An ending chapter with new beginnings

Fall semester is coming to an end already? Time certainly flies by these days.

The Story---☆

Its been a great semester experimenting with fashion for stuffed animals! Though I've only brushed on a few subjects, fellow readers you shouldn't stop here!

I've decided to take a break from this particular subject and I'll be moving on to a new subject. This writing class I've taken for the past semester has inspired me to take on some computer programming/design projects over the winter break and beyond. I'll be continuing my collaboration with a friend to complete the game "Characters of Love: Passage to Japan." I'm extremely excited to work with Flash and I hope to be able to work with Dreamweaver in the future. (I finally figured out how to work with frames and tweening in Flash!) With better understanding of readability issues of new media, I feel confident in stepping into this realm. I've always been interested in computer related activities, eversince I played around with Windows 98 on my first computer! (Which is certainly one of the reasons why I chose this writing course) Recently, I've hacked with my iPhone and tried to figure out how the PSP system works.Its quite been challenging and fun! As a senior in biology, I feel a bit confined to this path at the moment. If I were given a second chance, I'd totally major in computer science related field, learn more about the different types of coding (Java, HTML, ActionScript, etc.) and work on my Photoshop abilities (which have been greatly improved after taking digital photography)! I'd love to create super cute games aimed at girls like me who go gaga over cute anythings ^_^ I think I've defined my style of cute drawings (which at the moment is a collection of random bunny, bears, and pikachu doodles that I do when I'm stressed or bored)

I know I'm totally going on with this blog post but in summary, with whatever time I have, I will learn more about computer programming and game development ^_^ I AM WAY EXCITED!

(On top of that I still want to take up a new Asian language! But which one ... Seriously, I've had this debate for the past 4 years: Japanese, Chinese, or Korean? At the moment, I'd like to learn Japanese!)

Talk Au Courant---☆

There's really no up to date fashion talk this time, but here are some of my fashion models! (note: I said some. There are more, a lot more actually haha!) Ta ta!

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They can wear our clothes too!

If you have any jumbo sized stuffed animals, fashion for them gets even easier (meaning, let them wear your clothes and acessories!)

The Story---☆

Winnie the Pooh x Hello Kitty

I bought this Hello Kitty gloves/hat/scarf set this week and I totally love it! I needed a model so that I could check out how it looks and so, Pooh Bear just happened to be the perfect model ^_^ With my black/white sunglasses, this is going to be the perfect winter acessory this year for me! (and Pooh too!)

Talk Au Courant---☆

Wow! Is that really Pooh Bear? He looks very stylish, especially with those sunglasses! The contrast in colors really sticks out and gives Pooh a fun and warm look this winter. With Hello Kitty's red bow and Pooh's red shirt, it's a perfect combination!

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Educational Game (FA 3600 Project 2)

For the past month, I've been developing an educational game to teach the Japanese hiragana alphabet. Here on this website is the script and some basic graphics that will ultimately be implemented in the actual game. I am working with a friend who is developing the flash version of the game and we plan to produce a complete version within a few months. There is a prototype of the flash game right now but I will add some animation to the cut scenes.

In the meantime, enjoy this version for now!

http://fs.finearts.utah.edu/~tnguyen/charactersoflove/index.html

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Childhood Memories

For many of us, we have a ton of stuffed animals. However, the ones that are closest to us are often the ones that we spent the most time with during our childhood years.

The Story---☆

I really love stuffed animals (if you haven't noticed already)! For this week, I wanted something a bit special, something that would bring back warm memories. So guess what I found? My old bunny friend stuck upside down behind some teddy bears on my shelf. I haven't seen her in a long long time and I used to love to play with her clothes when I was really young. She looks extremely old now but the feeling is still the same. Though her clothes may not be super chic in today's fashion world, they're still unique!

Talk Au Courant---☆

Her unique clothes fit her well especially because her body is very colorful (as you can see from her ears). The blue gradation works well from her skirt and the white vest flows with the color of her face. I also like how there's lace trimming on her skirt! It adds a lot of flair. Fur, lace, and corduroy certainly look warm as well!

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The Warmth of Love

With another chilly snowstorm this weekend, sometimes a little warmth from the soul is all you need (haha okay, some warm clothing is good too ;P)

The Story---☆
Think winter romance. A lovely couple walking under the snow covered trees, hand in hand. Snow falls gently as the sun peeks through the fluffy clouds. The warmth from their hands reflect on their blushing cheeks.

Er. Reality check.

For the majority of us college students, we tend to get so busy that we forget to stop and smell the roses (or smell the cold winter air). Then there are others that just haven't found their sweetheart yet. Or some who aren't ready, And others that just don't care. ^^;;; complicated, no?

A blooming love, I know where it is. But I don't know how to get there yet. Is time the key?

This week, a teddy bear couple glow with love in their matching winter clothing. Just in time to kiss under the mistletoe, huh? XD


Talk Au Courant---☆
Fleece is the perfect fabric for warmth. Add a little fur and that is the perfect combination! The embroidery certainly brings out the character in the outfits, especially with the contrast in colors. Embroidery is always a classic for Christmas themed clothing, especially for the older population. I hope to see more contemporary embroidery for our age group this year. In any case, dress warmly this winter!

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Would you care for some tea?

Imagine. England. Fancy tea parties. Perfection! ^_^

The Story---☆

So I realized from last week that I totally love love love lace, ribbons, huge diamonds, anything shiny, and anything fancy fancy. Oooooh I get excited just thinking about it! Anyways, it's often quite hard to find a cute stuffed animal in a pretty flowy dress. In this bear's case, she certainly has everything. Hat, fan, wig ... eyelashes! I bet you've never seen a teddy bear with super long eyelashes :P

Talk Au Courant---☆

My goodness! Very elegant, intricatly detailed, and ladylike. It's hard to find dresses like this these days T_T

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Prom 2009: Where's the elegance?

Do you remember your first prom? And what you wore?

The Story---☆

The other day (the day before Halloween to be exact), I was shopping at Dillard's and went by the formal dresses area (all very plain dresses in my eyes). I wasn't really shopping for anything there in particular (I went to Southtowne to go to the Sanrio store hehe *drools*) but I noticed a girl and a few of her friends in by the dressing room trying out a dress. It was a rather plain dress until she turned around to reveal ... that it was quite a revealing dress in the back! Ironically I was wearing my extremly covered up kimono in which I could barely move (plus my whole body was super sore from the super heavy layers I wore haha, but it was totally worth it).

Anyways, I thought back to high school prom and how everyone made it seem so important, especially with all the girls talking about

their super expensive dresses. Now, I never went to prom (I have super traditional asian parents who didn't let me go) but I knew a lot about prom from my best friend. I still have her group picture (with all the other asians in our grade) from senior prom. To be honest, all of their dresses were rather plain, just like that girl at Dillard's.

That's why this time, one of my teddy bears is wearing exactly what I'd like to see: ribbons, flowers, lace, and lots of it! Pearls, too! She even has a pearly corsage ^_^

Talk Au Courant---☆

Why don't girls wear extravagantly fancy victorian era dresses anymore? Okay, I bet those would be a little bit more expensive, but think about it. Why don't department stores sell dresses that have a lot of lace, flowers, ribbons, and just fabric in general? Why is it so hard to find one?

This story brings up another side note. Now, I'm not that strict about being conservative, but I've been raised all my life to think conservatively. For example, I feel uncomfortable when I

wear a revealing top, but I'm totally fine with short skirts (but not the super short skanky kinds...) As a matter of fact, one of my friends who went on a mission to Japan noted that Japanese/Asian girls tend to wear short skirts, but they always wear conservative shirts. On the other hand, American girls are the reverse.

Miss Teddy bear's outfit hits most of the points that I find make a dress elegant!

Ribbons

Lace

Lots of fabric for a flowy dress

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Informational Website (FA 3600 Project 1)

For the past few weeks, I worked on a brief website covering the basics of the TI-83 Plus graphing calculator, with a twist! I take on an entertainment point of view, showing you all about the ways to transform your calculator into a gaming/programming/drawing device.

Here is the final website:

http://fs.finearts.utah.edu/~tnguyen/TI83entertainment/index.html

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Skating in a winter wonderland!

So it seems that I get rather excited early about seasonal changes! ^^;; This week's blog should be about Halloween, but I already did that a few weeks ago. Haven't you noticed though? All the stores are pushing their Halloween merchandise to the side and putting Christmas stuff front and center! Goodness they're over two months early ^^;;; Today we're going to dress up for a chilly

day!

The Story---☆

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Here's your typical teddy bear. Very cute. Very "bear" (haha yes, pun intended ^_~) In this case the scarf is attached to the bear (permanently.)

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A rather simple blue dress make her more feminine! Hey look, she's even smiling ^_^

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Here are the winter accessories that every bear needs.

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A few additions and she already looks very wintery!

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For the finale, a faux fur coat! She looks very elegant and refined ^_^ Time for some ice skating fun, in style!

Talk Au Courant---☆

Fur coats and accessories are certainly a must for winter elegance. Though it is generally not accepted to wear all white during the winter (according to one of my friends, who happens to subscribe to GQ ...) due to something about after some day ... or something I'm still not clear on, I personally think white is perfect! Though her colors may evoke chilly feelings, she still looks very warm!

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Country Bunnies

Back to the countryside this week, this time with bunnies! Here we have an adorable mother and baby pair wearing matching clothing! Again, simplicity is the theme~~~

The Story---☆

My mom bought this set for me when I was very young ^_^ It comes with another outfit for the mom bunny, too! I think it's supposed to play some music too but it doesn't work anymore ^^;;;

Talk Au Courant---☆

The matching fabric and straw hats are perfect for these two! I really love the sky blue and white theme, it gives a nostalgic but carefree feeling. The loose overalls add to that carefree mood as well. The baby bunny's oversized bib makes it very cute and cuddly. I love the embellishments on their hats as well!

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The beginnings of a fashion line ^_^

Up until now, I haven't designed my own outfits yet for my stuffed animals. So guess what? Featuring Pikachu, this is the beginning of my very own fashion line! ^_^

The Story---☆
This outfit was made several years ago. As a beginner, I really had no idea how to sew. My mom is very talented so I had her help out a little bit as well. She had some scrap fabric so I decided to make an outfit for Pikachu ^_^ I roughly sketched out the design onto the fabric without making a pattern first. Then I cut out the design and had my mom sew the edges (as well as fix the crookedness of my design ^^;;;). It was certainly a lot of fun! Even to this day, when it comes to working with the thread and needle, I tend to improvise on the spot ^^;;; My creativity tends to attack me right on the spot so there is little time to plan (hehe) ^^;;;

Talk Au Courant---☆
Pikachu! Thunderbolt, n...ow... er ... I mean ... flowerbolt? XD Pikachu looks just like a country girl, especially with the flowered pattern fabric! The yellow shawl goes very well with Pikachu's fur. I love how both the shawl and skirt are very flowy and carefree just like a flower in the wind. Though this outfit is uncoordinated, in this situation it works pretty well. Simple, yet elegant, it makes me want to smile ^_^

Hello Kitty's Panda Costume

October is here! And what do we associate October with? HALLOWEEN! Though it may be a little bit early, it doesn't harm to get into the spirit!

(Like the ghost picture I took of her? I'm taking a digital photography class this semester and I decided to use her as my subject in the creative flash assignment. This was done using a long exposure with 2 bursts of flash.)

The Story---☆

I saw this Hello Kitty plush last week at Target, however, because of the $7 price tag, I didn't buy it. I couldn't stop thinking about how adorable it was in its panda costume so I gave in and bought it this weekend ^_^ It's well worth the money hehe! ~

Talk Au Courant---☆

Hello Kitty's panda bear costume is KAWAII!!! (meaning cute in Japanese) Her panda hood comes off to reveal her normal head ^_^ Though a simple concept, the simplicity makes it all the cuter! Her red bow also brings a nice contrast to her outfit as well. Gosh she's so cute I could melt! That's all for this time~

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Royal Couture!

Your Majesty, I present to you the royal teddy bear family!

The Story---☆

Let's pretend 21st century South Korea has a constitutional monarchy. What would the royal family be like? As role models to the citizens, not only must they show diligence in handling the govermental but also in their appearance and manners as well. Now, let's take a step back and look at the teddy bear version of this family ~

Talk Au Courant---☆

From the beginning of my exploration, these teddy bears from the Korean drama "Goong" are the most influential in plush fashion. Their outfits are almost the exact replica of the outfits worn by the actors. You can tell which character is represented by which bear. The details on each bear is astonishing, especially on the crown prince medals and buttons (on the far right) and the great queen's hair accessories (third from the right). These outfits make me want to dress like this everyday! (Though, with today's predominantly casual clothing, I most likely would stick out like a sore thumb)

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Here comes the bride! At McDonald's!

Here comes the bride! Here comes the bride! Hello Kitty x McDonald's style! And who's the lucky groom? Dear Daniel!

The Story---☆

I came across these two as a McDonald's promotional item a few years ago (although it looks like it dates back to 2000 ... so nine years ago?) Now, I have a huge obsession for Hello Kitty items so I had to get both doll! They're undeniably cute! ^_~

Talk Au Courant---☆

At first, I didn't realize that this was their wedding outfit. However, their uniforms look great (though, not necessarily for a wedding) Aren't the caps and ties just adorable?

Hello Kitty is one of the best examples when taking plush doll fashion into account. Though her style may be simple, it epitiomizes girl fashion. Sometimes, her outfits may look similar to another, but the colors always match the atmosphere she is in. Best of all she always has a cute hair accessory, spanning from ribbons to flowers. As a worldwide sensation, she definitely has an impact on cuteness and simple fashion.

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Oversized glasses!

Hello again, fellow fashionistas! Take a break from mainstream fashion and lighten up. This week we feature trendy glasses on a classic teddy bear and Domo-kun. Domo is the mascot for the Japanese channel, NHK. He is usually brown, but the plush version here was a special version for Valentine's day last year.

The Story---☆

Needing a break from studying biochemistry, I pulled out a few glasses from my shelf. With my buddies nearby, I decided to let them be my models for the day (rather than me)!

Talk Au Courant---☆

Very, very adorable! Let's start off with the sunglasses. These are some lovely, big Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses! These days, big sunglasses are very fashionable and a must have accessory for every wardrobe. Now, sometimes they can be too big for the face, especially in both cases. Make sure you choose glasses that fit the shape of your face! Of course, it is alright to break the rules sometimes.

Next, we have the playful plaid glasses. Though wide, it nicely suits the wide and round shape of Teddy and Domo's faces. I especially like how the glasses match Domo's fur. Personally, the plaid glasses are a win win! What do you think?

Silver, Silver Everywhere

This week's highlight is the adornation of silver jewlery on Hamtaro, the plush hamster from Japan's popular childrens' animated television show.

The Story---☆

Now, on a regular basis, Hamtaro doesn't wear much except for his fur. One day, due to his boundless curiousity, Hamtaro stumbles upon a beaded treasure chest. He opens it and to his surprise, glistening light shines into his eyes! Quite astonished (and slightly blinded from the light) Hamtaro falls into the chest headfirst! He climbs back out and looks in the mirror nearby to reveal his latest spontaneous fashion. Hamtaro, perhaps you should take a stroll on the runway and see what the critics think!

Talk Au Courant---☆

Considering that Hamtaro just got out of that chest, the overall composition is well put together. The colored jewels on the pin brooch gives a livelier tone to the silver theme. It creates some asymmetry whis is one of the themes for this fall's formal fashion. Also, Hamtaro's orange fur provides a good contrast to the jewlery, bringing out the shinier silver tones. Finally, the hair chopsticks in the back would look better if it were slightly slanted to the left side, anchoring itself to the knotted silver chain.

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Introduction

Hello fellow fashionistas (and fashion enthusiasts)☆! My passion for fashion has entered a new frontier: fashion for stuffed animals. For the next few months, I will experiment various ways to dress up my cute and cuddly friends from my own wardrobe of accessories as well as explore other current plush designer's fashion. Furthermore, I'll integrate fashion straight off the runway, to the best of my extent.

One of my inspirations came from a popular Korean drama called "Goong (궁)," also known as Palace. At the end of each episode, teddy bears would be shown dressed up as the main characters in the drama, reinacting a inportant scene in the episode. The main characters are displayed in the above picture.

So join me in my daring adventures in becoming the potentially "haute couture" designer-- for plush dolls.

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