July 16, 2011

I'm Covered in Boxes!


Dave and I are moving in about two weeks - and we have a whole house to pack up!

You never realize how much crap you have until you have to organize it, put it in boxes, and then have to take it to another location.

I have been enjoying clearing out all my old stuff I don't need any more and either donating it or tossing it (depending on how used it is). It does feel good dropping of a bunch of stuff that I know others can use someday.

So needless to say, there won't be a lot of posting. If I'm lucky I'll get some costume/sewing done inbetween the packing.

Happy Costuming!

July 11, 2011

Glass City Con Recap


The armpit of the United States. Srsly. Look at the map.

This convention led us down to the interesting state of Ohio, as it seems every con I go to down there something "exciting" happens. And by exciting I don't mean like "OMG I JUST SAW XYZ VOICE ACTOR" I mean like "OMG SOMETHING BROKE" exciting. More on this laters!

ANYWAY...

Dave and I headed out on Friday evening, as I got a good case of the lazies, and decided that going down the night before was MUCH more advantageous than say, waking up at 6 am to pack and drive down.

Traveling went quick, and we were able to find the school, which oddly enough was ALSO in the middle of nowhere. Much akin to JAFAX. There WAS a roundabout though, and it thoroughly freaked me out. I can't stand roundabouts. We have so few of them here in MI, that it just looks like a swirling vortex of crunched up cars and bad drivers.

The others showed up later, and then we all went to sleep.

Saturday came, and we all got ready. Because I had looked ahead at the weather, to see that the world would be ON FIRE all weekend, I decided to not cosplay. But being weird, I still wanted to feel like I was in a costume to wear something cool. So I brought a wig that was pretty much unstyled for the most part. I think it's a future Tutu Wig.

I can't help it.

So we had our lovely continental breakfast, and Dave, Hannah, Brent, and myself headed to the con, as the other room was already on its way. Then as we're driving the extremely short route to the college, we see the other room's car on the side of the road. We stop, and get out to see what's going on. 

Remember when I said that "OMG STUFF BREAKS"? This is one of those instances. Turns out the other van broke a tire. Not just flat, oh no, down and outright blew it apart.


Impressive.

We pulled over to help them out, and see what's up, when we find this out. The following scene occurs:

Me: "DAVE! Open the TRUNK!!"

Kristy: "Oh? Do you guys have tools in there?"

Me: "No. My camera's in there. I'm SO DOCUMENTING THIS!"


This is what the scene looked like.


This is what it felt like.


After calling the con, and getting stuff sorted out, we headed to the con and got our booths set up. I was finally able to properly set up my wire frames!


Gotta Collect Em All!
  
And the rest of my stuff.



I sell buttons too!


I spent a lot of the con floating around the dealer hall, artist's alley, and my own booth, and I finally was able to get some pics of the dealer hall. So here you are! It was set in a gym area, which was nice and airy.

STUFF! TO BUY!

Saturday went pretty well, I even got to see the panel I had been wanting to. Usually the panels I want to see get canceled, so I was happy it occurred. 

Overall business as usual. Sunday was super DEAD. It's like everybody forgot there was a con, and about half as many people showed up. Probably could have used another large event on Sunday.

I did have a lot of fun, and will probably go again next year. It was a lovely venue, and the staff was very friendly. Not to mention that maybe next year it won't be as hot, and I can get some good pictures outdoors.

COSPLAY ROUNDUP!

Isaac and Miriam from Baccano!

./Hack person

Another ./Hack character

Yuuko and the Rain Spirit!


NEXT UP: Moving. AKA. Trying to put all my stuff in boxes and somehow still work on cosplays.

Photos can be seen at: GCC 2011 Facebook Pictures

July 10, 2011

MOVING! OH NOES!

I got back from Glass City Con today (at a pretty decent time)!  I have some fun stories to tell when I get the chance to upload my pics n stuff. :P

In other news, Dave and I are moving, so cosplay is going down to minimal, and packing and searching for new place is ensuing.

Wish us luck!

In other news: WHY IS THE WORLD SUDDENLY ON FIRE?!

July 6, 2011

Don't Go Outside When the Temp Exceeds 85 Degrees

Feeeeed meeeeee Seeeeyyymooooore!

So I went to Michaels today to get myself a deep cut blade for the Cricut machine. I wanted to try out an idea I had for some new products, and it involved me cutting foam. The internets told me that I need a bigger blade thing, so I decided I'd follow their advice (as the regular blade wasn't working all that well).

I enter Michaels and Dave and I spend some time wandering around going "Where's the Cricut stuff?"

We find the iiiiiitty bitty area where they have some things, with no blades to be found at all. Figuring that customers are dumb, they may have hidden it behind the GIANT METAL JAILCELL they keep the cartridges in.

I get into line, and manage to get to the register with minimal amounts of stupidity drama.

Cashier: "Did you find everything okay?"

Me: "No, I needed to get the Cricut Deep Cutting Blade Replacements."

Cashier: "Cricut?"

Me: "IT'S LIKE THE MOST POPULAR THING YOU SELL HERE. WTF"

Cashier: "I don't know if we carry that."

Me: "GIVE ME A BLADE DAMMIT"

Cashier: "Uh... if it's not on the shelf we don't have it."

Me: "I WILL CUT YOU."

Me: "...."

Me: "ONCE I BUY THE BLADE."

I then bought a foamie sheet and a mint candy for less than $2 and USED A DEBIT CARD. TAKE THAT MICHAELS.

Okay, while that wasn't the EXACT exchange, it's how it felt in my brain. I have very little acceptance of on the job laziness. At least take some sort of interest in what you're working at. It makes your job more fun. I PROMISE.

After that event, and another fail trip to Joann's (looking for the same blade, mind you), Dave and I went to Jimmy Johns.

We ordered our sandwiches, and they gave us our drink cups so we were fillin' them up. Somebody shouts some random sandwich number, which may or may not have been ours (since nobody was there but us as customers).

Dave and I look at the sandwich.

Dave: "Is this ours?"

Me: "Maybe? I dunno, there's no number written on it."

Dave: "What about that one?" he points to a random sandwich on the counter, also wrapped, with no number.

Me: "....yesss....? Maybe? I'm not sure. I didn't hear what they said."

At which point the manager came over when she saw us all confused, and we found out that the guy makin' sandwiches was caught in an infinite loop and he KEPT MAKING SANDWICHES because the receipt was never removed. So there were two of mine and two of Dave's, one was some sort of "practice sandwich" and NONE OF THEM WERE MARKED.  The incredulous questioning by the manager to the staffer was quite possibly the most hilarious thing we saw all day.

Moral of the story: DON'T GO OUTSIDE WHEN IT'S HOT. people get dumb.

Coming up Next: Product pictures!

July 4, 2011

When Everything Gets Upturned

Welp. We figured it was coming, but Dave and I will be moving by the end of July!

All cosplays and commissions (other than the immediate emergencies) are on hold until August 1st. We have to pack up a whole house, it'll take me a little while.

In case anybody is interested, GLASS CITY CON is this weekend!

I'll be in the alley, AND have a few new products. I'll have pics up soon.

July 2, 2011

JAFAX Recap Boogaloo

WOW. JAFAX came and went with a WHOOSH.

Surprisingly, the weekend turned out a lot better than I had hoped. I was ultra nervous, and apprehensive about some things. I was also bummed that I did not have my new outfits done due to the horrific events of my machine dying and me having a nervous breakdown for 3 weeks.

SO. I got Friday off, and Dave and I headed out to JAFAX land. I wanted to get there early because then I could get to the hotel, unpack, visit field's fabrics putz around, go visit the site, maybe take some cosplay pictures.  ALL of these occurred! So yay!

After all the running around, I realized I wanted some good pics of Vyse. I didn't have many of em, cause the last time I was wearing him I a.) forgot to take pictures, and b.) forgot part of the outfit at ACEN. Boo.

So we went to the local park "Hagar Park" (no it's not horrible, I promise), and frightened the small children while Dave took pictures of me.

Hullo Children!


Then we headed to the convention area, because there were some other things I wanted to take pictures of! I "discovered" most of the unusual items on campus, with much hilarity ensuing.

This picture always makes me laugh for some reason...


You can check out the pictures in this gallery on FB (I think it's public...): Vyse from Skies of Arcadia

I'm always adding more.

Next up, I met up with Brionna and Skye, my Coordinators-In-Training, and we talked a lot about cosplay and how the whole Cosplay Ops thing is run and we then plastered posters all over the JAFAX area. They had to leave, and we finished up the posters, went back to the room, and then promptly died to be risen again the next morning at the ungodly hour of 6:45 am.

Saturday's always a special day, because not only are we taking in new applications for entries to the contest, I'm organizing the fashion show, as well as hawking my events, AND on top of that I get to go to a Tales of the Abyss photoshoot. (Doesn't take much persuasion to get me to dress as Luke)

Much hilarity ensued.

And cheagle abuse.


The day progressed really super quickly, as it was mostly a blur, and then came time for the dress rehearsal and fashion show. Met up with Ashley who was all dressed in a beautiful gown she had made a while back. We chatted things up for a while before the show.

Most of the cosplayers showed up, and we got them ready to go across the stage. Fun times were had by all, and it's always a warm fuzzy feeling when I hear behind stage "OH MY GOSH! That was SO. MUCH. FUN. I'm doing this again next year!"

After the show, we did another mini photoshoot in the Arboretum (a tree/plant area on the campus). Derpiness was to be had all around!

The most epic of crossovers.


Then, being the starving costumed people we were, we went to Red Robins and I had a cheezburger. It was delightful! I was also stalked inadvertently by Brionna, Skye, and their group!

I went home, fixed up some of the audio files for the show, and crashed out.

Sunday was judges, and OH MAN WAS THAT DIFFICULT.

We had a lot of people come through our office, and I was like, "Oh, that one's good, and so's that one. Uhhhhh crap. Good thing we've got math!"

Spent the ENTIRE day judging costumes, and then printed our awards, and packed it up and went over to the Performing Arts Center again!

Got all our cosplayers lined up, taught them how to walk on the stage long enough to get pictures taken, and then the MASQ happened. (pictures coming soon).

WOW. Whirlwind. The energy in the theater was amazing, and despite some messups by me, the show was pretty much spot on. Performances went without a hitch, all the walk-ons STAYED ON STAGE long enough for pics, and we had standing room only in our audience!

Everything had completed, and I figured I was done.

...but I was WRONG!

As the cosplay crew started to clean up, I was approached by a staff member who asked me the quaint question of "Hey, can you stall for a few minutes, our next show isn't here yet."

I of course answer "Suuuuuurreeee!" thinking it'd be like 5 minutes or so.

So I start revving up the crowd, getting people to come in and sit down, and generally chit chatting about the convention. Sang happy birthday to Ringo, in my mahvelous tenor voice, did a little moonwalking, cracked some bad science jokes with the audience...

...for like 15 minutes. It was epic. I didnt' mind at all. I had a fun time getting to talk with congoers, as I was in a little box all weekend. :P

Then we left, stopped at Applebee's, got stalked by Brionna, Skye and company again! (All inadvertently, mind you)

Then we drove home and was tired.

The end.

NEXT UP: GLASS CITY CON.