File - Close - 2013 *click*

About that time again.

2013 is just about done and 2014 is peeking around the corner. S'up 2014. How you doing?

To start the day off right, finally having a few days off without prior commitments until later in the day, I attacked my room with the vacuum and duster. It is now 75% less disastrous. Go me. Added bonus, my bookshelf, while since terrifying overfull is now not spilling out that much onto the floor. Except my artbooks. Of which I have more than I thought. They are rebelling and screaming freedom.

Now for the rest of the day, I do have gifts to wrap, food to prep for the party tonight. I also should eat a meal today.

But now that a New Year approaches us what to do? Make those resolutions that no one ever keeps? Nah. Though I did make the resolution last year not to make any resolutions, and that I did keep in an contradictory way, so go me.

Let's have some creative resolutions.

1. Get at least 1 booth at Animenorth and/or FanExpo to best of ability.

2.If booth(s) is successfully acquired, start early as possible after confirmation to start making things, so you can make more and be less burnt out.

3. Do honour to your craft at Costume Con

Good? I think those are doable.

And to start, beginning of January, I shall head over to my aunt's friend's house to borrow the wondertable of cutting and get started on Costume Con stuff. Also, I must shop with the Christmas money I was giving to get a storage wardrobe to fit all my previous outfits in, and if I'm lucky, find something to store my fabric in other than rubbermaids.

Goals are good.

Now, to party!

I love the smell of artbooks in the.... evening.

I finally cracked open my copy of The Sky, the Amano Final Fantasy Artbook that I bought at FanExpo.... over three months ago. No idea why I delayed. Whatever.

But, ahhhh, it's so pretty...! Not to mention smells amazing. I don't know what it is about artbooks. Maybe it's something in the glue or finish on the glossy pages they all have, but every artbook I own just has this.... wonderful smell aroma to it.

Part of the reason I am so reluctant to switch my allegiances to e-readers is the smell.You just can't get that delightful paper and ink scent on a tablet. That, I like having a small library.

Back to the artbook. I love that man's work. From a costumer's point of view, it's a nightmare to unravel in order to turn into something textile but his Screw-Physics-I-Have-Majestic-Ideas is quite admirable. It has some excellent shots of Asura to use, once I get the nerve to actually make that costume.

I also just reread The Night Circus the other day, Which, if you haven't read, it's is a very enjoyable book and visually yummy. Though turning it into a movie or series might ruin the whimsy, I'd love to see an art department tackle that sucker.

After much pondering, I realized the monochromatic and red theme of the revelers and performers falls dangerously close to my old "Gothic ball" idea from yesteryear. Correct era, applicable thematic.... it's something to consider if that project ever has a chance to come into fruition.

Now I must return to working on my Christmas shopping list, which - is not as bleak as it was a few hours ago.

*victorious babbling just add Costume Con*

The Future Fashion Folio is out!

My Octopus dress design was chosen for the portfolio...! I have such a stupidly happy grin on my face right now.  Thank you, thank you, thank you judges!

And there's so many beautiful designs in the folio too, not to mention some crazy ornate ones.

I will have to look through them, to see if there is something I should make.

...Maybe somebody will make mine. That would be... awesome. So awesome.

....

:D Happy me.

Further costume headcanons

I'm actually not sure if I have headcanons to excuse the costume ideas, or the costume ideas comes from the headcanons. Meh.

Firstly, I can't find my Simplicity 2355. I can find the cutout pieces for the corset I made, but I can't find the rest of the uncut ones, which had the longer version in it. I mean, I haven't torn the house apart, but my initial browse hasn't turned up anything, leaving me at the loss to where I stashed it. Meaning, I either attempt to length the short version, or buy a new copy. A new copy of a pattern which fabricland no longer carries and therefore only might have a copy if it's been overlooked by other costumers. And I have no idea when I have a chance to run to the store and even check. Pooh.

I think the anti-possession symbol should be on one of the pockets? Or maybe I should get really fancy and henna it to my back? (Actually, that would be really cool, heh. The red henna shows up extremely well on my ghastly pale skin)

The ancestor (who in my mind is called "Dione") is from the Campbell side, since that was the hunter side of the family. The surname, clearly of Scottish descent makes it completely logically with the Winchester brothers obsession with plaid. I have accepted this as canon.

Anyway.

I saw this fabric on Spoonflower.


I kinda wanna get a length of it, and make a cute little skirt with it. .... I wonder if that old little petticoat my mom had is big enough (and poofy enough) to wear under it? That would save me having to make one.

....Must look for that along with pattern.....

Further thoughts of a Hunter

Carrying on from earlier wayward thoughts. (Re: Steampunk Hunter, Dean Inspired)

As I mentioned before, I'd make the skirt natural form, I do believe. I feel the lack of excessive bustle and train is much more suited to a hunter. A lady may not wear jeans, but a proper skirt for the era perhaps made of anachronistic denim would be trés bonne.

Truly Victorian Fantail Skirt

Make it floor length, but I might try the double gather effect on this one. I did the single gather for my phoenix dress with the full train, but maybe adding the double will spruce up the floor length style a bit. I think I will flat felt the seams on it, with contrasting top-stitching to really give the effect that it's really just a victorian pair of Levis. Maybe same with the gathering point at the centre back. On the fence how I'd trim the skirt. Historically speaking, if the skirt was worn just as is, it would be trimmed within an inch of its life, but since this is a hunter skirt... not sure. The only issue with not trimming it, would be losing too much Victorian style, and making it look just like a weird skirt. Unless I do some sort of overskirt.... thought really for once, I'd like an outfit that isn't more than 7 yards of material on my person. Not mention denim isn't lightweight. Eh, I'll think on it. Also pockets. Jeans have pockets. Hunters have pockets.

Other things to think of; props. It is my accepted headcanon that a lady hunter wouldn't carry around a silver knife. A silver hat pin, sharp as diamond on the other hand, would be most excellent. Wonder if you could work sigils into that... Hm,. hm, hm.

Oh, that Plaid.

I found my old majestic plaid shirt. It originally belonged to my sister before I staked claim to it, many many years ago. It has been through many campfires, and sprays of bug spray. It is a noble garment, but it's rather quite tired looking. Not to mentioned wrinkled as hell. Nothing an iron can't fix, but it's rather quite pitiful looking at the moment.

Glorious. Majestic. You wish it was yours!

So, I as I said previously -I'm tempted to make it anew. Revive it into something more.... alive. But I have to be careful. There is only one majestic plaid shirt, so I can't botch it. Therefore, once I do have an idea, I still might make it out of another less valued plaid shirt to see if it looks correct and the quantity of fabric is enough.

My current thought is using Simplicity 2355, in the longest style.

I've used it before in the mid-length which I wear underneath my Game of Thrones maxi dress. While I think I've made it a size bigger than I needed, the mid-length is fairly long on me, since I have a super short torso. Therefore the longest length should work perfectly as an actually non-undergarment. People have found it a rather non fitted bodice, but whatever I did when I made it, worked fine. I'm not using it as actual corset after all. Though I did put boning in it, and lined it....which I don't recall was required for it. I think.... I just used the pieces and made it up as I went along.

I'd like to add little mini (faux) pockets to it as well. Cut on the crossbias as I've seen many plaid shirts do. If there was enough, I'd even want to make a ruffle out of the scraps and trim it with that, but that might really push it. Though..... the colours aren't too difficult to match I could almost trim it in a plain cotton ruffle of blue or white.

 Including the original buttons would be a superplus. I also want to add that supernatural touch. Some how adding one of the known sigils? Though, if I was going to be true to Supernatural form, I'd distress the demons out of it by slash at it, tearing it and staining it. But... not my precious plaid.

Perhaps if I do indeed make a mockup I'll attack that one instead.

Thoughts, thoughts, thoughts.

OOAK Sale

Just got home from the One of a Kind Sale downtown. Enjoyable as always, not very busy thought which is nice for walking around, but you do want to see the vendors doing well. I partook in some wares, a few treats for Christmas and such as well as getting myself a nice pendant to go on my silver torque.

It's always interesting to see what the popular items are. Beeswax candles were big this year. Leather, as always. Looks like shabby chic has plateaued a bit, though. Spring show had tons of it, not so much here. 

I always find it inspiring of a place to go. This is first sale I've attended since having a booth of my own at Animenorth, so while I am light years away from selling at place like that, I feel I'm part of the family a little. (Sitting at the kids table, of course.) It makes me really, really want to have a booth again. I've gotten a taste for it, and I want another go around.

So I will patiently wait for FanExpo's information to come online, and fight for another spot at Animenorth (who I really hope expands their crafter's corner section. There's so many crafter's out there that would love to share their wares.) Of course, I still have a lot of inventory to make. Slowly. Slowly.

In other thoughts, I have come to accept that my fandoms are influencing my wardrobe. There is a suspiciously increasing amount of blue in my clothing, that can only be attested to a certain blue box. Also, I gleefully enjoy wearing plaid. Though, I suppose it's also because I've been denied the perfect hoser shirt for quite some time and now that I have found it, I'm making up for lost time.

..... I wonder if I should sacrifice my old tired one and turn it into a corset top....there's probably enough fabric for that....? Or maybe I should ransack Good Will? Other than that one plaid at Fabricland, I've had the same connection to any of the others I saw there. But, the seasons have changed since I last was there so maybe there is something new. Provided it's cheap enough. hmhmhmhm.....

Oh, headcanons.....

So. Supernatural.

(Fresh off the Mid-season finale. To say that it was painful would be a minor understatement. I haven't seen that much swearing on tumblr....ever. Life was so much simpler before I was a Superwholocker.)

Anyway.

I want a Supernatural Steampunk episode. Terribly, horrible cliché, I know. But I remember back in Season 4, I think when Samuel Campbell mentioned that their family had been Hunters since the Mayflower. From the 1600s onwards...that's a lot of family business there. Add in a little of the Victorian era? Steampunk Hunters. I'm sure there is a magnificent plotline to be had there. Not one, I'd dare writing but still.

It's weird that I haven't seen it done in cosplay though. I mean....everything gets Steampunk'd. Unless I've missed it somewhere on the internet, but really, I'm surprised. Steampunk Impala for instance.

Of course, being me, I'm currently designing a female Dean Steampunk. (Chuck, Moofy, how far are you willing to go off of source material?) Not sure how I'd want it to look. I'd take the style out of the natural form era. I admit, I'm partial towards it, but it seems like less fuss for a hunter to wear without all the extra bustle. Now there's two versions of Dean I see; Plaid shirt wearing or green jacket with t-shirt wearing. It would interesting to take either of those looks, and those material types and use them to make a Victorian style outfit. Fantail skirt, made in worn distressed denim rather than silks. Bodice made of plaid. Or if you go with the jacket look, a capelet made of cotton twill. It's an interesting idea.

Then there's the idea of just doing a generic steampunk hunter. Really, I just want a corselette with the anti possession symbol on it. It'd be neat.

Ah well, just throw that idea in with the rest.

Maybe if I ever attend a Supernatural Con? And, wishful thinking.

Onwards to other thoughts.

My pretties!

A.k.a. - Things actually being done.

Fresh off the.... glue gun? Sewing needle? My first round of lovely hair/hat clips.

Assorted colours and full of love.  These ones are have the single alligator clip on the back, so they work with hair and hat bands but I will make some duel clip/ bar pins ones later on. Now I can bag them up and add them to inventory. WOO HOO! I have inventory again!

My current favourites are the blue and green ones, and the black and red.

Catching Fire Couture

I finally saw Catching Fire on the weekend. (So many movies being released around this time!) I was quite eagerly awaiting the second installment of series, since I really enjoyed the book and was quite impressed with the first movie.
And, I really liked it. Sure there's things that are always left out when adapting, which does have to happen especially when switching narratives. But the acting and mood was just....right. It worked for the world that the movieverse was creating. Great job team, Moofy approves. I will eagerly awaiting you to take on the next book.

One thing that I like, that had nothing to do with acting, but merely a graphic choice. The evolution of the mockingjay emblem at the end of the credits. I got shivers from that, oddly enough. I want all three as pins. I have the first, I demand the rest.

What Moofy really approved, though, was the costumes.

Sweet Babylock Sewing Machines.

Majestic.

Effie Trinket. Thank you for having a different costume every time you disappeared off camera. They didn't need to do it. But they did. Because they could. And if you are going to show off how insanely... weird the Capitol is, you did it wonderfully. The Monarch Dress. The Alexander McQueen Monarch Dress.

I want one. And the fascinator. Which I could make. The Hat.... not the dress. That's a lot of feathers.

Also, Katniss's feather epaulettes of justice. The black and red ones with her....roman battle dress, I'll call it. That also goes on the want list.

I was really hoping that the official movie companion was going to have much larger section on the costuming aspect of the movie. I saw it in the store today, and flipped through it, and there was barely any stills. Very disappointing. Looks like I'm going to have to wait until the interwebs gifs the bajeezus out of the movie, or until it comes out of DVD so I can screen cap all the shots. Pity. There would have been a nice space for an another artbook on my shelf.

HINT HINT Movie People.