OOTN: What I wear to the Tiki bar! Victory rolls and red lips.

  I LOVE Tiki pop culture. I have a small collection of Tiki cups I've collected from Trader Vic's in Emeryville (Oakland is the birth place of the first ever Mai Tai!) and Forbidden Island in Alameda. I love making Tiki drinks at home but more than anything I love checking out new Tiki bars and lounges. A few weeks ago me and my friends hit up one of our favorite local Tiki Lounges, Conga Lounge. Of course the bestie and I had to throw some victory rolls in our hair and a red lip or we just don't feel like we are authentically with the Tiki vibe ^.^

These coconut mugs are from Trader Vic's!

 Victory Rolls are so easy to do. Start with your hair already curled all the way around your head, separate a small section for the roll and tease the hair a little for some volume. Spray the section of hair and take 2 fingers or even one (depending on the desired size for your roll) and wrap the hair around your fingers in a ring. Gently let go of the roll holding on to the center to making sure it stays in ring shape and secure with bobby pins, 2 in a criss cross shape for safety. Make sure that when you are securing your rolls you are pinning the bobby pin into most of the roll so the bobby pins are concealed and of course use bobby pins in the color that closely matches your hair!

Ready to get our drink on! Here we are walking to the bar because it's fairly close to my apartment.

Catie, Hannah, and the Craft Bunny!

  In my opinion, when going to a Tiki bar if you want to get a buzz just get a Mai Tai or a Chi Chi. If you are planning on really having a good time just splurge and get a fish bowl! Here we are drinking a Scorpion for 3 and it treated us all very well for the rest of the night. This Scorpion we had was mostly pure alcohol. We tasted the little section of the bowl where they light it on fire and it tasted like what I imagine lighter fluid tastes like, YUCK! 

Check out my man's version of the Zombie drink. I posted this recipe on my sister blog with intentions of making a spooky Halloween DIY. Try it out!

Mug is from Forbidden Island lounge!

Hope you enjoyed this post. Aloha!

-Craft Bunny

What I'm listening to: Kero Kero Bonito!

  I'm usually not a fan of electro bubble gum pop, but Kero Kero Bonito 's Sarah Midori Perry has me in love with her British twang rap vocals ferociously swinging from English to Japanese then back again and the Atari like sound clips and synths of Gus and Jamie. I am hoping that the longer I listen to KKB I will somehow learn Japanese. KKB reminds me of a Japanese version of Computer Magic. When Listening to Kero Kero Bonito it makes me feel like I'm in a Japanese video game. Happy feel good music for the modern kawaii girl or boy.

Listen to more of Kero Kero Bonito's kawaii songs here! 

-Craft Bunny

Target Haul! Cheap goodies: organic beauty, elf cosmetics

  I had nothing better to do today but to finally run errands and get groceries. Just when I had the intentions of checking out to see if Target is carrying pumpkin spice creamer, (my fav!) which they had, oh wait.. organic body scrub and lotion on sale.. $5 headphones?!

  The headphones are from the 'dollar' section at Target. I needed some big padded headphones for recording, and mind you I don't do anything fancy it's just Garageband, but I was using ear buds before and recording over you vocals and guitar tracks with ear buds is stupid because you can't hear enough of what you are trying to play over so these mint headphones at $5 definitely fit the bill  for me. They actually sound great plugged in!

  Alba Botanica is one of my favorite organic lines. It's so affordable and these days you can buy it almost anywhere. They make my holy grail face scrub, the Good Clean Scrub (only $7!!) and since I have started using this last year its made my skin really clear up. The Hawaiian Coconut Milk conditioner is so awesome and this huge size is only $15! It makes your head smell like a Tiki Drink (check out my Tiki bar post!), a pineapple coconut dream.. maybe this sounds weird to you but I just really like smelling like a tropical mermaid princess. Makes my hair soft as silk and smelling like the tropics for days.

  Speaking of smelling like a tropical mermaid princess, the Olive and Shea moisturizing lotion and body scrub from Tree Hut Naturals will have you smelling like a mermaid princess from head to toe! These two products were on sale for $5 and $6 and when I find organic body care for that cheap I have no choice but to snag it. The lotion is soft not sticky at all and smells like a fizzy mango soda. The scrub will leave you feeling so soft, perfect for the when your skin starts to get dry in the chillier months. 

  E.l.f. cosmetics are the best because they are SO cheap. $3 (at Target) blush that actually will last on my face most of the day and not make me break out! Most EVERYTHING makes me breakout. If you have sensitive acne prone skin I highly suggest trying the E.l.f. blushes out and if you don't like them then it was only $3 down the drain. Not too much of a loss. I already have 4 shades! Today I decided to try 'Mellow Mauve,' which I'm pretty sure is a new color. It's fairly pale, not too shimmery, and has a blueish tint like a pink with blue undertones would. I would say it's a very cheap, close dupe to NARS 'Dolce Vita' (compare at $30). I also got the E.l.f. Eye Refresh which is a roller ball 'eye refresher' to soothe puffy eyes and lighten dark circles. It feels very cooling under the eyes but I will have to write an update to see if I really have any results. Also snagged at $3.

  Last but not least I found the perfect travel size bottle set! Travel size bottles from Daiso and CVS sometimes are so miniature which is good for traveling but if I want to be able to leave shampoo and conditioner at a friends house or my boyfriends, with this set it will take a plenty of showers until I need to replenish product. Also the adorable polka dot bag is a bonus!

  That's my Target Haul! Sorry if you found it boring but I really like reading what kind of products other people use in detail before I waste my money. Hopefully if you like organic products and E.l.f. you might have been some what amused ^.^.

Love and mermaid shells!

-Craft Bunny

OOTN: Outfit of the Night Little Pink Dress.

I got all fancied up for the man's birthday dinner last night. I was excited to finally wear my Pretty Penny dress I snagged a few months ago. I was definitely channeling The Chiffons last night with my sweet pink 60s cocktaill dress with little scalloped lace accents and bouffant up do. 

1960s cocktail dress with tiered lace skirt and high cut pink bodice from Pretty Penny vintage, sheer black thigh highs from Leg Avenue, ankle strap jeweled heels from Urban Outfitters (scored last year for $19.00!) and Dior inspired double pearl earrings in Rose Gold.

It isn't a cocktail dress without the cocktail ;) I'm drinkin a whiskey with ginger beer and lime, my favorite.

 xxx

  Dinner at MUA Oakland was pitch perfect as always.  I got my favorite P.E.I. mussels in tomato basil broth with french fries and garlic aoili. The mussels here are so juicy and massive. It's so nice to go to one restaurant and pick anything off the menu and you know it sounds good because MUA offers that kind of fusion cuisine gastro pub food you can't go wrong with. The man got the lamb shank Tajine. I'm not too fond of lamb but this was cooked so perfectly I was in heaven. It was funny because we both didn't except it to be a whole shank, he picked up the bone and the meat fell right off! 

  MUA is definitely one of my favorite places to go for drinks. I'm a big fan of spicy rum and whiskey drinks. My go to is the Stormy Oaktown which is Goslings rum, canton, lime, and ginger beer. The Ginger Julep was also delicious, a spicy blend of my favorite whiskey Bulleit bourbon, mint, ginger puree, lime, and ginger beer. This restaurant is massive. I didn't even realize how many dining areas that are in here untill last night. They are also fully stocked with bartenders, they have an upstairs bar as well as the downstairs where most people just come to have drinks. The beef carpaccio was definitely nommy but a little too arugala heavy. I  could have gone for more meat. 

Tutorial coming soon on this easy bouffant up do and 60s Audrey Hep eyes!

  I wore my Forever 21 faux fur leopard coat for when I got chilly. This is one of my favorite coats I have ever found, scored for about $40. I remember working at Betsey Johnson and as I passed by the other stores on the way to work would eye an identical coat they had on display at Kate Spade! I still get compliments on this one years after, its one of those timeless pieces I will always have.

Urban Outfitters sometimes really has the best shoes on sale. These I got only for $19.00 last year and look great with my fancier vintage dresses. It can be hard to find those shoes that are that retro 60s mod heeled look.

Untill the next OOTD or DIY have an amazing weekend ya'll! Love and tacos!





-Craft Bunny

XXX

1970s Denim Praire Vibes OOTD

  Today is Thirsty Thursday and that means I am going to be getting my Tiki drank on after my shoot!

  My outfit of the day is a Vintage 1970s prairie top, the overalls are Urban Renewal vintage Liberty overalls (era probably 1990s), bag is a peach linen tote by Roost Vintage Living, moccasins are Minnetonka Suede Ankle boots in brown, and my most prized accessory this morning was my coffee cup from last years Valentines Target collection (of course my coffee is pumpkin spice flavor)! This was literally taken at 6:30 am and I was forcing myself to smile and not look like the walking dead. I was on my feet all day yesterday on set wearing my Doc Martens so I decided to switch to my Minnetonka's since they are basically justified slippers. 

Sorry my mirror is so dirty >.<

  These cutie moccasins are not only comfy, but look really nice paired with my 60s shift dresses or my 1970s Mexican prairie tops. Vintage shoes are oh so cute, I would have almost all vintage shoes if that meant they were comfortable, so sometimes I opt for moccasins to go with my outfit but don't totally break up my outfit into a more contemporary look.

  Check out the cute little video I did for Minnetonka. I shot their 'Everyday Adventure' campaign a few months ago, one of the most fun shoots I've ever done and met some of my really good friends I have now from it. Photos, creative direction, and production by my talented friend Cliff Englert. Check out the lookbook here.

  Makeup today is very low key and natural since I have been shooting just my hands on set (yes, I hand model. You can laugh at me all you want but it pays the bills ayooo!)

  
  On my skin I have on my regular Precious Mineral Etude House BB cream in Bright fit, Okuma Cover Control concealer, a touch of Benefit's Watts up highlighter down the bridge of my nose, a mix of E.l.f. Golden Bronzer and Tarte Amazonian clay Bronzer, YSL Rouge Pur Couture vernis à lèvres glossy stain in #10 and my everyday brow pencil, Skinfood's Black Bean eyebrow pencil with brow gel from Daiso.

  If I don't have to wear makeup on set but still want to look nice I have fresh skin, color on my lips and no mascara or eye makeup. I always draw in my brow strong but I use gray so my eyebrows don't too trampy. I have worked so hard through out the years to get my skin to near perfection so I don't have to wear as much makeup and I have a few favorite skin care must that I will post about soon! Love and cheeseburgerz!

-Craft Bunny

xxx

Styling vintage with D.O.G. and some Oakland love

Delusions of Grandeur is my sister blog I contribute and assist styling, writing, and social networking. Check out  my 'On Wednesdays We wear..' post about how I styled their circle skirt.

Delusions of Grandeur cotton circle skirt in navy, 1960s polka dot fringe top, 1980s pointed snakeskin ankle boots, 1990s South Western leather belt, heart sunglasses from Urban Outfitters and an English Spot rabbit!


I am so happy I decided to finally get my own blog off the ground. Being creative is the only thing I know how to do down to modeling, acting, art, styling, makeup.. the list goes on. I'm not particularly scholastic, coordinated, graceful or versed in mathematics but I can definitely whip up a delicious sheperd's pie (recipe to come soon in a post), and wicked cat eye look. 

Aside from being productive about creative aspirations, after my shoot today I had the most lovely dinner at Homeroom and picked up my mans birthday gifts at Elder and Pine. When I walked into Elder and Pine, the girl in the store that was closing saw me running to the shop a minute before closing and stayed open for an extra 15 minutes which I really appreciated! I work and have worked retail jobs in the past and I know what it's like when that one dweeb HAS to come in the last closing minute and touch all the merchandise you just tidied up and wastes your time when you are damn near exhausted. 


Upon walking in frantically trying to get the gift together I instantly found a  B A D A S S  vintage blanket with a very patriotic eagle front and center. At $54 it was pricey yes, but do I have time to go to a dirty Goodwill and scour this kind of thing out for $20 bucks? (no offense, I adore Goodwill!) No not really. Perfect condition and not even that musty old smell, I say it was a steal. 

The next part of the gift is this darling little canteen. It is a bit of a fixer upper in that I will have to clean it very thoroughly probably a number a ways with baking soda and soaking it and what not but it really goes well with the blanket with the rustic kind of outdoorsy vibe of the blanket. 

The Elder and Pine employee threw in a free E&P logo scarf, which I guess is standard with a sufficient purchase and I was left feeling happy and excited to gift.



...On to the FoOd portion of the post of course...



Homeroom is a school themed mac and cheese restaurant. The bathrooms are even cute being all retro and kitschy with hilarious real prom pictures of strangers. The menu is extensive and the food is really on point. Jill got an IPA and I got a 'Paradise tea.' So delicious!

The garlic butter and fried egg were extra toppings but totally made the mac and cheese if I do say so myself. (hot sauce and cracked pepper encouraged.)

I have so much Oakland pride. I love living here. There is so much culture, so much to do and good things to eat; great vintage and friendly (for the most part) people. So Thanks Oakland!

No really.. Thanks Oakland..

You can find this lil ground tag around this area of Oakland by Homeroom and E&P. Find it, take a photo, Instagram and tag me @ thee_craft_bunny . Would love to see and here from local Oakland lifers :) 

Watermelon socks by Topshop, Chelsea boots by Dr. Martens!

-Craft Bunny

XXX

Red, White, and Western OOTD

Today I'm feeling like dressing a la sassy retro cowgirl

It's Monday everyone...

 The dress is 1960's vintage, shoes are 1990's vintage Joan&David linen loafers, and my hat is a wide brim 1940's wool Lancaster.

    I decided to go low key with my makeup. I don't like to wear a lot on a daily basis to allow my skin to breathe in between shoots and breakouts, but when I think my outfit is really cute hey, I want to complete the over all look! On my face I have on: Etude House Precious Mineral BB cream in Bright Fit, a touch of Etude House Lovely Cookie Blusher in Peach Parfait on my cheeks, Okuma Cover Control concealer under my eyes and spots, and bright red LAQA&Co Lil' Lip on the lips (name of the color isn't mentioned). Happy first day of Fall! We're off to another week!

-Craft Bunny

xxx