Pants Two Ways and a Whole Lot of Cosplay

This blog and I don't seem to cross paths very often anymore! Never fear, I'm not going to up and vanish one day without leaving a note. If I ever decide to leave the blogger community rest assured I'll keep you all informed. However, between school, sewing, cosplay, reading, learning to play guitar, orchestra, etc. (really the list of things I do nowadays goes on and on) I just don't have time, or the motivation really to keep up a steady posting schedule. I'll probably drop one or two posts a month and that'll be it, but at least I'll be here! That being said, I'm much more active on both my tumblr (which is more fandom/comics than Goth I'm afraid) and my Goodreads. Both links can be found off to the right if it interests you.

I was going through my huge backlog of photos and I found two outfits showcasing these brown and black spin doctor pants. I love the whole steampunk vibe I get when I wear them. When I was looking at the pictures I thought it was a really good example of how you can make the same item from your closet look totally different depending on your accessories.

A plain black shirt is all I really need with pants this loud.

but when offered a pair of suspenders how could I say no?

We're going to have to ignore the change in hair length here, because I'm pretty sure that's having some effect, but a pair of glasses, corset, and turtleneck instead of suspenders and the whole look is changed! I just love mixing and matching things from my closet. I really try my best not to wear the same thing twice in a month, which proves a fun challenge.

I found a pair of old docs at Value Village! They were only $8

Now I'm going to move away from anything remotely goth related and stray into geek territory. Last month I went to Vancouver Fan Expo and I had a blast. I promised pictures so I tried to pick out the best ones. My favorite panel was definitely the one with the Soska Sisters (AKA Twisted Twins). Sure, seeing Karl Urban and Tom Felton was fun, but these directors were hilarious and being less famous were able to engage us in  conversation. They complimented my hair and hit on me! It was lovely. I highly advise checking out their movie American Mary or perhaps even Dead Hooker in a Trunk which has become something of an indie hit.

The sisters are on the left and the gorgeous Tristan Risk is next to them.
Their musician/friend's name was Kenny I believe.

 As for cosplay... well I had most of my Cecil costume put together around Halloween so that was relatively easy. I still need to find a much better wig and headphones, as well as make a few more props and update the clothes, but I'm happy with how the tattoos turned out. A few people recognized me so that was fun.

Of course the main event was my Arkham Asylum Scarecrow costume. Wowie did I put a lot of time and money into this one. And there are still things I need to redo! Cosplay will destroy your life; that I can assure you. Int he pictures I look significantly less dirty and 'authentic' than if you were to meet me in person, and I didn't bother to take off my flip flops for the first pic, but I think you get most of the effect.

And because I couldn't steal the spotlight for myself with so many wonderful cosplayers around, here are a few of my favorites from the weekend. We took a lot of pictures so I tried to pull out the ones I felt were most deserving of recognition.

Pyramid Head

Sauron I believe. His gauntlets were killer.

This Titan's dedication to body paint is impressive.

That makeup was crazy. And I'm pretty sure it was makeup.

Game of Thrones! Look at that wonderful Brienne.

She was extremely attractive and lovely to talk to. Trust me.

I thought my hands were restricted with the gauntlet...

Lady Loki is really high on my cosplay list

Hopefully I haven't lost all of you by now with the giant stream of photos. I'll do my best to get another post up this month and it'll be one more "Goth" related. I'll leave you with a picture of the loot I scored at the con. I'm a sucker for artwork and with the knowledge that I might not see these pieces ever again I blew all of my money on posters (And a Beetlejuice Funko which is just adorable). My room has since turned into a Den of Geek.

Fun fact! The artwork tot he far left was done by the same artist who designs the album art for Johnny Hollow. Their CDs were being sold at the booth as well. You can't see it very well, but I'd advise looking him up.

Sophistique Noir Theme~ Sweaters

Sweaters! I love sweaters. They're just so comfortable. I own several cardigans, but didn't have a sweater until a week ago where I picked up an adorable cat one at Target. Someone in my textiles class stole my phone yesterday (And my faith in humanity has dropped even further than normal) so it was difficult finding a picture of it. Luckily, I was wearing the sweater while doing a school project so some silly pictures remain.

If I were practicing for real I'd probably need some sheet music XD

The cats think they're Batman and I'm wearing a scarecrow mask. Contradiction?
School projects are fun on occasion as you can see.

I also have pictures of the sweater dress I bought the same day. Thankfully, I'm paranoid and normally email photos I think I'll need for something (Ex. a blog post) to myself right away. I really like the pattern and I can rock it with a leather jacket which is always a plus.

I really liked my hair that day. It made me forget that I need a haircut.

And well, I can't leave without showing you guys the Cecil costume I put together yesterday for Halloween. Luckily, I was wearing a sweater vest so I can sneak it in and it still fits the theme.

My mom's closet is the only place with a full length mirror.
Can you tell we haven't been here long?

I hope everyone had a great Halloween!

30 Day Clothing Challenge~ Day 30: Something From Your Favorite Store

 So I may have lied about the quick update. Just a little. Turns out it's really hard to find time to blog in this trailer. Harder than I first expected. I'm still trying to figure out how my school credits transfer, and privacy is extremely hard to come by. Not to mention, my family and the dogs are constantly wanting to do things because they're restless. The good news is that we've bought a new house and we'll (hopefully) be moving into it next Friday.

I'm taking a textiles class! It's great because knowing how to sew is a skill I'll need for my future cosplay endeavors. Before this the extent of my knowledge was how to hand stitch patches on to my vest. Our first project is a hoodie so I'll let you know how that turns out!

Well it seems I'm at the end of the 30 Day Clothing Challenge. It was a lot of fun so I suppose I'll need to find a new challenge to use for filler posts (I can't be creative all the time you know). Looking at the last post, I ought to have used my White House Black Market jacket here. It's not my favorite store, but it ranks up there because it's where I like to look for more dressy items. Instead, I'll just show you this scarf I got from Target right before we left. Target can be considered a favorite store right now, not because of it's quality, but because it gives me a sense of familiarity. Everything here in Kelowna is so new, but when I walk into Target it's like I never left Florida. So it gets points for something.

Tiny trailer bathroom shot!

I need a haircut~

You can see the detail on the scarf better here.
It's all torn up and fluffy

I forgot to mention before I left that I'm planning some cosplays to follow Scarecrow (And I cannot wait to get in a house so I can work on that).  After this one is done I'll be working on a Lady Loki one. Those two, plus a genderbent Joker and Altair, are going to keep me busy for a very long time. So here's Lady Loki's makeup test! It happened a few days before the move and yes this is what I do at 3 in the morning.

Pajamas XD

I played around a lot, but I like the green lipstick (Chapstick and eyeshadow really. I tried too many shades to count). I also, think I'll stick with the green and black eyeshadow.

I'm Not Dead! + Book Reviews

I meant to publish this weeks ago, but time is just flying by, what with all the moving preparations. And somehow I've managed to gain followers?? You guys are amazing. My parents sold their business so now we should be ready to go in about a week. I can't wait! Also, thanks to      akumaxkami  for tagging me in the 5 things post~ I already did said post here, but I appreciate the tag ^^ Anyway, today I've got a few quick book reviews for you all.

Runemarks by Joanne Harris

Now I love Norse mythology. This is an undisputed fact. I received a book of Norse myths for Christmas which I reread whenever I'm bored. That being said, any books that are influenced by Norse mythology are quickly snatched up and read. So when Runemarks was suggested to me online I went running to my library. Now this book's plot is convoluted to say the least. BUT in a very good way. You'll start reading it and immediately roll your eyes, thinking that you've already got a good idea of where the characters stand (Heck, even who they really are) only to be completely thrown for a loop. Again and again and again. Another plus is the strong protagonist. The strong girl protagonist. I'm very sick of the weepy pining-after-my-supernatural-love-interest trope that so many books fall into nowadays. Maddy is headstrong, sensible and she feels like a real character. Then there's Loki. Loki. I've rooted for him since I was a kid who thought he just needed a big hug. After that I discovered Marvel comics where I could appreciate him as a good villain, and THEN those darn movies came out where he really needs a hug and should stop looking so damn gorgeous. I never wanted to jump the God of Mischief till Tom Hiddleston came around. Where I'm going with this, is that Loki is actually written as a sympathetic character and he's written really well. You don't trust him, but you can emphasize with him. All in all it's a great book with a unique take on Norse mythology. And it throws in plenty of goblins and magic to boot.

The Alienist by Caleb Carr

We could call this book historical crime fiction I suppose, considering it bases a lot of the premise around real people and places. The book primarily follows psychologist (Or "alienist" as he's known back then) Dr. Lazslo Kriezler and reporter John Moore with their investigative team as they attempt to solve a string of gruesome murders in New York. They're somewhat of an experiment, considering the group attempts to stay disconnected from the city's corrupt police force and use new, unproven methods such as psychology and fingerprinting to catch their killer. Said killer has been targeting immigrants, young boys who have turned to prostitution in order to support themselves, and he's leaving quite a mark on the city. This is another book that will keep you guessing until the end, as its easy to jump to conclusions pertaining the evidence they have until they uncover more. As far as characters go, they're all very life-like, from the eccentric and seemingly detached Kriezler, to the gritty down to earth Moore, and best of all, determined, independent Sarah who is the first woman hired by the police force. The book explores some of the more violent aspects of humanity and delves into the nature of insanity so I feel obliged to warn you that it's very graphic at times. Still, it's one of the most gripping stories I've encountered as of late.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

It seems I just wanted to bring you gruesome books today. Because the last book might be psychologically unnerving, but it doesn't even come close to the level of gore in this one. Not to mention, this book isn't exactly lacking in the 'psychologically terrifying' aspect either. Mr. Yancey certainly knows how to evoke horror. However, this book is more than just blood and guts and the blend of good characters, plot, and stomach churning descriptions makes for an exciting read. Will Henry's parents worked for Dr. Warthrop before they died and now he has been left under the Doctor's care. 'Care' being the subjective term here as the Doctor might be brilliant, but he's cold and severely lacking when it comes to taking care of himself, let alone others. In fact, it's hard to see why Will Henry maintains such dedication to the Doctor when he drags him into his dangerous research and yet barely spares him a passing glance. It's only when you see those brief flashes of humanity in the Doctor that you even find him a character worth liking. The Doctor is a 'Monstrumologist' who devotes himself to researching horrifying creatures that people assume only exist in their imaginations. Now a group of Anthropophagi is terrorizing the town (And just you wait till you find out what an Antropophagi is) and the Doctor has taken it upon himself to rid the town of the nasty creatures. Which isn't as easy as it sounds. Not to mention, he has to figure out how in the world they reached New England in the first place. With Will Henry bravely trailing along behind him they resolve to reach the bottom of this mystery.

In other news, how about that 12th doctor? I for one, am ridiculously happy with the choice. I don't know much about Peter Capaldi, but from what I've seen he seems perfect for the role. I'm also glad that we've got an older doctor again, because maybe we can finally escape the whole female-companion-who-serves-as-the-damsel-in-distress trope. Probably not though, considering that's mostly Moffat. He can't write strong women to save his life. I never minded people falling in love with the doctor before he came along (in fact, I enjoyed it) because at least they were strong characters in their own right who had their own motivations and didn't just exist to stroke the doctor's ego. Honestly though, I'm not surprised that Moffat can't write good female characters considering all of the misogynistic tthings he says aout women on a daily basis...*takes a deep breath*

Anyway, I've made much progress on my mask! It's finished, though I have to find a good material to black out the eyes that still enables me to see well, which could be a problem but I'll figure it out.

And I've got to dirty it up of course.

30 Day Clothing Challenge~ Day 27: A Hat

 I love hats. Unfortunately, they don't seem to love me back. There's something weird that my bangs do whenever I wear them. I never used to have the problem with sideswept bangs, so I believe its the straight ones I've been sporting for quite some time. There are a few hats that work with my hair, few and far between as they may be, and I picked one up at Macy's a few weeks ago. It's a bit Lydia Deetz inspired (Always a wonderful quality) and it went perfectly with my polka dot scarf. A benefit of helping my mom in the office is that it's cold inside and I don't have to forego things like scarves, or even jackets ^^

Of course, another sort of hat that will always work is a mini top hat! These are arguably my favorite kind of hat because there are so many different variations and they automatically spice up a plain outfit.

I think the veil on this is what makes it such a great hat~

In other news, progress is being made on my Scarecrow costume! (By all means, stop me if you're not interested or else I'm going to continue to give updates) I started with an airsoft mask as a base. I cut out the mouth (which needs to be a bit bigger really), cut off some of the chin, and drilled holes for the string. Then I shaped some upholstery foam to build up the features and now I'm starting to paper mache the foam layers. I need a couple more coats to make it stronger (And more layers to build up the nose, cheeks, and forehead) and then I'll sand it down to the right shape before attaching the burlap.

He looked very silly at this stage

Still silly

BUT I did a test with all the materials and when he looks like this he won't be so silly~

I can tell you, weathering those cheap paint respirators was not fun. I used my brother's model paints, but it took forever. Overall, its been lots of fun, even if it becomes a bit frustrating at times.

See how shiny the spray painted one on the left is?
And the right one looks much more worn in real life