my first commission
It took about a month to complete due to working just at night and on weekends, but I did complete my first commissioned costume. It was a very large super suit (2XL) which required a whole lot more fabric than I normally have to purchase. I felt bad having to charge so much but double the fabric really did add a lot to the cost. For example, I can get some good quality spandex for $20/yd (retail) and for my own suits, I only need 2.5 yards but for such a large suit, the pants alone were 3.5 yds.
I don't know when the recipient of the costume will receive it. It was commissioned by this person's friend as a present. So in order to get any kind of pictures, I asked my boss at the comic book shop to don the costume. He added a Yoda pillow to his waistline and struggled with the mask because I didn't want to add a lot of glue to his face or the mask, just enough to take to the pictures; but in the end, we had Bill put together enough to model for a few shots.
This suit is made out of a knit material basically the stuff that most T-shirts are made out of; I made the cape out of lining material to keep the cost down. It's an original character called Captain Fatman and the creator originally used the old fashioned Green Lantern (Alan Scott) as his costume inspiration. I took that look and swapped a few things but kept the basic color scheme: red, green, purple, gold. The shin guards were just red shiny things from Wal-Mart that I repainted.
CoX contest update
CoX contest
I didn't place in the Top 10 so there's no more Vote for Amber campaign. :( I'm rather annoyed with the Devs for making an announcement about dates to vote and then not getting around to it until 10 days later than they said.The Top 3 for Best Hero, Villain and ultimate Grand Prize were chosen but not announced yet. The remaining 7 are up for votes on the CoX boards. You have to have an active player account to access the boards.
Anyway, here's one last look at Amber just for my adoring fans:
Amber the Superhero Stylist
Wonder Woman ready for battle
Ok, so I was pretty darn miserable for a while thinking this costume looked awful but after I got it completed and fixed up a bit, I didn't want to take it off. It's not professional (my stitching really sucks) but it's done and from a few feet away looks pretty good.
I still can't get over these boots! I'm going to have to order more colors because they're just so awesome.
I just registered over at League of Heroes.
Wonder Woman almost done
The rental I looked at was over 20 years old at Ann's Costume Shop in Boonton, NJ. I don't recommend that store. The customer service was also dreadful but I would have overlooked that if the costume was great. It was battered and in horrible condition. The bottoms were no longer blue but faded to a pale purple which the owner kept arguing with me about as "artist interpretation" and not that I needed them but the boot covers were gold not red & white or even just red; and the accessories were peeling apart and looked like they were held together with scotch tape. Nuff said.
I got to back to working on my original...
The first thing I did was stitch the bottoms around the legs with the machine because my handstitching sucks; then I stitched the blue bottoms to the red in a messy fashion (it got skewed and slants to one side) but it's better than the snaps I had which just wouldn't hold. Then the hard part. I tackled making a belt big enough to cover the mistakes. I really don't like that "Adam Hughes" style as I said and my first attempt, as seen below, was not very good. The regular presser foot kept my stitches straight but pulled the fabric so it got dragged into angles; the zipper foot wasn't any better. I decided I didn't like the belt and tried two more times before getting one that is passable. I had to use the embroidery foot which means I had less control and my stitches are not remotely in straight lines but because the embroidery foot picks up after each stitch, it doesn't cause that messy drag with the fabric.
Tomorrow, after pilates, I'll get to the tiara. My plan for that is to use my ritual tiara (seen in the pics) and basically make a covering. I have to make a lasso "frog" to attach to the belt and also the bracers! So that's basically three more major pieces (because there is a bracer for each wrist) and the little thing to attach to the belt.
Wonder Woman wip
Chiller Theatre - NJ
Although I am making very slow progress on my Wonder Woman costume, I could not pass up the opportunity to dust off my first superhero costume (custom made by BlackCerenity) which was X-Men's classic green & yellow Rogue. I got the chance to hang out with one of my favorite real life superheroes, Feedback and catch up with a couple other costume pals. I ran into Batman and the Joker!
The boys from The Loud Idiots radio program thought I looked good enough to enter their own costume contest and snapped off a pic of me. I guess I didn't look too bad for having had surgery only a couple weeks ago.
My boots are fan-freakin-tastic!
Oh Great Hera! These Wonder Woman boots are so fantastic I want to just wear them all the time, and I hate heels! They're shiny. They're awesome. I'm so incredibly clumsy in them but I don't care.
Stage 1: Wonder Woman
I'm so impressed with Spandex House. At first I was wary about ordering from them since their site isn't a typical ecommerce site. You add stuff into your chart and submit the order but there's no processing. You give them your phone number and they call you to take your payment information. I did think it was odd but as a person who has had her cc info stolen before, I realized this is probably safer than an encrypted site. I placed my order yesterday, got the call an hour later and this morning my package had arrived.
My boots and wig from Scavenge, Inc. arrived this week also. The boots are just so awesome! They're shiny and truly befitting a stylish superhero. I may wear them for no reason at all.
My boots and wig from Scavenge, Inc. arrived this week also. The boots are just so awesome! They're shiny and truly befitting a stylish superhero. I may wear them for no reason at all.
Holy Drunken Shit, Batman! I'm drinking with Jim Lee!
Baltimore Day 2 has been (in the immortal words of Barney Stinson) LEGENDARY. Here I am shooting the shit with Jim Lee at the Marriot bar where Frank Cho was only ten feet away. Jim asked what I do for the shop (Comic Fusion) and Stacy explained about my costumes and then told him about Wonder Woman Day and how I'm soliciting art at the con for the auction. Stacy showed him the postcard with the information. He flipped it over and asked if I had a pen and if he should use the back of the postcard. At this point Stacy and I looked at each with the telepathic connection, "Holy Shit! Is Jim Lee about to do a sketch for our charity event?" Stacy was wise enough to recall that I had bagged boards in my tote. I hurriedly dug one out and handed it to Jim. We watched as he sketched Wonder Woman. He didn't like the way the eyes came out so asked me for another board. Then he sketched Batman. He wasn't thrilled with that one either but we were giddy as school girls at a Justin Timberlake concert. We had two drunken Jim Lee inked boards for Wonder Woman Day. LEGENDARY.
Jim walked away to take pictures with a huge throng of fans who claimed to be Disney dancers and asked me and Stacy to help take pictures with their six cameras. Then a few minutes later he brought over a beer to me even though I wasn't drinking anything except ginger ale and orange juice. I was too freaking geeked out to refuse a beer from Jim Lee (thank goodness it was a nice medium amber beer, Sam Adams I'm pretty sure) so I had a few sips of it.
Baltimore so far
I met up with a few people who I befriended in Philly and bombarded many others with my presence for the first time. Howard Chaykin and Arthur Suydam were a freaking riot! I love those guys and they love my boobs. Boy I was only wearing T-shirt yesterday. Can't imagine what today will be like when I wear something else.
Off to Baltimore Con
Leaving for the Baltimore Con and doing the two-day retailers thing Monday and Tuesday there as well. It's a "real clothes" trip though which I'm bummed about. I just love putting on the spandex. Instead I'll be in official geek attire and a couple of low cut shirts hoping to get more donations for the Wonder Woman Day auctions.
Continuing with the plaster
It's a good thing I'm not a neat freak. I have been playing with my hydracal (plaster gypsum) today in my teeny tiny laundry room. I was able to sand a decent amount of my Tech Support wire globe logo with the Dremel. Then I brushed a new layer of plaster over it trying to make it nice and smooth. Well, it sure looked nice when it was wet but now brush strokes are severely showing.
I'm going to a different approach to the Fantastic 4 logo as well. I had let some of the plaster harden in the bottom of the bucket I used last time. I was able to pop it out with some muscle. The only thing is the bottom had typical manufacturing divots in it so it's not a plain circular surface. I just tried brushing a new layer on but it wouldn't sufficiently stick to the smooth surface -- probably because I didn't sand it first. Oh well. Live and learn.
I'm going to a different approach to the Fantastic 4 logo as well. I had let some of the plaster harden in the bottom of the bucket I used last time. I was able to pop it out with some muscle. The only thing is the bottom had typical manufacturing divots in it so it's not a plain circular surface. I just tried brushing a new layer on but it wouldn't sufficiently stick to the smooth surface -- probably because I didn't sand it first. Oh well. Live and learn.
Invisible Woman costume update
Here's a CG mock up of what the costume should like when it's finally complete (on the right). Right now I'm working on the casting of the chest logo in Flex Foam and latex. The Flex Foam worked better much to my surprise. I really expected the latex to win. It was my first time doing any kind of moldmaking and casting so the fact that they suck isn't a surprise.
The top image on the left is the Flex Foam III with a very thin latex coating which happens to be peeling off.
The lower image is just latex. I have no idea why huge chunks are missing. There aren't any chunks left inside the plaster mold so I have no idea where they are. Even after two days, there were still parts of that outer circle ridge that were not cured but it didn't seem like it was enough to make those giant craters.
Overall, the costume is not very flattering for my figure. It will most likely be up for sale once it's finished without boots because it's just easier for people to buy their own size.
Wonder Woman/Girl Tribute outfit
I'm almost done with this version of my Wonder Woman / Wonder Girl tribute outfit! Basically the only things missing are the boots and the tiara. The tiara I may attempt out of molding plastic but who knows if I'll get to it. The boots will be purchased from Scavenge Inc. most likely.
That's me trying to look dramatic! "Come on. Vogue!"
The pants I just whipped up today. They're simple plain navy leggings. They dip a little too much in the back side but the shirt is plenty long enough to cover. The bracelets I decided to throw together as well just because I found a little strip of gold left over. I put eyelets in them and have a ribbon tying them together but it would look better with a faux leather lace.
I'm really hating the top. It was so big and baggy originally. I swear measurements on the pattern instructions are not real measurements. So I took it in and it was still too baggy. Took it in again and now it's too snug and looks just awful in the bust. Oh well. Tough beans. I'm not working on this top any more. I may just make a new one some day or attempt a real Wonder Woman costume.
This wasn't intended to be a costume, by the way. I thought I'd like this blouse pattern and decided it would work well with the gold armor breast plate design and this is what I came up with. It's basically just meant to go with the bag I made.
I'll be adding our NJ Wonder Woman Day Celebration to Meetup.com in hopes of drawing out all the comic geeks and people who just think it's a cool idea. Look for it on October 28th!
Moldmaking
Here's the progress of my moldmaking in different stages on two different projects:
Wireglobe logo in wax for Tech Support Fan Club (WWTBASH: S1). With any hope, I'll get a great master casting and can make lots of good quality latex logos. I'll set up a Pay Pal button and page to purchase this for Tech Support members.
Fantastic 4 logo in wax.
Fantastic 4 plaster casting waiting for latex which I just ordered from Smooth-On (with ridiculously expensive UPS shipping when I live close enough to go pick it up if they had that option).
Wireglobe logo in wax for Tech Support Fan Club (WWTBASH: S1). With any hope, I'll get a great master casting and can make lots of good quality latex logos. I'll set up a Pay Pal button and page to purchase this for Tech Support members.
Fantastic 4 logo in wax.
Fantastic 4 plaster casting waiting for latex which I just ordered from Smooth-On (with ridiculously expensive UPS shipping when I live close enough to go pick it up if they had that option).
yes, there's progress
We got to hang out with Joanna and Jason yesterday and see baby Bea for the first time. Then Jason and I got to play with plaster and start the mold casting process for my Invisible Woman costume chest logo. He gave me a lot of tips like add plaster to the water not water to plaster; use hot water with a little salt, and you don't need an expensive moldmaking box (we just took ducting tape and a piece of floor tile and make a containment area). It's humid today but I'm sure the plaster will be cured by this afternoon. Then comes the part of removing my wax sculpture from the plaster. Next step -- LATEX! Woohoo!
J is very encouraging and since he knows so many people in the special effects business, it's amazing that he thinks I be good at this. So... hopefully... (yes, another career possibility) I can get cranking into the latex casting business and make the things that people who just want to sew or purchase base items will need. That way, if you buy your bodysuit from a dance company and need a chest logo or badge, that means, I'll be able to supply that piece and you can just glue it in place. Yay for plans for the future! Huzzah!
I have also given more consideration to auditioning for Season 3 of Who Wants to be a Superhero? if there is one. I watched a few more YouTube videos of the Texas Titans (that's a bunch of people who auditioned for Season 2 and have stayed friends and make fun cosplay movies) and it inspired me. I have realized that there's no need to be nervous about auditioning because it's so unlikely that I'd get chosen. BUT, I'd be there and I'd be connecting with other fans and maybe a Titans East could be formed. Ya never know.
J is very encouraging and since he knows so many people in the special effects business, it's amazing that he thinks I be good at this. So... hopefully... (yes, another career possibility) I can get cranking into the latex casting business and make the things that people who just want to sew or purchase base items will need. That way, if you buy your bodysuit from a dance company and need a chest logo or badge, that means, I'll be able to supply that piece and you can just glue it in place. Yay for plans for the future! Huzzah!
I have also given more consideration to auditioning for Season 3 of Who Wants to be a Superhero? if there is one. I watched a few more YouTube videos of the Texas Titans (that's a bunch of people who auditioned for Season 2 and have stayed friends and make fun cosplay movies) and it inspired me. I have realized that there's no need to be nervous about auditioning because it's so unlikely that I'd get chosen. BUT, I'd be there and I'd be connecting with other fans and maybe a Titans East could be formed. Ya never know.
progress report on Invisible Woman
I had tried crafting the chest emblem design out of Sculpy but was just too difficult. It was not the right medium. I messaged another costumer through myspace about what she uses for her accessories and she sculpts out of plaster and casts the latex from there. I could not find plaster at my closest hobby shop which I know I saw there previously; instead I picked up some blocks of wax and spent most of yesterday trying to work in that. Every time I thought I'd get a smooth surface, it would dry wavy and lumpy. It's still better than the Sculpy.
completely changed my mind
After thinking about it and after I started working on the new project, I completely changed my mind. I'm going to do the old fashioned Sue Storm/Invisible Woman in her classic two-color style. I need to get a zipper and then get the supplies for making the chest emblem. I also need to make the belt, figure out what to do for the boots and gloves too.
new project
With all that new blue spandex I bought, I was trying to think of costumes that I could make. 'Lo and behold, it dawned on me today that Sue Storm/Invisible Woman of the F4 is the perfect outfit for the shades of blue that I purchased. I'll have plenty of the bright robins egg blue but probably just enough of the navy to make the neck piece, belt, and I'm adding stripes for the more modern look of Sue. I don't have boots or gloves but I'm not on a deadline for it right now. Instead of the large chest emblem of the "4" symbol, I'm going to do it more like the movie version and have a breast pocket area patch. That way I won't have to worry about having the zipper go through the emblem and I'd rather not move the zipper to the back because that just makes life difficult.
So far, I only have the muslin cut out. I've been transferring the commercial Kwik Sew pattern to the muslin so that I can make all the necessary new design pieces. Then I'll just use the muslin as the pattern pieces. I'm also thinking of adding some detail -- this is the kind of stuff fanboys hate -- like white or black piping around the stripes on the side pieces and maybe some horizontal lines on the stripes to give it some texture so it doesn't just look like a different color of plain ol' lycra and more like a different kind of fabric. I'm sure people will not like the design but it's all artistic interpretation.
I looked at a number of pictures today on ComicVine showing the different variations of Sue Storm through years and across titles plus the movie shots. Overall, I like her color scheme a lot. Sometimes there's white, sometimes it's blue with black and others it's blue with dark navy. Like the other outfits I've designed, I'll take the elements of each one that I like best and put them together.
So far, I only have the muslin cut out. I've been transferring the commercial Kwik Sew pattern to the muslin so that I can make all the necessary new design pieces. Then I'll just use the muslin as the pattern pieces. I'm also thinking of adding some detail -- this is the kind of stuff fanboys hate -- like white or black piping around the stripes on the side pieces and maybe some horizontal lines on the stripes to give it some texture so it doesn't just look like a different color of plain ol' lycra and more like a different kind of fabric. I'm sure people will not like the design but it's all artistic interpretation.
I looked at a number of pictures today on ComicVine showing the different variations of Sue Storm through years and across titles plus the movie shots. Overall, I like her color scheme a lot. Sometimes there's white, sometimes it's blue with black and others it's blue with dark navy. Like the other outfits I've designed, I'll take the elements of each one that I like best and put them together.
Delaney Clan Shirt
Rag Shop Clearance Sale
I went to my local (and virtually only) fabric store, the Rag Shop, to find it plastered in posters that it's going out business. I was horrified but tried to make the best of the sales. KACHING! Hello, Master Card! I'm now rather stocked up on spandex in baby blue, orange, pink, medium blue, some lime green and little bit of dark blue.
If anyone would like to place a costume order that requires any of those colors, write to me asap before I turn them into things for myself.
If anyone would like to place a costume order that requires any of those colors, write to me asap before I turn them into things for myself.
new contacts to share
I met some wonderful artists and writers at this weekend's Wizard World in Philly. My entire recap is over at Live Journal. However one thing I saved specifically for this costume blog is the link to Lavinia Wings, a fairy wing designer. DragonCon is approaching and Sam Walker at LW will take custom orders. Her wings are beautiful and I know you will love them.
colorful tights and body suits
I just came across a stylish site that features 45 different colors of tights! No matter what theme you're dressing, chances are you could use something like this.
We Love Colors
We Love Colors
got skulls?
Typically I get annoyed at random myspace friends invitations for things like bands and artists that are globally spamming. That's right, I said it. It's not marketing - It's SPAM. However, there have been about 3 times in the past year that I've actually encountered a invitation worth accepting from these random global drops. One of which was today's acceptance of Skull Planet.
If you have a hankering for skulls, this is the place. I love them. I'm obsessed with skull patterns and bone images. It must be the plethora of pirate goodness out there today. Whatever the reason, it's a pattern motif I love for the moment.
If you have a hankering for skulls, this is the place. I love them. I'm obsessed with skull patterns and bone images. It must be the plethora of pirate goodness out there today. Whatever the reason, it's a pattern motif I love for the moment.
Wonder Woman/Girl theme top
I finally created a top that "mostly" fits. It's a little baggy and not what I would call "supportive" in the bustline but it's roomy enough that I actually got it on and could conceivably wear it to Wizard World.
Please ignore the yoga pants in the picture and my currently terrible complexion; I'm fighting hives this months.
mary marvel inspired bag
Wonder Woman tote
I created a prototype of a real masterpiece this weekend. The owner of Solstice, where my bags are being sold, had mentioned that if her sister-in-law could find Wonder Woman fabric, she'd probably like a bag made out of it. I tried to explain that I could come up with something without it actually being WW fabric. When I brought it up again, Jamie was hesistant and said she'd talk to her s-i-l to see if she'd be interested. I knew that even if she wasn't interested, I already was. I had a plan formulated in my head and wanted to try it so this weekend I spent one day shopping and cutting, then the next day constructing it. Now that it's done, I can visually see what I would change if there was a next time. If it wasn't for my poor stitching on corners & curves (heck, I'm not even so good at straight either), it would be better. I'm still pretty excited about how it turned out. The pattern pieces that are not my originals are so worn out from all the bags I've made! I may have to start tracing them onto new tissue paper. For this Wonder Woman bag though, about one-third of it is original: the busty front, the bust embellishment, the trim on the handles and how to sew the back to the front.
Quip in full costume
1st Gaming Con held in Iraq
June 9th will be a spectacular and history-making day for the global RP gaming community. The Army's Morale Welfare & Recreation Department are allowing servicemembers at Camp Adder/Tallil Airbase (dubbed "The Ziggurat") to use a building for the first ever gaming con in a warzone!
The Toys4Troops website states: "The largest problem with running a Con in Iraq, of course, is that there are no local stores or game publishers, and few game books on the post. Even dice are in short supply, with many soldiers breaking the unwritten taboo held by many gamers and sharing dice. Thankfully, many game publishers have also lent their support, and have agreed to supply game products to help the Con along. aethereal FORGE, Sovereign Press, Final Redoubt Press, Goodman Games, Paizo Publishing and Steve Jackson Games are among those that have thrown in their support for the convention. But Amberson indicated that the soldiers could definitely use more."
Also updated on the website is a message from Games for GIs:
"We are currently at an address where we can ship all care packages through military means free of charge.
They would be delighted to get PDF products as well as they have access to laptops & printers. Please read through the T4T website for the laws applied to mailing things to Iraq. There are restrictions.
The Toys4Troops website states: "The largest problem with running a Con in Iraq, of course, is that there are no local stores or game publishers, and few game books on the post. Even dice are in short supply, with many soldiers breaking the unwritten taboo held by many gamers and sharing dice. Thankfully, many game publishers have also lent their support, and have agreed to supply game products to help the Con along. aethereal FORGE, Sovereign Press, Final Redoubt Press, Goodman Games, Paizo Publishing and Steve Jackson Games are among those that have thrown in their support for the convention. But Amberson indicated that the soldiers could definitely use more."
Also updated on the website is a message from Games for GIs:
"We are currently at an address where we can ship all care packages through military means free of charge.
They would be delighted to get PDF products as well as they have access to laptops & printers. Please read through the T4T website for the laws applied to mailing things to Iraq. There are restrictions.
finished Quip costume
I'm very glad that Richard sent me 2 of each shirt so that I could work out the design and skills needed to get his Quip costume done. He sent me 2 black button down shirts and 2 black turtlenecks so that I could add appliqués and patches. After a quest for fabric that would work, I found violet crushed velvet in a remnant pile for $3.99/yard. No spandex in purple could be found this time of year. Luckily, I think the pieces came out really nice even though one shoulder patch is a smidge lower than the other. Hopefully no one will notice. It's done and I should get it in the mail to Dallas tomorrow in time for Quip's reunion with his girlfriend in June.
Jason Reese, my buddy from Smooth-On, is going to be giving me tips on how to properly clean and store my Black Cat mask. And if I've damaged it at all, he'll be able to repair or replace it. He said silicone would have been better than foam latex. What do I know? I just saw what I needed at Xtreme FX and clicked to order. The mask is really beautiful and since I'm not actually climbing the buildings of New York City, I think it will last a while. Black Cat just happens to have a rather thin mask so I've been worried that it will break.
There was a big monster mash this weekend but I didn't make it to that. I'm saving my strength for Wizard World in Philly in June.
Quip costume
I just ordered a single ticket for myself to go to Wizard World in Philly, only $25; Stacy and her friend Dave are going so I won't be alone and she'll drive.
I also started working on the Richard Quip costume for my friend. Actually I'm only doing the embellishments but I still need to find fabric. I'll have to order it online because the stores out here just don't have very much to choose from. What I find is that they have tons of cotton for quilters mostly and that's what I use for my totes, but they are very limited in anything like spandex. I thought there would be a better shot at it since it's a bathing suit fabric but the only stuff I saw was so horribly ugly I couldn't believe anyone would use it for a bathing suit. The only solid color I saw was a super bright lime green which would have worked for maybe another character but I need purple for Quip.
I also started working on the Richard Quip costume for my friend. Actually I'm only doing the embellishments but I still need to find fabric. I'll have to order it online because the stores out here just don't have very much to choose from. What I find is that they have tons of cotton for quilters mostly and that's what I use for my totes, but they are very limited in anything like spandex. I thought there would be a better shot at it since it's a bathing suit fabric but the only stuff I saw was so horribly ugly I couldn't believe anyone would use it for a bathing suit. The only solid color I saw was a super bright lime green which would have worked for maybe another character but I need purple for Quip.
photos from FCBD '07
I'm still recuperating from yesterday's Free Comic Book Day. It was an amazing experience! I know I had a blast and can't wait to do it again. One little girl actually knew I was the Black Cat and that her real name is Felicia while half of the other people thought I was Storm and another good percentage thought Catwoman. Well, I tried.
Photo Gallery
received my first art
Here is the (first) piece of commissioned art I had done of Amber and Power Princess Caico ready for action, by Dan Gorman of argonautcomics.com.
In this scan, you can unfortunately see the linen of the paper but this artist totally hooked me up. I have a matted 8x10, 5 trading card size laminated, 3 of that size just on paper, plus the original pencil sketch.
And I will be sure to send the trading cards to my Assistant, Optical and her gifted brother.
Black Cat costume completed
Summer 2007 Totes available
I just finished the 4 tote bags for Solstice (local florist & gift boutique). I didn't bother to put snaps or closures in any of them. I was having such a difficult time with other aspects that I just didn't want to deal with snaps right now.
If you are interesting in visiting Solstice, the shop is located just outside the quaint downtown area of High Bridge at 284 Rte 513 in Glen Gardner, NJ. Call (908) 638-6240 for their hours. They don't have a website but they carry an assortment of fairies like Jessica Galbreth, Cicely Barker and Amy Brown plus loads of country style gifts, soaps, candles, and of course flowers.
However, if you'd like to custom order a bag from me directly, just send me an email to bgrosinski at comcast dot net. The price will depend on the fabric and embellishments but to give you a general idea, the pink & black bag shown in the pictures would run around $18 + shipping while the tie dye silk bag would run around $25 + shipping.
making progress
I actually have the bodysuit for Black Cat done but I'm going to rip out some seams and try something else. I currently have the collar piece attached but I'm going to see if my skilled mom can remove it and then change it into a separate choker which will make getting in and out of it much easier. It's not too bad considering how much this fabric stretches but why add the extra strain to the seams, right?
I also just ordered my mask from X-treme Design FX. I may go out this afternoon to shop for the white fur but it depends on how much my mom and I get accomplished this afternoon. Then gloves and possibly a belt will be the final touches. Black Cat doesn't usually wear a belt but in some art she has one and I really love belts to hide my flabby belly.
Let's see. What else is going on? Oh, I just got the proof of the artwork I had commissioned by Dan Gorman. It's gonna rock! Caico looks so good in the sketch. And the price of $95 for a custom sketch and color print is very reasonable.
I also just ordered my mask from X-treme Design FX. I may go out this afternoon to shop for the white fur but it depends on how much my mom and I get accomplished this afternoon. Then gloves and possibly a belt will be the final touches. Black Cat doesn't usually wear a belt but in some art she has one and I really love belts to hide my flabby belly.
Let's see. What else is going on? Oh, I just got the proof of the artwork I had commissioned by Dan Gorman. It's gonna rock! Caico looks so good in the sketch. And the price of $95 for a custom sketch and color print is very reasonable.
Black Cat update
I'm only 4 hours into the creation of my Black Cat costume. I wrote to a company about getting a mask but haven't heard back. The bodysuit is almost done. I have to put in zippers and sleeves. Then I have to shop for fur, velcro, gloves, and hair extensions or wig.
getting my first gig
I hinted to my local comic shop owner that I would love to be a dressed up hero at Free Comic Book Day in May and she asked if I'd be a volunteer! I will be in my green & yellow Rogue attire (and back-breaking boots). Since hair extensions are so expensive I'm going to start looking into temporary wash-out colorings. The clip-in extensions I got will be great for the white stripe but I would need to darken the rest of my hair up by a couple of shades. I would also love to find knee pads that actually fit since the I ones I got (dirt cheap) at Home Depot are huge.
Custom Replicas & Original Costumes
A friend of mine told about some friends of his that are in the costume business and I knew I had to pass their information on you. I saw their different Wolverine looks and it's mind-blowing. Their work is awesome and intricate and will probably cost you a fortune but hey, you want to look great, don't you?
I present you with Universal Designs! *note - I do have problems with a couple of their links but there's still enough to see how fabulous they are.
I present you with Universal Designs! *note - I do have problems with a couple of their links but there's still enough to see how fabulous they are.
Steel City Con
Claiming to be the largest con in PA, Steel City, should be a great time. Plus you can meet the guy who played Bud Bundy!
If you're a fan of Who Wants to be a Superhero then you definitely don't want to miss this show. Feedback and about 20 members of his Fan Club, Tech Support including me, will be there.
Dates: March 24-25
If you're a fan of Who Wants to be a Superhero then you definitely don't want to miss this show. Feedback and about 20 members of his Fan Club, Tech Support including me, will be there.
Dates: March 24-25
Chris's Invincible Super-Blog
Chris's Invincible Super-Blog
Brilliant recap of the Civil War we have been dealing with. 'Tis a shame that this is the storyline that brought me into comics. Seriously. I hadn't bought a comic book since I was like 5 yrs old then I heard about CW. Got addicted and couldn't wait for more. Then issue 7 came out. I'll keep up with it because there may be hope for us yet.
Brilliant recap of the Civil War we have been dealing with. 'Tis a shame that this is the storyline that brought me into comics. Seriously. I hadn't bought a comic book since I was like 5 yrs old then I heard about CW. Got addicted and couldn't wait for more. Then issue 7 came out. I'll keep up with it because there may be hope for us yet.
A good costume resource
If you see my earliest posts, you'll see that I scour the internet for places to get the best costume parts and out of the goodness of my heart, I choose to share these treasures with you, my adoring public. I've come across another site that has so much to offer (including the Cyclops visor I would have crawled over broken glass to get last year when I needed it).
I present you with MPM Costumes. You'll find Star Wars, Spider-Man, X-Men, BSG and other great themed suits, accessories, etc. Expect to pay top dollar though - these people are serious costumers and might only appeal to die hard collectors.
I present you with MPM Costumes. You'll find Star Wars, Spider-Man, X-Men, BSG and other great themed suits, accessories, etc. Expect to pay top dollar though - these people are serious costumers and might only appeal to die hard collectors.
NY Comic Con
I had an amazing time at the NY Comic Con this weekend. I got to meet many heroes, ran into a few ghoulish creatures and cramped my feet in those high heeled boots. My feet still hurt. Heels are not good for full days of crimefighting or conventions.
On a serious note, the adorable little Nitro G seems to be without a costume! He donated his costume to the Museum for Cartoon and Comic Book Art and he asked me about making a new suit for him. I gave my email address and this blog url so we'll just have to wait and see if he contacts me.
Regarding my own suit that I slaved on... apparently I don't look like myself. I mean, I do. That's me in the picture there. But people kept thinking I was "someone" meaning a known character from Battlestar Galactica. Well, folks, this does not sit well with me since my outfit is 100% original in concept. I created it with City of Heroes character creation, sought out a pattern, a jacket and boots, and voila. That's my suit of myself just as I designed it. Now I'm thinking I need to change the whole thing up and go with my second costume which is black and leathery. I would add bright gold as accents and somehow bring earthy hues into it. I already have the pattern that would be perfect for costume two as it is in City of Heroes but I am also anxious to try making a multi-color bodysuit with the same pattern I used for this amber one.
This morning I also mailed out ARC's patch for his suit. Don't know ARC? For shame. Go to the boards and learn all about him. We're lucky enough to have started his fan club right along side of Feedback's over at kamikaze komics. ARC also has a myspace page. He's another great guy that truly loves being a hero. He'll be auditioning for Who Wants to be a Superhero? Season 2.
My own costume for crimefighting
Whoop! I did it. I actually sewed an entire outfit. It was much easier than that damn blouse I messed up twice! All the images are in my personal GALLERY of images along with my other sewing project images.
In case you don't know who Amber is, here is my brief bio:
I'm your Tech Support fashion designer & stylist. I make sure Feedback and the crews have the right outfits for their missions. I constantly look for the latest in tactical gear that will be practical, non-obtrusive, and stealth. My hardest quest so far was for gloves that would allow the wearer to still pick up pennies from the ground. I'm also an empath with developing powers to detect suffering and telepathy. I manage (in a very hands-off way) the Creative Arts department.
I'm the human companion to Caicó, the Power Princess. She's assigned to support Wolf-Girl and the Recon team. Her immense talent for creating clouds of shedded fur can immobilize foes within the area; any with asthma are particularly weakened. She can teleport and has hyperspeed for short distances but then requires 18 hours of sleep.
I'm also an admin/mod of sorts on the Kamikaze board and gallery.
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Strangely enough, I have noticed over the past six or seven months, that pilates has done outstanding wonders with my ass. However, my big fat giant roll of a gut will not go away and these pictures of me in a tight bodysuit (over a girdle) are proof. I hate myself from the front but I guess I can't walk backwards through the entire NY Comic Con. I so wish I could borrow I one of you girls to do my makeup too because I totally suck at it. I'm not wearing any in these pictures since it was just my work session to finish up the threads.
And with this completed project, Hero Fashions can offically launch. I can now make Amber the fashionista she should be and have an entire wardrobe of proper Superhero attire fit for crimefighting.
In case you don't know who Amber is, here is my brief bio:
I'm your Tech Support fashion designer & stylist. I make sure Feedback and the crews have the right outfits for their missions. I constantly look for the latest in tactical gear that will be practical, non-obtrusive, and stealth. My hardest quest so far was for gloves that would allow the wearer to still pick up pennies from the ground. I'm also an empath with developing powers to detect suffering and telepathy. I manage (in a very hands-off way) the Creative Arts department.
I'm the human companion to Caicó, the Power Princess. She's assigned to support Wolf-Girl and the Recon team. Her immense talent for creating clouds of shedded fur can immobilize foes within the area; any with asthma are particularly weakened. She can teleport and has hyperspeed for short distances but then requires 18 hours of sleep.
I'm also an admin/mod of sorts on the Kamikaze board and gallery.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strangely enough, I have noticed over the past six or seven months, that pilates has done outstanding wonders with my ass. However, my big fat giant roll of a gut will not go away and these pictures of me in a tight bodysuit (over a girdle) are proof. I hate myself from the front but I guess I can't walk backwards through the entire NY Comic Con. I so wish I could borrow I one of you girls to do my makeup too because I totally suck at it. I'm not wearing any in these pictures since it was just my work session to finish up the threads.
And with this completed project, Hero Fashions can offically launch. I can now make Amber the fashionista she should be and have an entire wardrobe of proper Superhero attire fit for crimefighting.
Colorful Hair Extensions
As someone who searched high & low to find the perfect Rogue (X-Men) costume, I can tell you that an off-the-shelf version does not exist. I had my "classic" Rogue (green & yellow) costume made by BlackCerenity.com and it's awesome. However, the hair was another problem. No wigs for Rogue's unique white streaked on brown style exist either; besides, I'm not that fond of wigs as they can be very hot and sweaty which makes life in costume uncomfortable.
If you are committed to dying your hair for your character's perfect look, check out some hair extensions. There are rather complicated ones that are hot glued into your hair by a professional or there are clip-in versions. I was very excited to find a sale on Easilites today. I wish I had seen these back in October. This brand has all the basic hair colors in natural shades but they also have every punky color available too. You pick two colors for your clip and get a blended look. So for Rogue's white streak, since my hair is not dark brown, I picked a honey blonde color to blend with the White Chocolate. The honey color will blend closer to my real hair color (hopefully) and show off the bright white to get the streak. Since there's a sale going on, I also ordered some Blueberry and Pink. Can't wait to see those!
The best prices I found were at Best Wig Outlet.
[Edit]: I received my blue and white (really platinum blonde but close enough) extensions. Once I figured out how the heck to undo the clips I was fine. It takes some practice. And because the clips are obvious, you can only use them for areas where you'll pull more hair over the extensions to hide the clips. It gives that same kind of cool look that Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson and Christina have used for a fraction of the price and more temporary then glued-in extensions that last up to six months.
If you are committed to dying your hair for your character's perfect look, check out some hair extensions. There are rather complicated ones that are hot glued into your hair by a professional or there are clip-in versions. I was very excited to find a sale on Easilites today. I wish I had seen these back in October. This brand has all the basic hair colors in natural shades but they also have every punky color available too. You pick two colors for your clip and get a blended look. So for Rogue's white streak, since my hair is not dark brown, I picked a honey blonde color to blend with the White Chocolate. The honey color will blend closer to my real hair color (hopefully) and show off the bright white to get the streak. Since there's a sale going on, I also ordered some Blueberry and Pink. Can't wait to see those!
The best prices I found were at Best Wig Outlet.
[Edit]: I received my blue and white (really platinum blonde but close enough) extensions. Once I figured out how the heck to undo the clips I was fine. It takes some practice. And because the clips are obvious, you can only use them for areas where you'll pull more hair over the extensions to hide the clips. It gives that same kind of cool look that Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson and Christina have used for a fraction of the price and more temporary then glued-in extensions that last up to six months.
Doing well with tote bags
My line of totes is going well. I've made enough mistakes by now that I pretty much have learned the way around those patterns. I made a killer messenger bag for the owner of my local comic book shop but I haven't given it to her yet. You can view the latest and greatest in my personal gallery.
I was starting to work on a woman's tunic with some shiny material but it kept sliding all over the place just trying to cut it out. The sleeves don't even match and that's as far as I've gotten with it. It's discouraging. I'm looking forward to creating my authentic Amber costume but it likely will not be slippery fabric. I may have to go with a faux leather which will be easier to cut.
I was starting to work on a woman's tunic with some shiny material but it kept sliding all over the place just trying to cut it out. The sleeves don't even match and that's as far as I've gotten with it. It's discouraging. I'm looking forward to creating my authentic Amber costume but it likely will not be slippery fabric. I may have to go with a faux leather which will be easier to cut.
Patterns are not designed for superdogs
I have a very simple pattern for 4 styles of dog coats which I wanted to master before attempting the costumes. I must say, that after making 2 of the easiest coats, some dogs must really be damn tiny. The coat length part seems totally normal but the necks are very tiny. The first one is too small to fit around Princess Caicó who is not at all interested in being a fashion model, especially of canine fashions when she is far superior to them. The second attempt is better but still not quite there; the neck/collar only comes to around 11". My third attempt with different fabric (fleece instead of flannel, what a bitc*!!) has been more awkward and I've had to wing it as far making the neck bigger but not the length of the coat. And I detest the way the instructions say to attach the collar so I spent an hour ripping it off on New Year's Day (good thing there was a Monk marathon on to keep me sane.) I need to get back to it today because I might go see Trixie & Daisy on Saturday.
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