Since Last July...

Well, it was inevitable. My last post was months ago and now I have to play catch-up. So, here we go.

August 2023: con-crunching, a family trip to Yellowstone, then more con-crunching while nursing some insanely huge mosquito bites and a minor sunburn

September 2023: *con-crunching intensifies*, then FanX

Yes, FanX. I made it into the cosplay contest, this time in the Intermediate division. Again, I wasn't able to completely finish everything I wanted to on the armor, but it was wayyyy less stressful than 2022. I was ok with the work I’d done and how the remake turned out. It fit better, was much more comfortable and easy to move in, and was just all-around massively improved. I did end up with a few little things to finish up in the couple days leading to the contest, but they were small, like paint touch-ups and securing some loose bits. Nothing like the panicked, last-minute, morning-of mess I put myself through the year before where I was literally finishing the costume minutes before heading to in-person judging. Ugh. Never doing that again ...Well, if I can help it. No promises.

Anyway, being more prepared, I wasn't as nervous as I was in 2022. (Funny how that works, isn’t it?) I was able to take time to enjoy the con instead of constantly worrying about the contest, especially since I was confident about my routine. My soundtrack was epic, the moves I’d put so much time and effort into while swinging an axe around my kitchen in front of a very confused cat were going to be awesome. No stumbling around without a planned performance this year to a music track that was too long and not very fitting and that I couldn’t even hear anyway. There was no way it could go wrong this time. 

So, I volunteered at my group's booth and then spent the rest of the time with friends/my sister/wandering wherever I wanted and still had time to head back to the hotel and practice my routine. 

Yep, it was all good and I was so excited...until the actual performance. I feel like I did great in the in-person judging. I had all my references, photos, and samples ready, and I knew exactly what I wanted to say to the judges. Then, per usual, through the day I started over-thinking things and psyching myself out, which inevitably ended with me slaughtering my routine onstage. About ten seconds in, I missed a crucial step, which completely threw me off. Then I fumbled around until I kind of remembered what was next, but by then, the damage was irreversible. I was so flustered I just couldn’t give the big finish I was hoping for. When it was finally over, I quickly picked up my helmet and rushed back to my seat nearly in tears because I was so mad at myself and, frankly, kind of embarrassed. Yeah, I know it's just a silly contest and it's all for fun, but I worked so, so hard on that armor and the performance to go with it and—being the non-coordinated person I am—was so excited to surprise everyone with it.

Other than my performance, the contest was great. So many talented creators! And the best part was that we actually got to sit in the audience and watch most of the time instead of having to wait in line backstage for AGES until our division. And I had my glasses with me, so I could SEE everyone and their insanely cool cosplays and performances. Yay!

Oh, and finally, I must take this moment to sincerely thank my good friend and kind-of-cousin Marial Clark for rescuing my cosplay notebook from certain death and sending it home to me. She's awesome!

What’s Next?

After FanX and Halloween (the armor was a big hit around my community, which was fun), I put it all away for what I like to call the “off-season”, to focus on family and other projects and give myself a break. I did a few events with my reworked second movie Astrid and Ghostbusters and had some time to simply enjoy being with my cosplay friends and doing what I love.

Over the winter, I haven’t done much cosplay-wise, which is fine. I did, however, start getting things ready for my planned summer booths and to reopen my Etsy shop. I’m feeling pretty good about it all this year. I’ve made connections with other vendors, improved my skills and setup, gathered resources and ideas, discovered some really fun techniques and interests, and I’m hoping to show it all off at several events this summer. I haven’t made any Etsy sales yet, but I know it’s going to take time to get myself established and out there.

Fast-forward to now. It’s March, it’s getting warmer, we’re not still buried under two feet of snow like we were this time last year, I’ve had a nice break and I’m getting the itch. I’m ready to start making patterns and sticking things together and getting paint everywhere and pulling glue-strings off things. 

My possible projects for this summer are: remake Jaylah, fix Scoot, finish up Astrid 2, maybe finally bite the bullet and get contacts (ugh), and maybe even work on getting in shape (also ugh, but it needs to happen). 

At the moment, I don’t have have any solid plans for the contest. I’m still not completely happy with the armor, but I’m not going to enter it three years in a row because...I mean, talk about overkill, ha. I do want to get it to a point where it’s more comfortable, all the pieces fit correctly, and it looks closer to how I want it so I can wear it to events. It’ll take a while, but with all the experience I have now, I know I’ll get there and it will be worth it.

And no wrist injuries this year! Woo!

Also, here. Have picture of my stinkin' cute cat sleeping on my husband's nice pants.