Post-con thoughts

Call me jaded, but Otakon is actually getting less exciting year after year. I've only missed two since 1999 (.. derp) and things have changed. My con group has changed, I'm getting older, my focuses and costumes have changed along with it.

This year was still fun, though, aside from some incidents such as nearly missing our early as hell flight to Baltimore, last minute but manageable costuming, terrible lack of respect from one member of the room group and last but not least: my friend getting pick pocketed.

Not freaking cool.

We've decided that we're going to to check out the scene on the west coast next year and see if people on that seaboard are more classy.

Mare's Leg, Part 3

In Part 1, we found a toy Mare's Leg gun, filled in the gaps, and created a two-part mold.
In Part 2, we resin cast a solid Mare's Leg.

Now for the finishing details!

Lots of pictures after the jump.

Last Minute Progress

Here's a quick list. I'll post pictures when I get a moment to breathe.

Kaylee's jumpsuit, pouch and belt are all complete and distressed.
Wash's jumpsuit just needs to have the patches, pocket and shoulder details hand-stitched on.
Wash's harness needs to have one more area stitched, then all of his details glued on.
Zoe's vest and pants are all done. All the pleather pieces are darkened and weathered, but I need more snaps for the shrug and to attach it to the vest. The holster is mostly complete, it just needs the parts where the gun holds on.
Zoe's gun needs one or two more coats of paint and all of the bullets are painted and drying.

18 hours until Goose, Madhouse and I are on the road. Still need to shop for supplies, do the laundry, make the apartment ready for the weekend for our fur-babies, and pack!
Running on less than 5 hours of sleep today, but it's all worth it in the end.
Can't wait for Otakon!

Mare's Leg, Part 2

In Part 1, we sourced a toy Mare's Leg gun, filled in the gaps, and created a two-part mold.  Let's see how it turned out...

Lots of pictures after the jump.

Mare's Leg, Part 1

Part of Akira's Zoe costume is her signature Mare's Leg gun, which we have been working on for the past couple weeks.  Not having to worry about Ilo Milo means a lot more work has gone into it.

Lots of progress pictures after the jump.

Another to do list...

I really should be sleeping right now, but I think the coffee I had earlier in the afternoon kicked in oh.. about two hours ago? This is normally where I would say FML, but I'm not complaining.

Brain dump, because I will forget x_X:

To buy before Otakon:
- New foundation. So Akira and I have the same sort of awkward problem: the skin on our faces seem like they have a different color base than our arms/wrists/where ever we compare colors for our foundations because colors don't work :| Plus I blush really easily/stay flushed for some bizarre reason. Anywho, thanks to Nave dragging me outside more often in this ridiculous heatwave, my needing to throw out my liquid foundation from years ago, and disliking using the mineral foundation that I have now because it's so drying here where we live.. I need a new liquid foundation.
- Lip plumper for Akira. Do I need to say more?
- Potentially a new make up carrying case/travel bag. The one I got as a free gift from Lancome a few years ago (and not supporting them anymore. Animal testing bastards.) is getting kind of groady.
- If I can find an affordable hard side suitcase.. that would be fantastic. Or I may end up taking the chest plates on my duffle bag carry on just to make sure that the plastic doesn't get bent/damaged/tossed out of shape. I only have a soft side suitcase and I'm worried :|

To do before Otakon:
- Make sure that the armor, a special package and whatever random other thing I need to have fit actually can fit into the suitcase with padding. If not, maybe something will go into the overhead bins...
- Garment bag everything and anything for each of the costumes. Having two almost identical but size costumes for the two of us this year will be.. well, interesting to say the least..
- Charge my Nook for the airplane
- CLEAN. My sewing loft is a freaking explosion right now.
- Find a kitty sitter for the princess, or someone who will check in on her at least twice while we're gone.
- Laundry.
- Give myself a manicure/clean my nails properly. Working in a lab that generates a lot of dust in the sample processing, painting(!!!) armor pieces and being so busy means that I haven't been keeping my nails as clean as they should be.
- Actually sit down and clean my new make up brushes. And swatch the MUG shadows I got. Initial impression of the latter is pretty good! Full review to come.

GAH

Brain dump/to do list because my white board isn't big enough and Nave keeps his homework assignments there

Inara -
- Finish painting designs on the vest
- Add fastners and hem the vest
- Paint the damn skirt 
- NECKLACE
- (check the wig and make sure it doesn't look too derpy. Bring curling iron and hair spray just in case)

Malcom -
- Hem the coat
- Add cuffs to sleeves
- FIND A RED SHIRT
- Add eyelets to belt and weather
- Seal, paint and assemble the holster
- .. weather boots, but that's Nave's job.

Lanfan -
- Finish hemming gloves -DONE
- Seal and paint the glove decorations - DONE
- Seal and paint boot decoration - DONE
- Add fastener to leg greaves (redo leg greaves in wonderflex? - DONE and painted >>) - DONE
- Add edging to chest and back plate  - DONE
- Paint shoulders, chest and back plates -DONE
- Add final ties to chest and back plate and fasteners - holes are drilled? needs to be assembled at the con because of fitting issues
- Finish and paint mask -DONE
- Attach boot and glove decorations
- Tack hood in place
3 of 10 remaining

Old Man Fu -
- finish hakama.
- Hem gloves - DONE
- Seal and paint the glove decorations -DONE
- Seal and paint boot decoration -DONE
- Add fastner to leg greaves (redo leg greaves in wonderflex? - DONE and painted) - DONE
- Add edging to chest and back plate -DONE
- Paint shoulders, chest and back plates -DONE
- Add final ties to chest and back plate and fasteners
- Finish and paint mask -DONE
- Attach glove and boot decorations 
- Make headband -DONE
- Buy a ridiculous mustache and powder it white.
3 of 12 remaining

All in all, maybe a little less screwed than I think I was going to be. I hope to have all of the bolded stuff done before the weekend is over (.. between my part time desk shift on Wednesday nights and a Harry Potter party on Thursday...). The necklace isn't going to be too bad, but I need to have time to sit down and do it all at once.. this may be the last minute thing at the con ;;

The plan is to get white school glue and seal everything that I need to seal tomorrow night, and add some more apoxie sculpt to the bridge of the nose and shape the brows. (Edit: while glue sealed craft foam may be a good idea at the last minute, you're almost better off just making it out of the wonderflex you have lying around.)

OH OH. Keep an eye out for two reviews and a "what's in my kit" post next week before we leave for the con. I finally bit the bullet and got a set of quality make up brushes and a set of neutral eyeshadows that I'm fairly excited to play with (and using for Inara). The "what's in my kit" is a basic convention prep and make up advice for a newbie cosplayer/non-make up user.