SO my life has been a little crazy, hence why haven't posted. Also, when I have worked on the blog, I haven't finished a post, so I've got like 11 drafts of posts I totally intended to post and didn't. So yeah. (This has become one of them)
My excuses would be work & prep for college, which is starting here next week, and a lack of creative inspiration to blog. So that's what's happening there. So this will be a random jumble of stuff I imagine, sorry.
So music. This isn't from just the past month, 'cause I haven't done a music post in a long time it will just be whatever.
Perfect by Ed Sheeran
I hadn't heard this song until recently, I thought it was just another
Ed Sheeran song, but dang it's so sweet!
True Blue by Madonna
I really like this song, it's sweet.
Stay by Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko
I've heard this song before, but not it whole. Once I did hear it in whole, though, I really like it.
Hey There Delilah by The Plain White T's
I never took this song seriously due to hearing a parody version by Tim Hawkins (which is
amazing here's the link). But upon hearing the actual version, I really like it.
All Out Of Love by Air Supply
This is such a calm, sweet song.
Moving ON!
My recent project right now is to make a more professional-looking cosplay, and I literally started this week. A lot of time was put into deciding which character to cosplay, as well as how I would do it and if it was realistic with my skill level. And I eventually landed on Hiccup from How To Train Your Dragon. . . 2. Because there is no challenge or excitement in making his outfit from the first movie.
I really wanted to make a display costume, for lake of a better term. I want the costume to function. . .
Okay, I'll just say it. I want to show-off. Not going to lie.
There are a lot of functioning elements to this version of Hiccup, and it also aligns with my skills and preferences.
Before I get asked, I'll explain why I went with Hiccup in the first place. One was for the skill level reasons. I originally considered a How To Train Your Dragon costume several years ago, but shelved it due to the knowledge that I wouldn't be able to make it look good enough for me to be content with. But now I believe I do. Another was I finally have the budget to do it, that was another reason a HTTYD costume was shelved 'cause I knew I couldn't afford all the faux leather ('cause even faux is expensive). To put the cost into perspective; just the green fabric, black faux leather, brown faux leather (just the crisscrossy part, not the strips down the sides), thread, leather cords, and a zipper (which I need another of) cost about $40 at Walmart. Imagine if I'd bought it somewhere else. I know that doesn't sound terrible, but that's not everything I need. That was just the basic stuff to get me started. I'm going to estimate this costume to be about $80-ish. And I'm doing all the work of sewing & stuff.
Next reason was interest level, I had a couple other ideas of costumes I'd like to do, but one was going to be under-skill (only making a few things and throwing some thrift store things together), and another was going to be a lot of sewing & faux leather, with little function to learn how to pull off. This Hiccup costume is going to give me the opportunity to work with Thermoplastic, (for the helmet (not shown in photo) & shoulder pauldrons), which I haven't used before, and the other costumes didn't call for. So this will give me a small introduction into a new material, without throwing me straight into, say, EVA foam for example.
Lastly, I try to pick things for my costumes that kids will recognize. I wear my costumes to children's group theme nights and Trunk or Treat at church, so the idea is to be something kids will (hopefully) instantly know (a reason I didn't go with the HTTYD 3 Hiccup variant). My plan is to have a stuffed animal Toothless on my shoulder, which will help with the recognizing element.
All this to say, I'm very excited. I started on the costume, and I got to learn how to make patterns off of myself and my clothes, which will be an invaluable skill in cosplay. I'll post some pictures hopefully later.
I finished my first official semester of college!
. . . .
But whatever. (Dead week is the week before finals where everyone is dead cause they are trying to turn in all the big projects).
So anyways. That's my life.
Hallmark, when you care enough to send the very best.
-H.M.S. Mando
