tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63594234491093958132024-02-21T09:19:01.666-08:00Farm Work and CosplayCanny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-70292943772462611522014-02-17T22:00:00.000-08:002014-02-17T22:00:54.450-08:00Katsucon 2014 VideoI intended to post my whole "Katsucon experience" blog tonight, but as soon as I got home from work, I crashed and slept for 3 hours on the couch. Sooooo the blog entry will wait until tomorrow night. In the mean time, I present to you a wonderful video the AMAZING <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HsCreatives" target="_blank">HS Media Cosplay Photography and Videography</a> made of the con. I am in this video in my Belle cosplay, because she was kind enough and amazing enough to film me. You should all watch the video and stay tuned tomorrow for the con summary!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bBgZKJQ0vWE?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-67922625758768500532014-01-29T19:39:00.000-08:002014-01-29T19:39:14.022-08:00Sleeves are evilOkay, I'll admit, right now most things seem evil. (Like static, and straight pins, and plywood, and....) Nonetheless, sleeves can be a daunting project, especially if you're not working from any kind of pattern. As someone who tends to go, "Eh? Pattern? Why would I need one of those?", I want you all to know that I feel your pain, and I am here to attempt to help!<br />
<br />
In my "helpful" attempt, I thus provide you with a <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Sew-Puff-Sleeves" target="_blank">tutorial on drafting and sewing sleeves</a>. I know the page says "How to Sew Puff Sleeves," but take my word that this tutorial will help you understand sleeves better overall. It gives a very good explanation on how to make your own sleeve pattern. Yes, there's some math involved, but it's worth it. Before I leave you to continue work on the King of Static Cling (aka Jae-ha), I offer you a few tips gleaned from my own experience.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Attaching the sleeves is way easier with a dress form.</b> If you don't have access to one, see if you can steal a sibling or random passerby to pose with your shirt/dress/etc. while you pin sleeves on. If they object, be sure to poke them with pins.</li>
<li><b>Be mindful - you can make a sleeve that's hard to get in and out of.</b> Seriously, you don't want to do a creative wiggle every time you put on your creation. I learned that the hard way.</li>
<li><b>Technically speaking, there are two ways to attach sleeves.</b> One is "on the flat", which means you don't sew the front and back pieces together first. You sew them together at the shoulders, then pin the sleeve, and sew it literally flat. Then you do this one continuous seam up each side and down the sleeves. It's generally considered the "quick and dirty" way of sewing sleeves. The other way is actually sewing the front and back together, leaving armholes, and then pinning and sewing the sleeves to the armholes. I learned with the second method, so that's what I use. They say the first is easier, but I have never tried it, so I am not the best person to ask about that.</li>
<li><b>Even if your arm fits through the armhole, you may have a hard time wiggling into the sleeve. </b>Do a couple pinned or basted (depending on your pain tolerance) fittings before you officially sew the sleeve to make sure it's going to be comfortable, or at least livable. I personally have big biceps, and I have to accommodate that in my sleeve-drafting.</li>
<li><b>Stare hard at that character's sleeves before you make any assumptions. </b>If they're like Jae-ha, they're ready and willing to have fitted sleeves that are thinner at the elbow and wide at the shoulders and wrists. Which is, if you hadn't guessed, a pain in the butt. My point here, besides Jae-ha's general screwing with me, is don't assume the character's sleeves adhere to a straight line. You need to check if you are concerned with accuracy. And the same fitting rules apply here - make sure that fitted middle part, should ever you have it, fits your wrist and isn't a pain to squeeze into. If it starts to be a problem, consider using buttons or snaps hidden under a flap of fabric which you can fasten once it's on. Sure, it's cheating, but if you hide it well......</li>
</ol>
<div>
That's all I can think of right now. If I think of more things as the days go by and I work on these blasted sleeves, I'll blog them on cannypucacosplay.tumblr.com. Happy sewing, and may your characters be kinder than Jae-ha!</div>
Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-82224259589314118522014-01-22T20:36:00.001-08:002014-01-22T20:36:10.154-08:00General UpdateSorry...yet again for the late post, dear readers. As the con grows closer (and the post-Christmas chaos starts to hit my loved ones), my time grows scarcer and scarcer. So, for now, you have a general update on my cosplay progress and life, overall.<br />
<br />
One of these days, when I know more and have found a method that makes me happy, I'm going to talk about binding for crossplay. I'm going to have a huge blog post devoted to it and tell you what I refuse to use (and why), what I will use sparingly, and what I adore. Spoiler alert: as of this time, there is no binding method that I adore. I just ordered two binders off of Amazon, however, and I'm hoping they'll work out better than my previous methods. This was sparked by the fact that I've been wandering around this evening in chest binding with bandages. I have been working on the mock-up of Jae-ha's costume, and since he does not have breasts, I had to flatten to get a proper fit on myself. Wearing the bandages around reminded me just how much I dislike them. They slip, they rub, and they wind up with strange bulges in unfortunate places. Overall, I honestly prefer open-chest binding, even though it can restrict my breathing to a small degree. After a little exploration of female-to-male trans blogs, I found a couple of binders that are fairly inexpensive and well-recommended. Once they come in and I've had the opportunity to wear them about to see how they feel, I will let all of you know.<br />
<br />
In other news, I spent last night re-touching the Belle shoes. They had acquired several scratches, rub marks, and a few creases, all of which I carefully painted over. They now look a bit choppy in the paint job, so I'll be going over the entirety of each shoe again to ensure an even color. If you're repainting any shoes, remember to seal the paint to reduce the risk of cracking. There is no seal (that I know of), however, that can totally protect against scratches, especially if you, like me, go wandering out into the woods for photos. I do partially blame J-Jo Cosplay for that...but really, who can argue with the beautiful pictures she took?<br />
<br />
My Jae-ha boots are in and just need their special touches. They're knee-high, which is taller than I'd like, but they're white, have about the right heel (which is none), and are a nice canvas for me to paint some detailing on. In short, they'll do. A pair of gi pants are being shipped to me as well for this cosplay. I was terribly disappointed; I have a gi somewhere from my martial arts days, but all I was able to find were the two tops, the light-weight summer top and the heavy-weight winter top. No pants appeared to my searching gaze. The lack of pants forced my hand, and I ordered the new ones. They should be in shortly.<br />
<br />
My first Jae-ha wig came in and proved to be the wrong color. I normally order from amphigory.com if I have the chance, and I did this time, but the color in person was just not what I wanted. I do recommend them - their wigs are good quality and absolutely gorgeous in person - but in this case their green was not the right shade. J-Jo recommended checking Arda Wigs as their selection of green was fairly extensive, and I found one there that I liked. It's been shipped and should be coming in within a week.<br />
<br />
The trim should be in within a week as well. The first experience with the trim was... Well, there's going to be a whole blog post on that, so that story will have to wait.<br />
<br />
I think that about concludes this update. Good luck, dear readers, and good night!Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-11396760722633825212014-01-13T22:20:00.002-08:002014-01-13T22:20:18.057-08:00Cosplay Rant Time!I do believe that as Katsucon nears, you shall hear at least a few rants from me, my dear readers. This rant is related to Jae-ha of Akatsuki no Yona. It is also related to a love of mine: boots.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigr_JcM_cnVp8rojiyFQJ2bjxiViG5w4-0rVXme6BJl7fp-8P1tlJChFcBRknxOTh-_XHP1-MciyWDrJ0F9BsEFQZ96sTSy9iSlTmUcMHUypuoovR50oZ8o275Obia5bazMpTlAvQgT6n-/s1600/Jaeha2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigr_JcM_cnVp8rojiyFQJ2bjxiViG5w4-0rVXme6BJl7fp-8P1tlJChFcBRknxOTh-_XHP1-MciyWDrJ0F9BsEFQZ96sTSy9iSlTmUcMHUypuoovR50oZ8o275Obia5bazMpTlAvQgT6n-/s1600/Jaeha2.jpg" height="320" width="147" /></a>First, let's take a look at this handsome, frustrating devil, shall we?<br />
<br />
Ah, there he is. Look at that gorgeous cloak with that beautiful trim! (It was horrible to match, but that's going to be another blog post.) Look at that long, flowing hair! It's green, by the way, and my wig for that is coming in soon. And the hair tie. Oh, wait, I forgot one thing, didn't I? Hm, what kind of shoes are those, I wonder?<br />
<br />
Wait.<br />
<br />
Wait just a minute.<br />
<br />
Are those.....?<br />
<br />
No. No, they couldn't be.<br />
<br />
<b>But they are.</b> Jae-ha is wearing <b>white cowboy boots</b>. The only proper way to express my feelings about this issue is with a keyboard smash, but that would hardly be.... Well, let's just say I won't stoop that low on this blog, no matter how much I cursed him to friends. I try to remain vaguely professional here.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZWQgdTIVv7-yj2XTxmfVB-8vi1jzUOGplP4gMt0IQCECmj0K8fsoXvwH_iZefAKgtoiai141Mgse2HKEtZafyz5FDfh_Cfq0ehXUYU4df8dEs0isXPPnLgYtv1L69-FoXCdjq5BsD-Ds/s1600/Jae-ha+Shoes+Compilation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZWQgdTIVv7-yj2XTxmfVB-8vi1jzUOGplP4gMt0IQCECmj0K8fsoXvwH_iZefAKgtoiai141Mgse2HKEtZafyz5FDfh_Cfq0ehXUYU4df8dEs0isXPPnLgYtv1L69-FoXCdjq5BsD-Ds/s1600/Jae-ha+Shoes+Compilation.jpg" height="187" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Back to the topic at hand. Why, you might ask, are white cowboy boots problematic? Well, dear reader, for a few reasons, which I will gladly outline below.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><b>Akatsuki no Yona takes place in a fantasy feudal country...based in Asia.</b> There are especially heavy Chinese influences. (I am not the history buff my friends are, so I shan't go so far as to say it's based in fantasy feudal China - with my luck I'd be wrong - but the influences are strong.) Cowboy boots....are not Asian. Definitely not Asian. They are European-influenced and made for horse riding. THERE ARE NO COWBOY BOOTS IN FEUDAL ASIA.</li>
<li><b>Jae-ha is known for his speed and agility; cowboy boots have virtually no tread.</b> What does he do, slide into the picture? Try to get a running start and fall flat on his arse? Miss corners because he skids past them?</li>
<li><b>Jae-ha is also known for leaping through the air and appearing to fly.</b> With no-tread boots, does he always fall on the landing? Does he skid down rooftops and into the ocean? How would he even manage to take off?</li>
<li><b>Jae-ha is a pirate.</b> Why oh why would you wear white shoes as a pirate?! Why would you wear boots with little to no tread on a BOAT in the OCEAN?! IT MAKES NO SENSE. Finally (and infuriatingly)......</li>
<li><b>Real cowboys and horse people do not wear white boots. The only people who wear white boots are cowboy-wannabes. </b>No one who actually spends a great deal of time with horses and rides regularly wears white cowboy boots. Horses are dirty. White boots get dirt, dust, and grass stains on them, and they're a pain in the rear to clean off. Boots can have white accents and white parts, but those white parts are normally snakeskin or scales of some sort and thus much easier to clean. Incidentally, they're also much more expensive. Ain't it lovely? Solid white cowboy boots are only worn by rich folks who want to pretend to be horse people. As a result, they are expensive and rare. The lightest color actual horse people use on their boots is tan or beige, because those two are about as light as you can go without worrying about intense stains and daily clean-up. They're impractical and excessively troublesome. (I'm looking at you, Jae-ha, you jerk.)</li>
</ol>
<div>
I could not, for the life of me, find a nice pair of affordable white cowboy boots that did not have a stereotypical pair of cruddy wings on them no matter where I looked on the internet. All the nice boots were upwards of $150, and that's just not worth it. I ordered a pair of plain white riding boots which I will paint with pretty designs to make a very nice, pretty boot worthy of this darn pirate.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm still mad at you, Jae-ha. You smug S.O.B.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFNxnK5_K0qnhjOiO6MdRu_w0Nz_GHLnNvfenmmQzYYducC4JJZYCjDuPhqXgDsLe4j439TOd3SgiFdUmCIlPBKmj6FrrzoczwG_W4pFEC7Ct3KuqZPHkK4Z-U_UQrvxCVNpgQeXlHQB7/s1600/tumblr_mmxe17GWnR1r0hygro1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFNxnK5_K0qnhjOiO6MdRu_w0Nz_GHLnNvfenmmQzYYducC4JJZYCjDuPhqXgDsLe4j439TOd3SgiFdUmCIlPBKmj6FrrzoczwG_W4pFEC7Ct3KuqZPHkK4Z-U_UQrvxCVNpgQeXlHQB7/s1600/tumblr_mmxe17GWnR1r0hygro1_500.jpg" height="400" width="346" /></a></div>
Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-69047256047237745392014-01-04T22:23:00.000-08:002014-01-04T22:23:12.068-08:00Adventures in sergingSo, dear readers, I have a late blog post for you all! I've combined last weekend and this weekend's posts into one because I did something new. I probably won't be doing it too terribly often, as it does require a lot of preparation, planning, and me looking (gasp!) presentable, but hey, it worked passably for this one. Granted, I rambled a little, but hopefully you dear ones will find it charming rather than annoying. In short, the explanation for my delay is that Christmas wound up being more eventful than expected and that not long thereafter I found myself with friends in need. As much as I love you dear readers, a friend in need takes precedence over a blog post.<br />
<br />
So, without further ado, the videos!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/G96fwU9r1wE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/CTsyyCmWW7w?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Thank you for reading and watching, my lovely dears! I apologize again for the late update, and I promise I am trying to form a buffer for myself so that I will be able to be more relaxed about updating the blog. Also, I said "first" twice in the second video, whoops. Proof again that I am simply talking to you all rather than carefully scripting myself in these videos. Additionally, the background on the first video is my Ouran High School Host Club wall scroll, obtained at Anime Mid-Atlantic with J-Jo Cosplay. The shirt I'm wearing in the second video is a limited edition Welcome to Night Vale t-shirt. Yes, I am a Night Vale fan, and quite proud of it.<br />
<br />
I don't think I have much else to say, dear readers, so I shall bid you good night!Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-72474314568307474642013-12-22T21:10:00.001-08:002013-12-22T21:10:17.754-08:00My beloved readers....I must apologize, but there is no blog post tonight! I was planning to do something special for tonight's blog post but it unfortunately didn't quite happen, and I'm still up wrapping presents for Christmas. I will have a post for next weekend for certain since I did not have one for you this weekend, but for now, all I really have to say is......<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;">Merry Christmas!!!!</span></h2>
<div>
Oh, and have a few of my favorite Christmas songs:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3pQgSvN7hYo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe>
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/w9tWsfQiTQE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/nDMDTWm1F90?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-72366175486398868712013-12-15T21:30:00.001-08:002013-12-15T21:30:06.467-08:00Important tools in a seamstress' arsenal: numbah two!Good tidings to you in this season of joy, giving, and unfortunate holiday stress! I hope you all are avoiding the stress where you can and instead spending time with loved ones creating memories. Remember that this season is about <i>giving</i>, not <i>receiving</i>, and that often giving time is more important than giving presents. I would rather have a few quiet evenings spent playing games with and chatting with my family and friends than receive many expensive presents.<br />
<br />
This week, I come to you with a brief but hopefully informative post about one of the infinitely important tools in a seamstress or gentleman seamster's arsenal:<br />
<br />
<b>Pinking shears!</b> When I first started sewing and acquiring the tools for my new craft, I didn't even know what pinking shears were. The first time I saw a pair, I thought they seriously resembled those craft scissors you use in scrapbooking, the kind that leave fun shapes on the paper you're cutting. I thought maybe they were for some sort of creative fabric-cutting, and perhaps they left special edges for aesthetically pleasing designs. All I knew was that there was no way I'd ever need those things. As it turned out, I was quite wrong. Pinking shears are very useful for finishing seams. If you have a serger, that works better in many cases, but sergers are much more expensive than a simple pair of pinking shears and can be a daunting investment for someone just getting into the craft. I inherited my serger, and I'll admit I don't know how to use it yet so much of my finishing seams has been with my pinking shears.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcTX3WEGIInoNLbH82jhmdCcdvYtcj2MDKGtcgtOH6_9uCpPwQFmRG9Fp8BmUD8jI38QX8525PGp&usqp=CAE" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcTX3WEGIInoNLbH82jhmdCcdvYtcj2MDKGtcgtOH6_9uCpPwQFmRG9Fp8BmUD8jI38QX8525PGp&usqp=CAE" title="https://www.google.com/shopping/product/7652001637196928456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like my shears, these are Fiskars pinking shears.<br />They are not my exact pair, but they are similar.<br />The hover link is the image's source.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here's a breakdown of what pinking shears do. Fabric is made by interlocking threads that go in two opposite directions. They weave together to form a whole. Look closely at any material and you will see these interlocking threads. Think of the looms many of us did as children, where you use a little hook and loop the bands under and over other bands to make potholders and other small things. Fabric is exactly like that, only much smaller threads and more intricately woven. When you cut this fabric, you run the risk of a single thread coming loose and separating from the rest. Then another will follow suit, and another, and another, until your fabric is unraveling. Ever had a pair of jeans sprout a hole in the knee? Remember how you could pluck the thread away from the hole and make it bigger? That's what I'm talking about here. Now, one way to break up this sort of unraveling is to break up the line of thread so that one strand can't free itself and loosen the entire length. That's where the jagged edge of pinking shears comes in. It breaks up the line of the fabric, helping to slow the fraying process.<br />
<br />
<b>Things to consider when purchasing pinking shears:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Good ones tend to be upwards of $20. Cheaper ones are available, but since you'll be using these a lot and the sharpness of the blade matters, I recommend getting a nicer pair. I have two pairs, one of which I inherited and the other of which I bought, and the bought pair cost me about $25. They've been well worth it and I don't regret the purchase in the slightest. They can be a slightly costly investment, but they're one I recommend making.</li>
<li>You'll be using them a lot to finish off seams, so get a pair that are comfortable for you. My preferred pair have a comfort grip and are fairly large. The inherited pair have a plain plastic grip and are not nearly as comfortable to use. To me, the comfort really matters, and it's worth paying a little extra for.</li>
<li>Pinking shears also come with bells and whistles and titles to make them sound more valuable. Do your research on all these special features before buying to make sure you really need and want what you're getting. A lot of the shears I've seen that tend to be on the $40 side are solid metal and look all shiny and fancy, but they're really not comfortable. They have a nice heft to them, but I'm not buying my shears for their heft, I'm buying them for comfort and efficacy. What I'm saying here is don't be swayed by titles like "dressmaker's shears" or similar claims. Do your homework, make sure these are what you want, and while they are worth investing in, make sure you're not over-investing in something that ultimately won't be worth the extra expense.</li>
</ul>
<div>
That's all I can think of for now with pinking shears. They're very very useful, but be careful about buying overpriced shears; I've seen them up to $80 for one pair. To me, they're not worth quite that much. My $25 pair will do just fine, thank you very much. If you don't already have a pair in your arsenal, start shopping now!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And good night, dear readers - good night.</div>
Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-90662400548573356392013-12-08T21:29:00.003-08:002013-12-15T20:53:39.883-08:00And now, a tale.....Good evening, dear readers! I have returned to you after a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration last weekend and marvelous adventures with friends old and new this weekend. I also had a photoshoot, albeit a small one with my poor-quality camera, on the Sunday following Thanksgiving and shall hopefully have pictures up for you all from that within the next week or two. There will not be many, but we hope it was just a preliminary photoshoot to get a feel for the situation and location so that we can come back with a photographer and better equipment to try again.<br />
<br />
But, in the title, I promise you dear readers a tale, and a tale I shall tell! Step back with me, dear readers, to the week <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JJoCosplay" target="_blank">J-Jo Cosplay</a> decided to pay me a visit. She and I both wanted to get a few photos of my Belle costume with the cape but I, as per usual with me, procrastinated washing the bodice, blouse, skirt, and tights, so we couldn't do it on the weekend when it would have been optimal. I also had not quite finished the cape. I decreed, however, that on Monday we would rush out as soon as I got off work from my first day at my new job and get photos! (I was quite determined.)<br />
<br />
Upon my return, I rushed out of the car and raced up to my room where a slightly worried J-Jo awaited me. It was about 5:30 p.m., so we weren't going to have much daylight. I changed lightning fast. .......... All right, I'll admit that's a lie; there's no way to change lightning fast into a bodice you have to lace up every time you put it on. But my fingers flew and I left anything that wasn't essential. Because I hadn't repaired the zipper on the skirt yet, J-Jo had to help me pin it closed so the darn thing didn't fall off me mid-shoot. And we didn't have many safety pins, so that was a tall order. It more or less stayed together....though it kind of tried to slide off..... J-Jo reminded me that we had such limited time and that we probably wouldn't get many photos or have long. I said that if nothing was ventured, nothing was gained, and that if nothing else we would have a good time running around and laughing at me trying to walk in heels over rough terrain. We abandoned the original plan to drive to our farm for the photos because it was just quicker to walk out behind the house, where we have a field of switchgrass (warm season grass, grows to approximately 6 feet tall) and a little stretch of woods. I trekked past chickens, cows, and my horse while decked out in my full cosplay, cape swishing and all, trying to avoid chicken poop and cow pies as we rushed.<br />
<br />
When we reached the field, the sky was still light, but the sun was beginning to disappear beyond the trees. J-Jo steered me out into the field and suggested a sort of "Lost Princess" theme for the photos, which I tried to match. Let me pause a moment to say that J-Jo is absolutely fantastic, especially with putting up with me and my eccentricities and often my idiocy or ignorance. She is a very stop and go photographer, by which I mean she'll tell you to do something or let you do your own thing and then suddenly tell you to freeze because she wants a picture of whatever it is that you're doing. This creates, in some cases, very natural, gorgeous pictures, and it certainly did here, despite the fading light.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpheac8YsG6LOHT8t3YScsfNXO4kVTNnicp3SeV9l6g4cawM0i8_BtOtnnam8fgSBnnr2jMo2PV8Cq52qmPekv_jjwwHuC5Z92feoOtZqvw4nkStnxihnT1OE_k79tXjlfRsZCbd3ePuf/s1600/857946_612138972179411_208594579_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpheac8YsG6LOHT8t3YScsfNXO4kVTNnicp3SeV9l6g4cawM0i8_BtOtnnam8fgSBnnr2jMo2PV8Cq52qmPekv_jjwwHuC5Z92feoOtZqvw4nkStnxihnT1OE_k79tXjlfRsZCbd3ePuf/s320/857946_612138972179411_208594579_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHwbOHD17YUlrSdRW_nID-1Bzj44Hhc1YDRHMoZ2aYe62pEV1bt0rXvIoDpSBO5r0LytiZhthLOK7gv4tcvHLPVrEz_S3aaNWSpi-iGqec1PEbRfIueXdq-syfsnQ_fAvsciU8xylUOJw/s1600/967092_620776561315652_564730909_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHwbOHD17YUlrSdRW_nID-1Bzj44Hhc1YDRHMoZ2aYe62pEV1bt0rXvIoDpSBO5r0LytiZhthLOK7gv4tcvHLPVrEz_S3aaNWSpi-iGqec1PEbRfIueXdq-syfsnQ_fAvsciU8xylUOJw/s200/967092_620776561315652_564730909_o.jpg" width="200" /></a> First, we tried a few shots with my hood up. As you can see in these pictures, though, my face was seriously shadowed. HS Media did what she could in the editing process for these shots, but they still turned out dark and shadowed. She discarded that and told me to take the hood off, then told me to freeze (when she demands, you do it, because trust me there's an epic reason). She had me pause with my hood half-off and glance towards the camera. My expression isn't the best here, but just look at the framing and angle of that shot! All of these turned out far better than we expected, I think.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZd3VAYUTF_LGql_QDmTVCq6SddApv68WlCd6Y_AbjYC9X9AFWMhe2BqzfqNaKpSYkgzCULrF_CrBcvuWrfqpr76qfL_Thf6-zmpqfgtUMyNR1SrqCurNvw1fObIrcsKPBVj-kjeAIoSW/s1600/1403702_620776647982310_1321615543_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZd3VAYUTF_LGql_QDmTVCq6SddApv68WlCd6Y_AbjYC9X9AFWMhe2BqzfqNaKpSYkgzCULrF_CrBcvuWrfqpr76qfL_Thf6-zmpqfgtUMyNR1SrqCurNvw1fObIrcsKPBVj-kjeAIoSW/s320/1403702_620776647982310_1321615543_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_Q5FPsGRr2k2jZ9KBGbIXJAHzpdF3PxicJIlIpjKpp9K1oiwumB9dCZbmtWDSyR0YDYi28dOkfYQyoyxt7749_r4c91yFHsPeaBGLvDHjIs9KOrCCBLPD3OETUCvAwSMhSWhN_PffNH2/s1600/1393589_620776631315645_613129257_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_Q5FPsGRr2k2jZ9KBGbIXJAHzpdF3PxicJIlIpjKpp9K1oiwumB9dCZbmtWDSyR0YDYi28dOkfYQyoyxt7749_r4c91yFHsPeaBGLvDHjIs9KOrCCBLPD3OETUCvAwSMhSWhN_PffNH2/s200/1393589_620776631315645_613129257_n.jpg" width="111" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRPZv4LQgv_JZ0TDhyf5yPINPo4AkUajSPKpc5ee2aQnPHZkDdARwEuCPvj-_VbUxf6XHN2MvZoTSGF_hrneN0nKYQc3D1KFFgGfAyIxaAIhNSbM1pPxnqpoaJZLRUYWk9k2SQjRt6hBV/s1600/1470389_620776767982298_556201915_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRPZv4LQgv_JZ0TDhyf5yPINPo4AkUajSPKpc5ee2aQnPHZkDdARwEuCPvj-_VbUxf6XHN2MvZoTSGF_hrneN0nKYQc3D1KFFgGfAyIxaAIhNSbM1pPxnqpoaJZLRUYWk9k2SQjRt6hBV/s200/1470389_620776767982298_556201915_n.jpg" width="111" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GXeo4ccvFgw39byQ88LbGcHPG4sFvyjzCJNrFa9Q7prjhWRF1bq6hsFaaOVA23NPQsJVmf5JL1UEWUNpY6KXWVABYIz1pUJXqvBpstydKarDEpRJ3KyvWlC1oZFA16sddkkb2Z4nvLIs/s1600/1451580_620776724648969_453575499_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GXeo4ccvFgw39byQ88LbGcHPG4sFvyjzCJNrFa9Q7prjhWRF1bq6hsFaaOVA23NPQsJVmf5JL1UEWUNpY6KXWVABYIz1pUJXqvBpstydKarDEpRJ3KyvWlC1oZFA16sddkkb2Z4nvLIs/s320/1451580_620776724648969_453575499_n.jpg" width="179" /></a>After we got all the shots we wanted there, we headed for the woods. As I giggled my way across rough terrain, my cloak got snagged on a brier. I grumbled, turned, and freed it. I was a little worried it might have torn or at least snagged badly. Then, with a gleam in her eye, J-Jo told me to do that again. So I turned my back and walked away, and she snapped pictures as I went. Just look at the pretty swishy cape, aaaaaaahhhhhh! I'm still in love with it, I swear. Drapery fabric capes are just SO lovely (though I'm learning some of their downfalls too, whoopsie). Oh, and the cape did not tear, snag, or anything. It's surprisingly durable....except for the seams, but that's a story for another day since it happened a bit more recently. At any rate, after J-Jo snapped several photos, she sent me into the woods. Right off the bat she spotted a tree she wanted me swinging myself around and posing with. I stared at the sea of sticks on the ground between the tree and I and sighed. Rough terrain never bothers a cosplayer, riiiiiiiight? I picked my way across the sticks, certain at any moment I would fall (and there were some close calls I tell you), until I reached and subsequently clung to a rather large hardwood tree. I should be better at tree identification, I know, but I cannot for the life of me remember what kind of tree that was (my money's totally on white oak though). I then played a very odd game of peekaboo with a photographer and a tree as my hiding spot.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Znykl4WHz_g56ehurdb7xWPyFLQHXM8UwjCRSjZw9Dd8tVNZo9pAYgHG12UpMs0F9GNdfiCbEnYNcBrJjnAwEgxDm_WvHo-EQznK8HS1bkGLBdLKYMUZzpjtNFtgJ6vuHin9TMwSV5ou/s1600/1401732_620776787982296_2108844772_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Znykl4WHz_g56ehurdb7xWPyFLQHXM8UwjCRSjZw9Dd8tVNZo9pAYgHG12UpMs0F9GNdfiCbEnYNcBrJjnAwEgxDm_WvHo-EQznK8HS1bkGLBdLKYMUZzpjtNFtgJ6vuHin9TMwSV5ou/s200/1401732_620776787982296_2108844772_o.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzvvyRSnWStwBDwWQkpP-S5brRtoJ1N8Z1A97EK13Ciys0UauA1aIZrkWo6yUdDoER4tSg4twPRY0E2jOcONT-1Q0Ay2ohZxvvzwvN4IFg-KAjDo5Y7rOvvdq1xYTAelu9krVX9O-mySH/s1600/1421286_612138965512745_2041534645_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzvvyRSnWStwBDwWQkpP-S5brRtoJ1N8Z1A97EK13Ciys0UauA1aIZrkWo6yUdDoER4tSg4twPRY0E2jOcONT-1Q0Ay2ohZxvvzwvN4IFg-KAjDo5Y7rOvvdq1xYTAelu9krVX9O-mySH/s200/1421286_612138965512745_2041534645_o.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zqeZ0WEXiRS3QFxyVBbaO9Y5yCoUSMU_FEMTDUU2guXqcSngBm6tZDRqQDtakr_bhwkdmb3eoMjo47GDbCV59q6TKp8tZQQgOTArtK9jrNdogKor_1MuvNRSzLVh0eeTbJPRahILQukH/s1600/881938_612138968846078_651594803_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zqeZ0WEXiRS3QFxyVBbaO9Y5yCoUSMU_FEMTDUU2guXqcSngBm6tZDRqQDtakr_bhwkdmb3eoMjo47GDbCV59q6TKp8tZQQgOTArtK9jrNdogKor_1MuvNRSzLVh0eeTbJPRahILQukH/s320/881938_612138968846078_651594803_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We took pictures in a couple more locations, but the light was nearly gone, and they didn't turn out well enough to salvage. We wandered back across the field, two cosplayers laughing about the chaos we'd just engaged in (she took pictures of me looking at my shoes for heaven's sake), and happily went inside to get changed on my part and go out to dinner on both our parts. It was fun, turned out some very nice photos (though I still hate my expressions in most), and overall was a good learning experience for me.<br />
<br />
Tip so you can learn from my mistakes: Don't have a photoshoot extremely close to nightfall. The sun WILL set, and it WILL lessen the quality of your photos. Give yourself some room to improvise and take crazy photos in crazy locations without being in a rush.<br />
<br />
Also, links! <a href="http://facebook.com/JJoCosplay" target="_blank">I mentioned J-Jo Cosplay, so here she is - check her out!</a> The above photos were edited by HS Media, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/HsCreatives" target="_blank">and you should check her out too, because she's incredible.</a> She's even better when she's both taking and editing the photos. She's also a talented cosplayer! Truly a remarkable person, she is.<br />
<br />
For now, though, that's it dear readers! I hope you enjoy the above photos - I had so much fun getting them - and I'll see you next week! Good night, my dears!Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-19525353728777017432013-11-24T20:58:00.003-08:002013-11-24T20:58:19.731-08:00Oh, the joys of basting...Good evening, my dear readers! This update comes late Sunday night because I spent this weekend with some of the precious people in my life (and drove four hours one way to see them). One of those people was my beloved sewing goddess. I had a lovely weekend with my beloved friends, but I did not forget my wonderful readers, and thus you have an update! Just a small note though - I will not be updating Farm Work and Cosplay Thanksgiving weekend, for I will be spending the time with my friends and family. Updates will resume as usual following that weekend. If you all are very lucky, I might post a few pictures I have not shared with you yet. That is, however, quite up in the air, and I cannot make any promises.<br />
<br />
Now for a tip on basting!<br />
<br />
Many patterns and projects require you to baste two pieces of fabric together, loosely stitching them so that they stay for a neater, tighter stitching job. Now, in basting, you have a few options. First, you can just pin the two pieces of fabric together and forego all the sewing. The problems with this are that the fabric can slip and - the usual problem with pins - you have to be mindful of pulling them out as you go rather than running over them and risking breaking a pin or your needle. Your next option for basting is machine basting, which is often the preferred method. For this, you crank your machine to the longest stitch length and let 'er go. This is often extremely quick and easy (though for this and hand-basting you'll need to pin anyway), and tends to be a preferred method. The third method is hand-basting, in which you take a hand-sewing needle and your thread and you make big swooping stitches just meant to tack the two pieces together. All these methods are made for easy removal later, because these basting stitches won't be in the finished project.<br />
<br />
Now, here's where my tip comes in. Machine basting is tempting and handy in a pinch, but MAKE SURE THE FABRIC FORGIVES NEEDLE MARKS BEFORE YOU MACHINE BASTE.<br />
<br />
Did I get your attention? Okay, here's the deal. When you sew on a piece of fabric, you leave needle marks wherever the needle pushed through. You're probably not going to notice these marks very much when they're part of a seam in a garment, and you'll just see the thread. The trick comes when you rip out the stitches, as you almost always do with basting. As soon as the stitches are removed, the holes are revealed. In some fabrics, these holes don't show up much. They're practically invisible, as though you never stitched in that spot. These fabrics are forgiving. Other fabrics hold nasty, nasty grudges. As soon as you rip the stitches, you see these holes that almost seem gaping, and no matter how gently you take the stitches out, they're still there. The soft, simple cotton I used for Belle's bodice is not very forgiving, as I discovered after machine basting the inner and outer shells together and then ripping the stitches to find noticeable marks in the fabric. Thankfully, in that case, a wash made them far less visible (and you can't really find them now), but I still freaked out when I first saw the marks.<br />
<br />
If you want to test how forgiving the fabric is, take a scrap of it - doesn't need to be big - and run a stitch down it the way you normally do. Then, take it out the same way you normally would and see if there's any damage. If the marks are too visible for your preferences or you see any other problems, just hand-baste or pin it all together. Trust me, that's better than freaking out over holes in your fabric.<br />
<br />
This has been a tip on basting from your friendly neighborhood cosplayer! Have a lovely Thanksgiving, dear readers, and I'll see you again the week following! Remember, I will be taking Thanksgiving weekend off to spend time with friends and family (and possibly have a photoshoot). I send to you all my love and best wishes! Goodnight, and safe travels!Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-11204017556784853862013-11-17T21:36:00.002-08:002013-11-17T21:36:46.469-08:00A few bodice tipsHello, dear readers! So, at present, I'm working on a bodice for a friend. Yes, Jae-ha is on the back burner at the moment, but I promise he'll get done, and he'll be worked on soon. Mostly I was waiting for my first paycheck from the new job so that I have more funds to buy nice fabrics and materials so I can make him as pretty as his vain self deserves to be, and I already have the materials for the bodice. In the spirit of my current task, I offer you some tips and tutorials on bodices!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbSjteKamlvvJY5GMUSoTA0K98xmAthv0HlAC7Ol-CcWB2cs_nwk11ZIVVEllAibXgy05RdAdNKVcL_KkaFutSEs-RdQgBtduVc8VrpydYD9XnFSvmghgH-vHshtKf80gPDUJ4jMDLJZ_/s1600/DSC08714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbSjteKamlvvJY5GMUSoTA0K98xmAthv0HlAC7Ol-CcWB2cs_nwk11ZIVVEllAibXgy05RdAdNKVcL_KkaFutSEs-RdQgBtduVc8VrpydYD9XnFSvmghgH-vHshtKf80gPDUJ4jMDLJZ_/s200/DSC08714.JPG" width="111" /></a>The pattern I'm using at present isn't really a pattern, per se, but rather a set of instructions for making a custom bodice. This is the same set of instructions I used when making Belle's bodice, and it can be modified for use with any bodice or corset shape. Plus, it's not as hard as it sounds! <a href="http://seamstressconfessions.blogspot.com/2012/11/belle-blue-dress-part-1.html" target="_blank">This post on Confessions of a Seamstress</a> details how to make Belle's bodice, skirt, and blouse. The bodice is described in the most detail, and if you plan to make any sort of bodice or corset, I do recommend at least reading this tutorial. It helps a lot, and there are photos of almost every step in the process. For the skirt, though, my sewing goddess found <a href="http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2009/08/sew-full-gathered-skirt-part-one-make.html" target="_blank">this fantastic tutorial on full, gathered skirts</a> which even includes links to tutorials on invisible zippers. I do recommend the above link, as I found it pretty easy to follow and it turned out the lovely skirt you see in my Belle cosplay. I intend to use the same tutorial for making a skirt for the same friend, but I'm going to be a wretch and make her do part of the sewing on that. She said she wanted to learn how to sew, after all....<br />
<br />
Anyway, a few tips I've gleaned! First, use <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZTF2h17i_I" target="_blank">this tutorial</a> to make a custom pattern for your bodice. Make sure you have a full roll of duct tape, two if you think one won't be enough, and a ratty old shirt. Also, I recommend wearing the bra you plan to wear under the costume so the fit is just right. Be mindful when cutting the pattern off because you can slice your own bra by accident. This did happen to me, but my sewing goddess repaired it. You WILL need a friend if you want to use this on yourself.<br />
<br />
Second tip! For the inner layer of lining and interfacing, it doesn't matter so much how visible your marks are on the lining. Make the lines very visible on the interfacing, and as long as you have enough lining fabric, you should be able to line things up just fine. Use those crisp, clear marks on the interfacing (chances are they'll look better than the marks on the lining no matter how you do it) to pin correctly. Pin with the marked side out so you can easier sew along it when you're putting pieces together.<br />
<br />
Next, boning! I used plastic boning, the kind you can machine-sew over. Make sure your boning curls in towards your body, or you could risk wearing a hole through the outside layer of the bodice. It also can look a little tacky if it's always curving out. Also, before you put the boning in, I recommend soaking it in hot water and then flattening it overnight under heavy books. This will help some with the curling and make it easier to work with. And MAKE SURE you leave room for your eyelets between the boning and the bias tape on the front of your bodice. You don't want strangely spaced eyelets that look too far in on the garment. I also personally would err on the side of more boning than I needed, just because it helps with the structure of the garment.<br />
<br />
Lastly for now, if you're gonna put in eyelets, don't use that little kit that comes with some boxes of eyelets. Splurge a little and get an eyelet punch. Trust me, they're worth it. I've used mine for plenty more things than just adding eyelets to garments, and it's definitely paid for itself many times over. Eyelets punches are wonderful.<br />
<br />
That's all I've got for you at the moment, but I have a little project in the works. Hopefully that will come to light soon and I can start sharing it with you all! (And since the first paycheck has officially come in, methinks a trip to the fabric store is in order soon.)Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-28097034102155646862013-11-12T18:23:00.000-08:002013-11-12T18:23:47.699-08:00Singleness [and moving updates to the weekends]Good evening, dear readers! I'm sorry for the late update. I'm officially moving updates to the weekend for the time being, as they're hard for me to keep up with during the week. Until I get myself acclimated to my new schedule, weekends are much easier for me to manage. Thus, you should look for updates on Sundays! I won't guarantee I'll get them up any earlier than that, so just check in on Sundays (or whenever you see the tumblr or facebook mention of a new post). I plan to try to return to a middle-of-the-week update schedule later, once I'm more settled in my new job, but until then, I'm going to do what it takes for me to keep things going.<br />
<br />
All that housekeeping aside, this week I hope you'll indulge me as I talk about something that's been on my mind lately: Singleness.<br />
<br />
So as many of you know, I recently started a new job! This is a wonderful step in my life since I'm now an editor officially. The schedule is taking some acclimating, but I'm adjusting gradually and learning to better budget and manage my time. At any rate, in this job, I find myself surrounded by young women in the same age bracket as I. Many of these women, in their early to mid twenties, are already married. This, along with a comment made by a single young woman in conversation with me, got me thinking. The young woman said she didn't like the film "Brave" because Merida did not have an actual love interest; the movie had no "Disney Prince" to sweep in and create a romance. She made it clear that this was the sole reason she didn't like the movie.<br />
<br />
The strong, independent female was the POINT of "Brave". Merida didn't need a man to make her interesting. She had her journey to travel and character development to undergo, and she didn't need a man for any of it. She stood on her own, and that was the <i>point</i>. To throw in a prince as her love interest would have undermined her agency as a character. She wanted to choose her own fate rather than have it chosen for her by a marriage she did not desire.<br />
<br />
We as women are told so often through the media, through other people, women included, and through the overall attitude of society that we <i>need </i>a mate to be validated. We're told that yeah, it's okay to be single, as long as you're aiming towards getting a significant other eventually. It's okay to be single...for now. But you're eyeing up every guy as a potential romance, right? You're assessing whether or not he could be your Special Someone, right? This eliminates the idea that any guy can be your friend. Never mind that an excellent foundation for a relationship is friendship. Every guy has to be a potential relationship.<br />
<br />
This idea that a woman is less valuable when she doesn't have a man is extremely prevalent in Christian circles, and since I'm a Christian I kind of tend to run in those circles. The local Christian college, where I now work, was known in my old school and in the community at large as a place girls went to get an "MRS" degree. It was a college you went to in order to get a boyfriend, and eventually a husband, not an education. This whole attitude, this whole mentality, frustrates me to no end. Bettering yourself should not be the means to the end of gaining a husband. Educate yourself. Learn, grow, experience the world, and don't do it just so you can be a better girlfriend or possibly meet this great guy. Do it for <i>you</i>, because <i>you're</i> worth it. If you happen to meet someone and fall head over heels, great!<br />
<br />
Ladies, you're valuable with or without a mate. It's okay to be single. It's okay if you never find someone you want to settle down with. It's okay if you never want to settle down. It's okay if you find the idea of taking on a romantic relationship nauseating or unappealing. Make friends with guys and girls. Form meaningful, long-term relationships of the platonic variety. Forge friendships that will last a lifetime. You matter for <i>you</i>, not for your potential as a wife or mother. By the same token, if you find the person you want to be with in high school, great! If you find that person in college, fantastic! If you find them walking down the street one day outside the local Gamestop, excellent! You're valuable whether or not you're in a relationship. For the Christian young women out there, don't ever let anyone tell you that you have to be married to have value. In the Old Testament, we remember Deborah the prophetess for her prophecies and for accompanying a warrior into battle. Her husband is mentioned once, and only once. In I Corinthians 7, Paul encourages men and women to remain single, <i>not</i> to pursue marriage. Read it for yourselves if you have any doubt!<br />
<br />
In conclusion.... Please, my dear readers, don't take your value from your relationship status. Don't look down on someone because they're single, or because they're <i>not</i> single. When you enter a relationship, you're not joining with your other half. You're an individual, complete and whole as you are, choosing to be with another individual. And if you never enter a relationship, you're not missing half of yourself. You're whole the way you are. Your significant other can improve you, yes - I'm not disputing that - but they are not the source of your value. Dear readers, please remember that whatever state you're in, <i>you matter.</i> Work on yourself. Don't rely on someone else to shape you or magically transform you into a better person. The power is in <i>your</i> hands, not someone else's.Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-33884141137490815072013-10-31T18:37:00.002-07:002013-10-31T19:23:01.347-07:00Important tools in a seamstress' arsenal: numbah 1 (and a little catch-up)Firstly, dear readers, let me say that I am so grateful to you all for sticking with me through my two-week absence and my last attempted post. There will be a short version (tl;dr for those more versed in chatspeak) and a long explanation version of what's going on in my life at the bottom of this post.<br />
<br />
For now, my loves, we'll turn our attention to cosplay! I'd like to point out a tool that those newer to sewing don't always know they should have in their arsenal:<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/images/products/638_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/images/products/638_1.jpg" title="http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/sewing/sewing-notions/tools-and-accessories/dritz-deluxe-seam-ripper-.htm" width="169" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the seam ripper I have!<br />
It's served me well. Link is the<br />
image's source.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>The seam ripper</b>! I'll admit, when I first started getting tools for my newest <strike>addiction</strike> hobby, I didn't think I needed a seam ripper. I mean, I'm trying to sew things, not rip up the stuff I sewed! Right? Wasn't long before I proved myself wrong on that particular opinion. I sewed a seam on my Howl shirt far too long and had to rip part of it out, which broke my little amateur heart. I've sewn many seams since then that I've had to rip out for one reason or another, whether it be that the fabric puckered, I sewed the wrong two pieces together, the finished product fit too snugly, or I sewed it to my own pants. (That last has happened on several occasions, but only while hand-sewing.) Seam rippers are essential to the inventory of any seamstress or gentleman seamster.<br />
<br />
<b>Things to consider when purchasing a seam ripper:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>They can come very cheap. The one pictured on the side can be found at the link provided for $3.65 at the time of this posting. A quick search of JoAnn's website found the same seam ripper normally listed at $3.79 but currently on sale for $1.89. They range up and down the scale from the prices listed. Shop carefully!</li>
<li>Many have special features designed to make them more comfortable...but really, do you <i>need</i> all that special stuff? I've seen them with comfort grips, padding, all sorts of things. If that's important to you, then by all means, find a tricked-out seam ripper! For me personally, it's best to go simple.</li>
<li>Seam rippers also come with a variety of features meant to make them more effective. These range from built-in lights to folding to having an attached magnifying glass. (All of those referenced can be found with a quick search for "seam ripper" on JoAnn's website. Click through a page or two. You'll find them.) If these things are important to you, go for it! Just remember that when you're in a hurry, you may find that magnifying glass gets in your way rather than helps you see the seam, or that the battery on the light goes out and you have a horrid time trying to replace it. Extra bells and whistles, while shiny and wonderful and nice, also increase the number of ways something can go wrong. Bear that in mind.</li>
<li>They range in size from a couple of inches to scissor-sized. I find the tiny ones too small to be comfortable and prefer my larger, fits-in-my-hand seam ripper. If you're going to be ripping out long seams but also trying to get in tight places, you might want to consider getting a large and a small seam ripper. I like my mid-size perfectly fine, but that's just me. </li>
</ul>
<div>
And that's about it! Seam rippers are, for the most part, simple. If you don't have one in your arsenal, I strongly recommend acquiring one (or three - backups are also a good idea if you lose things easily) - you won't regret it. I do believe you'll find yourself using it quite often, too!<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
Now, dear readers, for the catch-up!<br />
<br />
<b>Short version (tl;dr):</b> We put my horse Stinger down two weeks ago Monday. I'd had him over ten years and I mourned him before and after I lost him. I'm still mourning him. The week preceding was a very difficult time. I also started a new job this Monday (four days ago) as a Course Editor! This is very good, happy news, and though I'm adjusting, I'm very happy about it! Also, J-Jo Cosplay, my partner in crime and a master of mayhem, spontaneously decided to take a bus to visit me on Friday and just went home today.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://scontent-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/q79/s720x720/1378513_665053113513662_1570526288_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="https://scontent-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/q79/s720x720/1378513_665053113513662_1570526288_n.jpg" title="Stinger on his last day, taken by a very good friend of mine who was there with me that day. (I'd put the name, but with online versus RL aliases, I'm not sure what name to put.)" width="320" /></a><b>Long version: </b>Three weeks ago this weekend, my horse Stinger's condition started to deteriorate. As mentioned before, he's struggled with cancer in the past and was being treated for it at the time. Last Sunday I noticed that his left hind leg, which he'd been favoring for a while, was significantly swollen and the swelling was fairly firm. This boded ill. I called a different vet and got a second opinion since I already knew what the original vet would say. She gave me the verdict that the swelling resulted from lymphatic drainage and the firmness of it meant it could not be reversed. She gave me options, but none included any real long-term improvement. I made the difficult decision to make him as comfortable as possible for a week and at the end of that time put him down. During that week I cried daily and went through all the stages of grief. It was...rough. I couldn't see past the day we'd put him down. I just walked in a haze of pain and crying. I didn't want to lose him and I couldn't imagine life without him. When Monday rolled around at last, I cried several times that day. My family and friends rallied around me both in person and online. Without their support I would have been lost and floundering. One friend spent the day with me and we watched a movie and gamed some. It still hurt, but I could see forward again. On Wednesday I received a phone call from a lady with whom I'd interviewed a few weeks prior. She offered me a position as a Course Editor, which I naturally jumped on! She said I'd be starting this Monday, which was fine with me though there was a bit of job overlap. J-Jo Cosplay decided to hop on a bus and come visit me because she's wonderful and wanted to make sure I was okay and cheered up, so I picked her up from the bus station Friday. She's been with me through today and on Monday we had an impromptu photoshoot with my Belle cosplay (cape included) out behind my house. She outsourced the editing to the incredible HS Media Cosplay Photography and Videography as a Christmas present to me (her birthday presents to me were incredible too), and even though the shoot was far darker than optimal conditions, several photos came out fairly well! I need to work on expressions more for future photos, however, as I'm far from satisfied with my own expressions in the shots. Still, J-Jo did an amazing job, as did HS! Again, dearest readers, thank you so much for sticking with me and being here for this blog post. I appreciate your patience and loyalty! The update schedule may be changing due to my new job, but that's not for sure yet. I'll keep you all updated.<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's a little teaser from the shoot for you beloved folks.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1421286_612138965512745_2041534645_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="179" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1421286_612138965512745_2041534645_o.jpg" title="Photo by J-Jo Cosplay. Editing by HS Media Cosplay Photography and Videography. Didn't they both do lovely jobs?" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HS Media Cosplay Photography and Videography here: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HsCreatives">www.facebook.com/HsCreatives</a><br />
J-Jo Cosplay: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JJoCosplay">www.facebook.com/JJoCosplay</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-48715919035022781352013-10-16T23:06:00.005-07:002013-10-16T23:06:59.718-07:00Blog post forthcoming!Sorry it's not up on time, dear readers. As some of you know, I've had a lot of....stuff going on. I'll tell you more tomorrow when I've got the post done, and I'm so sorry for the wait.Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-25300302474354248312013-10-09T11:32:00.000-07:002013-10-09T11:32:06.496-07:00Cosplaying on a budget?So am I!<br />
<br />
Cosplaying on a budget can be <i>hard</i>. I know, I'm on a pretty darn tight budget. I work as a server at the local Olive Garden. I make good money some nights, okay money some nights, and downright poor money some nights. It all leads to an extremely variable income, also very dependent on what nights I'm scheduled to work. So I have a slim budget that changes week to week and no shortage of cosplay goals and projects. I'm no expert at cosplaying on a budget, but I will gladly pass on some tips and tricks gleaned from my own experiences!<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Plan ahead.</b> I know, I know, you just <i>had</i> to do that character from that one series for the con that's in two weeks so you just <i>couldn't</i> plan ahead! That's all well and good, and you might be able to do it cheaply. But when you can do so, I STRONGLY recommend planning the cosplays in your lineup well in advance. This way you have more time to scout, plot, shop sales, etc. After all, if you can purchase something at half price, there's no sense in rushing and buying it at full price.<br /></li>
<li><b>Connect with your local fabric store.</b> Most fabric stores have newsletters you can sign up for. My local JoAnn's sends me coupons and sale notifications in the mail, via email, and via text. All of these have helped me keep track of sales and purchase fabrics and materials as inexpensively as possible. Unless what you're buying is cheap anyway, always use coupons when you can. I just bought 5 yards of a dark blue micro-suede fabric for 40% off because I shopped sales. If I hadn't done that, the darn fabric probably would have broken the bank. Oh, and the fabric for my Belle cloak? 50% off because I stumbled upon a sale. It's so worth it, and if you've <i>planned ahead</i>, you'll have time to shop sales and wait to purchase fabrics until your coupons take effect.<br /></li>
<li><b>Check out Goodwill.</b><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>Sometimes you won't believe the things they have at Goodwill! If you're planning a modern cosplay, Goodwill is especially useful. I bought all the pieces for my Murasame cosplay (other than the wig) for less than $10. (The wig itself was a lucky find on ebay for $18.) That's far cheaper than making it myself. Additionally, check Goodwill for fabric options. They sometimes have bolts of fabric and don't realize just how valuable what they have really is, so sell it for cheap. Also, if you see a shirt with fabric you really like at Goodwill, why not buy it and use it for fabric scraps? If you're on a budget, you have to think creatively. And remember that since Goodwill is funded by donations, different Goodwills will have different stock. Check more than one for the best chance of finding what you need.<br /></li>
<li><b>Always carry reference images when looking at fabric.</b> This isn't as important with characters like Murasame, who doesn't have an in-color reference available. But for characters like Belle, or Tulio, or anyone who has multiple in-color references, you need to make sure you're buying the correct color of fabric the first time. I bought several yards of the wrong color fabric for Belle the first time and had to buy more. Luckily I wasn't on quite as tight a budget then, but that still wasn't an expense I needed.<br /></li>
<li><b>Measure twice, cut once.</b> Why does this point belong in tips for cosplaying on a budget? Simple! If you cut before making certain of your measurements, you run the risk of ruining the fabric beyond repair and forcing yourself to purchase more. If you're cosplaying on a budget, you probably can't spare the extra expense. And remember, it's ALWAYS better to make something too big than too small. You can always hem it shorter, or sew it a bit tighter, but adding material? That's far more difficult and can look downright awkward. So always double-check your measurements before you cut! </li>
</ul>
<div>
These are definitely not all the ways to save when cosplaying on a budget, but I hope these tips will help those of you on budgets like me to save some money where you can! Now if you lovely, dear readers will excuse me, I'm going to actually eat lunch. </div>
Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-37447817342682134982013-10-02T22:42:00.001-07:002013-10-02T22:42:18.504-07:00ProcrastinationGood evening, dear readers! In this week's blog post I want to talk about procrastination.....the very thing that caused this blog post to be so late.<br />
<br />
It's the bane of all of us, from cosplayers to writers to students to professionals. Across the board people struggle with procrastination. It drives us nuts and drives the people around us nuts as they can't figure out why we're not just starting on that project already. I certainly haven't figured out how to destroy my habit of procrastination, but for this week's blog post, I want to look at the roots of procrastination and give some tips that have helped me combat it.<br />
<br />
<b>1. The root of procrastination is not laziness.</b> I've seen different theories about the roots of procrastination. <a href="http://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/10/27/procrastination/" target="_blank">This article</a>, using Netflix as an example, points out that people go for instant gratification over long-term planning. Is it instantly gratifying to start that project you know will take weeks to accomplish? No, it's way more instantly gratifying to start playing a video game or watch an episode of Family Guy. And as <a href="http://www.raptitude.com/2011/05/procrastination-is-not-laziness/" target="_blank">this article</a> <span style="font-family: inherit;">says, procrastination is "<span style="line-height: 21px;">a neurotic self-defense behavior that develops to protect a person’s sense of self-worth." I strongly recommend reading the article, especially skipping down to the section titled "The real causes of procrastination." It goes on to say that, for procrastinators, failure and criticism are very painful, and the prospect of encountering either one makes the procrastinator hesitate to do anything reflecting his or her abilities. In a nutshell, procrastinators are often perfectionists and hesitate to start for fear of messing something up. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b>2. Find the root of your procrastination.</b> I procrastinated doing this blog post because I couldn't figure out what to write about. I discarded topic after topic after topic, pushing most into the realm of the future because I thought "How in the world could I possibly tackle that? I'm not ready. I'm not good enough." I read over the posts I've made already and cringed, nitpicking details and seeing mistakes that may or may not even be there. I thought, "If I tackle <i>this </i>or <i>this</i>, I'll muck it up. If I write about <i>this</i>, I'll just be ranting. If I work with <i>this</i>, no one will find it interesting. If I go <i>this route</i>, I'll bore everyone to tears - including myself! What can I do???" The root of my procrastination with many cosplay-related issues is the fear that some sloppy stitch will be seen, or that I'll cut this wrong, or I'll pin it wrong, and it will be a failure. I don't want to mess it up, and - even worse! - I have money invested in it. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b>3. You found the root of your procrastination. Now tackle it! </b>Remember the bodice I made for Belle? I was TERRIFIED of making that bodice. I had to work with boning, and interfacing, and bias tape, and all these things with which I had NO experience. I just knew I was going to suck at it and ruin it. So, I bought twice the amount of almost everything that I needed. No embarrassing trips back to the fabric store. And then I told myself the inner lining and interfacing shell wouldn't be seen by the world. Pfft, it's always hidden by being against my body, and the absolute inside of it won't be seen ever once I sew the outer shell on! So I could make that part without fear of failure, because the only one who'd ever know was me. No one else ever had to see or know I'd messed up if I did. I was able to do that. Then with the outer shell, all the stitches were on the inside. They wouldn't be seen either! In this way, I talked myself through each step and convinced myself there was nothing to worry about one piece at a time. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b>4. Buddy system.</b> What honestly helps me the most is being with someone else who is working on something creativity-oriented. I can hold them accountable, and they can hold me accountable. I like to sew with friends because it helps me actually get stuff done and not just re-watch an episode of Ouran on my laptop. It also helps, if you can't have a friend physically there, to just call and talk to them on the phone, or message them online, or something like that. You can have them text you every so-often to ask if you're working on your project. It doesn't fix the problem, but it helps. My sewing goddess - you know who you are - is my biggest resource. If she says "Have you finished this?" and I have to shuffle my feet and say "Erm....well no, I mean I got distracted....." then I feel terribly guilty and I start work on it promptly. Being around her helps me get things done. I sewed almost my entire Belle skirt while I was with her because she is my security net when it comes to cosplay. I felt like I'd be okay as long as I was with her because she could help me if I ran into a snag. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 21px;"><b>5. Plan ahead.</b> Yes, planning can be a form of procrastination. I know it, because I do it. But I find that if I plan that I will cut all my fabric on Wednesday and I force myself to stick to that plan, I am able to be productive. If I let myself slide by, I'm met with more guilt than before. If you plan to meet a friend and sew all day, then you have another person to hold you to your goals, and you know in advance that you'll be working on the project that day. Routine sometimes helps as well. Getting in the habit of working on something during a particular part of the day, every day, can help ensure that at least a little of it gets done. Additionally, if you start well in advance, your procrastination won't do as much harm. I started on my Belle bodice six months before Otakon and often procrastinated for several weeks at a time, but it got done way in advance. </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 21px;"><b>6. Don't let yourself slide.</b> If you plan to work on something a particular day, put all the fail-safe measures you can in place and have a friend hold you accountable. Don't brush it off unless an emergency comes up. And no, an emergency is not "Ehhhhh I just wasn't feeling it." That doesn't count folks, sorry. (Also, "Oh my gosh this movie will only be on Netflix today!" doesn't count as one either.)</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 21px;"><b>7. Know that you're not in this alone.</b> Procrastination is something that many people suffer from, and it's a serious problem. Procrastination, perfectionism, feeling inferior - these are universal things. You're not the only one. If nothing else, there's me, fighting procrastination daily. </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 21px;">So, dear readers, it is with this that I must leave you. Remember that it is in understanding the enemy that we take the first step in besting him, and we are one step closer to understanding and besting this opponent. We will fight procrastination together! And in all honesty, I fight this battle daily. I'm a perfectionist. I was a very smart kid, got straight A's without trying through high school, graduated valedictorian of my class with a 4.0 GPA, and was punished for getting C's on tests and quizzes. I grew to hate failing and having anyone disappointed in me. I'm terrified of not living up to the expectations of others. I bolt rather than facing that I've hurt someone I love because I can't deal with the fact that I'm not as perfect of a friend as I want to be. So I put off starting things because I don't want to mess them up. I don't want to screw up something that really matters to me. I love sewing, and crocheting, and writing. But I hesitate to start things because I don't want to fail. You're not alone. I fight this battle too. Tonight, I may have only won by a slim margin, but I still won. This post is up. You're reading it. And hopefully, you're a little better armed than you were before. Good night, dear readers, and good luck.</span>Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-24890210839844200912013-09-26T09:36:00.001-07:002013-09-26T09:36:30.112-07:00HEYYYYYYYY READERSJust popping in to drop you all <a href="http://woodsypuca.tumblr.com/post/62338891597/daryltohblogs-solar-citrus-this-has-been" target="_blank">this link</a>. Read it and replace "art" with "costumes" or "props" or "poses" or "being in character," because it applies to ALL of those. So you're new? Doesn't mean you should quit! No one who does this kind of stuff instantly gets it and does it spectacularly. No one. Everyone starts not knowing how to do anything and works up to doing amazing stuff. Don't believe me? Ask that epic cosplayer you meet about their first costume, or their first props. Ask them whether they've ever felt like they're not good enough. Ask them if they feel they've achieved perfection yet.<br />
<br />
Just because you're not as good at something as someone else doesn't mean you should quit it. Seriously, honestly, you'll learn. You'll grow. You'll get better. Work at it. It doesn't come instantaneously.<br />
<br />
This has been a public service announcement from Canny Puca Cosplay, a cosplayer who often feels inferior and like she's got nothing going for her but fights through it and keeps trying to improve and do better each time.Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-39425175440988697142013-09-25T23:44:00.001-07:002013-09-25T23:44:18.472-07:00A terribly brief postGood day (night?) to you, dear readers! I'm afraid I have but a brief post for this week, as I have had a busy last few days and am a grade-A procrastinator.<br />
<br />
Actually, for this week, I want you all to take a look at a couple of things I have come across while surfing tumblr. (It's terribly addictive, I must say.) First, I'd like you to read this <a href="http://cannypucacosplay.tumblr.com/post/61648732848/isthistakenalready-jujujuli-trucy" target="_blank">story from a cosplayer</a>. For those who won't click the link or who will keep reading this paragraph before clicking aside and reading the tale, it's about a cosplayer and her group of friends who ran into the nastier side of the reality tv show Heroes of Cosplay. I do not know the person who wrote it personally, and I know first hand that you should take anything you read on the internet with a grain of salt, but I still came away from reading that account disturbed and disgusted. Cons are a haven for the different, for those who don't fit in elsewhere. They are a place we can show off our hard work and dedication to a hobby that others often don't understand. I don't know about you, dear readers, but I don't want someone who destroys my con experience called a "hero" of my hobby. The behavior of those involved with the show and the competition was abominable in this tale. If you or anyone you know has ever competed in such an event, you know that it's hard work, and it takes hours and hours of blood, sweat, and tears to pull it all together. I have to give the judges props for awarding the prizes where they were deserved rather than where they were expected.<br />
<br />
I'm just sickened by the kind of mindset that believes this kind of behavior is okay. It's not. It's so many levels of not okay. You should never look down on others, no matter what your reasoning may be. So you're richer than someone else? Don't look down on them. So their costume isn't as good as yours? You don't know their life, you don't know their story, you don't know what may have happened to cause it. So they bought their cosplay but you made yours? So what? Yes, the cosplayers on <i>Heroes of Cosplay</i> were steered into acting a certain way by the directors, the producers, the show's creators. But here's something I've learned from a lifetime of people having expectations of me: you always have a choice. There comes a point at which you have to choose between what is expected and what is right. You are the weaker individual if you do not choose what is right. Treating another person with such marked disrespect is not right. The behavior of these individuals was uncalled for and inappropriate, and make no mistake, they could have made better choices.<br />
<br />
To end on a more positive note, <a href="http://cannypucacosplay.tumblr.com/post/61510596949" target="_blank">this</a> is what attitudes on cosplay should be. Cosplay is about having fun and enjoying yourself, <b>not</b> about meeting someone else's lofty ideal of what cosplay should be.<br />
<br />
Again, I'm sorry this blog post is short and mostly consists of ranting. I promise next week's will be better. So good night, dear readers, and may pleasant dreams visit your slumber.Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-2969274688380930702013-09-17T21:30:00.000-07:002013-09-17T21:33:29.332-07:00A different perspectiveRather than centering on cosplay, this week's blog post is going to focus on farm life. As I've mentioned before, I was born and raised on a farm, and I'm an only child to boot. Normally "only child" means spoiled rotten, but when raised on a farm, "only child" means "only free labor." In light of that and in light of recent events in my own life and on the farm, I present to you the following lessons gleaned from my time on the farm.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>A child raised on a farm learns most lessons the hard way.</b> There's often not time to teach the child gently why she should or shouldn't do something. If she doesn't listen, she encounters the consequences. She learns that sometimes, there really <i>is</i> just one right way to do something. And if she decides to be stubborn and not do what she's supposed to, often her parents sit back and watch her run headlong into whatever results, only swooping in to rescue her if it goes terribly wrong. Lessons learned the hard way stick well, though, and the child remembers them for years to come. (Why do I rarely wear shorts? Chiggers. Evil blighters. Lesson learned the very hard, itchy way.)<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>A child raised on a farm learns to be tough.</b> If you're sick or weak and there's no way out of the situation, you don't wimp out and leave the people depending on you with the short end of the stick. You tough it out. This happened to me on Friday night, when I was miserably sick and in a fog. I was stuck in a closing section, and the manager couldn't find anyone to move up and close for me. It didn't matter how rotten I felt at that point. I had to stay, and I had to tough it out. Honestly, unless I'd been throwing up or unable to move, I would not have insisted upon going home. I couldn't. It's both a matter of pride and a matter of something beyond pride, something that ties to the core of a person's being. You cannot let your partners down, and in that job, the entire staff are your partners. Even if they let you down, you cannot fail them. It's hard to explain this mentality completely, as it's something that is so deeply ingrained I don't fully understand it myself. It's the reason that if I upset a friend or feel I've let him or her down, I will fight to redeem myself while believing myself to be a despicable creature. You have to be tough, and you have to support the team. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Anyone who spends more than a year on a farm learns that each season comes with its own trials and tribulations.</b> There is no ideal season, full of beauty and ease, just as there is no such season in life. Spring comes with rains that can wash out roads and clog ditches with leaves. Summer brings variable weather, from droughts to flood warnings, and is the season of shuffling livestock and trying to cut and harvest hay crops as well as various fruits, berries, and vegetables. Fall carries with it a second cutting of hay and harvest time for various fruits and vegetables, especially at its junction with summer. It's also the time in which the farmer prepares for winter, checking fences, clearing ditches again, repairing barns and buildings, making sure water sources are in proper condition, and so on. Winter brings the threat of snow and ice which can send tree branches crashing down onto fences, not to mention the potential of frozen pipes bursting and cutting off water supply to thirsty animals. In the winter, animals must be fed hay. This means every few days, come rain or shine or snow or sleet, someone's taking a tractor out and putting a round bale in the feeder or scattering hay across the field. Then depending on what season the farmer has chosen, some time in the year calves are being born, so you're on a pretty constant baby watch. Calves are counted and accounted for to ensure predators haven't killed one, a calf hasn't wandered away from its mother and can't figure out how to get back, or even that all the cows are taking to their calves and letting them nurse. If one of the calves isn't getting the milk it needs, it may need to be bottlefed, and that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Just as each season comes with its own difficulties, each season is also breathtakingly beautiful.</b> Sometimes it strikes me as I'm walking out to do my chores for the day just how gorgeous the world around me is. I've had my breath taken away on a winter morning by the icicles hanging on pine branches, glistening in the sunlight. In fall, I stare in wonder at the trees as the leaves change colors, and at the fallen leaves carpeting the ground. In the summer I have to smile at the abundance of beauty in the shades of green in the trees, grass, ivy, clover, everything. I'll walk through the woods by the stream and see life, verdant and bright, displayed all around. In the spring, the flowers bloom in waves and their sweet scent fills the air. The beauty of each season is displayed so clearly if you just take a walk, and the beauty of a sunset and a sunrise are eternal. Even rain is beautiful. (I actually adore rain. It's a thing. <a href="http://www.rainymood.com/" target="_blank">And when I need to relax, I listen to this.</a>) All you really have to do to see the beauty of the seasons is walk outside, stop, close your eyes, take a moment, then open them and really <i>look</i>. Even in the middle of the hardest work, I can take a moment to admire the carefully crafted miracles on every side. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>A child raised on a farm loses many animals.</b> You can't save every animal. A farm is a business, and in that business, you take losses. Those aren't just animals lost to disease, or accident, or old age, but animals slaughtered for food and sold because you just don't have enough pasture for them all. I lost my first cat when I was four or five and my first dog in elementary school. Since then I've lost many more cats, several more dogs, plenty of cattle and chickens, several peachicks, a goat, and rabbits. I've helped haul a half-decayed calf out of a cow because she couldn't have it on her own and it had died inside her. A child raised on a farm learns swiftly that animals die, and animals are lost, and sometimes you never get closure. It hurts, and it's a hard lesson, but you learn about loss, and you learn to deal with it. Due to all the loss, however.....</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>A child raised on a farm understands the fragility of life.</b> She learns to value the lives she's able to touch when she's able to touch them, and she learns that life can be lost in the blink of an eye. She learns that just because something is here today doesn't mean it will be tomorrow. She learns that a horse can colic and before the vet can arrive, the horse can pass. She learns that a single complication in the birth of a calf can lead to the death of the calf or the cow, maybe both. She learns that a baby bird can fall out of its nest and, just because of that one mishap, perish. She learns life is precious in its fragility. She learns to treasure the moments she has with the creatures and people she has, and that there is no room for regrets when moving forward, so she shouldn't give them an opportunity to take root. Life is beautiful, tragic, and miraculous. And it is so, so precious. Every life is precious in its own way.<br />
<br />
You might ask what sparked all this. I write now with more hope and optimism than I had when I started this post. My gelding Stinger has battled cancer - skin cancer, but still a nasty beast - three times now. It was knocked back substantially the first time by me performing chemotherapy treatments on him, the second time removed by surgery and frozen, and the third time knocked back again with chemo. His cancer has returned again (which we've known for a while but it's a slow-growing cancer) along with added complications that left him barely able to walk. The vet was out this (Tuesday) morning to take a look at him (and band some calves, but that's not part of this little story), and told me I had three options: take him to Virginia Tech and tell them to find out what was wrong at all costs, treat him and take the whole thing day by day, or put him down. The first option meant they would find out what was wrong, yes, but there was no guarantee it would be treatable and it very well might leave us with a several thousand dollar bill and a horse who died from complications within a few days. The second would be treating the symptoms without knowing the disease, which might only buy him time, and might not do much good at all. The third of course would be a last resort. I had been expecting to be told the cancer had spread too far, and that our only course of action would be to put him down. Knowing my animal and loving him as I do, I chose the second option to give him his best chance. He is, at the time of my writing this, feeling much better, moving better, and eating more avidly. His swelling has gone down, and he was feeling well enough this evening to throw a tantrum as I tried to give the brat his pain medication. I don't know what the future holds for he and I, but I know I will treasure even the fights with him, even his most stubborn, mad moments, until he is with me no longer. I will value what I have, knowing it could be gone far too soon.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/134/7/7/stinger_2_by_fionavanyelstock-d65biic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/134/7/7/stinger_2_by_fionavanyelstock-d65biic.jpg" title="My precious, bratty, slammed-my-hand-into-the-wall-tonight boy. May he have many more years of tormenting me and throwing his little tantrums. And being loved. <3" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-60285787784870252392013-09-11T18:09:00.002-07:002013-09-11T18:09:33.817-07:00So you want to cosplay from a live action?Welcome back dearies, and welcome to my third blog post! Huzzah! As promised, this week I'll be talking about the difficulties presented in cosplaying from a live action. As anyone who's cosplayed knows, any cosplay has its trials and difficulties, alleviated or exacerbated by the individual's commitment to accuracy or lack thereof. To start off, let's look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of cosplaying from an animated series so we have a basis for comparison.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0_N4agPY-6qdcdMeCOzhSHuxF88hJxYdQN7GkcpK-ykCmJJs6_aQgcKBG8GUdbe2pFNtN2dsz13XnxDCL9-ptCbX2dfcJ4Pa4y9HYK4GJmN7yTVhTdjusGnWWt7iAOvQXl3zz1UUrZyl/s1600/Tulio+dancing+Spain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0_N4agPY-6qdcdMeCOzhSHuxF88hJxYdQN7GkcpK-ykCmJJs6_aQgcKBG8GUdbe2pFNtN2dsz13XnxDCL9-ptCbX2dfcJ4Pa4y9HYK4GJmN7yTVhTdjusGnWWt7iAOvQXl3zz1UUrZyl/s320/Tulio+dancing+Spain.jpg" title="See how simple his costume is? I could practically go out and buy this! (I did on the belt.)" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
All right, so first we have Tulio of Road to El Dorado. He's categorized under "advantages," because this was a pretty easy cosplay (excepting the hatred for pants I developed from it). We see he's wearing a blue shirt, brown<span style="font-family: inherit;"> vest, black belt, and gray-green pants. Because this is animated, we don't see any seams other than the obvious seam on the front of the pants. We don't see fancy buttons, buckles (there's a gold one on the belt but it's simple), or other accoutrements. Overall, it's simple. The cosplayer is given the choice of whether to make the pants fasten in the front, side, wherever, or even have an elastic waistband since it will be covered by the belt. They can use buttons, snaps, zippers, whatever. Flexible, easy. It also doesn't matter what kind of material the cosplayer uses - this is again at the cosplayer's discretion. Because nothing special is added to the appearance of the clothing, the cosplayer gets to just go with whatever looks right to him or her and suits his or her tastes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjqbWe7tyTFnVd1-l0sstZIojHvIxiZYgCsITSd01NKQ9Zdr40pmLmqR43bR77KcxbcrAx12AFDX8OrJVVmI5YygW2ycJwYhud1yOccliB3D-lcTgJ4DVy5jApewtO8MreWlUSS87uzor/s1600/DSC08671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggjqbWe7tyTFnVd1-l0sstZIojHvIxiZYgCsITSd01NKQ9Zdr40pmLmqR43bR77KcxbcrAx12AFDX8OrJVVmI5YygW2ycJwYhud1yOccliB3D-lcTgJ4DVy5jApewtO8MreWlUSS87uzor/s320/DSC08671.JPG" title="Also, if you doubted my brawny arms.....welp, there they are. " width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh look, it's my Tulio cosplay! And yep, I pretty much winged it. And look, I look like Tulio! Simple, easy. Now, on to a disadvantage of animated cosplays....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9hnj3z_VN-ijBJCCThhW8CM8bvvcu7Gmgsy3h_U0zOab2VfdNdKmCkua9_YEjTvGs59H34sQPyNaUNfdiQwTa6MoZgvmtHhiXAnLq8MDcfPRV2MBqyt9KRwT_FdhctNf1gCQr1zxvquL/s1600/07_lady_blackpearl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9hnj3z_VN-ijBJCCThhW8CM8bvvcu7Gmgsy3h_U0zOab2VfdNdKmCkua9_YEjTvGs59H34sQPyNaUNfdiQwTa6MoZgvmtHhiXAnLq8MDcfPRV2MBqyt9KRwT_FdhctNf1gCQr1zxvquL/s200/07_lady_blackpearl.jpg" title="Lady BlackPearl of Legend of Mana. If you haven't played this game, you should. SUCH A GOOD PLOT." width="158" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here we have Lady BlackPearl of Legend of Mana, a cosplay I want to do......far in the future. See those floating orbs around her? And that crazy hair? And those mad boots? Animated films, games, and series don't have to conform to the rules of physics...or gravity, for that matter. The entire costume can violate everything to do with logic, but if you want to cosplay this character, you have to work within the physical laws of the universe in your construction. This can drive cosplayers crazy. My friend J-Jo Cosplay was recently driven a little nuts by the inconsistencies in animation for Inu no Taisho (Inuyasha's father) as she tried to construct his costume, complete with armor and fur. The armor wasn't logical, changed from clip to clip, and the entire costume provided no weight-bearing structure to hold it. She's still working on the cosplay, but it was intended to debut - full version - for Otakon 2013, but she wound up pulling out a genderbent version that looked downright incredible instead. (<a href="http://j-jocosplay.deviantart.com/gallery/45348940" target="_blank">You can see it here.</a>) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But onwards to the topic of this blog post! Now that we've established some of the advantages and disadvantages of cosplaying from an animated series, film, or game, let's look at live-action. For my example here, I'm going to use Belle of Once Upon a Time, since I recently cosplayed her. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYeh8VgQB4qhgzyq4M0XlM9FAbS_udlV8HMFA__yyILEn035bre5fPvmrqm9FzkB6TrMTedsSmzyHEs1b0xOKWqZM-xcerbAnIGcPdHVSWczrMcpV63-R8dS20KJJhyIVHTwf7RkkbJTBc/s1600/Belle+bodice.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYeh8VgQB4qhgzyq4M0XlM9FAbS_udlV8HMFA__yyILEn035bre5fPvmrqm9FzkB6TrMTedsSmzyHEs1b0xOKWqZM-xcerbAnIGcPdHVSWczrMcpV63-R8dS20KJJhyIVHTwf7RkkbJTBc/s200/Belle+bodice.png" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJF5e_yzXLOy9kXOQje3r8sWmLG2s37iOMJAMVaGmzV3b_O31nPWeLDxCIX0QVn6DiBovsfMsoH-w0l7EWu_rzk3eDfthxVPAn48bA2UcgAeBd39e_OsTLMnCZCs4U7kTxIzjnsD4wQprW/s1600/Belle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJF5e_yzXLOy9kXOQje3r8sWmLG2s37iOMJAMVaGmzV3b_O31nPWeLDxCIX0QVn6DiBovsfMsoH-w0l7EWu_rzk3eDfthxVPAn48bA2UcgAeBd39e_OsTLMnCZCs4U7kTxIzjnsD4wQprW/s320/Belle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Let's look at Belle's costume (just clothing for this bit), shall we? Let's see....bodice, blouse, skirt, white stockings, silver shoes. Right. Well, plus side, I can see where all the boning in that bodice is, I can count the number of eyelets, I can see how much the sleeves puff out, and so on, and none of it changes from scene to scene! Well, excepting the blouse's neckline, but the fabric was slippery and slid around on Emilie de Ravin during the shooting. So I just have to match the colors on the fabric and buy it all at the local fabric store, right?<br />
<br />
Well, actually, not quite. I found out after making the whole cosplay that the skirt and bodice were two different fabrics, not cuts from the same bolt. The bodice's fabric was a light blue denim, and the skirt was linen. The blouse was chiffon with embroidered edging. The eyelets, contrary to appearances in the photos, were gold. All of these are solid, verifiable facts about the costume Emilie de Ravin wore in OUaT. Knowing these facts, a cosplayer striving for the utmost accuracy would then know what fabrics to purchase and precisely how to construct the cosplay. But what if these materials aren't available? I wanted a coarser, more denim-like fabric for the bodice, but I couldn't find one in the correct color. My bodice and skirt are made from the same type of fabric, which is a light-weight cotton. They look good, but I'll always know the difference. Chiffon is expensive as far as fabric goes, especially chiffon with embroidered edges, and I wasn't able to find it. Even if I had, I doubt I could have really shelled out that kind of money for it. My blouse is cotton, a very smooth, nice cotton, with lace sewn onto the neckline and sleeves. I'm very proud of it, but it's not entirely accurate.<br />
<br />
Remember how I said, just two paragraphs ago, that I could see all the boning in the bodice and count the number of eyelets? Because I can see those details, I'm also tasked with replicating them as closely as I can. I can see seams and stitching, therefore I can duplicate them. Starting to see some difficulties arising? If I as the cosplayer want to be as accurate as humanly possible, I'm matching a lot more than fabric colors now. This, I think, is one of the biggest difficulties of cosplaying from a live-action. Because you're given so much more detail, you are also given the ability and even the responsibility of putting those details to work in your cosplay. Additionally, live-actions often work with patterns, which are beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. We love them in the shows, because they're just eye candy, and we revel in them. (Okay, maybe you don't, but I do. I love pretty fabrics and outfits in shows.) Belle has some of that pretty patterned fabric too! Not in the above pictures, no, but look below!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4R248QmfVO6DM7FlVAVkthWqen2tMEv7sq28oxGzQlw7Z0SDva4I3pEXKOpts1-yziDV4Ce4J2yS0edM_Zf5fxC7tpxElPXJ3YMSMcPP661caZZ70yI9ZJ2ggZ3b3NJ10Kmoq7aN6gZ2/s1600/Belle's+Cloak+close+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4R248QmfVO6DM7FlVAVkthWqen2tMEv7sq28oxGzQlw7Z0SDva4I3pEXKOpts1-yziDV4Ce4J2yS0edM_Zf5fxC7tpxElPXJ3YMSMcPP661caZZ70yI9ZJ2ggZ3b3NJ10Kmoq7aN6gZ2/s320/Belle's+Cloak+close+up.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
Ooooh, pretty pretty cloak! Pretty pattern! Problem? This is very, very hard to find, online or off. Trust me, I've scoured the interwebs and the fabric stores. I found an approximate match that's close enough that I can settle on it, but I'm still not entirely happy with it, because it's not THE fabric. However, the chances of me finding this exact fabric are slim to none, so I'm going to have to be happy with what I have. If you cosplay from a live-action with patterned fabric (most commonly seen in fantasies, or shows with a historic bent), you're going to run into this too. Be prepared to shell out more money than you'd probably like to as well, because this is home decor fabric. Home decor fabric has the proper weight and heft for a cape, perfect for covering and draping around a person's figure, but it's more expensive. And when working with patterns, remember, you can't just cut pieces willy-nilly out of the fabric! You need to take into account the pattern itself and make sure it all goes the same direction so it doesn't look ridiculous when it's all sewn together. This may mean needing additional yards of fabric - which is more money out of your pocket. Be prepared when going into this kind of costuming for a drain on the wallet.<br />
<br />
If you're cosplaying from something modern, you have the added benefit and drawback that the clothing the character is wearing is probably real clothing, bought from the store! This is fantastic if you can find those exact pieces of clothing, or even close knock-offs, for reasonable prices! This is not so great if those clothes turn out to be designer, brand-name clothing articles and also bear an expensive price tag. Remember those pretty silver shoes Belle was wearing in the above photos? <a href="http://once-wardrobe.livejournal.com/7118.html" target="_blank">The Once Upon a Time Wardrobe Blog identified those shoes as well as several of her other outfits from the series piece-by-piece.</a> Most of the pieces are designer and expensive, and the little shoes are no exception. Below is a picture from the blog linked above, showing the shoes and their designer originals.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i47.tinypic.com/abqpll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://i47.tinypic.com/abqpll.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">See those pretty shoes? They're Fluevog Everests. At present, <a href="http://www.fluevog.com/code/?w[0]=clearance&w[1]=size%3Awomen10&p=5&pp=1&colourID=3125&view=detail" target="_blank">you can get the Everests for the clearance price of $99</a>. When I started this cosplay, they were discounted to the oh-so-cheap $189, from the original full price of $265. What a steal! And I'd still have to paint or dye them myself, since they don't come in metallic silver! So I was struck with the dilemma of knowing the exact shoes, having the option to buy them (then dye them), and really not wanting to spend that much money on shoes. Well, I honestly couldn't afford to spend over a hundred and fifty dollars on shoes, so I chose to make my own. I wound up purchasing a pair of black heels that were fairly close to the base structure of these shoes and modifying them with pleather, all of which I painted silver. This was a long, time-consuming process, but one that ultimately yielded a little pair of shoes that held up to a night of dancing with friends, new and old, on the terrace at Otakon. I plan to do a tutorial on them later, but for now, have a picture of the finished product: </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbk5JoigsRJfmFkslZyiXqx71Y9aRIHBYvg5kdQaUD9h6475st2TAMuiwrl7ta3ujZpraZBZRHKYT36d4zUXBkZzi8-DeIqle7Kwc1SmlbvjsILPueP0fcnKmnRiFyk_6EaIR0S0cxt996/s1600/0911132103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbk5JoigsRJfmFkslZyiXqx71Y9aRIHBYvg5kdQaUD9h6475st2TAMuiwrl7ta3ujZpraZBZRHKYT36d4zUXBkZzi8-DeIqle7Kwc1SmlbvjsILPueP0fcnKmnRiFyk_6EaIR0S0cxt996/s320/0911132103.jpg" title="Just one of the shoes, and yes, that's tissue paper in it. It's not very stiff and doesn't hold itself up, so I stuff it to help it keep its shape. More on that in the tutorial!" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, dear readers and cosplayers young and old, if you're considering cosplaying from a live-action, please take into account just how much accuracy you hope to attain and your budget. Materials can be very expensive, and their care after the costume is completed can also be painstaking and difficult. Some fabrics can be thrown into a washer and dryer with no repercussions while others are dry-clean only, or hand-wash only, or even spot-clean. If you hope to cosplay from a live-action, my recommendation is to research the costumes used in the show or film as much as possible before construction. If you can't use some of the fabrics they used or don't have the funds to purchase props or other necessary items, find out how to make them. Don't take the decision lightly. This IS a tricky undertaking, and it can be a very expensive one, like any other cosplay. And remember the golden rule of measure twice, cut once. Lay out EVERYTHING and make sure you're satisfied with your base pattern before you ever put scissors to fabric. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">All that said, I wish you all the best of luck in your future cosplay endeavors, and I know I won't stop cosplaying from live-actions just because of these hitches - I'll just make sure I'm careful in planning them and watching my budget!</span>Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-28290236779891843032013-09-04T22:25:00.000-07:002013-09-04T22:26:15.055-07:00Of Goblin Kings and Closet CosplaysSo at present, I'm not actively working on any cosplays. I'm in the planning stages for Jae-ha from Akatsuki no Yona, but I haven't selected a fabric yet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYhrXvEv5xoDLo3GhjhV6nay87tK7vZSvVamm3YtVzkxKbAXj65-E0jrXPdosgof9ymJh9A5ci7Gpw7giIHYOMfiTZbdMahSeuhaRKOm_v6JrnRcqXDHFUGxWc6ZaPG4cNoz4QO5VxQxy/s1600/tumblr_mrn5n1gTJ61r0hygro1_500.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYhrXvEv5xoDLo3GhjhV6nay87tK7vZSvVamm3YtVzkxKbAXj65-E0jrXPdosgof9ymJh9A5ci7Gpw7giIHYOMfiTZbdMahSeuhaRKOm_v6JrnRcqXDHFUGxWc6ZaPG4cNoz4QO5VxQxy/s200/tumblr_mrn5n1gTJ61r0hygro1_500.png" title="Yona, the title character, and Jae-ha, the one I'll be cosplaying. We have a whole group!" width="193" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyVYLgvqFDngsMPpfSrPqh5B6LrwH5a5r-UYL_bsbal3Bn06Temj3OW5zVHcvDHemwiG-9xV0dGj2ARq8q-8HrUlhnJTUUhyphenhyphen_yiJvmRheWeS-G5GDIYcLctmDD1X79GIzBIU93S7-lzmx/s1600/JaeHa+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyVYLgvqFDngsMPpfSrPqh5B6LrwH5a5r-UYL_bsbal3Bn06Temj3OW5zVHcvDHemwiG-9xV0dGj2ARq8q-8HrUlhnJTUUhyphenhyphen_yiJvmRheWeS-G5GDIYcLctmDD1X79GIzBIU93S7-lzmx/s200/JaeHa+(1).jpg" title="Jae-ha is a tremendous flirt and a pirate, who also happens to be the Green Dragon. He is compelled to serve Yona but rebels against the instinct and refuses to just go along with it because he believes in having his own free will." width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
I have repairs to do to several cosplays as Otakon hit them pretty hard (how, I'm not sure, but it did), but I honestly haven't had a day where I went "Yep, time to do all the repairs!" quite yet. It's coming, I know it is. And when it comes, I'll have a zipper to take out and replace, several sloppily done stitches to re-sew, and a lot of snaps to sew on. Oh, snaps. How I simultaneously loathe and love thee, for thy usefulness is great, but thy attachment is tiresome. However, this is an excellent opportunity to talk about things I've learned from already accomplished cosplays! For this week's blog, I'm going to talk about my first cosplay: Jareth from Labyrinth.<br />
<br />
When I decided to cosplay Jareth of Labyrinth, I had no clue how to even sew on a button. I kid you not, I knew NOTHING. As a born and raised farm girl and only child, most of my childhood "labor" was spent on the farm. Mom didn't teach me much about cooking because Dad already had me out putting up fence, or digging holes, or moving lumber. I have the biceps to show for all that work too. Only girl I know personally with visible biceps. Regardless of my lovely muscles and experience with manual labor, I had next to none on anything domestic, including sewing. I also didn't know the first thing about wigs, or much about makeup. I hadn't worn makeup regularly since high school, and even then it was kind of....something I did on occasion because I felt ugly, or like all the other girls in the class were prettier than me. (True story, there were only six girls in my graduating class including me. Sooooo statistically speaking they all could have been prettier than me. Hindsight? Some knew how to flatter their own features better than others, and that was about it.) I knew nothing at this point about stage makeup, or makeup for cosplay. Jareth started out as an idea of something to wear for Halloween. I'd never been to an anime convention and barely knew what one was, so Halloween was my only big occasion to dress up. Additionally, I hated most of the female costume options for Halloween. Girls were (and are) expected to dress "sexy" for Halloween and other such holidays, in skimpy, revealing outfits that highlight their desirability as a sexual partner. I have attracted more than enough of that kind of attention without wearing anything revealing and didn't particularly want to increase that sort of interest in me. As I saw it then, my options were slutty, or guy. I chose guy. At the time, I had just discovered my love for Labyrinth (my freshman year roommate can tell you, I was in LOVE with Jareth and the whole film), so who better to cosplay than the Goblin King himself?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwzT2bEIGaN3-uWqqe-N9K_0soHlHysqWj0__SEzuSv7ByGQYieUUkerOtzIJC_q0fpJ9FoDnO9BKnNvhe_uH7G4xJKCNEo7RzjczefKa5xqjBxBLGkmnMVH9cFMsuTqKUFLw4i2qnPY5/s1600/Jareth+is+love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwzT2bEIGaN3-uWqqe-N9K_0soHlHysqWj0__SEzuSv7ByGQYieUUkerOtzIJC_q0fpJ9FoDnO9BKnNvhe_uH7G4xJKCNEo7RzjczefKa5xqjBxBLGkmnMVH9cFMsuTqKUFLw4i2qnPY5/s320/Jareth+is+love.jpg" title="Unf, that throne, that pose, that crop, that GOBLIN KING. Still so freaking sexy." width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And here he is, in all his fabulous, glittery glory - the Goblin King himself (portrayed by David Bowie, of course)! His outfit is fairly simple in this scene, and this is the outfit I chose.<br />
<br />
When I made the decision to cosplay Jareth, I searched my closet for what I already had on hand. As it so happened, I had a black vest lying around which I figured would work, and I also had a pair of gray leggings. It was seeing these two items in my wardrobe (and being guaranteed to have a pair of black boots, because I ADORE boots of all descriptions and collect them like a little hoarder) that inspired me to do this cosplay, because otherwise I honestly would have been intimidated by it. I had a limited budget and no job at the time, so I needed to be cost-effective, and I definitely needed things already made since I knew nothing of how to make them myself. I laid out what I had on hand to wear for the cosplay and came up missing a wig, gloves, and the white shirt. The wig was not too hard, since I wasn't going for perfect. I visited cosplay.com and ordered a blonde mullet wig which looked to be about the right color. In person it was a little too bright of a blonde, but it sufficed. Next came the gloves, which I ordered off ebay. They're a beautiful pair of black leather gloves, and they're very comfy and snug-fitting. Finally, the shirt. I still remember scouring department store after department store, searching for a shirt that would work. I wanted something terribly frilly - obnoxiously so - and that was rather hard to find, considering most people have at least a modicum of taste. I found my final shirt choice less than a week before that Halloween, and I borrowed the makeup I wore from a friend. (Back then I had an itty-bitty makeup collection. I had maybe two little color palettes. That was IT.) One of my friends took a whole bunch of pictures with my horrid-quality camera of my thrown-together costume which would never in a million years win any awards, and y'know what? I had a BLAST.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihdStEY_EymhEmKf6KqHxotGMc7bT02tGOcJunM-bmNQrb_vAml0AYTN6gw5A8B8b438GIZj1CRruQM140wqE4b4cpBt8W-a-TKbqaRIoOyaRdWlkqEha3qTxO5HebvFqpuouRFNVWnniL/s1600/End+08-09+thru+Halloween_258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihdStEY_EymhEmKf6KqHxotGMc7bT02tGOcJunM-bmNQrb_vAml0AYTN6gw5A8B8b438GIZj1CRruQM140wqE4b4cpBt8W-a-TKbqaRIoOyaRdWlkqEha3qTxO5HebvFqpuouRFNVWnniL/s200/End+08-09+thru+Halloween_258.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVbgmPacrLjevVjj-Marlm10AF4SWXdkTa2o1HOLKuMrDzTpknaeMfC5HAuUuFJ1lzMmMPRB1rrtMoOK_i3zMtztNAV-gIw1GGsKto_Ax8gnGV59hJLny51Lx4o2piPIY_r8HRc4Rkgn3/s1600/End+08-09+thru+Halloween_266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVbgmPacrLjevVjj-Marlm10AF4SWXdkTa2o1HOLKuMrDzTpknaeMfC5HAuUuFJ1lzMmMPRB1rrtMoOK_i3zMtztNAV-gIw1GGsKto_Ax8gnGV59hJLny51Lx4o2piPIY_r8HRc4Rkgn3/s200/End+08-09+thru+Halloween_266.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Nope, things weren't perfect. I still need to style that wig. Those tights? They only came down to mid-calf on me and I had to rely on the boots covering them up enough. My necklace was tiny and barely showed (<a href="http://www.craftster.org/pictures/data/500/medium/57783_04Nov09_Jareth.jpg" target="_blank">Jareth's necklace is large and very visible</a>). My makeup was the wrong shade of blue. My shirt wasn't quite right. The vest was too short. The boots didn't have enough of a heel on them. But I had so much fun that Halloween that when the opportunity arose for me to go to Anime USA the following fall, I jumped on it and took this cosplay with me! By then I had a new pair of leggings that fit better and actually came down to my ankles but I'd downgraded to a different pair of boots, and I had my own makeup closer to the proper color. I ran around for all three days of that first con as Jareth, found the only other Jareths at the con and ran amok with them searching for a Sarah, visited a magical place called a host club in costume, and just had an incredible time. All that with a pieced together cosplay which cost me very little and is still worn in pieces as parts of other outfits today.<br />
<br />
What I really learned with regards to this cosplay was that not every cosplay has to be a masterpiece. Creating something beautiful, at which you can look back and feel pride, is completely commendable and admirable. But cosplay is first and foremost about fun. If you're not having fun, why are you doing it? I make my costumes primarily from scratch now because that's fun for me. Creating something and knowing that I <i>made </i>it, I put the pieces together and somehow something worth noticing and admiring emerged, gives me a sense of joy and pride. But you can have just as much fun piecing together a closet (or near-closet) cosplay as you can wearing one made by hand or buying one from another person! Remember, PLAY is part of COSPLAY. And it's part of it for a reason.<br />
<br />
Next week I'll be talking a little bit about the unique difficulties presented by cosplaying from something live-action rather than animated. I've decreed Wednesdays to be my update days (though we see how well that worked this week, hm......) so stay tuned for the next post then! In the meantime I'll be working on that cosplay page and on the gallery of photos.......Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6359423449109395813.post-10848563049302965492013-08-26T22:21:00.000-07:002013-08-26T22:21:39.023-07:00Obligatory Introduction PostHi folks, and welcome to Farm Work and Cosplay! I'm Canny Puca, your host. Now you've probably got some questions right off the bat, like why should you follow this blog? In this first blog post, I'll tell you dear readers a little bit of what I'm about and a couple reasons why you might want to consider following Farm Work and Cosplay.<br />
<br />
First and foremost, why did I start this blog? As a fairly new cosplayer, albeit one picking up speed pretty quickly, I wanted to be able to share my insights and experiences with others so they could learn from my mistakes and successes. I've already learned a lot from my six cosplays to date and I know I'll be learning more from my next planned cosplay. (Katsucon, here I come! Woo!) I wanted to be able to reach other people and help them improve as I do. I'll be posting bits and pieces of my insight, cosplay progress photos, tales of my adventures, tutorials, how-not-to's, and myriad other things. The purpose here is primarily to inform, share, and entertain!<br />
<br />
Second (and probably most important to you), why should you tune in? Cosplay as a pastime is growing in popularity and recently has been attracting attention from mainstream audiences, as seen by the emergence of shows such as King of the Nerds and Heroes of Cosplay. Whenever anything gains a great deal of mainstream attention, regardless of what it is or what segment of the general populace it caters to, a skewed version of it is presented to the public eye. "Skewed" doesn't necessarily mean that the thing in question is presented in a negative light; on the contrary it could be skewed in a positive way and present itself as something far more beneficial than it really is, or more profitable, or even more user-friendly. Nonetheless, in one direction or another, it's skewed, and a stereotype is created or perpetuated. Cosplay blogs and pages give an alternate view of the community, and offer another side to the story, helping skew the viewpoint back towards a median. My blog is by no means the be-all end-all of cosplay blogs, but it will be honest and true to my experiences. There are many cosplay blogs out there, and cosplayers specialize in various parts of costume and props work, so I recommend finding and following several blogs to get the most out of the knowledge and experience available to you!<br />
<br />
While I don't claim by any means to have an exclusive viewpoint, I do believe mine is somewhat unique. I was born and raised on a farm and have been working there since my childhood, doing hard manual labor and various miscellaneous tasks. When a person thinks "cosplayer," I seriously doubt the person who comes to mind has to go out and feed the cows and horses before he or she can feed him or herself, or helps get up square bales in hay season to feed said cows and horses, or gathers eggs. I hope, from my varied background and experiences, to be able to bring something new and interesting to the table!<br />
<br />
I think that's about it for this first post, other than a little housekeeping-type information. A friend of mine will be helping me code this blog soon, so the whole layout will change radically and spectacularly into something amazing. This blog will update with an official post weekly on a day to be determined (probably Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, but I haven't decided which), and I will be linking it to a tumblr where I will post more snippets of information as I see fit. (Gasp! I'm joining the tumblr masses! Whatever is wrong with me? I resisted for so long, but it was just too much, too much for me to escape....)Canny Puca Cosplayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04157118889311426882noreply@blogger.com0