Oops! Apparently I've accidentally deleted all of my images. I'll see about fixing that soon.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Pumpkin Pie

So I've decided that since I like things all neat and tidy I'm going to try to keep the Monday and Wednesday posts for sewing and try to leave all non-sewing posts for Fridays. It was an idea I had when I first started this blog, but since then I've had this "Friday" tag just lying around barely being used.  Well, let's see how well I keep to it. (big events like GenCon excluded of course)

Anyway, today I'll be talking pie, specifically pumpkin.  I've still not found a consistent gluten free pie crust recipe that works for me (and I soooo miss rolling out pie crust by hand) in general, but one of my best friends  sent me this recipe the other day and it got me thinking.... "what other recipes would that work for?" Why, Pumpkin Pie of course!


Wednesday, August 29, 2012

M5056 McCalls Skirt

Today's post is not about my own sewing but that of someone close to me: my mother-in-law.  She recently had the opportunity to go to a Grateful Dead concert and wanted a new skirt to fit the occasion.  She found an appropriate pattern and some fun fabric and jumped right in.


That's about when I got a panicked call.  

Monday, August 27, 2012

Boy's Football Jersey

One of our nephews had a birthday this past month and while trying to figure out what to get or make for him someone told us he wanted a football jersey (American football, that is).  I love making stuff for the kids even though I know they will grow out of it way too fast, so I was excited that this seemed to be something I could handle easily.

The fabric I used was a synthetic of some sort, a deep blue athletic-style fabric that my best friend gave me as part of a birthday gift many years ago. I've used bits and pieces of it here and there but it really seemed to be waiting for this as its fate. 

Stretch & Sew 861

Now, I've never made a football jersey before unless you count the tiny one I made for my husband's office event a while back.  So I pulled up some pics via Google Image search for visual aids and perused one of my pattern boxes for a starting place.  In there I found this Stretch & Sew pattern that I got from some friends when they were downsizing their sewing supplies. While the fabric I was using was not stretchy this was still a really good place to start.

Friday, August 24, 2012

GenCon 2012: GRiPT Games

Ok, this is the last post about GenCon this year, I promise. After this I'll get back to the sewing and the painting.

the GRiPT guys in deep discussion

Admittedly I'm all talked out on this subject. I've submitted an article to Lost Hemisphere about the gaming with both of GRiPT's scenarios but no word yet on whether they'll end up posting that. They also have some great pics of the 3 Walls that we took to the Con this year.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

The Minis of GenCon 2012: GenCon Cases

Finally, here is the last batch of pics of minis from this year's convention. These are from the GenCon painting contests. Some are from speedpainting and some are just the general awesomeness contests. They were all pretty cool. Maybe I'll enter next year.... 
:)

watching these painted was one of the high moments of the con for me
Aces XI Charity Speed Paint
Back L->R: Marketh (Skorne) by Angela Imrie, Widowmaker Leader (Khador) by Amy Stegman, Gorman Di Wulfe (Merc) by Matt DiPietro, Shepherd (Legion) by Jennifer Kaufman, Valeria Alvaro (IKRPG) by Zach Lanier

Front L->R: Journyeman Warcaster (Cygnar) by Derek Schubert, Lord of the Feast (Circle) by Jessica Rich, Arcanist (Retribution) by Sue Wachowski, Pistol Wraith (Cryx) by Marike Reimer, Exemplar Errant Officer (Menoth) by Noel Meyer

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

The Minis of GenCon 2012: the Tables

Continuing to post pics of minis I saw at GenCon, these are minis that I saw out and about either on the gaming tables or just from other attendees.

Mulg the Ancient painted by Dan at Wyrd Miniatures
...at least that was what the gamer who was playing with him told me.  The pic really doesn't do him justice, he's gorgeous in deep purples shaded nearly up to white.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

The Minis of GenCon 2012: PP & CMON

I took a ton of pics of minis during this year's convention. I've tried to whittle those down to a reasonable number to share here.  This first batch are those I found in the Privateer Press and Cool Mini or Not cases.

Please let me know if any of these models are yours so I can put your name up with it!

the shading on this guy was beautiful
ETA: This model has been identified by its highly talented painter as Dark Young from Blackball Games painted by Jess Rich aka Brushmistress. You can also find her speedpainting entry (please please correct me if I have any of them mixed up!) over on my blog entry from the ACES charity event.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

GenCon 2012 Photodump 4

This con has been awesome.  And just because we are exhausted and calling it quits for this year doesn't mean the pictures will stop flowing just yet, after all I've taken way more than what I've already posted. lol

And now having had actual sleep I have enough energy to actually get captions on some of these! :P
Me and local kid (Youngblood Golden Demon) ended up in the same class

Marike Reimer taught us about sheer fabrics and freehanding

Saturday, August 18, 2012

GenCon 2012 Photodump 3

OMG best day of GenCon yet! Had a great day and a couple of really stellar moments.  Looking forward to posting all about it after all the fun is over and I've had a few hours of sleep. In the mean time here are some pics. As before, I've taken a tonne more than what I'm posting here so I'll share more later when I can get them sorted properly.

5th Doctor and the T.A.R.D.I.S.

Friday, August 17, 2012

GenCon 2012 Photodump 2

The first full day of gaming at GenCon was a blast. Super tired and sore from all of the walking so you're getting some lower quality photos and not the full set.  I took almost 200 photos today.  Missing from today's photodump are pics of all of the minis I gawked at and pics of GRiPT Games' scenarios "The Wall" and "The City." I'll come back and put captions on these at some point.

Serra Angel

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

GenCon 2012 Photodump 1

Photos from the night before the first day of Gencon
Hanging at the RAM after picking up our badges at WillCall

Dr Who (5th) Cosplay: Ready for GenCon 2012

Ok, I've finally got the pics you've been waiting for. The costume is done and ready and so am I! I've been doing a lot of sewing and other 'making' in the last week as final preparation.

new badge holders for the Mr. and myself (front & back of each)

The red tape/cords are from badge holders that he's acquired for free in the past. We have no affiliation with Konami, I think it was free in his swag bag one year.  The black & white fabric is left over from a nursing cover I did for a friend a while back, but we both liked i for this. I added a netted section to mine in case I want to put tickets or my phone or something in there. My husband requested his as a 'badge only' badge holder and is currently sporting a badge from 2007 I used as a size guide.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Dr Who (5th) Cosplay: Finishing up

It's hard to believe that GenCon is just a few days away. I'm super excited, but still busy getting everything in order so that our 'vacation' goes as smoothly as possible. I'm relieved that we can come home each night and sleep in our own bed as it's sure to be super exhausting.  Also, being so close to home, if I get freaked out by the crowds I can just come home and rest and go back later to pick my husband up when he is ready to come home.

So what is left to finish? Nothing big. All of the big stuff is done; it's all of the small stuff that I'm finding I want to do at the last minute plus all of the packing and prepwork (food, clothes, painting supplies) that I still have on my list. (I <3 lists.)

QR code to lead to my blog
Since so many people have QR code readers on their mobile devices these days I've stitched out a couple of QR codes to 'wear' that lead back here in case anyone at the Con is interested.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

GenCon is Coming!




Super excited that GenCon is almost here.  Are you going?  Do you have any special traditions that you do on Wednesday when you pick up tickets/ badges or check in to wherever you are staying? 

I'm worrying less now about the crowds and moving into planning mode: what food to buy, prepping laundry, making sure everything else is covered.

Hope your week is going well!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

The Weight of the World

 The human body is amazing and even more so the human mind, pushing the body past its 'limits.'

Many people know I've been watching one particular Olympian the last couple of months, weightlifter Sarah Robles. I admire her pertinacious spirit and personal and physical strength. And as I've followed her on Facebook I've been delighted to find we even have some interests in common. 


Friday, August 3, 2012

Big Post of Minis

I'm way behind in showing you some of the miniature-related fun we've had going on at home lately, so since I have had zero time to sew in the last two days I think I'll show you now!

First off I painted a model last month for Lost Hemisphere's monthly Paint the Target fun.  This month's target was to paint a model with reach.  I chose the Troll's Kriel Warrior Caber Thrower.

really proud of the muscle shading & highlighting

Whereas in real life a caber looks more like a telephone pole, this troll has hoisted up a marble pillar to hurl at his enemies.  (Want to know more about caber tossing? Check this out! And for those who want something more sciencey there's this!)
 
tartan painted in the dark. I swear I'll fix it.


Remember way back when I entered Captain Spud's Make Something Amazing Contest over at Lost Hemisphere? No? Well, I've posted about it a few times, notably here and here.  Anyway, even though I didn't win, Spud sent out small prizes to everyone anyway, and very generous ones at that.

Super exciting to get mail from Canada!


My husband had entered, too and we were super excited to see what we had received. 


Inside there were things for each of us: a 6" spray and a letter. 
 
reluctantly letting me photograph his letter

Mine certifies that I am "amazing," my husband's: not so much.  He had a bit of trouble with his project, but I'm proud of him for seeing it through to the end.

The box that made up the bulk of the package was the Dire Troll plastic kit, which contains the bits and pieces to make any combo of 3 Dire Trolls: The Blitzer, the Bomber, or the Mauler.
 
a hand full of heads

a hand full of hands
We are currently working on a way to make it work so that we can actually use all three.

Hey, there's a FOURTH card there!
 What's that fourth card? It's for Rok! While I've been busy sewing away for GenCon my husband has been busy playing Warmahordes and winning. With his winnings he was able to purchase the kit for Rok that also goes with the Dire Troll kit.


And then there was this shiny that he had been wanting and that I had been wanting to paint: The Trollblood Runeshapers.
 

oh yeah, that's going to be fun hee hee

And then I made a tiny purchase of my own. It's not an exceptional model but the price was right.  I am taking a few classes at GenCon including some for painting (faces, freehanding, etc), so I wanted to have something cheap with me that I could work on while I was there.


Well, I have to rush out the door to work, so I guess that's all for now!
 
Happy Friday!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Dr Who (5th) Cosplay: The Sweater

With only a couple weeks to go before GenCon I'm hoping to put the finishing touches on my DrWho cosplay asap.  As you recall, I'm doing the Fifth regeneration of the doctor as portrayed by Peter Davison.

Each regeneration of The Doctor has a specific outfit, a unique 'look' that they maintain throughout. For Davison it was a variation on a cricket outfit.  Part of that is the white sweater. 

You're wearing a vegetable!

While he wore more than one sweater (the stripes were slightly different on each) I have opted to go with this one as I like it better and clearly others did too since it's what he wore when he and Tenant (10th Doctor) did their Christmas special together a few years back. 

also, this one has no horiz stripes at the waist

So I started with this sweater, a hand-me-down from my mother-in-law. It's all cotton so it should be comfortable and breathable in the heat of the Con.


I bought embroidery floss in the requisite orange and blue colors with which to make the stripes.
 



The color and thickness of the floss seemed good when I put it up against the sweater, but I hadn't realized till this point just how small/ fine a knit the ribbing on the sweater was.


I had originally tried a chain stitch where all of the chains were on the underside and the stitches were long.  I knew pretty early it was a bad move, but it sat like that for weeks before I wanted to mess with it again.


Fortunately, all of the original stitches pulled out easily (I did that on purpose) and I set about making much smaller, much more regulated chain stitches around the neckline.

click to embiggen

I'm really pleased with how it turned out.



I'm hoping to get the jacket finished soon, so I'll have that to share. Also, I got my socks in the mail so I'm stoked about that, too!

Hope your week is going well!