September 2013
Friday Unrelated Information
1. This post about collaborating with a four-year-old in a sketchbook is just delightful (I think I have a new favorite blog–see her post about messes, too). The author is an artist and draws faces; her daughter draws the bodies and then the artist adds color:
(Image by busymockingbird.com)
Isn’t that great? But the closing thoughts are right-on, too:
Most importantly, I learned that if you have a preconceived notion of how something should be, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE DISAPPOINTED. Instead, just go with it, just ACCEPT it, because usually something even more wonderful will come out of it.
2. If I’m ever tempted by internet dating, I look at this. And then this.
Sometimes You Just Need To Sing This
That dance at about 40 seconds in…I think I need to learn it.
Happy Belated Birthday, Mary Oliver
It was poet Mary Oliver’s birthday yesterday. Here is a poem about being resigned to fall, which I could use some help with:
Lines Written in the Days of Growing Darkness
Every year we have been
witness to it: how the
world descends
into a rich mash, in order that
it may resume.
And therefore
who would cry out
to the petals on the ground
to stay,
knowing, as we must,
how the vivacity of what was is married
to the vitality of what will be?
I don’t say
it’s easy, but
what else will do
if the love one claims to have for the world
be true?
So let us go on
though the sun be swinging east,
and the ponds be cold and black,
and the sweets of the year be doomed.
Tuesday Project Roundup: The Everyday Cape
After swirling around Comic Con in my dramatic coat-vest-dress thing, there is now no way that I can not make a cape for myself for everyday wear. (I know I talked about it before, but I’m serious this time. Anything to prolong the magic of nerd prom!)
I think my cape needs to be double-breasted, with some military-ish (ahem-steampunk-ahem) gold buttons. But I can’t decide on a color: Something bright, because I love colors? Or something camel-colored, to be worn with colored pants?
I have a pattern coming from Ebay for the blue cape at top (thanks Kim!) so I have some time to decide.
(Links to the original images are on my Pinterest board for “Capes”…as I told a friend, “You know it’s serious when you make a Pinterest board for it.” )
Nerd Prom
Here are a few more photos from Comic Con, also known as My New Favorite Place. It really is like prom for nerds, with an entire convention center to admire your outfit.
I admired this TARDIS ball gown:
And these steampunk wings that folded and unfolded:
And this guy’s Crow T. Robot puppet that he built:
Speaking of Mystery Science Theater, by Friday afternoon I was brave enough to approach Kevin Murphy, voice of Tom Servo on the show, and very patient photograph poser (!):
He even threw in an autograph (!!). I had him make it out to “Rowsdower” (!!!).
Friday Unrelated Information
1. My reaction to Comic Con wasn’t covered by any of the gifs yesterday–it was more like this. I felt like I’d finally found my people.
What Will It Be Like?
I start working the company booth at Comic Con today. Attendance at the convention is expected to be near 40,000. I have a feeling it might be like this:
Which might cause me to react like this:
But you never know. I might see a group of MST3K fans and ditch the company booth to go see Kevin Murphy, just like this:
In The Woods
Tuesday Project Roundup: Aviatrix
On Labor Day I worked in a self-imposed sweatshop and got my costume mostly finished. Not only was I making one full-length coat, it’s all lined–so really, I made two. I had about nine hours to regret my decision to make a costume, but in the end I’m happy with how it turned out.
Here it is “staged”on the dress form, minus the hooks and eyes I need to sew to get it to close in front. There will be a lot more accessories and a big belt, too, if I can find one in the next two days:
And here it is seconds after completion in the final moment of truth–will it fit? Is it cool?
Yes to both, I think. It’s fun to wear, even over hiking shorts and a yoga top.
I realize I’ve turned the “vintage” photo filters on these up to 11 and they’re just bad sewing room pics, but never fear: the company photographer is also attending Comic Con so there will be more action shots to post after the weekend.