Staff Spinning and Wedding Planning

A while back I was inspired by a friend of mine to try Poi. I sucked at it. So I tried staff spinning instead and I tell ya, it's a lot easier for me. I have mastered the basic rotor, the side rotor and a rotor 360. I have yet to do a pass from front to back while still spinning the staff without hitting myself in the elbow, but I'm getting there :) Video coming soon? Maybe.

In other news, I've been working on things for my wedding, only about a month and a half away now. All I really need to do is finish my dress and fiance's jacket.

Also, below are some pix of a couple skirts I finished recently, currently for sale in my Etsy shop.

Leather Leather Everywhere

Well, with the Tampa Festival over, I'm now looking forward to a bikefest coming up for which I sent my application today :) let's hope I'm accepted!

That said, my workroom is literally overflowing with leather to start building stock again. I managed to get 2 full sides of this really nice cowhide for less than half of what they would cost normally, especially for how HUGE they are. Woo!

My Etsy shop is kind of sparse for now since I sold most of what was listed there at the festival, but I should have some new things made and listed within a couple weeks :) hopefully...

ps. I need a picture update...these word only things are boring...

Stuff is Happening

With only one more weekend left of the festival I'm feeling rather bittersweet. I didn't know I could have this much fun at my job and I really don't want it to end...on the other hand it'll be nice to get to sleep in again and take a break from renaissance shenanigans.

If only for a couple weeks haha

I may be working one weekend of a festival in Georgia AND I'm heading back home to Michigan in August for the 7 week festival up there, where I'll be working for an awesome company called Pyramid Leather helping make armour and run their booth.

Oh yeah...and I'm getting married in June :)

I need Cosplay

It just occurred to me that the last costume I finished and wore was my Fallout 3 Raider at DragonCon '09...that was 7 months ago...I can't believe I've actually gotten too busy to cosplay, I thought that would never happen haha I think it's really starting to get to me too...cosplaying characters that already exist somehow helps me be creative in other aspects of my life...maybe that's why I'm having trouble with all this wedding stuff...

That being said, I'm having tons of fun working at the festival. Last Sunday was my best day yet, if only because my fiance visited with a bunch friends and my dad sent the King to say hello to me :) 3 weekends down, 4 to go and hopefully I can finish everything I have on my plate before time runs out...

Renaissance Festival Ahoy!

I'm so excited to announce I'll be working at this years Bay Area Renaissance Festival!! It runs from February 13 (my fiance's birthday ;) to March 28 in Tampa, Fl.

http://www.bayarearenaissancefest.com/index.html

I waited a nerve wracking 3 weeks for my pictures to be judged (I was very anxious haha) and I found out the other day I was accepted :) I have a lot of work to do including building stock and fixing up my booth, so I have a feeling the next few weeks are going to fly by...

Spell Scrolls-a-Plenty

This is a project I've wanted to do for ages, but for some reason never got around to it. I'm a huge nerd (if you couldn't already tell) and I've always wanted maps and spell scrolls for costuming. So I made some :)



This one is Invisibility. The script is Draconic and the title and subtitle read "Saubwa, ekess qe nursaubwa ini shio" Which according to the online translator means "Invisibility, to be unseen by all"



This one is Fire Stream, written in Magi script, with some Draconic. The title and subtitle read, in elven "Nar Sîr,Lhach Athan Nîn Ranc" which according to the online translator means "Fire Stream, flame beyond my arm" The rest is random

I drew everything out in illustrator. The fonts I found online and painstakingly copied them with the pen tool. I made up the arcane circles and the elemental symbols, as well as my signature in the corner.

I printed these out on thick parchment paper and distressed them like crazy with paint, fire and sandpaper. They are currently for sale in my Etsy shop and I should be making some new spells soon :)

Valkyrie Madness

I'm gearing up for what will *hopefully* be my second renaissance festival as a vendor. My pictures are still being judged, so I'm patiently waiting for the verdict. Let's hope it's a good one!

In the meantime I've been stocking my Etsy shop, finishing up my last commissions, making princess dresses and working on wedding stuff...oh right, I'm getting married in June.

Anyway, pictured above are a couple of my newest headdresses for sale in my Etsy shop. I've been totally addicted to leather tooling and have been going crazy making those circles, which someone thought were coasters at first haha