kicking it old school.

After yesterday's post, I was planning on going to Goodwill to search for a film camera. I got lucky.
Instead of going to Goodwill, I tried Thrift Town, since my family was in the area for lunch. I was hoping to find maybe one film camera at Goodwill, and ended up finding ten of them at Thrift Town. Selection! I chose a Minolta Freedom Family Zoom ($2.99!)and a Pentax Espio ($0.99!). I had so much fun in the appliance section. Thrift Town has the best selection in appliances.

The Polaroid was the big prize. I wasn't expecting to see one there! Actually, I kind of missed it because it wasn't in the camera section. It was placed around where the irons and VCRs were. Luckily, my brother spotted it. We were so giddy, and high fived who-knows-how-many times.

The problem with these cameras is getting the extras. My Pentax runs on lithium batteries, which are about $10 each. And Polaroid has stopped making film, so I can only buy from Impossible Project, which are kind of expensive.

sweater from Goodwill, drapey pants from Taiwan, Doc Martens from Buffalo Exchange

My search isn't over yet, though. I'm still on the lookout for a Minolta SRT 101 or 201 and a Holga. Maybe I'll just get one at Urban or something. Yay more thrift shopping.

I've thrown some film into the Minolta one already, so hopefully I'll get some good pictures on it in the next few days.

I spent all of my time looking at appliances, I didn't find any clothes. Hoping for another pair of Docs on my next visit.

Love, Kai

capturing moments.

Recently, I've been into vintage photography. As in film cameras and polaroids. As technology keeps moving faster, older devices are growing obsolete. It makes me a bit sad. I'm an old school girl. I reminisce.
Sometimes, my mom would say that I was born in the wrong century. I believe that sometimes. I love things that are before my time. For one, I'd love a gramophone in my room, if I could. While classic items may not be the most convenient, there's a certain charm to it that pleases me.


So the thing is, I spent the day looking for my old film cameras, to no avail. It wasn't that long ago, I don't think, that I was still using film. My first camera, I bought in second grade. It was a cute little Pokemon camera that I bought with my own money. It had looked like a toy, and I didn't count on it to take actual pictures. I don't know what ever happened to that camera. On my field trip in fifth grade to Washington DC, I still had a film camera.

By the 7th grade, my dad bought a Canon Powershot A540; the same one I've been using every day for my blog pictures. It's been by my side faithfully, and the signs of wear are apparent.


Film cameras were my childhood. My mother used to take beautiful pictures of her children with the SLR my dad and she saved up for, as poor college kids. The pictures captured moments and emotions that I would have forgotten otherwise. Looking through old photo albums in chronological order, photos in the family became progressively more rare. It happened when my dad bought my mom a new digital camera.
What happened? Photos were never developed. Or never taken. They don't exist. These photo memories of mine were nonexistant for years.

I want to pick those memories back up. I want to remember the little things. In the past few months of blogging, I've been reflecting on my reasons for blogging. One of the biggest ones is because I want to remember. I want to remember those little things that become forgotten memories as I get older. Things that seem insignificant.

I want something to look back on.
So I'm capturing these moments myself.

Love, Kai

tees for japan.

It's been a long time since my last update. Sorry about that! I've been working on my secret project That I am revealing right now.
Pray for Japan t-shirts. I have been working on these tees for about a week or so straight, designing them and printing them myself. They come in red, coral, and white.

I wore this one to school today. Stress pimples are making a comeback! Gahhh. Plus paint from printing.


I asked my brother if he wanted one, and he said "give me the pinkest one possible." We match. I don't know why, but he suddenly ran out to look for me when I went outside to take pictures, so we ended up taking matchy pictures together.Some of his classmates at school wanted to buy a shirt. So sweet of them!

As of right now, I am selling them in my area to people I know who want to help out. Plans for online sales have not be made, because I am printing them all by hand, and don't know how many I am able to make. I have not decided on a charity yet, but my mom has been giving me some suggestions. All proceeds are going to Japan relief.

While I'm on the topic of tees for Japan, Seibei has a new tee to benefit Japan! I bought mine already.
Here's a coupon code. I didn't have this before because I was. Yeah. Too lazy to get one. So I've been buying all my tees at full price.

USE COUPON CODE KAIAMI FOR 10% OFF!

Not that I don't have enough dino tees or anything.

Love, Kai

layering on those layers.

Yesterday's outfit. Flowy layery kinds of clothing are my favorite. I wanted to wear that new thrift store purchase, so I threw a bunch of greys on.Yesterday was so cold in the morning. My friend May wore her snuggie to school. It makes me want to wear my fluffy pink robe to school. Or buy a kigurumi. Even better. It became pretty warm by the afternoon, though. I was able to wear my tank and sleeveless vest without it being cold.
This jacket is the one I found at the thrift shop. There are two snaps that go on to make a sorta-cowl. And when it's not snapped, it just drapes in the front. The vest is new too.

Tank top from Juicy Couture, BCBG jacket from Savers, vest from Target, K pendant necklace gift from friend, pants from Taiwan, Dolce Vita for Target buckle booties.


Rainy days are making a comeback. I should just embrace those sunny days. Actually, I want more sunny days so I can buy some new parasols.

Love, Kai

got mail?

Today's mail! It's a package from David at Seibei. I bought a couple mystery tees. Usually when I get grab bags, I get really nervous about getting something I don't like. But with Seibei, I was pretty confident that anything he gave me, I would like.
Open! Prepare for awesome.
Celebration, commence! And here, I got two of the ones I wanted the most! David is some kind of mind reader. The mint one is the one I wanted to buy last December at the Renegade Crafts Fair, but ran out of money for. I let my brother try on the SF Dino one, and now he wants to wear it to school. It looks good on him and I'd love to let him borrow it, but he always gets food or snot or something or the other on the shirts I let him borrow. The woes of being the same size as my brothers.

Here's me showing off my new favorite shirt. I don't know why I get so excited over bright colors when it comes to t-shirts. I wish I had bought more. Two's not enough! Though, there's no way I can buy anything more on my card in secret. Looks like I'll have to wait till the next crafts fair.

I've been getting a good amount of mail lately. Which is exciting. But 50% of it is stuff from colleges about financial aid and housing and gatherings and open house kind of stuff. The other percentages are college decision letters and magazines. I don't have time to read magazines anymore. 24 hours a day is not enough.

I received a few acceptance letters so far. I haven't shared any on my blog, I don't think, but because I've posted several times during the portfolio process, I wanted to share that I've been accepted at FIT!

Ayup, that's all for now.
Love, Kai