Day...It's tomorrow

No more counting down. We leave for con tomorrow. Day zero isn't an official day of the con but for us its always a fun day. But before we leave there is a lot to do today. We have to go buy our food and drinks, wash last minute clothing, figure out where the shoes and wigs are going, pack up the last few personal items that are wondering around the house, ink the trivia cards, make a playlist for the car rid and the panel. Have my fiance clean the fish tank. And more.

These are the notecards with the trivia questions. I wrote the down in pencil and are writing over them in pen so they are all color coated for each character. I hope everyone can read my hand writing. I wanted to make them neat and orderly so it would be easy to pass them around instead of having them read them off my Kindle.


We also have to go through all our garment bags and check our cosplays, making sure everything is packed where it should be. Then go through our check list. Tomorrow, which I doubt I'll sleep much tonight, we'll get up early, pack, go over the check list again, pack up the last few things that I still have to use until that morning and start loading it all into the car. Then leave. We're hoping we'll be there by 1:00pm or sooner so we can check in and iron the costumes, set up the wigs and get the food into the fridge before we head out to meet up with the other people in the Pandora Hearts panel.

I cannot wait. There was bad news yesterday. But we are both being positive and are looking forward to the con. When we get back we both will be trying extra, EXTRA hard to find stable jobs. We are more determined then ever. Last night my fiance and I were out back when he found two four leaf clovers. Maybe our luck is changing. We hope the bad news is a blessing not a curse. But taking a break from reality will be nice. This con means a lot to both of us. It was the first con we cosplayed at. It's home. We really can't wait to see our friends and cosplay with them.

So this is my last post until we come back on Monday. I hope you guys have a great weekend. I know I will. Learn something from me, if times are tough, stay positive. Focus on the future, keep your head up and please don't look down on yourself. Keep moving forward.


Any who, Wish me luck! It's going to be a weekend to remember.

Today is..

The last day I have to goof off. Tomorrow the prep for con starts. And by prep I mean food shopping and packing. Going over everything to make sure everything is packed and ready to go. Today we're trying to keep our minds busy with lots of Guild Wars 2 and writing. I got the last few things for my cosplays yesterday. I got new lashes to make Yuuko's cosplay pop as well as for the contest and panel. I also got some new red nail polish. Red is 100% the color for this con. So I got red. Yuuko has lots of re,d Alice has lots of red. It's been a very red summer.


Tomorrow we'll leave fairly early in the afternoon and go buy our food and drinks. We're aiming for a budget of $50. Which we normally can meet or go under but last time we went way over. So we're going to Win-con since they are much cheaper and are only getting one thing for breakfast and some health snacks. While getting full meals for din-din as that is when we are often the most hungry. We'll also get water too and maybe some type of juice or soda. I haven't had soda in a long ass time because I'm trying to eat better but drinking soda during con is sort of our thing. So we might get some if we find some on sale.

Then later that evening I will go over everything, check the garment bags with our cosplays int hem and see if anything is missing. Find somewhere to put all the shoes and figure out where the wigs are going. I can't pack the last few things until the next morning. Like my make-up and make-up brush, my sleepwear, nightguard (Gotta love TMJ...NOT!) Tooth brush and paste, shampoo and shower stuff, ect. All those things I need the night before we leave so I can't pack those yet. Since we are not bringing more than one street clothing outfit there will be lots of room in the bag to either pack the shoes or wigs but I wont know for sure until my fiance comes over the next day and packs his stuff. I think we'll try and put shoes in there because shoes wont fit in my BABY the Stars Shine Bright bag and I want the wigs to go in there.

After we check our list we'll head out. Hopefully arriving before one. We normally make it around 12:40 or so. Then check in to our hotel room, which we get in early because we are pre-registered. Once we set everything up and make sure the food is in the fridge we'll head out to the park and meet up with our friends at two. We are meeting up with the other guests of her Pandora Hearts panel and go over everything so they are in the loop.

After that at three we will go to get our badges checked in and get our full weekend sticker. After that we'll hang out with our friends and drinks some yummy drinks, play some games and have a lot of fun, celebrating the con early.

Day One: xxxHolic/ Trinity Blood (Evening)
Day Two: Pandora Hearts
Day Three: Undecided

If our friends cosplay during day three I might too. I hope she cosplays Will like she did last year so we can twin around together. That's always a lot of fun. We have two photo shoots planed and one group shoot planned during and after the panel.


I have to write out my trivia questions for the panel in case the internet doesn't work on my Kindle. I am also in charge of music! I just got the soundtrack of Pandora Hearts and am bringing my Ipod dock so the music can play when we are setting up and when everyone gets seated. I can't wait! It's going to be so much fun. I am sad I'll miss the Clamp photo shoot but due to the panel, which is way more important, I will not be able to go. Other than that this con is well planned so far. I can't wait to hang with our friends, wear our new cosplays and take some pictures.


I will either be updating tomorrow or the morning of Friday. Not sure which. I will not be updating during con weekend but will post pictures and give a full con review later on! I'll be taking lots of pictures. Can't wait to share my memories with you guys!

Until next time!

Toodles!

Scythe

@#!$@$^%#^$.


Con is close.

Excitement levels overly high.

Anyway, enough of my weirdness. Here's that picture of the finished outcome of our Pandora Hearts scythe.

It's so purty! I'm love the color. It's not too red but also not too dark that it appears black. I do need to paint on more varnish, which I just started doing a few minutes ago. I want the blade to pop more. The rod is perfect. I wouldn't change a thing about it.

It was our first time working with EVA foam so there are a few flaws with the blade but I'm okay with all the flaws. They aren't too noticeable. We've learned from the mistakes and hopefully do better next time! Once the last few coats of varnish are painted it will be done and ready for con!

Only a few days to go! We're going food shopping on Thursday. Then leave on Friday. I can't wait!

Four days to go. Bunnies, hair cut and the scythe.

Only four days to go. In three days we buy our food and last minute supplies, make-up remover wipes and a lint roller, plus false eyelashes. I am so pumped. Today has really been a good day so far. I just got done cutting about three or four inches off my hair. It feels so short because it had been so long for a while now. And although I love when my hair is long (I normally have it in tight braids.) it was uneven and was damaged. Plus it was very hard to fit under some of my newer wigs. So I decided today that it had to be cut. I will post a picture of it on Friday when I am in my day zero outfit. I would do so now but my hair is wet and limp. It doesn't look good straight.

My dress came! Look at the bunny! I am in love with it. It fits perfectly, looks amazing on me and is the perfect length. I couldn't be happier. The long wait was well worth it. Next time I will make sure to pay a bit extra for EMS shipping so the tracking works better. Otherwise I am very pleased with Oo Jia. She is a very good seamstress. I have loved this print since I started getting interest in lolita fashion but there was no way I could afford the used price this dress costs nor would it fit my bust. So I am very thankful Oo Jia makes these dresses. I can finally wear my dream dress proudly, knowing it looks good on my body and I can breath in it, not the other way around.


And now I will have something comfortable to wear during day zero and during down time. Since the dress works well with Alice (Pandora Hearts) I might wear it for a casual cosplay during the pre-meets for the cosplay contest so I can keep her outfit a surprise.


The scythe is almost done. I fixed the top of the wooden rod so it looks clean, painted on the varnish last night. The blade also just got another coat of varnish and is looking wonderful. It even hides some of my mistakes. I think it will really pop on stage now. I just need to put the last layer on the edges and make sure I didn't miss any spots then I will be 100% done with everything.

Which is wonderful! Last con we were so behind it was very stressful but we're doing great this time around. Plus I got my dress on time and made some extra money to buy myself some eyelashes. So I'm in a great mood. The days are flying by and soon con will roll around. I really cannot wait to pack the car and head out, see our friends and cosplay. And of the contest will be a lot of fun too. I hope we make lots of new friends this year and have a wonderful time. Hopefully this good mood stays too! I'm sure it will. There really isn't anything to stress over. Thank goodness.


So that's it for now. It may be my last post for a few days until Thursday or Friday. I'm trying to calm myself and turn my attention to my novel until con so I can get some major work done before then. So toodles for now!

Five days.

Five....days. FIVE DAYS! Until day zero. Ohmigosh. I can't believe. Really there are four days to get ready. Since the 29th is the day we go buy food and drinks for the con and the day I pack everything up/ double check the costumes. Which means today I need to finish up putting on the anti-fray on the inside of Alice's dress. It's really the last thing I need to do besides finish up the scythe. I ran out of Mod Podge so I think I'll just paint on some varnish so it shines on stage. Since a little clear varnish goes a long way I think I have plenty to cover the scythe blade and the wooden rod.

Oh my glop...


I still can't believe con is this week.

My Oo Jia jsk is at my post office now and should arrive tomorrow. Of course I'm waking up early to wait for it. Since I'm going to wear it during day zero for con I don't think I will wear it much until then. But I am so happy it has come on time for the con. It is one of my dream dresses. It's also sort of funny because a few days ago I realized the dress has rabbits on it. Alice, a character I'm cosplaying loves rabbits. It really is all about Pandora Hearts this con. I may just wear the dress and Alice's wig for a casual cosplay during down time and for the cosplay contest pre-meet.


There is very little left to do. I'm so happy everything came on time. Last time it was so stressful how slow things were arriving and we were not able to cosplay our new xxxHolic cosplays. This year will be awesome. Next year I hope will be even better. I am starting to plan and think up how I am going to make Seth's outfit. I just need to decide on which one I want to do. I'm torn between two ideas.

But anyway. I need to write before my fiance comes over then work on my dress and the scythe. While playing Guild Wars 2 during breaks. :)

Scythe and pre-con traditions

The scythe is looking great. It now is able to attach onto the wooden rod. It's squeaky when it moves but it's made out foam, I'm not surprised it does. When it was cut into part of of became too thin. I've put Model Magic clay inside to help keep it from ripping during the con. I had to do some detail work on the wooden rod as well. I re-painted the scythe and am hoping to finish it tomorrow by coating it with a layer of Mod Podge to seal it. Then it re-paint the top of the wooden rod.

I've already starting packing things I don't wear, pantyhose, waist clinchers, ect. The undergarments for my cosplays. I won't pack the rest until the 29th. We are trying to cut down this con for practice for our next Sakura-con, since we are bringing our friend again!

Besides the prop since it is so close to con I'm getting myself ready by doing some of my traditional pre-con prep. Face scrubs, washing my face, treating blemishes, cleaning up my eyebrows, painting my nails. The fun girly stuff. Although, you don't need to be a girl to do these. Cleaning your face, keeping it hydrated and taking care of you body overall is a good thing. Cosplay really does help you want to take better care of yourself. After three months of hard work I'm enjoying my break, relaxing and pampering myself.

I wont paint my nail until later. I can't wear fake nails, they are way too bothersome while getting changed into cosplay as well as putting on stockings and doing make-up and putting in contacts is all too trouble-some with fake nails. So I'm skipping those for now on. I will be painting my nails red for Yuuko. Otherwise I don't do anything special with those.

I am pumped! It's nice to sit back and relax and clean up (I've been doing that all day.) but I cannot stop myself from thinking about the con.

Although my Oo Jia dress is on it's way! I'll be wearing my lolita coord during day zero and maybe day three and during all down time/evening shopping. So I can't wait! It's helping me look forward to the days before con.

The 29th is going to be fun too. Food shopping. We're cracking down on cost. And since we don't eat much in the morning (Too excited to eat.) we are getting only one thing for breakfast, healthy snacks for lunch and full meals for din-din. I think we may even be under our goal of 50$. That would be awesome. We also need to get make-up remover wipes.

I can't believe we will be headed out to the con site next Friday! It's even harder to believe it's the weekend already! Holy cow! Time flew by. I hope we don't forget anything. I think we have everything together. Can't wait! I really need a fun break to hang out with our friends. And cosplay! Oh my gosh. I feel like we haven't cosplayed in forever.

7 days- Weather report is in!

And it looks like this year will be another wonderfully mild weekend. The high is around 75 all three days. Since the con site is near a river, it normally is pretty cool out which is wonderful for people like me who do not do good in the heat and have big cosplays. Oz's gloves also came in today. That means all of our cosplays are done. All pieces have arrived on time. It's so awesome that everything has come on time as last time we were not able to bring our xxxHolic cosplays because of a late arriving wig.

It's really nice to have everything done, ready to go. There is no worrying, stress or panic. It's very calm. Today I am cleaning up the upstairs mess that was caused by sewing for the last three months. Then start cleaning my room and start packing things I do not wear everyday.

It is very early to pack. I do not normally pack this early but since I have a few items I do not wear normally I would rather have them all packed up so they aren't sitting around, getting in the way. Plus it will help me calm down as my pre-con madness has hit. Nothing left to do but focus on the scythe. No idea when that is getting finished. I do need to go paint it though. If I find my dad's camera I will take some updated pictures of everything.

Besides that painting on the anti-fray stuff on the inside of Alice's dress is the only thing I have to do. But I have lots of time to do that so I'm not worried about getting it done on time. Day zero is almost here. We have a lot planned for that day as well as day one and day two. I cannot wait. I hope we have lots of fun, make great new memories and maybe win a prize.