The Post Convention Report

Few days later, but eh, it's been a busy week.

So we successful completed our second ever vend! It went pretty solidly - cleared my overhead, made some profit, so all in all a success. My only surprise was what sold and what didn't. Spats were on fire last year, and yet this year there was only a passing interest. Luckily my fascinators made up for it (Phew.) I introduced new cuff styles, with the triforce and fox patterns selling the best, and supernatural chasing at its heels. Not so much for the white/black/red combo which surprised. me. I suppose its a learning curve this. Ash did very well, also. Again, the only thing was what sold, and in what quantity that was surprising.

Either way, we are trying for next year!

Other than that, I consumed ramune and onigiri as per custom for every Animenorth. Bought more buttons for my button bag, and finally bought a simple triforce necklace which I am rather fond of. I did change the cheapy little chain that came with it, for the sole real gold one I possess, and it classes it up nicely. 

Now, Magic and Stitchcraft is eagerly waiting for news on FanExpo. They said we'd here in the next few weeks. Fingers Crossed!

Magic and Stitchcraft at Anime North!

Today's the day! In a few hours, the wonders and delights of Spectacular Accessories is coming to an Anime North near you!

Fascinators? How Fascinating!
Flowers for the hair, flowers for the jacket!
Lovely cuffs with lovely trims!
And Spats. Limited in Quantity. Special, Unique. SPAT-ACULAR!!!!

It's madness!

It's Magic and Stitchcraft!

See you in Crafter's Corner!

*twitch twitch*

In the name of Victoria and the Goddess of Victory, I dedicated this day to the Art. All of it. At least I feel like I accomplished things?

All the fascinators are done, all the cuffs finished (bar ribbons), two sets of spats complete and curing (bar ribbons), two more with the trims and decorating to do. Those I hope to knock off tomorrow. I plan wednesday morning for ribbon cutting, and Thursday for mop up. Perhaps I can squeak a few more somethings in.

Maybe.

I feel like I need more stuff. Not sure what else I can do under the time though.

Excited to be doing this again though. Despite the constant work, it's very satisfying.

Just need to endure work tomorrow and then I can get back to it.

OH. Need to hit the bank at one point this week. Need to make a float.

Now. Shower. Then more stitching?

*nurses fingers*

It is the fate of one hand to be struck by pins and sewing needles. It is the fate of the other one to be burned by the iron. Such is the way of art.

Having said that, I'm about done all the cuffs. Everyone is curing overnight, and just needs their ribbons cut and they'll be done. Fascinators still need their final gluing but like the cuffs it's just minor stuff.

Leaves me with the spats, mainly left. Which, take longer. But there will be less of them. Four are planned. More is what I want. Four days I have, but there`s my job in their too. At least I have all of tomorrow off, so I hopefully can get everyone cut out, ironed and stitched by tomorrow night. Leaving the next few days to trim, grommet and embellish.....

Urk.

Better call it a night, so I can get ready to fire on all engines tomorrow.

*neutral face*

I've been working all day, and I feel like I haven't got much to show for it.

All 8 of my fascinators are 97% done. Just need to fix them to the headbands, but that shouldn't take more than a half and hour. That's good at least.

9 pairs of cuffs have been sewn, but need to be ironed out, grommeted and trimmed.

Spats aren't even started. And I must make those.

At least switching out the lining for broadcloth has worked. Now I can eliminate the hand basing stage.

Gonna take a break for a bit, maybe update my inventory charge and see what's what.

Place, Pin, Cut, Repeat

All right.

The production line is beginning. Two fascinators at 99%. Two more with the bases done, and needing their embellishments. Two more cut out, not yet sewn or embellished. Two sets of cuff pattern pieces cut out, to become fox cuffs. One pair of T.A.R.D.I.S. spats pattern pieces cut.

That's progress. Not enough mind, but as much as can be done on a Monday night, especially when Tutoring stuff had to be done first. Tomorrow, I will continue cutting out pieces. I think that's the best method of attack.

Tomorrow.... more tardis. Maybe a supernatural or two. A fox set. The black and white pairs will have to be attacked when I have time to patiently line up the patterning.

Need feathers. Exciting feathers, wherever you are. Also, order grommets.

Tomorrow.

Right then, moving on!

Costume Con - Done!

Animenorth Crafter's Corner Booth - BRING IT.

It's time to make things! Spats, Fascinators, Cuffs and more! It's less than a month to Animenorth and I have a whole booth worth of inventory to create. I do have couple of things left over from later year, which I will return with (with discounted prices in some cases - Ooh, clearance sale!) and I did start a few months ago to make some hair clips, but for the most part we are starting fresh.

I did end up doing a supply run today for something, and a booth display item, but I hope that's almost the last of it. I want to reduce how much my costs were this time around. Didn't get as much accomplished as I wanted, sewing wise but I did finish two Roarin' Muskoka fascinators, which are absolutely splendid looking. I can't wait to see someone wear one.

Now, I am currently experimenting on a brooch. Not sure how this is going to go, but due to a fabric purchase, I may be able to create things with foxes on them. I love foxes. :D

Back to it!

Costume Retrospective - "Timey-Wimey in B.L.U.E"

"Timey-Wimey in B.L.U.E." also known as my T.A.R.D.I.S. dress has been my project for the past several months. Running with my long standing tradition of costuming as things or concepts, I wanted to give myself the ultimate piece of Doctor Who paraphernalia that was better than anything I could buy in the store. It just so happened that this rolled over into my presentation piece for Costume Con.

I designed this piece around my love of historical and incorrectly historical costume designs. I didn't want steampunk, with gears and stuff. I wanted a grand dress. Strong, lady-like with just a hint of madness. So I went to the patterns, created my silhouette, and tried to draw in the aspects of the T.A.R.D.I.S. without breaking up the flow of the overall pieces. And I'm honestly pleased with how it turned out.

The dress of made of blue silk, black and white twill, various cottons and some drapery. It is trimmed different widths of velvet ribbon, and another of lace and chiffon. I have glittering rhinestones in the flowers of my bodice, and the ones on my skirt are made with LED lights. My T.A.R.D.I.S. lantern is a clock shaped fan, that illuminates with another LED. Hiding beneath the hoop skirt and really only seen when I twirl like a mad woman, I have silk spats with the seal of Rassalion. My commissioned pendant is the gold of the Time Vortex.

I wore and competed with this dress at Costume Con 32, in the the Historical Masquerade. This being my
first Costume Con, I didn't really know what to expect - especially being judged out of costume and on a whole separate day than the actual stage competition. So I went for it with all the nervous energy I could muster.

The "ordeal" wasn't actually that bad. The judges were extremely nice and relaxed. I'm sure I talked a mile a minute, but that's not a surprise. Fortunately, all three were familiar with Doctor Who, which made it much easier to explain the concepts I tried to incorporate. I had plan of attack I tried to follow with my explanation, but I'm not sure how well I managed to follow it with the nerves. But, all in all, I think it went well. At least I have a better idea of what's it like next time.

The next day was Tech practice, which frankly, was kind of fun. I kind of felt like a star, when the stage crew discussed blocking and lighting that would best suit the dress. Definitely better than having no idea how a planned presentation was actually going to look, without even see the stage.

Later on, the actual full rig up before the greenroom occurred marking the first time I had been in the whole dress for more than a half an hour. I survived the 5 hours in a corset which was,..... interesting. I sneezed once. It didn't work well. The wait in the greenroom wasn't that long - there were only 31 entries for the masq, though I was told this was large for a Costume Con.

Then came the actual presentation.

I don't remember much of it. I didn't fall over.

That was good.

Then came callbacks for photo - I was called twice, the second time being with the other T.A.R.D.I.S. dress. We made quite the pair!

After that; the Awards Ceremony.

To be honest, I didn't know what the outcome would be. I hoped I would get something. I would lying to say I didn't crave a little something for the design - it was a competition. But to compete again the sheer outstanding quality of everyone else, was terrifying and humbling - I didn't see anything that greenroom less than spectacular. And then:

Measure of Excellent Award - From the Northern Lights Chapter of the ICG
Best Documentation (Historical Interpretation) - Novice Division.
Best Time Machine (Presentation - Historical Interpretation)  - Novice Division.
Best Overall Workmanship (Historical Interpretation) - Novice Division.

... I mean, WHAT????? I was blown away. Hell, I'm still blown away. I have no idea what I did to deserve four friggin' awards. Something right, I guess but... yeah. I was stunned.

So was my face, apparently it was hilarious.

So yeah. I did it. I more than did it, really. Suddenly, now I'm a journeyman at the International level. Go figure? Guess that means I will have to up the anti for the next Costume Con, eh?

But seriously, I'm beyond thrilled. Don't know if the judges linger in the world of Blogger, but if you do -

Thank you so very much.

^_^