Ember Costumes and Crafts

I was browsing Craftster a while back and someone made a thread asking: What's in your costume closet? and How do you organize your costume closet? The thought is terrifying. Especially now, because I'm having to confront it head on while trying to get packed to move! I'm literally wading through a pile of costume pieces, fabric remnants, and boxes. In the craftser thread, I ESTIMATED what is in the costume closet presently, between myself and John, and spread out between Austin, Round Rock, and Nebraska. In about a month after me and my husband move and John graduates from college and moves back to Texas, we'll do a REAL inventory of what we have. But for now, this is what I think we have.Oh, and this is only RENFAIR gear. In other news, Ember just had her 11th birthday! Tops -Light Pink Flowy Fairy Top -Red "Susan" dress -Silver "Susan" dress -Leather Armor Breastplate -Black Sleeveless Pirate Shirt (round collar) -Black Sleeveless Pirate Shirt ...

Just not... real life crafting. I've been crafting in MINECRAFT . It's an awesome indie sandbox game which is actually still in beta, so there's cool updates every month with new features. I've been playing for a while, but I just started a world with the seed "Amerasteras" and downloaded a texture pack (gerdoku) and have been having lots of fun building a cool base in this epic world. My base from the outside. This is the main part of my base inside at sunset. I built a lava-heated onsen. Some people build some truly epic stuff in minecraft. There are lots of tutorials and demo videos on youtube, and a thriving forum where people post ideas and give feedback about the game. It can really suck you in and is great for people of all ages. So that's what I've been doing six hours a day for the past two weeks...

John's super-cool-awesome friends came made the 12 hour road trip from Lincoln Nebraska to Austin Texas with him for Spring Break! From left to right: Judy, Diana, and Katherine. THEN we all drove another four hours south to the beach in Port Aransas! At some restaurant in Port A. The girls getting eaten by a shark. We buried people in the sand. John was buried the deepest. He's actually sitting in a hole, not laying down. Skim boarding. We weren't very good at it. We looked up some tuts on youtube at the hotel, but there was so much seaweed even a pro would have had trouble. More costume stuff to come...as soon as I can figure out how to convert the RAW photos my friend gave me into something I can use on my computer... I'll give another hint about the costume I made--it fits right in with my beach theme!

Guess what it is!!!

John and I both like to be prepared, like Scar and the Boy Scouts. And I have to say that the Costume Emergency Repair Kit has saved me and my friends from some truly terrible catastrophes. Like giant rips in the crotch of home-made pants. Like buttons popping off in the middle of the Renaissance Fair. Like getting to the hotel and realizing that key pieces were smooshed/ripped when you shoved them haphazardly into your suitcase. Like bra straps that won't stay covered up. (That last one was was actually at a wedding, and the subject of my repair kit's ministrations was the maid of honor.) You get the idea. Repair Kit=Extremely Handy. The key, however, is to keep it with you while you're at the event. If you have a pocket, put it in your pocket. If you have a purse, that's a good place too. If you have a husband, girlfriend, or accomplice, you can ask them to hold it for you. But if you're in a ripped costume ten minutes before the cosplay show and it's in y...

Back in November, John and I went to Nebraskon in Omaha! I know...this is like the latest post about a con ever, but at least it got here, right? -_- It was cool being dressed as brother and sister and actually, ya know, being brother and sister. I mean, we could have done Katara and Sokka, except that they are totally lame and can't shoot fire or lightning out of their fists. There were a few awkward moments, however, when we happened upon some Azuko shippers. (Ew.) "Oh-Em-Gee! Are you a couple?" "No, he's my brother ." "Yeah, but in real life are you a couple?" "Um no. In real life, he's my brother ." "Oh." (Awkward, disappointed silence.) Looking surly. Looking smug and EVIL. With our handsome uncle. These pics are by our dear friend Katherine! We also have professional photos on the main site by Shattered Images Photography, taken at Ikkicon, and two related tutorials: 1. Zuko's Scar M...

So one of my favorite things about my Azula costume (Besides being able to make faces as if I am criminally insane power hungry maniac) is that I fully lined the velvet outer-dress and can wear it by itself for things like Convention Dances!!! Also note the glow-sticks around my neck, for added awesomeness: I look way thinner without the hundred under-garmets. Princess seamed Dress Detail of the belt and Sculpey Fire Nation Emblem The back, which has a zipper: I wore biker shorts underneath because otherwise people would see my undies. Bonus Making-Of Pictures Mock-up pattern pieces (based on an old dress I once tried to make and never finished) Trying on the mock-up so I could figure out how high the slits should go and the angle of the skirt. THE END!!