I Am Alive (not quite like the game)

Wow, that was an extremely long and seemingly interminable break from the world of blogger-sphere! My last post was dated 20th of May 2011 and today it is February 22nd, 2014! Almost three years hurtled by as I went about my daily routine without ever updating my blog! I would blame it on alien abduction or quite conceivably a spillage of amnesia potion from the local pixie reservoir, however, I seem to recall most of the major events that had transpired over the past two years and nine months, hence failing to recall the simplest act of updating one's blog is an utter embarrassment. Oy, I feel sheepish! I am indeed surprised that this blog has not been taken down despite the lack of activity. Yet somehow, I am relieved to be able to return to my familiar world of expressive writing.

Alright, since I have about three years of anecdote to share, I shall recommence updating my blog every once in a while, sharing the adventures; the good, the bad and the mundane lifestyle of yours truly up until I run out of bloggable material.

Not long after HobbyCon 2010, my friends and I decided to have our long awaited Inu-Yasha group photo-shoot, which I believe, had better photos of us as a group in comparison to the photos taken at the event. I cannot recall one able photographer who was willing to take a decent shot of us at the con. Nonetheless, my old camera had done a decent job.

Finally a decent group shot (although we were still missing Sango)

Photographer: Bernard Tzing

Date of shoot: 12 June 2011

We had our share of fun

Photographer: Bernard Tzing

Date of shoot: 12 June 2011

The serious bits

Photographer: Bernard Tzing

Date of shoot: 12 June 2011

And oh, the feels!

Photographer: Bernard Tzing

Date of shoot: 12 June 2011

The portrait shots

Miroku

Photographer: Bernard Tzing

Date of shoot: 12 June 2011

Shippo

Photographer: Bernard Tzing

Date of shoot: 12 June 2011

Shippo obviously likes Koga more than Inuyasha

Kikyo

Photographer: Bernard Tzing

Date of shoot: 12 June 2011

Kagome

Photographer: Bernard Tzing

Date of shoot: 12 June 2011

Inuyasha

Photographer: Bernard Tzing

Date of shoot: 12 June 2011

Just as I had forgotten Inuyasha's fangs during HobbyCon 2010, I had overlooked the fur patch for Tetsaiga during the photo-shoot, even when I had scrupulously made certain to bring everything else. However, towards the end of the shoot, I found that the fur patch was tucked away in the bottom of my bag thus its appearance in the photo of Inuyasha VS. Miroku. In spite of that, my friends and I had fun that day and I eagerly anticipate more group photo-shoots in the future.

This will be all for today's blog update. Until the next time my lovelies, have a happy ever after from the stars of this post; Inuyasha, Kagome, Kikyo, Shippo and Miroku.

Fare Thee Well 2010, T'was A Pleasure Knowing Thee

OMG, has it really been five months since HobbyCon 2010? And to think I promised an update. Tsk, tsk. This just won't do. I realize I've done massive procrastination but never did I expect that time would fly by in a glimpse of a shimmery daze that leaves me unable to account for anything that has happened since December. Amnesia dusts anyone?

Okay, I'm exaggerating obviously. Then again I have been busy with a lot of things (cross my heart). Mainly with my job, a lot of company transactions to compile with a whole mountain stacks of out-standings unaccounted for, that kept appearing on my desk every morning from January through March, as if by magic (and cue, soft glistening bells chiming at the back of my head). I would will it away to Timbuktu if it weren't for no-magic-usage-outside-of-the-magical-realm-if-there-even-was-one rule.

And there was my temporary obsession to being stringently involved with Deviantart which, surprisingly lasted for about three months. After that, the comments and photo uploading dwindled away and my account is back to its embryonic muteness. On a side note, I've met an interesting person over Deviantart whose stories of warrior women and other worldly magic inspired me to continue writing my novel that I wish to complete someday (it would seem far fetched but I'm not giving in until some council of creative composition sends me a talking envelope that announces the banning of my writing once and for all). It's currently on hiatus, again, until we (my family and I) have moved to our new home.

Then, there were a lot of reading; my obsession with books has not diminished over the years, fortunately, or I'd transform into a pretty boring water nymph (not that nymphs could ever be boring). I don't mean to sound conceited but I've read so many books since December that I've forgotten to keep track of the titles and it certainly slipped my mind to write anymore book reviews (exactly when have I written any? Oh, right, there were a few scraps of unpublished blogs in my account).

A good friend of mine (who currently resides in Australia), got me a gift for my birthday in January - to be more precise, it was a Kwik Sew 3052 sewing pattern that I've been yearning for the past year to create my costume for this year's con. I felt like a giddy, magic-drunk pixie when I opened the envelope and saw the content, and thus my next obsession was born. With some saving, I purchased an Akira SW-940S electric sewing machine. It has about 21 built-in stitch patterns that also include the particular stitch for the fabric used in KS3052. I was quite satisfied.

I worked on the pattern for a while, adjusting the size, sketching the seams according to my intended costume, deciding fabric colors, cutting the fabric, etc (found out recently that stretch fabrics are utterly evil). My current progress with my first costume is about 20% in total. Then the frustration came. I never imagined that one sewing machine could thwart a person's resolve so badly. I cannot adjust the upper tension without making the stitch pucker. I cannot change threads without making the stitch pucker. I cannot change stitch patterns without making the stitch pucker. I've tried re-threading, oiling very regularly (I doubt the puckers have anything to do with oiling), cleaning, re-threading again, more cleaning, more re-threading and lots of cleaning, but my stitches just keeps puckering! It's like the machine is secretly conspiring to ruin my attempt on completing a costume.

My sewing is set aside for the time being and once I'm stacked up with fairy dust, I'll be all riled up to face that monstrosity of a machine again. Consequently, I've become very obsessed with playing The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, but this obsession was becoming rather unhealthy as I'm getting more and more deprived of sleep. So, after a month of nightly computer screen staring, game playing had also decreased. Oh, there will be The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim which will make its debut on 11.11.11. Bethesda has devoted five years into making that game so I'd expect it to be as spectacular as Oblivion or even better perhaps. I haven't been this excited since The Sims 3 was announced. So here's a trailer of Skyrim for you to enjoy and hopefully would influence you to like it as well.

Other than that, I've also been taking driving lessons in hopes that I could finally drive myself around without having to depend on others. I had my two hour lessons every Saturday for a whole month and I'm now just waiting for a call to go for my final driver's test before obtaining a license. I've only ever driven a car not more than five times so quite frankly I don't feel anywhere close to being ready for the test at all. But still, fingers crossed.

Then like a fresh water sprite's first flight, it dawned upon me that I own a blog. Go figure.

Well, that about sums up my whole five months up to the point where I finally recall the existence of the blogger-sphere. I leave you with some captured momentos taken during HobbyCon 2010.

HobbyCon 2010, day 1

My beautiful friends, Maya as Alisa of Tekken 6 and Mori as Riza Hawkeye of Fullmetal Alchemist

Photo credits to Andrea (if I'm not mistaken)

HobbyCon 2010, day 1

Myself as Wonder Woman based on Josh McMahon's art

Photo credits to Edgar

 HobbyCon 2010, day 1

Our little group of warriors

L-R: Me, my brother (Tuxedo Mask of Sailor Moon), Mori, Andrea (Namine of Kingdom Hearts), Makoto (Leo of Tekken 6)

HobbyCon 2010, day 1

Round 1 battle between WW of DC comics and Lili of Tekken 6

Credits to the photographer

HobbyCon 2010, day 1

My most loyal supporter and acting cameraman of the day

HobbyCon 2010, day 2

Our only almost-proper group photo, still incomplete without Sango

L-R: Makoto (Shippo), Videl (Kikyou), Buma (Kagome), my brother (Miroku), me (Inuyasha)

HobbyCon 2010, day 2

Relax, it was an act, no bullying involved, cross my heart ;)

HobbyCon 2010, day 2 

My brother and I (and my tired face)

HobbyCon 2010, day 2

My good friend as Kikyou

Somebody requested to photograph Inuyasha and Kagome in the same pose but I never found the photo

HobbyCon 2010, day 2

My favorite photo of the day

 

HobbyCon 2010, day 2

And as promised, a photo of me and my Tetsaiga

Till my next post, have a happy ever after from me.

Pocketful of Lazies...or was it Dasies?

I'm amazed that I'm still in one piece after enduring a pocketful of lazies a handful of challenging tasks the past few months. Working and preparing for HobbyCon isn't something I should recommend to anyone. Unless if you're not a procrastinator like myself, then you have nothing to worry about.

HobbyCon 2010 Official Poster

My preparations weren't at all that difficult, I just had to be extremely resourceful and crafty (fairy dust would be real handy at this point). The longest I've worked on had to be my brother's Miroku staff and the Tetsaiga. These two were definitely giving me a hard time. The staff actually completed months ago but then my hamster decided it was food and chewed on it. I was horrified partly because I worked long and hard on making it the first out of the many props I had to get done, and also because I was worried that that little rodent would get sick from eating craft foam and paint. Anyhow, I forgave Rose (my hamster) since I realized I'm also to blame (sort of) for placing it next to Rose's cage. Then again, the remake looks far better than version one, so I guess I have Rose to thank that for. (I'll post a picture of it soon.)

The Tetsaiga is by far the largest prop I've ever attempted (and I plan to keep it at that). That baby is approximately 4 feet in length (I haven't figured out the weight yet because I'm not quite done with it). I built the sword based on a tutorial on Cosplay.com but since most of the materials weren't available where I'm from, I got crafty. I made the Tetsaiga blade out of polystyrene board, Jonni's ultimate paper mache clay and Putty Filla (sort of like joint compound). I've just completed sanding and smoothing the whole thing today so tomorrow I can start applying the base coat before painting it. (I'll post a picture once I'm done.)

While I'm on a roll, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank a few people who were involved while I was working on Tetsaiga.

To my BF:
Thank you for supplying the materials I was lacking to complete my projects, big and small; for being there through it all, although sometimes it seemed like you were ditching me when I needed you most, but I know it was your way to let me cool off and think matters through. I have been temperamental and said things that would have hurt you but you're always so patient and kind and that's one of the many traits I admire about you.

To my BFFs:
Thank you guys for all your brotherly/sisterly support, for your valuable ideas, wonderful advices and for being alongside all my struggles. You have all been a blessing to me. I wouldn't trade any of you for anything else.

To the two biggest hypocrites:
Both of you have the worst personalities possible and it's difficult to regard either of you as faithful friends. But thanks to you, I know I want to be a better person. As Alfred Sheinwold once quoted, "Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won't have time to make them all yourself."

To the Prop Master:
I'm truly grateful for your offer to make me a new sword but I'm not one to depend on others - unless when I'm desperate enough (pun intended). You're a really awesome and kind person and somewhat straightforward. I'm blessed to be your acquaintance.

Happy thoughts anyone? (I've no idea why I've just said that.)

So to conclude today's tale, I'll leave you with a preview of something else I've been working on for this year's cosplay.

Till the next time, have a happy ever after from me.

T-shirt Recon: Basic Tank Top

Ever since I fixed my prehistoric sewing machine, I literally felt hooked to sewing. I have made bags, dresses and costumes, and reconstructed a completely new wardrobe. My personal and ultimate favourite is turning old pieces into new tops.

Before I had my machine fixed, I had, like, heaps of super sized shirts, a treasure cove worth discovering. Unaware of what I could do with them then, I gave the lot to my dad and brother. Well, that was a thousand light years ago. Now, I am cherishing every piece of super sized shirts that I own (not forgetting those given by my aunt of course).

I have been reconstructing many shirts recently that a friend of mine asked how I made them. So, this post is dedicated to the lovely Ms. Maya the Bee. Hope you’ll enjoy this project as much as I have.

Step 1:
Get a piece of shirt that you have not worn in a long time. Alternatively, perhaps that new piece of clothing, sitting at the same spot in your wardrobe ever since you got it - that you do not like wearing because of the style.

Step 2:
Turn it inside out like this. Now, wasn’t that easy?

Step 3:
Fold it in half like this. Before continuing to Step 4, make sure you have aligned the edges and smoothen out the creases. This is to ensure that it wouldn’t turn out funny once you cut it. You have been warned.

Step 4:
Get your favourite piece of tank top, fold it in half and align the folded edge with your shirt. You may pin down the tank top onto your shirt before you begin with the cutting process. You don’t need to turn your tank top inside out by the way.

Step 5:
Get a pair of scissors. No, not the one you use to cut papers.

Step 6:
Now we shall snip away! Well, for beginners, I recommend cutting about 1 inch away from the edges of your tank top for seam allowance. This is so you will have more room for mistakes. Once you get used to t-shirt recon, you can minimize your seam allowance to 1/2 inch or 3/8 inch (I used 3/8 inch for my part). Oh and if your shirt is non-stretchable I would recommend a wider seam allowance (no less than 1 inch) so you would not have a problem fitting into your new top.

Step 7:
If you’ve manage to cut the seam allowance without accidentally cutting your tank top, I congratulate you for a job well done. However, if you have snipped out a chunk of the tank top, stop everything and never attempt this again!

Just pulling your leg there but seriously, you should be very careful with scissors. They have minds of their own.

I know that cutting through thick layers of fabric could be tiring. So now, take a short break to flex your fingers before you continue with the armhole. It’s really all up to you whether you’d want to cut the armhole exactly the same as your tank top or to have a different design.

I made mine a little wider.

I made the shoulder about 2 inches wide.

Step 8:
You’re almost complete. Now off to sewing the sides! If you want your result to be neat, you should really pin down the edges so that the fabric wouldn’t move about while you sew.

Since I made 3/8 inch seam allowance, I’m also sewing about 3/8 inch from the edge, like so. Most sewing machines have 1 inch measurement just by the needle hole like mine does. I tried taking a picture but it came out blurry because my phone camera doesn’t do close ups.

But if you’re new to t-shirt recon and you’ve made a 1 inch seam allowance, I suggest you sew about 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch from the edges and try it on to see if it fits you comfortably.

Step 9:
If your machine has those 20 over fancy stitch styles, I recommend using the zigzag stitches to reinforce the seam at about 1/8 inch away from the first stitching. But if your machine is ancient like mine, sew a size 15 stitch at about the same distance, between your first stitch and the edges (refer to picture). This reinforcement is necessary to avoid popped seams and fraying of edges.

When you’re done, you can cut away those fabric leftovers leaving about 1/4 inch fabric.

Step 10:
You could sew the sides of the armholes by folding 3/8 inch inwards and sew about 1/8 inch away from the edges. However, if you prefer cargo style, you could skip the armhole. It would fray a little but that makes it look cool.

This whole process took me about 30 minutes because I wanted to make the armholes look neater than my previous recon. But if you leave the armholes as it is, the process only takes about 15 minutes’ tops.

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the showing off admiring of your new top!

Next project on my list – jeans recon!

Until the next time, have a happy ever after from me.