First and foremost is the new HELLO KITTY cosmetics line at Sephora. I was surprised to see a line because I thought the licensing was more lucrative for Sanrio. At this point thought, since kitty isn’t quite what she used to be and has capitalized on the adult market more than anything now (which to me has kind of ruined it), I guess Sanrio is taking every opportunity to make money with her.

Here are some of the cute things they offer:

This is sweet, just like a pencil tin that would be in the Hello Kitty line. It’s $28 which is a good value for the pencils, though they are not full-size. Unfortunately they are not the gel liner pencils that are so popular in every line now (even Cover Girl has them!)

This is a great palette in super cute Memoirs of a Kitty  cherry blossoms print. There are four eyeshadows and two blushes. $35 is a bit rich for what are most likely not the highest quality cosmetics but it’s still pretty darn cute.

Now we are getting pricey with the Glittercute Collection made with Swarovski Elements. You get the glittercute eyeliners and the brush set in a crystal container. This is really special and it comes with a ridiculous price – $495. That is not a mistake.

The Glitter Dipped Handheld Mirror also has crystals and a similar price tag of absurdity – $350. These are sweet and kawaii but unless you are Mariah Carey (who would get everything for free anyway) I don’t see anyone getting these items.

Finally there is a Hello Kitty fragrance. It’s inexpensive in this rollerball version only $18. Here is more about it.

Hello Kitty Fragrance Rollergirl Rollerball

You’re sure to feel sweet and fancy with this pretty perfume. Made with some
of Hello Kitty’s favorite things, its notes of green apple and Japanese fruits
will make you smile inside. As the fragrance’s heart comes forward, you’ll smell
rich floral accords and a wink of warm vanilla. A little hint of musk is present
in the base notes, adding a touch of glamour to a twinkling fragrance created
especially for the young-at-heart.

Notes:
Cassis Sorbet, Italian Mandarin, Apple, Magnolia Blossom, Freesia, Orange Flower, Tonka Bean,
Vanilla, Musk.

Style:
Sweet. Sparkling. Pretty.

Love this totebag for grocery shopping. Now if only I could remember to actually USE it!

Sweet little mini-baguette purse in pink and green. Very PREPPY combination.

Adorable memo pad with hard to find Hello Kitty dressed as a geisha.

Sweet pink Hello Kitty geisha charm. I go crazy for these, I must have about twenty or more.

Hello Kitty chopsticks with towel wrap. Oh if only I had dishes to match!

Best wishes for 2010. I hope you had a terrific holiday season and have a wonderful New Year. I rang in the New Year the same way i have since I was about five years old – watching Dick Clark! Although I don’t know many of the performers these days (tonight it was Jennifer Lopez and Chris Daughtry in Times Square which I was thrilled to see since I actually KNEW them!)but I still enjoy the festivities. It amazes me how fast they clean up Times Square.

I love to see Dick Clark. It must be a great honor for Ryan Seacrest to co-host the show with him. I adore Ryan Seacrest. I think he is a gracious person. Dick Clark still looks great too and I love to see him kiss his wife at midnight as I have for the last 36 years.

Happy New Year to my family and my kitty Lucy!

Keep it kawaii!

I did find this (on another site)(in essence yes, I cribbed it):

Click on the pic to get the free wallpaper.

Kitty looks like she is dressing up as my Lucy!

This is the Hot Springs Ryokan series. For close-ups click here.

Here is the series I just got:

This set comes with (from top row Left) Hello Kitty birthday cake, Hello Kitty bento box, Hello Kitty pancakes, Hello Kitty rice omelet ( a popular children’s meal in Japan), Hello Kitty croquette dinner, Hello Kitty curry dinner, Hello Kitty apple pie and Hello Kitty custard. What is especially neat are the plates, cups and utensils which can be used in a variety of other displays too.

This is the original Hello Kitty mini series I have. It came in a red version and a pink version. From top Left there is a Hello Kitty bento, Hello Kitty box of chocolates, a Hello Kitty Salisbury steak dinner, Hello Kitty tea service, Hello Kitty hot pot and the Hello Kitty serving platter for the hot pot.

This was another set of Hello Kitty mini’s. Highly detailed though some were unfortunately not the most popular characters, like Patty & Jimmy and Mr. Penguin.

This is a new teeny tiny Hello Kitty room series. I haven’t gotten this yet but it looks super pink and kawaii. They need to come out with a little mini dollhouse to put all this stuff in. Oh wow – I would love a little Hello Kitty doll house!

Finally above is the Hello Kitty mini play set (not sure if the furniture series would fit in this). It is intended for kids to play with and looks like lots of fun because there are stickers to customize everything. There is also another set that is a playground and a conbini (Japanese convenience store).

I am crazy about conbini’s so I actually thinking of getting this. I won’t actually play with it of course – well – much! It is truly too cute for words. Sometime I will have to do a photo shoot of my Re-ment conbini. It is one of my favorite Re-ment set-ups. Next to the sushi bar that is. Oh, sometime I will have to share that too!

Princess Kitty Charm bracelet $450

The charm bracelet is sterling silver with enamel, 18K rose gold (around the crown) and pink sapphires in the crown. Granted, pink sapphires will raise the price a bit but couldn’t pink tourmaline’s have been used instead? Consider that the charm is done in enamel, no pave stones, no diamonds.

Hello Kitty Princess Kitty enamel ring $450

This is the matching ring. I like the style of the ring, it is positively kawaii but if I purchased the ring and bracelet it would be almost a thousand bucks! YIKES!

Hello Kitty pave flower necklace $1395

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend but you will have to PAY for the friendship! This is the diamond pave necklace with accents of rose gold, yellow gold and pink and yellow sapphires. The carat weight is .33 which is nuthin’ really. The chain and settings are 18K white gold however.

Hello Kitty watch $1095

This is a stainless steel watch with diamonds around Hello Kitty’s face and a pink sapphire flower. It has a mother of pearl face and leather band.

Hello Kitty diamond pave ring $1950

The ring is 18K white gold, the diamonds are .60 carats, the bow and nose are yellow gold and the eyes are onyx. She’s cute all right but she’s also almost 2 grand. On the Sanrio site they recommend getting your boyfriend to buy her for you as an engagement ring. Whoa.

Black and white diamond Hello Kitty necklace $25000

Finally here is the priciest Kimora Lee Simmons Hello Kitty design I found. This is 9.2 carats worth of black and white diamonds, 18K white gold, yellow gold, pink sapphires and black and white diamond stations in the chain. This is pricey enough to make Solomon blush (and if you get that reference you are a die-hard Eddie Izzard fan and I love you!).

QVC! Yes the veritable home shopping channel developed a line of Hello Kitty jewelry in sterling silver with their Diamonique brand of cubic zirconia. The prices ranged from $80 – $180. Last Christmas my family went wild buying Hello Kitty stuff for me.  (Have I mentioned how great my sister-in-law is? I made a wishlist at QVC and she and my brother got me EVERYTHING on it! How awesome are they?)

Here are some of my gifts:

Diamonique Hello Kitty watch.

Hello Kitty Princess pave ring.

Hello Kitty red bow pave ring.

Hello Kitty heart star pave band ring.

Hello Kitty Princess pave pendant necklace.

Hello Kitty pave hoop dangle earrings.

Now the kitties sparkle a-plenty but you have to be careful with the pave band ring since one slight whack and you will have lost stones. Everything else is very durable and I’ve had no problems with anything tho’ I did have to send the pave band ring back for a new one because a couple of stones mysteriously disappeared. I’ve had excellent luck with the new ring they sent so not to worry.

Hello Kitty will be on the QVC channel again on Thursday, September 3 at 2 – 3 am and 7 – 8pm eastern. Otherwise just visit QVC.com and look under jewelry brands for Hello Kitty.

Cosmetics from the MAC Hello Kitty Collection.

I’m including these reviews here even though the collections has been out for a while. I purchased several of the items and just so you know many of them are still available from MAC. Just check out their website and search for Hello Kitty.

Here is what I purchased and my reviews of the goodies:

Hello Kitty Eyeshadow in Hello Dolly(first kit in the photo): the compacts are gorgeous and super adorable. They are solid, a kind of black lacquer plastic and have a decent amount of shadow in them. You will need your own brushes as there are no applicators. They colors look incredibly bold but trust me they go on quite sheer. You could build the color up if you wanted to especially if you used a wet brush to get more of a slick deposit of color but you can actually use these shadows with a light hand for everyday wear. I use the black to line my eyes with a wet eyeliner brush.

Hello Kitty Eyeshadow in Lucky Tom (the second kit in the photo): This kit is more dramatic, definitely more for clubbing and going out at night. You can just go wild with these colors. I especially like the orange and purple with the black as a liner. You can mute everything using the beige color if you like. As with all MAC shadows they are highly pigmented and go on like a dream. Both of these kits are still available at MAC (online) for $38 each and are handily well worth the price since you get four shadows in each kit.

Hello Kitty Lipglass: I have two colors  of the seven that were offered, Nice Kitty (very pink) and She Loves Candy (a mauve-pink). The lipglass cases are sweet (topped with the black and white and pink Hello Kitty graphics), they taste terrific (sweet candy) but they tend to go on a little light and have zero staying power. Plan on re-applying often. I didn’t purchase the limited edition Dazzleglass Dazzlepuss or Kitty Couture gloss, because I thought $28 was a little pricey for lipgloss with a Hello Kitty charm attached. They still have it available however at the MAC online store.

Hello Kitty Lipstick: I purchased the color Strayin’ which is definitely much better than the lipglass for staying power. It is soft and frosty and sweet pink. The case is nicely weighted and graphic and there is plenty of product inside. You could use a lipbrush with this and it would last forever. It is still available online for $14 each.

Hello Kitty Sheer Mystery Powder: I’ll be honest I bought this for the case. The silver compact is encrusted with crystals in the image of the kitteh herself and is too too too cute to pass up. It is the priciest item at $90 but a true collector’s piece. They still have it online too. I will say that I don’t usually use much powder but I found this to provide sheer coverage and it feels weightless on my skin. I had no idea I would end up liking it as much as I did. Plus, oh, the bonus of taking out the compact to check my lipstick or reduce shine – worth every cent!

There are many items from the collection available on ebay for much higher prices than the MAC online store – so don’t be fooled. Check there first to see if they still have the items before you go to ebay. Many of the special items (the cases, bracelet, brush set) are completely sold out and only available on ebay at this point. The powder in the crystal compact is running $40 to $50 more on ebay than you would pay from MAC online. Shop wise!

Here are a few of my current favorites:

Cute polka-dot tote bag is bursting with color!

Perfect summer shoulder bag. The colors are so sweet.

Graffiti-like tote that glitters.

Adorable purple bag, there is never enough Pochacco!

Candy sweet cinnamoroll bag - floppy ears, yay!

Toki Doki has the cutest bags of all - this one is pink.

Who doesn't want a Hello Kitty nerd wallet?

Cheap, vinyl and super kawaii - I love My Melody!

More Toki Doki - this is a card case. Nothing cuter.

Except of course for Hello Kitty wearing a doughnut.