^^

Here's her post-timeskip (post-TS). ^^ A bit of somethin' for the boys~

Here's what you need to become the cash-guzzling cat burglar:

• An orange wig *short and straight for pre-TS, long and curly for post-TS*
• A white shirt (pre-TS)
• A bright yellow skirt
• Sheets of white and orange felt (yellow and orange for post-TS)
• Red boots
• A white bikini top (post-TS)
• Blue skinny jeans
• Any strap shoes
• Fabric markers in black, blue and green
• Scissors

How to make it:

1. Put on a work shirt and the white shirt and have a friend or parent draw on the stripes using the blue marker. Take off the shirt and hang it up so the ink can dry. Do the same thing to the bikini top and the green marker.
2. Take a sheet of the white or yellow felt, fold it in half and cut out two circles. Then take the orange felt and cut out two smaller circles. Have a friend or parent either sew, iron or safety pin the four circles to the left side of the skirt or jeans.
3. Time for the shoes! For pre-TS Nami, grab any red boots you have. For post-TS Nami, just use the same shoes used in the Miss Doublefinger recipe.
4. By now, the ink should be dry on the shirt and top. If so, put them on. If not, leave them for a little longer.
5. Now for the hair! Just put on a short and straight or long and curly orange wig and you're done!

Now you're ready to create maps and snag some booty from pirates! Not really... ^^;

Next recipe: Luffy (One Piece)!

Setsubun 2013 - Lum (Urusei Yatsura)

Hey, guys. ^^ Bri here. I have some big news for this blog! Starting this year, I'll be posting recipes to coincide with Japanese holidays as well as regular American holidays just to make everybody happy. Anyway, I know what you guys are asking yourselves: "What's this 'Setsubun?'"

Setsubun is the first day of spring in Japan held in February 3 rather than in March 21 like here in the States. It's usually celebrated by tossing roasted soybeans at demons, known as 'oni,' and chanting 'Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!' ('Demons out! Luck in!') It's sort of like a after-winter exorcism, except instead of holy water, beans are used.

Since oni are the centerpiece of the holiday, I decided to go with the cutest one in the anime world, Lum of 'Urusei Yatsura!'

Here's a small picture of the 'Urusei Yatsura' cast! ^^ Lum's the girl in the striped bikini.

Here's what you need to make it:

• A yellow or tiger-print bikini
• Matching boots
• A green wig or hairspray
• A black fabric marker (if the bikini and boots don't have stripes)
• Yellow felt or posterboard *for Lum's stubby little horns*
• A green headband
• Fabric glue
• A needle and thread
• Cardboard

How to become the Oni princess:

1. Let's start with the hair first. Just have a parent or friend spray it if you're doing colored hairspray. If you're doing the wig, just put on the cap and leave the wig for after you're done with everything else.
2. Cut out some small disks out of cardboard and some small strips out of felt for the horns. Roll the felt strips together and sew them closed. Sew the cones to the cardboard, glue them to the headband and leave it to dry. This one's going to be a challenge since Lum's horns are very small, stumpy and almost invisible, so you may need some help for this.
3. While the glue's drying for the horns, put on the bikini and boots. If you're using a yellow outfit, have a parent or friend draw some stripes all over the top, bottom and boots.
4. Now for the wig! Just put it on until it's comfy on your head and brush it until you get the style you want. Same goes for the spray people, just brush your hair.
5. Make sure the glue's dry on the horns. If it is, carefully put the headband on and you're done!

Hope you enjoyed, stay tuned for my first-ever Valentine's Day 2013 recipes on the 14th and hope you find your Ataru... <3

And for everybody here in America...
Have a great Super Bowl Sunday! Go 49ers!