As Good as it Gets (Days 562 - 566)

So Yoko definitely isn't 100% finished. She's maybe 95% finished, and I'm not happy with one of the boots at all, but she's wearable enough for Kin-Yoobi Con. No pics yet, you'll have to wait until post-con for that. You'll also have to wait until post-con for information about making the cosplay because I just can't be bothered to do a write-up right now.

Basically, I've been freaking out over everything; finishing my cosplay, finishing commissions, making hats, updating the panel, and finishing things for the actual convention. This will most likely be my last blog post before the convention. So here's a summary of the con and the stuff I'm doing at it.

Kin-Yoobi Con ~ Friday - Saturday, August 5th - 6th, 10am - 9pm
We're celebrating our fifth anniversary this year which means even more fun-filled fandom-based events and big name special guests."
I'll be staffing the convention, running several events including Anime Jeopardy and the Cosplay Contest as well as participating in the Anime Date Auction.

'Magikarp: A History' at Kin-Yoobi Con ~ Friday, 11am
"Hit 'em with a splash attack! Join us to learn everything that you never knew that you wanted to know about Magikarp. We'll give you an in-depth look at Magikarp's behavior, anime appearances, in-game capabilities, and more!"
My boyfriend and I are hosting this panel, we have hosted it twice before, once at Animation on Display, and once at Fanime. It is exactly what it sounds like: a panel about the Pokemon Magikarp.

Rose's Fleece Hats at Kin-Yoobi Con ~ All day, both days
Rose's Fleece Hats is the name I use to promote the fleece hats that I make and sell. I will have an Artist's Alley booth to sell these, necklaces, hair ribbons, bracelets, and earrings.

BAC at Kin-Yoobi Con ~ Friday, 2pm & Saturday, 3pm
Bay Area Conventions (BAC) is a group that has interest in conventions, photography, and cosplay. Meetups and gatherings are set up as social events. The group includes people from all over the San Fransisco Bay Area.

Ratgirl and Para~Somnia at Kin-Yoobi 2011! ~ All day, both days
My friend Tricia (Ratgirl) and a friend of hers will also have an Artist's Alley booth there!

Dai Gurren Dan at Kin-Yoobi Con ~ Saturday
My friend's Gurren Lagann group (including myself, of course) will be chillin' at Kin-Yoobi this Saturday as well. No link to the Facebook event itself because it's a private event, but we'll be there!

I do believe you can now understand exactly why I feel so swamped, haha. You'll hear from me after the convention~!

READ MORE - As Good as it Gets (Days 562 - 566)

"Karin" (Days 505 - 510)

This is odd, updating in the middle of the day instead of at night. I know I've updated in the middle of the day before, but it's still weird.

Anyway! I've decided/been given permission/been encouraged to cosplay Karin, Kin-Yoobi Con's new female mascot (pictured left). I haven't been given much information on her, other than she's our old/current male mascot's girlfriend, and she clearly likes video games. Anyway, I originally just wanted to cosplay her at Kin-Yoobi and for a promotional photoshoot, but now I've decided to cosplay her at pretty much all of the GameZone Recreation events. Essentially, I'm hoping it'll be good promotion. Plus, it looks relatively comfortable, compared to most of my other cosplays (with the exception of Clyde).

All I really need for her are better socks and a red skirt. The rest I have, except I'm using a dress shirt instead of a polo, 'cause I honestly thought that she was supposed to be wearing a button-down, I don't know why, and I don't feel like going out and buying more than I need to for this. I already had to take in the shirt that I have, and that was a lot of work. Needs to be ironed more, but it is really hard to iron darts without a ham.

Anime Storm is tomorrow! A little event that GZR is hosting, so I'll be cosplaying Karin, but with a black skirt and thigh-high socks instead of knee-high, because that's what I have right now.

READ MORE - "Karin" (Days 505 - 510)

Kin-Yoobi After-Party (Day 317)

The after-party went pretty much as I expected. Small, mostly people I actually knew, and a lot of fun. If there were more people (like a lot more) I'm not sure how we would have managed.

My boyfriend and I were supposed to show up at 11:30, as the party officially started at 12, but I think we got there at like 11:55 xD Oops. However, it didn't look like much setup had been done or was even needed, other than the volleyball net, which they didn't set up until after we got there anyway. We didn't help with it either, though.

The first attendee showed up at the same time as my boyfriend and I, the same attendee who was the first to show up at Kin-Yoobi, about 10 minutes early, or more, if I remember correctly. I can't for the life of me remember ever showing up early to a con that I wasn't staffing or volunteering for, but to each his own.

A couple more people showed up shortly, at most I think there were 11 of us, with at least 6 of us being staff, heh. Not our best marketing technique, but hopefully it gets better. It wasn't advertised much anyway.

We played volleyball with my Pokeball beach ball, and it went over the fence twice >_< At least it went to somewhere where we could get it without climbing the fence (we had to go around). Then when we got too hot from playing, we got in the pool and played Marco Polo. Or as we called it, "Alphonse-Edward", "Haruhi-Tamaki", "Jenny-Brock", or something else that I seem to have forgotten. Personally, my favorite was Alphonse-Edward or Haruhi-Tamaki.

There was another party going on at the same place at the same time as ours, and they thought we were crazy, and didn't get in the pool until we got out. Heh.

Eventually, we got cold in the pool, and the food was ready, so we hopped out. There were burgers and hot dogs, leftovers from Kin-Yoobi, haha. We ended up just sitting and talking, and then slowly people started to leave. I think my boyfriend and I were some of the last to leave at around 6 or 7. The party was originally supposed to go until 8, but all the attendees were gone by 5. These things happen, I suppose...

As far as cosplay goes, one girl was dressed as "Chick Pit", a variation of Pit from Kid Icarus / Super Smash Bros. Brawl, I wore a yellow shirt, jeans, and my Pikachu ears, but later changed into Swimmer Girl from Pokemon Platinum when it was warmer. My boyfriend went as Biker Guy from Pokemon Platinum, but I forgot his hat at home =/ Chick Pit later criticized me via facebook for being "half-assed" because she "will always see Pikachu" when she looks at me, and admittedly, that Pikachu was rather half-assed. However, Swimmer Girl is really a complete and accurate cosplay, except my hair, but it was a pool party, so what do you expect?

READ MORE - Kin-Yoobi After-Party (Day 317)

Days 272 - 278

So much for getting back into posting again.

My beach gathering went fairly well, I think =] At most, there were twelve of us there, but we had a great time taking pictures, building sand castles, shooting each-other with Nerf guns, and just generally annoying the crap outta everyone around us. Not intentionally, of course, but we were told to "take it elsewhere" a couple of times =[ Oops.

As for working on things... Yeah, no. I just updated my to-do list and it makes my head explode, so I don't know what I'm going to do. With Kin-Yoobi right around the corner and having to prepare for it, along with daily life, I doubt that I'll get everything done that I want to. I will still have a booth at Kin-Yoobi, but not with as much stuff as I'd like =[ And that's my own fault. However, if you will for sure be at Kin-Yoobi and would like to request a hat that I already plan to make (the list is on the right), I will try to make one and hold it for you.

I will also have a booth at the swap meet at Kin-Yoobi, selling anime stuff I'm just not into anymore, or never was into. Mainly InuYasha DVDs that I've had forever and random Vampire Knight paraphernalia that I won in AOD's cosplay contest this year. Stop by if you get the chance, I have much more that that ^-^

READ MORE - Days 272 - 278

First Kin-Yoobi Video Shoot (Day 159)

So we recorded the first of a series of videos to get Kin-Yoobi's Anime Family Feud survey started. I would post it, but it's not on YouTube yet. I'll post it as soon as I can.

It's essentially an introduction video to introduce a few of us that will be in the videos and explain how the following videos are going to work. It was a lot of fun, and it went really quickly and really well. I was proud of myself though. I learned my lines the quickest, and on our final take, I didn't use my script at all other than quickly reading through it before we started the camera. I just hope I used enough energy. Ah well. At least I looked good on camera. LOL.

Anyway, I look forward to shooting more videos =]

READ MORE - First Kin-Yoobi Video Shoot (Day 159)

Ghosties AWAY! (Day 152)

So much progress, it's terrifying. My boyfriend and I bought our shirts for our Pac-Man and Clyde cosplays today, finally.

So I put the lettering on the back of my Clyde shirt. I messed it up a couple of times, but the great things about the letters I chose is that you totally can't tell that I messed them up ;D It makes me very happy, very happy indeed.

I also cut out and glued together the three other ghosts (Inky, Pinky, and Blinky) that will be on my shirt. I intend to sew them to the shirt some time tomorrow. I'm actually taking them to school so that I can start on them before class and during Break. I'm that excited for it =O My classmates will be so jealous >_>

I also networked my butt off today for Kin-Yoobi Con =D I so proud ^-^ There's a new (ish) store in the mall near where I live (Newpark Mall) called Hot Toys. They sell used retro toys, action figures, and video games. I got into a conversation about one of the employees (I dunno if he's owner or manager or what) and he was telling me about the store's plans to expand and begin hosting video game tournaments and costume contest. The conversation went from there as I am very much into costuming (uh, duh) and I told him about how I'm a staff member at an anime / gaming con, yadda yadda, and he's interested in getting a booth and selling some of the store's action figures and gaming things =D Also if I understood right, he was looking for people to help his and the store out in their upcoming expansion and events. We traded contact info, and once I contact the rest of the Kin-Yoobi staff (Thursday) I'll get back in touch with Hot Toys and let them know what's up on my front.

A very productive day on all fronts, I believe. I also bought my mom's birthday present as her birthday is this Wednesday. Tomorrow I plan to finish my shirt and get started on my boyfriend's. After some volunteer work at my local teen center. =]
(The top image is me balancing the ghosties on my chest, trying to figure out where the place them, and the bottom image is the back of my shirt.)

READ MORE - Ghosties AWAY! (Day 152)

RAWR (Day Seventy-Seven)

So, I stayed up until at least three finishing my Final Project for Costume Construction I last night, only for today to come and me to find out that it's not due until Tuesday until we actually present it. The class syllabus was misleading! I thought it was due today! *fume* Anyway.

I sketched some more designs for the group cosplay that I want to do, which may actually happen! I'm thinking Fanime 2011, LOL! Or Holiday Anime Faire 2010. It's too bad there are no conventions in my area between Fanime and Kin-Yoobi. And I can't do a group cosplay to Kin-Yoobi because I'm staffing, so I wouldn't be with my group, thus ruining the point of a group cosplay...

I'd also like to enter a costume contest with my group once it's fully completed, but that would mean entering in Fanime's 2011 masquerade. Oh well, at least I'd have time, some of which would be spent planning / rehearsing an actual skit, because walk-ons are usually rather boring, and I like to entertain.

That reminds me, I'm still really sad that I never got to do my Soldier A skit for Kin-Yoobi 09. I was too preoccupied with entering as Amaterasu to really put forth the effort and make it happen. And it won't happen next year because, again, staffing. And hopefully Emcee-ing the costume contest, leaving me no room to perform.

I still haven't heard from the Fanime peoples who were supposed to e-mail me about my free ticket. I'll give them a couple more days before e-mailing the coordinator of Holiday Anime Faire, who I believe would promptly kick their asses into next week if they scammed me out of a ticket.

READ MORE - RAWR (Day Seventy-Seven)

It Snuck Up On Me (Day Seventy-One)

I think Holiday Anime Faire really snuck up on me because I've been looking forward to Fanime so much. I was so preoccupied by planning, how to save money, deciding when and the best way how to reserve a hotel, starting a new costume (Chi) for it, there was no time for poor little Holiday Anime Faire. It's a good thing it's only $10 or whatever to get in, or I'd be pissed at how unprepared I am, haha. I mean, my costume's done, it's just not where I'd like it to be.

I had to do a last-minute patch-up job on Ammy's shield today, because the strap fell off at the last convention I wore it to (Kin-Yoobi Con), and it wouldn't stay up right with just one strap. Other than that, I didn't finish the shoulder "wings," I only got the arm bands done, so I'll be wearing those. And I didn't Finish re-surfacing the feet, in fact, one of them is falling apart. It should survive a few hours tomorrow though.

Boy, I sure hope I win that costume contest. I won before with a costume that I didn't think was that great (Lady Mario), so I'll be really disappointed if I lose with Ammy. Unless the people who beat me have really kick-ass costumes. Which I don't expect because I seriously suspect that the only really good cosplayers in my city are in my cosplay group, haha, all three of us xD That's not to say that there aren't other good cosplayers, they just don't seem to attend this particular convention. Or enter the costume contest.

READ MORE - It Snuck Up On Me (Day Seventy-One)

Day Twenty-Eight

SIIIIICK! I'm so sick =[ It's no fun. My boyfriend's sick too, with something else though. So we couldn't make it to our convention planning meeting. Which sucks, but I went to the meeting via Skype. It was.. interesting, haha. It was easier to share files that way, but I had already printed them out last night.

I won't be going to the next meeting though, as I'll be at Yaoi Con!!! Yayyy! I didn't finish my jacket. Or my belt buckle, and my friend didn't make my gun like he promised! Neh. But I'll live. My Matt is amazing, even if he's not finished either, and I'm sure we'll have a great time anyway.

I'll be heading out to Yaoi Con a little late though, as I'll be entering a costume contest at my chiropractor's office that morning in a different costume. The prize is $50. o.o Convention money... That's enough to pay for Yaoi Con and then some! So that's why I'm doing it. I need money.

READ MORE - Day Twenty-Eight