setra

Despite being very very tired, we all made it to the airport in plenty of time and I'm home safe and sound. I think lazing about on my couch for a little while sounds good so... con report time~!

( Anime Detour 2009 )

I think that may be the first time I've actually written up a full con report in years.

Also, to get the ideas out of my head before I lose them...
( How to Run Karaoke 101 )

Now... I think I'm going to start on Tomomori. Or possibly first on the screen design for Kiyomori. Since my legs are still really really sore today. :3
I hope everyone had a great con. And that the few new people I've friended don't think that I'm too nuts. ^_^

First off - someone used the LJ Writer's Block prompt today. It was about explaining your least-used icon. So I'm using mine. Because... when I made it... I felt that it was absolutely necessary for me to have a TimeCon skirt!Jun icon. (Also because it was the costume set that I most wanted to make of theirs.) But then I realized that I almost never have an excuse to use it. So sad.

In other news, I unfinished a costume tonight. I took Saku's sleeves off. Now I just need to make and line new ones. This is a good thing, since the old ones didn't really fit right to start with. Once that's done with I need to make collar inserts for her inner layer. After /that/ we see if I get really ambitious and try to make Benkei a new cloak in like two days.
>.> <.< Maybe.

Anyway. That's not what this post is for. This post is because I have two burning desires to cosplay in the near future.
1) Persona 4. I don't know who would be who. I kinda just want an excuse to pipe a jacket with reflective tape piping. >.> Really though, I love these characters and I'd love the chance to play something semi-recognizable for once. Something I can talk about with love and understanding. <3
2) Arashi "Right Back to You" costumes from Taipei in 2006 (the half-kimono ones). They're shiny. They're brocade. They'd look stunning on stage. AND, the first verse worth of choreography is totally doable and almost exactly 1 minute long. We could even pull stuff from the instrumental leading up to that. And I can rip straight audio from the concert itself, so it'll sound awesome. We wouldn't even necessarily need all 5, we'd just have to adjust choreography to look good. Who's with me?

Picked up my boots for Masaomi today. LOVE THEM.
Jacket has all four armor panels attached and 16 out of 28 buttons sewn on. I'm hoping to finish tomorrow night after work. When I think about it, the sheer number of steps involved int he construction of this coat are mind-boggling. Anyway... I get friday off in addition to my weekend again, so pants then, if not sooner and then Masaomi will be DONE. (Unless I finish my chest-binder, which I want to, but it'll be all-purpose, not just for Masaomi.)

( Because I may forget some steps... here's how I made the coat: )

The Boss gave me a couple extra days off before I leave for the con too, so getting Nozomi's patch, Saku's sleeves and Benkei's obi done shouldn't be too much of a problem either. The challenge will be if I decide to remake Benkei's cloak, since the applique will take a while. The materials are all there though so... *shrugs* It's worth a try.

(Finished Uta no Onii-san tonight. Liked the ending well enough, and the performance was great of course, but.... well... I felt a little let down. I mean, I squeed more when Sho guest-stared. In fact, I think I may he been more excited by the mysterious-looking preview for the show that starts next week. It has another of my boys in it. ^_^)

But /someone/ distracted me.

You know what, Masaomi?
You just keep being difficult.
Just keep it up and I'll give up on finding out what flower you ACTUALLY have on your damn kimono and you'll just end up with DAISIES! Or roses!
That'll serve you right.
So there.
Irritating jerk.

On the plus side, I did figure out how he wears the damn thing (it /is/ a kimono and not a noshi-type). *grumble*SlackerNotAProperHeike*grumble*

[Edit for Cosplayer Image Explosion: At least mine will not look like this. 　May not be as cool as these though.　I'm a little jealous of the armoring stuff on this one, but again... the kimono around his hips? Hello?
Also, for reference: Tomomori shirt?.　And speaking of my favorite Taira general... I have brocade jealousy - especially this girl's. (I secretly think ours will come out beautifully, but I have to whine.) We are not the first to have had the Shigehira idea. Also, look! Another Saku!]

In conclusion, not enough people cosplay Masaomi. Fewer really get even /most/ of his details right. (This one's my favorite.Yet so many of them have better wigs than I do. ;_; You make me sad Japan.

NOW... sleep. >.> I am so never allowed on the internet again.

-Fans painted. I love them. Even thought they totally break my 'accuracy'
-Wig poked at. I hate it, even though I loved the Alias before I started trying to make it look like Saku. Need hairspray and addtional wig pick and bobbypins.
-Looks like the flowers will stay in my hair ok with just a couple of bobby pins. Here's hoping it stays that easy.
-One tabi done and the other just needs the fasteners attached
-Kagetoki's boot covers stripped of armor and eyelets, reenforced with leather, then reset with new (bettter) eyelets.
-Still need to add highlights and petals to the couple sections of Kimono that are missing them.
-Kagetoki's coat still needs those two spots of trim repaired.
-Re-attach Kagetoki's now-repainted boot-armor!
-5 or so more photos to print and add and then the damn reference book is done. Whee~
-Need to double check all costumes that are going with us, make sure all pieces are present and repaired.

I slept about an hour last night. I'm doing ok... but not... y'know... /well/.

In other news:
-I still expect every performance to start with 'Umibe no volume', even though it really doesn't have one.
-Nao-kun getting all sky and 'iya da' about his birthday is still adorable, even three years later.

-I still don't really get Manzai. Neither does Eisen.
-Mugged by a rappers wardrobe. No really.
-Pacifico Yokohama-san tte.... ittai dare?
-Nnn... blue velvet is supperior to floral prints of any kind. If I sent him a memo, do you think he'd read it?
-Amazing dissapearing-reappearing Narita Ken!

-Met with Sensei. This isn't Macbeth all over again. This is even more insane. She may try to pay me though... I'm intrigued.

If you understand any of that last section, you're way more awesome than the average kitten.

I keep alternating between 'sleep', 'go to walmart for supplies and printing last photos' and 'stay here and get some damn work done on the things that just need hand-hemming'
New iTunes is not, in fact, as awesome as I'd hoped. Blah. No longer craving new iPod.
Ugh. So hungry. Coffee and banana cake are not in fact food. In case anyone was wondering.

Dragged my butt into work at 9:15 (truck was scheduled 8-12 and N begged me to come in). We were finished with truck right around 11 and I got out of there as fast as I could. I was meant to sew when I got home, but instead I ate a peach and a plum and took a two hour nap until I had to go back.
Then was a lovely closing shift. Mostly lovely because I love Emily and Lindsay lots. I did get through the crazy flannel cart at least.
Mom came to visit and we got to chat a bit. She gave me new shirts for work because all mine are gross and grey. I knew this, but I hardly expected her to buy me new ones. >.

Anyway! Once I got home we balanced some money stuff and got food.
Then I got to thinking that I haven't updated on costume progress in a while (Read: days).
( Read more... )

I'm getting close to the end of Oracle's Queen, which means that I may be reading Shadow's Return at the con. Whee~!

Up a little later than I would have liked tonight, but!
Today mouse_art was in town and helped me pick out a lining for Saku's sleeves. (Namely the pale pale not-pink Sun Silky that no one /ever/ buys. Of course it matches the bizzaro not-really pink flowers. ^__^)
Which means that outer kimono now has lovely lined sleeves. The french seams with lining worked out worse than I'd hoped and better than they could have, so I'm content. Now I just need to do the hems down the front facings and around the bottom hem (by hand).
And then paint and attach the neckband (half by hand).
Then it will be done!

And then I can move on to:
-Blue layer
-Obi(s?)
-fans (painting)
-creating a way to /wear/ the beaded flowers
-making Tabi. o.o
-modifying sandals
-(note to self: make a little wrist purse or similar that matches the costume. You'll be happier)

Oh, and Kagetoki repairs. And... um... other touchups. Like making sure that Seigaku has letters that don't suck. And putting little white dots on Hyoutei. And finding Yuushi glasses that aren't Jess's.

I had Chicken Katsu Curry tonight for dinner. It was /amazing/. I miss tasty Japanese food.

VS 19
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Music Lovers
The performances were good. But the best thing? Sho's fake Jeans. Seriously! best idea EVER. ^___^ Dork.

I could go on about Maoh 7 and how much I just wanted to give Naruse a big hug and pet him... but that would be silly. Anyone with feelings about this episode, please comment, I need me some Maoh fangirling.

Costume Progress for today
-four more designs done. Finishing off the back of the kimono. We learned that Maya should /not/ try to reformat the flower part of the design. (pictures of failure to come later)
-also took lots of progress pics and hopefully didn't mess up my wrist too bad. It was really hurting earlier.

Himitsu 19
( Read more... )

We moved Hokuto today too (they're repaving the parking lot, so we had too), and got the stereo out. She's on the street now, so hopefully I'll call the junk yard people early next week. I'll miss her sometimes. :3

Also! Jess finished Avatar tonight! The ending is just as awesome the second time around.

I failed to do laundry tonight though.... which means I have no clothes to wear to work tomorrow... crap.

I'm not going to talk much about today at work. I was there over 10 hours and didn't really take any of my breaks. We were crazily slammed and when Val picked up her keys she was less than pleased with the shape the store was in. When I finally left, we went to Cane's for comfort food and then home.
Jess amused herself with the internets while I took apart my lovely finished collar band, put the center back seam in and then put it back on. I can only pray that it comes out as well as it did the first time. :3

I was a good girl and started getting ready for bed over two hours ago.
Only... I never went to bed. Instead, I made detailed cosplay to-do lists and then I cleaned up my whole sewing area for the carpet cleaning on friday.
....I'm beginning to think that my mind has something against sleeping at night. It seems to like it just fine in the morning and day... when I'm supposed to be getting ready for work.

Anyway.
Now for sleepies. Guh.
Please don't let me cry in front of Val tomorrow. The impact would be stunning, but I really really don't want to put that on her on her first day back. >.>

[Also, since I know plenty of you are physics nerds, go here. You'll be amused, I promise.]

I feel the need to post and flail and scream about Maoh 6.

However, it is late and apart from spending several hours to produce a massive pile of OhnoNaruse screencaps, I can't acurately convey my feelings about it.

Oh! Saku-kimono 1 is /almost/ done. It just needs (I think) a stiffened collar guard to give it a last bit more bulk.
4 weeks and counting. Gah! Don't want to think about it.

I need to get the white one cut so I can paint it now! o.o

Fans are on the way at least. ^^

Have also been rewatching Avatar (sorta) as Jess watches it. So cool~!