I’M BACK! It is 2013! Wow 2012 was a crazy year! The holidays got a little busy for me so I wasn’t able to blog AT ALL.

So I am working on lots of  different things right now. Trying to get back into the swing of things and I’m a bit rusty. I wanted to share with you this stats presentation that wordpress put together for my overall annual report for this blog. Check it out.

xoxo

Rad

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 4,100 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 7 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

I just would like to wish you all a very happy and safe Halloween. Feel free to share your costumes with me on my Facebook page  or on Instagram you can find me  @ The Rad Hatter.

XOXO

RAD

There is also a small geek society down there with little hole in the wall comic shops, arcades, game stores, online gaming centers and even a place you can go to work on game/geek related projects. ( We totally NEED one of those here)

In the middle of it all in a quint sushi bar that if you weren’t looking for it  you might miss it.  This charming little sushi bar was called Totoro.

This pleasantly styled and alluring door is all I needed to see to be completely sold on this restaurant. It’s a simple design but somehow captures all the magic that is Totoro. (just me?..) I was compelled to come in and eat here.

I was very hungry and well…the food was so good I forgot to take photos. Here is a picture of the sushi bar instead. Don’t you love the banner?  Where can I get one of these!?

I hope to visit it again sometime! ^.^

x

RAD

A few weeks ago, I was invited to witness two of my friends exchange their vows and get hitched. We traveled to Michigan and for 5 days had quite a pleasant vacation away from the scorching California sun, work and well…. Pickles (the cat).

So as I watched my friends get married… I may have cried… a little. (even though I was totally at the rehearsal the night before in which I may or may not have cried a bit there too)  After the ceremony we drove up the street a bit to the reception location. I was pleased by the absolute attention to detail of this sweet whimsical barn reception.

From lights to strings of engagement pictures, from custom fall colored m&m’s with the date on them  to lovely themed table-scapes they thought of everything.

The bridal party surprised everyone with their dancing grand entrance.

We had a thanksgiving style dinner with turkey, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy. For dessert there was pumpkin and apple pies aside from the wedding cake itself.

We drank, we danced and had really fun times.

xoxo

Rad

I had a lovely weekend and have a few things to share with you all.

First, I got a new camera!!! My good friend and  photographer Eve Was Framed recently purchased a brand new Canon 60D camera. She was sweet enough to sell her other very well taken care of Canon Rebel xsi to yours truly.

Who knows what this means?  Yup, better quality photos of Rad and events. Better pictures for you viewers to view!

Secondly, I went down to Laguna Beach on Sunday afternoon to check out the Sawdust Festival and test out the new camera!

Its a family tradition now to go at least once every summer. It’s also nice to get away to enjoy the outdoor art booths, listen to the beautiful voices echoes throughout from the live music bands and get something refreshing to drink as you walk around in the cool coastal breeze coming from being next to the ocean.

Wishing you were here yet? You definitely should check it out if you are in Southern California.

After drooling over all the art I couldn’t afford we went to dinner with my family to a restaurant called Sapphire. Sapphire is a charming little place with a view of the ocean from the patio seating. It’s a little expensive but the food is WORTH the price.

If you are interested in The Sawdust Festival, it is open until September 2nd I believe.

XOXO

RAD

I haven’t really blog too personally because I’m either busy, busy, busy and or just being weird. So a little about me and my blogging, I need music, inspiration and something yummy to sip while a blog. It may be a comfort thing but I’ve done it since I started this little blog site here. That’s enough about that Lol.

……..So anyways,  life is starting to pick up and I’m really excited to find where it leads me. I’m working really hard right now to get my fans (you guys) something fun to do and or something fun to read. I’m super honored to have any fans, I mean its so strange to me that I have fans at all.

New things you can look forward to here are that I will began reviewing comics I’m reading. I really like comics though it is still sort of new to me. I would like to tell you which ones I thought were great and which ones you should read into.  Also I plan to start making my own cosplays. I have a few in mind that I will be working on and you will definitely be seeing my progress on here as well. Step by step!  I will be doing a New 52 Catwoman, Ame- Comi Cheetah black variant, and Storm black costume. These will be long term projects but the goal is to have at least two completed by WonderCon 2013.

Those are just a few things in store for the future of Rad Hatter. Plenty more surprises will be surfaced soon. I’m looking into nice prizes for a possible giveaway next month. Look on here and The Rad Hatter Facebook for details soon.

Thank for reading!

XOXO
RAD

Here are a few more pictures from Comic Con 2012. Enjoy!

And then Godzilla came and ruined the whole thing for everyone!

Last month I was lucky enough to go to San Diego’s Comic Convention. My friend Jimmy Purcell of Been Better Comics let me work for him as his traveling bookmark babe or somewhat promo girl.

I had no idea what to expect going down to San Diego and staying for 5 days but let me tell you it was more than worth it. In the span of 5 days I ate at the finest of restaurants, went to an Andrew WK concert, met Shia LaBouef and spent more money than I’m comfortable mentioning… BUT I regret nothing!

I packed WAY too much stuff to this trip because sometimes a girl needs options. The suitcase was full of make-up, Black Milk clothing (which I wore everyday), Phear and I’s clothes. We also brought tons of snacks and drinks that were completely forgotten about until the very last day.

I had a Been Better uniform that included specially made bows from designer Doll.jpg, a Been Better tank and whatever Black Milk I chose to wear. I included my Wonder Woman purse of Truth that I made to hold the bookmarks in.

I was able to throw together one decent cosplay. I did a hipster Wonder Woman but sadly it may have been too hipster to the point of being unrecognizable with exception to a few other awesome hipster cosplayers. I had one other cosplay that was too perfect because it was myself in the Been Better comic strips.

DAY ZERO: I was able to go to preview night because I had a professional badge so I took mostly pictures of the Con. I was extremely overwhelmed by how massive it was. So much EYE CANDY!

DAY ONE: 

I met many Sharkies!

I got photobombed !

DAY TWO: I debuted my first cosplay ever. Hipster Wonder Woman! I was surprised at the number of people who recognized me. 

DAY THREE: Been Better Comic cosplay Saturday. We dressed up as our characters are drawn in Been Better. 

TO BE CONTINUED…

Today I would like to show you step by step how to make those shorts you see at department stores for WAY TOO MUCH $$$.  I have been dying to do this tutorial for a while but honestly… I have never done anything like this myself. You can pair this tutorial with my fringed t-shirt tutorial to help you to achieve the summer bombshell look! The great thing about this DIY project is you can:

1. Be a beginner (this isn’t rocket science, I should know because it was my first time too)

2. Be as creative as you want ( They are all one of a kind )

3. Even if you mess up it may not be noticeable and perhaps may turn out pretty neat. ( no one is perfect)

Things you need:

• Scissors
• A safety pin
• Bleach (optional)
• A bucket or something to pour the bleach into (optional, you may prefer to not bleach)
• clothes pins (again you may not want to bleach so optional)
• One pair of jeans you don’t care about (any color)
• Studs, any kind you want (optional)

Follow the jump to find out how to make my DIY shorts!

Step one: I cut my pants evenly just a little higher than Capri’s so that way I have plenty of room to mess up.  

Step two: Bleaching! Leave shorts in bleach for as long as you like. I left mine in for 2 hrs. Use the clothes pins to hold your shorts up and keep the parts you do not want bleached out.

Step three: I carefully unpinned the shorts and rinsed them in the bath tub. Rinse for at least 5 minutes. Carefully pour bleach VERY slowly down bath tub drain with the water running.

Step five: VERY IMPORTANT! WASH SHORTS! I washed them in the washing machine on warm about 4 to 5 times with soap and fabric softener to get the bleach all the way out. Dry shorts on delicate until fully dried.

(Look how white the bottom got! I also love that the seams are still black lol)

Step six: Cut into shorts! I rounded the bottoms and left the back about an inch longer than the front.

Step seven: Fraying the edges. I forgot to take pictures of the process.  What I did is took a safety pin and a exacto knife and with the exacto knife I ran it along the very edge of the shorts. As the knife was dragged across it began pulling strings down. I used the safety pin to help pull the strings out. Its a bit tricky.

 (Here’s a pic of how they were coming along. This is what you want to achieve)

Step eight: Adding holes. This is optional but I added a hole on the back pocket. I cut a straight slit about an inch across. All you do now is take your safety pin and pull the vertical strings down. Turn the shorts upside down and pull vertical strings down. It should look like this.

Step nine: STUDS!!! I took some studs off of an old belt that I wasn’t using any more but you can get studs at you local punk stores, online (etsy and ebay) or you can go to a thrift store and buy a studded belt and carefully take them off.

( I’ve got the biggest stud of them all)

Step ten: Apply the studs. 

And we are DONE!

My shorts didn’t turn out as great as I wanted them to but I’m still happy with them. You should give it a try too!

Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

xoxo

RAD

For the fans who follow my Facebook page you probably all know that I am madly addicted to Black Milk Clothing. Black Milk (yes that is a photo they posted of me, I’m very proud haha)  is a online shop based out of Australia.  They make the most amazing drool worthy clothes and the material of choice is nylon. Their clothing brings me joy and give me a confidence boost every time I wear it.

Last Saturday I attended a Black Milk clothing fan meet up for the first time. We call ourselves the Black Milk So Cal sharkies!  We had brunch at James Beach the famous Best Fish tacos restaurant from the movie I Love You Man. I have to say it was such a pleasure to meet all the lovely ladies!

If I were to describe this meet up I would have to say it was the sexiest Brunch I’ve ever attended with women I loved instantly upon meeting them. I am so glad I went though and I can not wait until the next.

Some of these pictures even literally stopped traffic. Photo taken by

Monique Soto.

 Here’s a pic of Christina the motorcycle ridin’ babe! Photo taken by Monique Soto.

Christina even let us play around on her bike!  Photo taken by Monique Soto.

I need to get me one of these. Photo taken by Monique Soto.

I hope to meet up again soon!

If you are a sharkie and you live in the Southern California area JOIN US click here.

xoxo

RAD

I’m back from a long blogging break and I am ready to talk… about hair.

I’ve been going natural for a few months now but I’m just now starting to wear it down more often.

I have curly, unruly tangled and dry damaged hair. I used to hate it and neglect combing it often because I didn’t really see the point. I am guilty of straightening it repeatedly for months and months without breaks. I didn’t like having curls at all even though I’ve always been told that my “natural hair” looks nice or that those with “straight hair” would love to trade for mine. To me, I always felt like my hair was more of a burden then a gift.

Recently my step-mother Karen and owner of The Beauty in You salon in Reseda, CA were chatting about my little twin sisters hair. They have long beautiful wavy hair with very relaxed curls. These two girls are actively out playing sports, running, jumping and full of energy and their hair never loses its curl or shape and never gets frizzy.

Karen recommended I try Design Essentials Shampoo and Conditioner as well as the Design Essentials Daily Moisturizing Lotion.

Above: A picture of the daily moisturizer and what is left of samples of shampoo and conditioner.

I have tested using these and I have seen great results. My hair feels much softer and stronger. My hair has began to relax and there is no sign of frizz whatsoever!I’ve also notice less breakage and it is much more manageable to comb. It’s magic I tell you!

Above: My hair just out of the shower (I’ve already put the daily moisturizer, coconut oil and hair milk)

In the picture my hair is still wet but look at the curls! They really are starting to grow on me. (lol)

Above: A few hours later after my hair dried (Shiny, curls for days and NO FRIZZ)

So this is just the beginning of my hair dairies. I will continue to keep you updated on the latest products to try.

xoxo

RAD

What is a hair product you’d die without? Lets talk. Leave me a comment and don’t forget to follow me. 

Thanks for reading!